I couldn’t go anywhere yesterday without being interviewed. Then there were the constant phone calls, the knocks on the door and despite having my cap pulled down over my face to hide my identity, my progress was constantly halted on the isles of my local Supermarket.
Each time the question was the same, “What’s the crack with this Inner Relief Road announced yet again by Tipperary Cllr. Micheál Lowry “.
“Sure what would I know about it” was always my immediate reply. But know this, my inquisitors were not the ordinary mushrooms, anxious to remain in the total darkness of a mycological terrarium. No faith, they were anxious for honesty, and were not happy being fed with the usual fertiliser, that is discharged, slowly and steadily, from the mouths of those whom they had elected to rule over them.
It was on May 22nd, 2024, that we first announced the headline “Land Acquired For Thurles Inner Relief Road”. (Note Date when Reading HERE)
It took a further 9 days, on May 31st, 2024, before Cllr. Mr Micheál Lowry (Lowry without an E ), got around to announce same, while being photographed in the presence of Mr P.J. Broderick (Auctioneer) and Mr Michael Ryan (Landowner). (Note Date when Reading HERE)
In that same statement published on TipperaryLive.ie, (latter better known as the Tipperary Star newspaper), on 31st May 2024, Cllr. Mr Micheál Lowry’s father, Ind. Deputy Mr Michael Lowry, (again Lowry spelt without an E ) is quoted:-
“Tipperary TD Michael Lowry said on social media this week that is “fantastic news” for Thurles. Following the intervention of Cllr Micheál Lowry and months of negotiation, Tipperary County Council has reached an agreement to purchase the final piece of land on the Mill Road, required to construct the long-awaited Thurles inner relief road.
Fantastic news for Thurles as the long-awaited Thurles inner relief road has taken a huge step forward Congratulations also to Micheál. All his hard work and commitment to this project over the last number of months have paid off,” said Deputy Lowry.
Now here is the reason why my recent inquisitors claim they are standing in a dark place.
It was some 12 years ago (2013) when the idea of an inner relief road was first dreamed up by someone with very little education in local history.
An Archaeological Impact Statement for the development of this Inner Relief Road exiting unto the Mill Road, in Thurles, was undertaken in October 2013 by Mr F. Coyne (BA MIAI), his client being Mr Michael Devery, North Tipperary County Council, Civic Offices, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary. (Read Mr Coyne’s ‘statement of findings’ in full, HERE).
On page No. 25 of this ‘statement of findings’, which shows a map of MonaKeeba townland, (www.osi.ie), same displays clearly the words “Double Ditch“. The latter which was the only Great Famine project of its time, built in 1846 (see pages 5 & 6), enabling those who built it, to feed their families.
Mr F. Coyne’s ‘statement of findings’ failed, for some unknown reason, to identify the importance of same, even despite my concerns and major objections, and which was later destroyed, knowingly, by Tipperary Co. Council, in a project lead by the now retired Cllr. Seamus Hanafin. [See Link: Latter that strong voice for Thurles at Tipperary County Council since 2003].
Seven years following Mr F. Coyne’s poor judgement and faulty ‘statement of findings’, on October 4th 2021, the now retired Fianna Fáil TD Mr Jackie Cahill announced on social media, (View Here) quote:
“I am absolutely delighted to confirm that my hometown of Thurles is finally receiving the funding we need for the development of the inner relief road in the town, under the NDP.
This will come as very positive news and I know is welcomed by Thurles people at large, as well as all those from surrounding areas who commute through or come into Thurles on a regular basis.
I entered government over a year ago to do my absolute best for my constituency and to deliver for Tipperary. I’ve met with Minister Michael McGrath, county management, and senior officials on many occasions to push for key projects to be included in the National Development Plan, so that we could get the funding we need to deliver essential infrastructure projects for the county.
When I first entered politics in 2014, I made it clear that one of my absolute priorities was seriously tackling the traffic congestion issues in my home town of Thurles. Just last week I spoke once again in the Dáil on the need to secure this funding, in one final attempt to remind Minister McGrath TD, on the Dáil record, that this was a priority for me.
I am also pleased to learn that there is additional funding in the NDP for road infrastructure projects that the local authority would like to prioritise. The inner relief road is the first in a number of steps to solving Thurles’ traffic issues once and for all. The other is the Thurles town bypass. I will continue to work just as hard on that project to push Tipperary County Council to draw down funding under this section of the NDP for the Thurles bypass.
The inner relief road will link the Slievenamon Road at the new Lidl to the Mill Road. It will allow vast quantities of traffic to avoid what will be the newly-aligned Liberty Square and take huge amounts of vehicles out of the centre of the town, especially at peak times during the day.
The inner relief road will transform the developmental opportunities of the St Patrick’s campus. There are many acres of space at the back of St Patrick’s campus that are prime for development. I have been working with senior Mary Immaculate College management to secure funding for the development of the campus and provision of new courses there also. Part of these major plans would see an entirely new entrance for St Pat’s being developed from the new inner relief road. This is something that I stressed strongly with Minister Simon Harris, when I hosted him in St Patrick’s campus during the summer, with senior Mary Immaculate management”.
As Tipperary’s only Government TD, I am delighted to welcome this funding today for Thurles, and I would like to thank local Cllr Seamus Hanafin, Minister Michael McGrath and his officials, and county management for working with me so closely on this over the last number of years. I know that securing this funding was a top priority for Cllr. Hanafin too and comes as very welcome news for all of Thurles and surrounding areas”.
Above Video was published on October 4th 2021 last, by Mr Jackie Cahill TD on social media.
The above statement was then distributed, on October 4th 2021, and accepted, without question, by journalists, administrators and radio interviewers at Tipp FM Radio; TipperaryLive.ie (latter Tipperary Star newspaper); Nationalist Newspaper; Nenagh Guardian (Latter newspaper); Tipperary Fianna Fáil office; Thurles.ie (website); Thurles Chamber of Commerce; MIC St Patrick’s College Campus; and Thurles LIT Thurles Campus. Good news for Thurles is always scarce so all latter outlets published his press release without question.
Not surprisingly, Mr Cahill’s Public Relations Officer knew well not to send it to us, Thurles.Info, because we are inclined to ask difficult questions; in order to ascertain that something is ‘true‘ in accordance with actual fact and reality. Today, sadly truth is no longer acceptable in political circles.
Now we are informed by the press (Radio & Newspapers) that his 2013 sought Thurles Inner Relief Road after 12 years has moved closer to fruition and again, we are informed on Thursday last, February 6th 2025, by the same Cllr. Micheál Lowry, that the conveyancing process has been completed and Tipperary County Council has the title to the land, required to progress this Inner Relief Road Project. We are not sure where the money has come from, was it courtesy of the Irish taxpayer or was it funded by the Lowry family?
Cllr. Micheál Lowry’s father, Tipperary North TD, Mr Michael Lowry, latter currently seen as being to the fore in negotiating the new coalition government’s Programme for Government, has he states received a commitment on this project, from his government colleagues and approval is now only being sought to advance this project, to detailed design and construction despite Mr Jackie Cahills claim of funding.
This is the same Mr Michael Lowry TD, who has confirmed publicly that he had not done a deal to fund costly plans already in place for a now 50 year old, much sought-after, Thurles Bypass, to relieve the now traffic choked medieval streets of his native town of Thurles. (Read HERE).
So are we to understand that Mr Lowry TD was allowed funding under the ‘Programme for Government’ for a useless, inner relief road, but was refused funding for the 50 year old, long awaited, Thurles Bypass?
But according to former TD Mr Jackie Cahill, that same government funding was already in place in 2021, acquired by him. Someone is not being honest in relation to this matter and the electorate is feeling cheated.
As for Tipperary politicians and County Councillors, please stop with your personal attempts at power grabbing and devious, sly, underhand self-promotion.
If honest, intelligent and qualified people were to run for election, your current backbench TD’s, same devoid of any real qualifications, would not be in receipt of expenses of €34,065 for milage, €20,350 for maintaining a constituency office, a “petty cash” allowance of €100 per month and salaries of €113,679 for a 3 day working week, just at the lower grade. They could not exploit other Dail expenses, including Personalised Dáil calenders, Personalised Christmas cards, Printer cartridges, Personalised Stationary etc, or even Personalised inappropriate texts sent to teenagers.
To those who welcome this ‘Inner Relief Road’ and the wanton destruction of Thurles town’s rich history, I please beg you to observe the current existing ‘Inner Relief Road’, filtering between the Mill Road & Turtulla Cross, presently.
Now, I ask you, the tax paying public, in all sincerity has this current, existing Inner Relief Road, helped in any way in reducing traffic in the now most traffic congested town in the Irish midlands.
Tipperary Co. Council officials should forget about wasting public funding on this project and give to Thurles what it so badly needs, namely the Thurles Bypass.
A dying Thurles town immediately needs it’s Bypass, in the knowledge that it will take years to progress.
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