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The Day Leitrim Played In Croke Park.

“The Day Leitrim played in Croke Park”, by the award-winning writer, director and actor from County Leitrim, Seamus O’Rourke.

In all, Leitrim have played in Croke Park six times during their overall history.

Thurles Town Centre – Realigned Without Planning Permission.

At first, we thought it was caused by storm Éowyn, but then we heard that it was possible that proposed notion (or was it motion, whatever), put forward last December, by Fine Gael Tipperary Cllr. Ms Peggy Ryan; latter seeking more short term parking in the centre of Thurles, that had suddenly materialised.
But not so, on making enquiries, (facts not yet fully confirmed) it appears that one of the many heavy goods vehicles, laden with some 3500 kg (3.5 Metric tons) of produce; all of which are forced to pass daily through Liberty Square town centre, simply ran out of narrow road, while attempting to progress unto Slievenanon Road.

Railings removed for the second time, on entering Slievenamon Road from Liberty Square.
Picture: G. Willoughby.

Thankfully, no Latte Coffee drinking pedestrians, normally seated in this general area, were killed or injured and the rate-paying businesses will happily have no problem in paying for the damaged railings. Engineers who came up with the farcical and ill-conceived planning of this area will not be found financially liable. Sadly however our one remaining local Thurles TD (we learned today) will no longer have speaking rights in Dáil Éireann, to ask for an update on funding for the 50 year old awaited ‘Ring Road’, latter the answer to this ongoing demolition problem.

Railings removed last August for the 4th time and not yet repaired.
Picture: G. Willoughby.

However, look on the bright side; one additional benefit has come out of this latest piece of demolition work. Both sides of this junction, entering and exiting unto Liberty Square, are now almost a perfect match, thus greatly enhancing the Thurles town centre.

A Visit To Santa.

A Visit to Santa.

Courtesy Irish comedian and singer, the late great Brendan Grace, (1951–2019); known for his comedy schoolboy character “Bottler”.

Born in the heart of Dublin City in 1951, Brendan was raised on Echlin Street, in the Liberties area of the city. His father Seamus worked as a bartender, an ambulance man and other odd jobs, to keep the family going.

Like many young Dubliners of that period, Brendan left school young to find work. His first job was as a messenger boy, an occupation he often referred to in his live performances.

His wit and observations of daily life in Ireland will long remain.

Switching On Of Thurles Christmas Lights.

Thurles Christmas lights will be officially switched on at 6:00pm sharp, on Friday evening next, December 6th 2024.
The lighting ceremony will take place in the centre of Liberty Square, with staged live music; same starting at 5:30pm, and continuing until 7:00pm.

Santa will be also in Thurles on Friday December 6th, in Thurles Tourist office (on Slievenamon Road).

We hear also that a Santa Grotto will be open at the above stated Tourist Office in the town, beginning each Saturday; starting from December 7th, and operating between the hours of 2:00pm and 4:00pm.
(Kids, don’t you worry about the lack of parking on Liberty Square, in Thurles; Santa always parks on the roof.)

Parents Do Note: A small appearance fee (€3.00) will be charged for this Santa Grotto service, to all children attending, (obviously to cover the cost of feeding carrots to Santa’s reindeer).

Q. Can you guess what Mrs. Santa Claus said to Santa when she looked up at the sky last Christmas Eve?
A. “Looks like rain dear”.

Q. What do you call Santa when he’s wearing his ear muffs?
A. You can call him anything you like; sure he can’t hear you.

Q. And while we are on the topic, how is Christmas like a day at the office?
A. You do all the work, and that fat guy, in the suit, gets all the credit.

Q: What goes “oH oH oH” at Christmas?
A: Santa walking backwards.

Waitin’ Around.

Waitin’ Around.

Poet & Author Tom Ryan Recollects.©

In this racing age in which we now live, one of the most pleasurable of activities seems earmarked for total oblivion. I refer, of course, to that once-popular activity of just ‘waitin’ around’.


In almost all situations in life there are moments when the world comes temporarily to a standstill for the partner and I. Such as when the number 8 bus to Dalkey whizzes past us on an evening we had planned a convivial evening with the in-laws before dashing to the theatre. On occasions such as this, one can easily distinguish between those who have read ‘The Power of Positive Thinking’ and those given to kicking pavements, climbing the pole of the bus stop, grinding dentures, practising side-line hurling pucks with the brolly and roaring at junior to quit mouthing about his being late for ““Frozen” or “Paw Patrol” on the telly.

About the only people I know who enjoy waiting around are young courting couples who, like the partner and self, take advantage of the standstill in time to communicate with a touch of hands or a plain old giggle-giggle. People in general, though, have little inclination to just wait around any-more.
As for the partner and self, we enjoy nothing better, except, of course when partner has an appointment at the hairstylist.
A little waiting around is (and the Jesuits may correct me), damn good for the soul. It is like a little retreat as beneficial as any (with respect) at our Retreat Houses. Mind you, people will insist (particularly possessive wives) that such waiting around periods are fraught with peril for the soul. And indeed there are men who, while waiting around, see nothing but romance in every female on the street.
Hardly the stuff “retreats” are made of, though I will not act the hypocrite and deny I am like the rest of men, (partner, forgive me!).

Still, marginally, mind you, there is more to the great world than ladies hurrying home from office, shop or factory. One could, for instance, eavesdrop on the private lives that often become very public at a railway station or a bus stop, when detainees and ‘in a hurry folk’ moan about the vicissitudes of life such as their working day presents them with. Times you know when a station waiting room or a bus stop can be a public confession box.
Waitin’ around is good for my business. Once I was forced to wait for an hour for the partner outside a Tipperary Hotel and wondered, irascibly, when she would arrive.
In the course of that hour I met the secretaries of umpteen societies and groups who were leaving the hotel after their respective meetings, all cheery and talkative of course, after leaving the hotel lounge-bar.( Mind you, after the introduction of the smoking ban, there are more people just waiting around than ever before).

Eh, begad, I was given press releases, secretaries’ reports and off-the-record statements I should never have acquired under more sober circumstances, had I not been waiting around. Maybe more journalists should hang around hotel exteriors after closing time!

There are some people who live in a small town all their lives and never really know it. Not me. From waitin’ around for the partner I know the colour of every shop front, the registration number of every car, the habits of every courting couple in town. I am better than a Garda and I am likely to know at what precise time the town drunks are about to render a few bars of “Show Me The Way To Go Home” or “The Red Flag”.

At Thurles Railway Station, while waiting around I have welcomed home emigrants, congratulated young boys and girls off to their first job in the Civil Service or to College; consoled hurlers coming back from Dublin trophy-less and (before I was wed), asked to dinner bright young things from New York and Paris arriving to ‘au pair’ in Tipperary.

Really, I almost envy the professionals at the ‘waiting around game’. Corner boys, people on strike, reserves on teams, gentlemen of the road, all good people who serve right well, though they only stand and wait.
Which reminds me, partner has been waiting around for me to drive her to the Post Office.
“On my way, dear. On my way”.

END

Tom Ryan, “Iona”, Rahealty, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.