“The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind, If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?“
Last two lines of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem, “Ode to the West Wind“.
Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ Dwarf Daffodil appear early for Christmas. Pic: G. Willoughby
Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ Dwarf Daffodil normally bloom early in the season, starting from February through until April, and are among the first to herald the arrival of spring. Their vibrant blooms are a welcome sight after those grey winter months, bringing warmth and joy to our garden borders, rock gardens, containers, and window boxes.
However, here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary these Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ Dwarf Daffodil have decided to not wait for February and have raised their pretty heads above ground in early December; at least two whole months ahead of schedule.
Hardly the work of Banksy, latter that pseudonymous England-based street artist and political activist, whose real name and identity remain, as yet, unconfirmed.
The above 35.56 centimetre (14 inch) high, expletive / salutation has greeted the arrival and departure of those using the new Liberty Square / Slievenamon Road, car park, [aka ‘Checkpoint Charlie’], latter positioned just 20 metres from the Thurles Tourist Office, since June 2021. It appeared prior to the removal of the money wasting, two year old Perspex coated, parking ticket shelter the costings of which remain a closely guarded secret, retained only by Municipal District wasting officialdom.
Former eradicated Perspex coated, parking ticket shelter.
One would have hoped that these two worded expletive could have been removed by Thurles Council, along with the two year old car parking barrier system, or even by the well-meaning ‘Refresh Thurles’ grouping, but, alas, it has gone unnoticed over the past 3.5 years, due to the everyday ‘hussle and bustle’ of a now struggling Thurles town centre market place.
Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris).
Graffiti, seen by some as a form of visual communication, usually illegal, involving the unauthorized marking of public spaces by individuals or groups, has become a continuing problem here in Thurles and goes unchecked. Could the planting of climbing Hydrangeas (Hydrangea petiolaris) be the answer to this wanton vandalism?
Autumn shade of the Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris).
This charming, fully hardy, self-clinging, climber enjoys full sun to partial shade, but will still thrive even on a north facing wall. In midsummer white lace-cap-style hydrangea flowers cover the plant, before the leaves turn slowly to yellow in autumn. Same grows best in a sheltered position in soils rich in organic matter, reaching some 3.048 metres (10 ft) – 6.96 metres (20 ft) in height.
Author: Mr Alan Joseph Shatter[Irish lawyer, author and former politician who served as Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, (March 2011 – 7 May 2014) ].
Anyone In Charge?
Helter skelter. Bicycle shelter. Construction complete. A real belter!
Security Hut. Door kept shut. Architecturally sound. No short cuts.
Cost irrelevant. OPW white elephants. Government shocked. Cos it can’t blame an emigrant!
Person in charge. Still at large. Nowhere to be found. Gone to ground.
Taoiseach bemused. Tanaiste taken aback. No one responsible. Sure governings great crack!
On Monday evening last, at 14:21 hours, I was contacted (PM on Facebook) by Mr Jim Ryan, (Elected Local Councillor). He informed me that his associates had held a meeting ‘with a few experts‘, with regards to the state of the river Suir at Barry’s bridge in the town centre.
There was I thinking that I was going to be reprimanded, by my betters, for contacting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which I certainly did, in an attempt to get some action in my efforts to save the decline of the River Suir and to lower, at least somewhat, the filthy stench currently being emitted from its murky waters.
No, thank God, the EPA hadn’t informed Mr Ryan directly, about my daring activities. Instead he was anxious to obtain images of sewage flowing into the river, which he had been fighting to correct for over the past 11 years; with his colleagues failing to support him and he without a camera of his own and no sense of smell.
In the course of our brief communication, I must apologise to Mr Ryan for misleading him. I had stated that I thought that the emissions from the area at the Emmett street “swinging gates” side of the river walk had been fixed. However, I also had stated that because of nettles retained by our local ‘nettle hugging’ biodiversity individuals, same could not be fully confirmed.
I am now happy to confirm, using the Thurles.Info satellite; that fixing this problem, requested on June 30th, 2022(view Here); on October 14th, 2022(view Here); on June 28th, 2023(view Here); and again on October 26th 2023(view Here), was simply too much of a challenge for our elected double jobbers; what with the war in Ukraine; the war in Gaza, not to mention Covid.19 and the onset of space tourism.
I now feel embarrassed, as I report that the emissions reported two years are still happily flowing, leaching into the water; only in larger amounts than was reported previously back in 2022. Again the nettles forbid me from seeing the actual pipe and my only pair of wellington boots have sprung a leak.
Archival picture of sewage entering the river Suir taken in 2022. Pic: G.Willoughby.
Same sewage photographed two years later on Saturday last. September 21st 2024. Pic: G.Willoughby.
Meanwhile, the person who sent men into the river, without supervision, on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, should consider their position and resign.
>
We had expected this workforce to return to complete their cleaning work on Thursday, and Friday last, but alas, no show; hope they didn’t pick up anything, forcing them to take sick leave. The reeds were cut, using strimmers, and left to float on the water’s surface, blocking the two fish runs, and forcing the main water stream to flow directly over the low weir. Branches were removed from under the bridges arches and left partially in the water and on the river bank. As our video shows, despite no rain over the past 7 days, water is still flowing from a drain under Thurles Swimming Pool, directly into the river, as is a stream of water from pipes under Barry’s Bridge, which we reported last January, (view Here).
Anyone Missing A Sock? No effort has been made to collect the numerous years of litter, piled and hidden in the receding undergrowth, found in the river itself and on its banks, in the form of plastic bags, tins, bottles, clothing, etc. One thing I did discover; while Red Bull liquid may give you ‘Wiings’, their empty containers remain fully grounded, when caught floating in existing Blanket Weed (filamentous algae).
Yes, the public are totally responsible for this littering, but what are we getting in return for vehicle parking charges and for local property tax, the latter which has increased in Thurles every year, since it was introduced in 2013 except during local election years.
Members of Thurles Tidy Towns, Thurles Gun Club and myself had worked for absolutely no recompense to make this same area visually beautifully, which Thurles Municipal District Councillors and their officials have now turned it into a cesspit, having removing all its assets.
It may now be necessary to put together a working volunteer group to save this wonderful asset, for according to Mr Ryan (Cllr.), despite being set up in 2016, the outfit known as the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), have no immediate action plan in place and will require 4 months to make such plans, before urgent funding can even be applied for.
It has come to my attention that a picture, owned by me, is being used to promote a faceless social media page on Facebook. Same is calling for a Bypass for the town of Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Stolen picture. Pic: G. Willoughby [121106.jpg]
I believe this Facebook page is possibly the work of a failed political entity and its purpose is totally designed to self-promote this one particular individual.
I wish the public to understand that in NO WAY, despite the use of my property, am I, George Willoughby, involved with this faceless social media project and I have requested the party responsible to remove the picture with immediate effect.
The picture dates back to April 15th 2023 and can be VIEWED HERE, together with text content and is signed by me.
While over numerous years I have always supported the idea of a Thurles Bypass [View Here, and Here,] and in every way highlighted the need for same, the idea of a faceless Facebook page, containing no content except misguided ‘Likes’; and nothing else except a picture photographed and owned by me; I find to be dishonest, cowardly, spineless, gutless and totally repulsive. I already see this dishonesty materialising in those previous offenders, we elected in the last local elections.
Responsibility for the provision of a Thurles Bypass lies solely with those elected to government, namely Mr Jackie Cahill and Mr Michael Lowry, both with offices in Thurles and who silently work out of each other’s pockets. Between November 2024 and March 2025 a general election will take place. Those who feel strongly regarding the lack of a Thurles Bypass, will have the option to cast their votes accordingly.
I withhold the link to the Facebook Social Media page.
Recent Comments