Thurles Information

O Dear! O Dear! O Dear! Yes, it has happened again for the second time in less than a month. Yes, we highlighted the serious issue of the Cathedral Street pedestrian crossing on February 1st 2018 (It took 10 weeks to fix). Again, on July 16th 2018 (This time it took 11 weeks to fix). Again, reported on December 2018 (Issue totally ignored). We highlighted the problem again on January 22nd 2019 in an effort to remind our Co. Council Health & Safety officials of their obligations (Yes, repair persons got around to fixing it 4 weeks later in early March). Now I bet you can’t guess what is after happening just yesterday.

It would appear, the previous fixers armed with their pliers and screwdriver, failed to report to the appropriate authority that 16-wheeler lorries are responsible for hitting this sign, in their efforts to pass each other on this stretch of the Cathedral Street road.

Interesting to note that the Irish language word for ‘Road’ is ‘Bóthair’, which translated into common Celtic means a “cow path”, and compared to the size of trucks forced to pass through Thurles, our roadways are just that, “cow paths”.

When the various political canvassers come calling, seeking your vote in the Local Government Elections, latter taking place on Friday May 24th 2019, do ask them about their complete failure to progress our long-promised Thurles Ring Road.

Actually, don’t waste your breath, sure Tipperary County Council officials don’t give local elected Templemore / Thurles Municipal Councillors any information, e.g. the “Cabragh Houses” controversy. If present day councillors were removed from the equation altogether, we would be much more enlightened with regard to the decision-making process.

Let there be no misunderstanding; yes, it is this editors wish that An Post should remain at its current address at Liberty Square, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

NOTE: You can direct your protest and dissatisfaction; as a Thurles and District consumer, directly to An Post, by clicking HERE.

NOTE: The comment hereunder will possibly offend the reigning Thurles Creeps, the Snake-oil Salesmen and the Spoofers, latter who continue as cheerleaders in Thurles town.

While we accept that our Fine Gael Government; latter strongly supported by Fianna Fáil, are doing their very best to eradicate all persons left living in rural Ireland, no real accusations can be actually levelled against same, with regard to the signalled moving of the ‘An Post’ trading post, from Liberty Square in Thurles, to their proposed new site at Thurles Shopping Centre.

Indeed, little condemnation either can be levelled against An Post, itself, being a business currently struggling to survive in a forgotten rural town, where Snowmen, Santa Clauses, Reindeer, Coloured Electric Light Bulbs and electrified Christmas Crib scenes, dangle across the skyline from overhead wires, almost ten weeks after the Xmas festive event has taken place; blocking last week’s Spring sunshine.

For those not familiar with our Thurles tableau; local people are currently being forced to pay €2.20 for their standard postage stamp, instead of An Post’s normal asking price of €1.00.  [Yes, it costs €1.20 to park your car in Liberty Square, while you wander off to line up to purchase your bog standard €1.00 stamp, for your under 100g (in weight) letter].

An Post have signalled their intention to reposition their trading post to the Thurles Shopping Centre, just 500 metres away, [0.310686 of a mile], or a mere 6 minute walk, from its current location on the ‘Sunny Side’ of Liberty Square.

Once set up in Thurles Shopping Centre, no longer will the Thurles Traffic Warden have the authority to police hastily parked cars, same found often double-parked, as they deposit their mail in the post box, at the expense of blocking one full lane of traffic.

Here in their new Thurles Shopping Centre premises, for the moment at least, car parking will be totally free, as indeed it will be in Lidl, latter soon to take up residence next door. (See HERE). Here in their new premises, they will be surrounded by a vast variety of retail service providers, instead of the paint flaking empty premises, charity shops, ‘Vapour’ shops, and the ever-growing number of Take-Away providers, latter who now deliver to your home saving our car owners the demanded €1.20 parking fee.

In May of this year, 2019, the local elections are taking place, so it is not surprising that current local councillors and other election seeking hopefuls, are using this distressing scenario to highlight their future financial dream; calling public meetings and displaying their mug-shots on Facebook, signing petitions. We now find ourselves, as a community,‘bolting the barn door after the horse has bolted’ and expect An Post, [latter a state-owned universal postal service, expected to pay wages annually to some 8,000 employees.] to subsidise the few limited remaining shops in our town centre, by remaining in place, unable to progress fruitfully in selling their wares.

The cause of our present plight must land firmly on the doorstep of, firstly, our Tipperary Co. Council; secondly, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII); thirdly, Templemore / Thurles Municipal District Council; and lastly a silent and weak local Chamber of Commerce.

The whole issue first began with the introduction of Parking Charges [ See also HERE, – HERE, – HERE, – HERE, – just a few of the times this website has warned those who would rule over us.], for motorists at the direction of Tipperary Co. Council, latter subject which needs no further debate. Suffice is to state, that motorists were now encouraged to move to the larger Supermarkets, e.g. Lidl, Aldi, Dunnes Stores, and the former Costcutters, all providing free car parking space.

This loss of footfall on the areas of Liberty Square and Friar Street, in the town centre, resulted in small premises closing down, with other more established premises moving out to Thurles Shopping Centre; elsewhere; and to other minor street’s where parking charges currently do not exist. A blind man could see that these actions would now destroy the town centre.

In October 2018, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), aware of the major traffic problems here with our medieval road structure in Thurles, decided to omit, despite numerous avoidable road deaths; the already identified Thurles Bypass, from their agreed forecast of necessary works, to be undertaken nationally.

When shops move, consumers follow, and here under one roof in Thurles Shopping Centre, no umbrellas or hooded jackets, are needed and here, under this same one roof, An Post no longer will require pensioners and those availing of Social Welfare payments to line up outside in the cold and rain. Thurles Chamber of Commerce supposedly representing store owners, remained deathly silent during this reign of terror on local business; seeing the solution to this exodus, in the provision of prepaid Thurles Chamber Gift Cards, purchased for a minimum of between €15 and €500.

Opposition Politicians and Double jobbing Templemore / Thurles Municipal District Councillors have finally woken up and are now calling for a public meeting on next Thursday evening, March 7th, at 7.30pm in Hayes Hotel, claiming they cannot understand the motives of An Post in abandoning our town centre.  Their confusion is further confounded, when Tipperary Co. Council; funded by local rate payers, are preparing to spend some €8 million Euro to upgrade their immediate area. An Post have obviously gotten totally fed up waiting for this “Liberty Square Rejuvenation” first ( like the National Children’s Hospital ) billed, in March 2015, as costing €3 million Euro and now, four years later, in March 2019, billed at €8 million Euro.

Time now for people with recognised positive business ability and corporate foresight, to put their names forward for Local Municipal Elections, and come next May, rid us of those currently directing our rural community, into obscurity.

You’ll be wondering who the Creeps, the Snake-oil Salesmen and the Spoofers are?  If you bother to attend, you will find them at the top table in Hayes Hotel on Thursday night next, attempting to excuse the inexcusable, which has taken place under their watch, and who will now be demanding that we take similar action as so often requested in the past by the ‘Bully Party’.

As it stands the Liberty Square, An Post premises is expected to close by May of this year with, as already stated, Thurles Shopping Centre to be the new location. Now the spin off’s from this exodus will benefit both the new location and local consumers of An Post products.