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Leading Sport Figure Arrested & Questioned In Tipperary Town Garda Station.

According to reports by Irishexaminer.com and Independent.ie, a leading civilian sports figure is the latest suspect to be arrested in a long-running undercover probe into Garda corruption by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI).

To-date the investigation has already led to the arrest and suspension of at least three senior members of an Garda Síochána, including a Superintendent, an Inspector and a Detective, back last May.

We understand that the newly arrested suspect was questioned for a number of hours in Tipperary Town Garda station on Thursday of this week, following the arrest that morning by detectives from the GNBCI.

This latest arrest concerns an individual in their early 50’s, latter suspected of being the channel through which information was supplied direct from certain Garda members; and conveyed to known members of a Munster organised crime gang. Some of this channelled information was said to have compromised planned raids and seizures by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) on premises and homes of criminals residing both in Limerick City and County as well as here in County Tipperary.

The suspect arrested on Thursday morning last was released on Thursday night, following interrogation, however more arrests are now expected to follow.

Munster Final Colour

Munster Final Colour


Courtesy of Thurles Author & Poet Tom Ryan ©

Hats and colours, blue & gold and green,
Munster’s hurling men are set for battle bold.
As ash and leather clash on field of green
A Cuchulainn – ancient story will be told.
Memories of “blind fiddlers” and Gaelic tunes of glee,
We walked the Ennis Road past ‘Jarveys’ in the sun,
Shirt-sleeved, sandwiches in hand, and oh so happily,
We marched to see great hurling deeds well done.
The flags, the teams, the march round with the band,
The hush the anthem and cheers to heaven soar.
The glory that the overhead and the first time pull demand,
And man for man for glory for an hour,
We cared not for the morrow or what fortune sent,
But win or lose or draw to know what hurling meant.

END

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

Tribute To Tipperary Senior Hurlers.

A tribute to Tipperary’s senior hurlers, fresh from the pen of poet Mr Tom Ryan and dedicated to Liam Sheedy and our mighty Tipperary men, togged out in the blue and gold.

Tribute To Tipperary Senior Hurlers
Courtesy of Thurles Author & Poet Tom Ryan ©

“By Leeside you held our colours high
In gallant glorious fray against the Red
Scorned the pride of the ancient enemy,
Hurled with blood and muscle, heart and head.
Tipperary men by bold tradition brave,
No time for reputations or renown.

Who for Tipperary and her homes engrave
A glory that is greater than a crown,
Cry the fainthearted, “Tipperary hurling dead”
No! tis alive with fiercely wondrous will.
Proud wear the blue and gold upon your head,
Tipperary men are hurling warriors still”.

END

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

Planning For Semple’s Field In Thurles Placed On Hold

Tipperary County Council have decided to seek further planning information regarding a new multi-million Euro plan to transform the Kinane Stand at Semple Stadium, Thurles. Same is required by the council before granting their consent to planning proposals to an area, possibly better known as ‘The Old Stand’.

It had been expected that the council’s final decision would have been made known today, but further confirmation is now being sought on this proposal, through Wilson Architecture, Cork; latter commissioned to put together the initial planning application.

The Kinane Stand (Old Stand) area, with an existing holding capacity for some 14,500 sports fans, was last upgraded 12 years ago as part of a then major refurbishment project; same undertaken at a cost understood to have been in the region of €18 million.

Under this new planing application it was envisaged that an extra floor could be built to include the installation of changing rooms; a gym; physiotherapy space; a kitchen; stores; media rooms and a welcoming area.

These plans, initially lodged last April, involved the reconfiguration of the present ground floor seating area; including turnstiles; the construction of a new exit gate, together with three service hubs, latter providing access for wheelchair-accessible turnstiles to the upper floor area.

Mikey Ryan Nearly Met Golfer Rory McIlroy

“You won’t believe it”, said Mikey Ryan, “but as true as Santa Clause, didn’t I run into Beyoncé Murphy over in Templemore about an hour ago. She swore she was crossing the local petrol station forecourt, just before I pulled in, and you will never guess who she met”.

“Give me a hint”, said I, “or better still surprise me”.

Now, to be quite honest and not wanting to be unkind, but had I realised Mikey Ryan would end up sitting in the next chair, having his hair and eyebrows cut in “Pat The Barber”; you know the place I mean, there beside the Suir, on Emmett Street, close to Barry’s Bridge and the bridge Castle; I would have cancelled that badly needed personal haircut until slightly later in the day.

“He came in driving this state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz, into the petrol station she told me, and furthermore she confessed to nearly wetting her last pair of Calvin Klein thongs with the pure excitement of this encounter”, said Mikey, “Now go on, guess who it was?”.

“Well was it the Minister for Transport Shane Ross”, said I, “I heard he was down here closing shop on rural publicans”.

“No”, said Mikey “sure the Irish transport minister knows nothing about motor vehicles and even less about publicans, and according to what I hear, he never sat his driving test. No, you’ll never guess, it was the great Rory McIlroy, the golfer, heading for Thurles Golf Club“, said Mikey.

“Oh, you’re very welcome to Tipperary Mr McIlroy, says Beyoncé Murphy, in an excited squeaky voice, having recognised his fizzog from her flat screen television”, Mikey continued.

Now according to Beyoncé, Rory gave her the ‘twice over’, if you know what I mean, as he bent forward to grab his petrol nozzle. In doing so, two golf tees fell out of his shirt’s top pocket, onto the tarmac.” continued Mikey.

Now from what I knew myself about Miss Murphy, while she was well known in some ball playing circles, however her knowledge of sport could be best described as non-existent. But enough said and personally I wasn’t surprised when Mikey informed me that Beyoncé had asked “What are those two things for?”, as she quickly moved closer to assist with their recovery.

Mikey Continued, “They’re called tees” replies Rory McIlroy with a smile.

A curious and somewhat confused Beyoncé now asks, “Well, what on the God’s green earth would you be using them for Mr McIlroy?

“They’re for resting my balls on before I drive on the golf course,” replies Rory.

“Feckin Jaysus,”, says an enthralled Beyoncé, “Doesn’t Mercedes-Benz think of everything.”