No this is not an invitation to take up gardening, as Tipperary Rose of Tralee Miss Alison Brolan now reports:
“We are calling on all the people of Tipperary to come along and attend the “January Jog” for Suir Haven Cancer Support Centre on this coming Sunday, January 3rd 2016, here in Thurles.
(Right Click and ‘View Image’ on left for greater magnification of Poster.)
This enjoyable 6km ‘January Jog’ will Start and Finish in the Crokes Athletics Club, Nenagh Road (or Racecourse Road opposite L.I.T.), Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Suir Haven provides vital services to those affected by Cancer in Thurles and the surrounding areas. For those less familiar with Suir Haven, same is a community based support centre where everyone is welcome; whether one is currently living with cancer or affected by it. These persons can include clients, family, carers, children and friends.
Please do make that special effort to Walk, Jog or indeed break into a Run on Sunday January 3rd 2016 at 12:00 noon for a charity that is very close to all our hearts here in Thurles.
It costs just €10 to take part in this event, while kids join in for free! Special Note: Refreshments and goodies will follow the Finish in the adjoining Crokes Athletics Club hall.”
This event, organised by our Thurles born Tipperary Rose of Tralee 2015, Miss Alison Brolan, will, we hope, raise much needed funding for Suir Haven.
As for you red-blooded athletic males; here is your chance to chat-up the 2015 Rose of Tralee Elysha Brennan, the 2015 Tipperary Rose of Tralee Alison Brolan, many of the other County Roses of Ireland; not to mention a host of Tipperary Sports Stars, while supporting this worthy Suir Haven cause.
For more information follow this event on Facebook.
L-R (Pic. 1) Patsy Fitzgerald in earlier times. (Pic. 2) Jim Fogarty (Coolcroo), Patsy Fitzgerald, Gerry Darmody (old colleague of Patsy) and Paddy Coman (Coolcroo) at Coolcroo AC “Gathering Night”.
The Patsy Fitzgerald Road Race, together with the unveiling of a plaque to honour the distinguished athlete has been temporally cancelled, as a mark of respect, following the death of a local member of the Glengoole village community.
This event will now be rescheduled for a future date, same as yet to be announced and the organisers, Glengoole Community Group, wish to apologise for any inconvenience caused to those planning to attend tomorrows event.
The village of Glengoole, Thurles, Co. Tipperary will be fully ‘en fête’ on Sunday December 27th 2015, when ‘on the dot’ of 12:00 noon, local athletic hero, Patsy Fitzgerald will be honoured officially in his native parish.
L-R(Pic. 1) Patsy Fitzgerald in earlier times. (Pic. 2) Jim Fogarty (Coolcroo), Patsy Fitzgerald, Gerry Darmody (old colleague of Patsy) and Paddy Coman (Coolcroo) at Coolcroo AC “Gathering Night”.
In the 1940’s and 50’s Patsy was one of Tipperary and Ireland’s best cross country and middle distance athletes. During a glittering career he won thirty four All Ireland Medals, together with hundreds of other awards and accolades nationwide. Patsy had the distinction of winning the All Ireland National Athletic and Cycling Association (N.A.C.A) Senior Cross Country title at the tender age of just sixteen years, thus adding to the junior All Ireland title he had won previously that season.
Later on he changed his allegiance to the A.A.U. and was almost unbeaten there in senior cross country, achieving five individual titles in 1947, 1948, 1950, 1952, and 1953 respectively. Coolcroo’s début in the A.A.U. junior All Ireland was on a snow-covered course in Belfast in late 1947. Patsy surprised the star-studded assembled field when he won in a canter, taking home to Coolcroo the team prize, while racing against Co Meath’s Kevin Maguire, latter who had previously beaten John Joe Barry (the “Ballincurry Hare”).
On the track Patsy was equally as impressive, winning the All Ireland 10 miles flat A.A.U.E All Ireland championship in 1952 at Shelbourne Stadium, Dublin, from a field of fourteen of the best distance runners in the country. By then he had represented Ireland five times in international cross-country championships. He was on course for inclusion on the Irish Olympic Team for Helsinki, but decided against it. He has a unique record of winning A.A.U. novice, junior and senior titles in the same year.
Patsy won several Co Tipperary championship medals on track and cross-country, A.A.U. medals over 3 miles and 10 miles track, 3-miles open international flat race in Reading, England as well as prizes at open sports throughout Ireland. Just some of the highlights of a glittering career that made him the toast of Tipperary, Ireland and the Coolcroo and Ballincurry clubs and of course his much loved native parish of Gortnahoe/Glengoole.
In later years Patsy received many awards for his athletic achievements – accolades such as the ‘Knocknagow Award’, ‘County Board Hall of Fame Award’, ‘Coolcroo Golden Jubilee Award’ and many more. But this honour on Sunday December 27th will be very special, when he is acclaimed in his own village, just down the road from his native Poynstown. Following a plaque unveiling ceremony, a free to enter ‘Celebration Road Race’ will be held; while a special souvenir booklet will also be available to all those attending on the day.
The organisers, Glengoole Community Group extend a Cead Mile Failte to all in attendance, including old athletes. It will be a great sporting occasion to honour an outstanding athlete, whose deeds are unlikely be equalled again. So the unassuming Patsy will relish this plaque to perpetuate him, situated just on his own doorstep.
No doubt Patsy will reminisce with some of his old colleagues and former adversaries from that Golden Age of Tipperary cross country running.
Are you wondering what to do with yourself on this upcoming St Stephens day 2015 in Thurles? Well to use that well known Christmas biblical phrase from St. Luke 2:10-11 “Fear not: for, behold, we bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
Picture shows: L-R – Sean Spain (Former President Thurles Rotary), James Doran, Sean Doran, Dillon Skehan, Nicola Skehan, Michael Wright (Thurles Rotary President) and John O’Shaughnessy (Thurles Chamber President), at the launch in the Anner Hotel, Thurles today, of the 2nd Annual Rotary Challenge.
Thurles Rotary Club, latter originally founded in 1988, have again this year put together an organising team to work on a special Christmas project, thus assisting three worthy local charity organisations with future funding.
President of Thurles Rotary Club, Mr Michael Wright has confirmed that the club will now endeavour to lend a helping-hand to: ‘The Sean Doran Thurles Fund’, ‘Thurles Guide Dogs for the Blind’ and ‘Mo Chara Animal Rescue’.
“In these difficult times, funding for the above named organisations are particularly low”, stated Mr Wright, “Thurles Rotary Club are now determined to support same from the funding raised at this years Rotary Christmas Challenge (detailed hereunder), taking place on St Stephen’s day 2015 at the Thurles Crokes AC Club House at Nenagh Road, Thurles.”
Run – Walk – Cycle and above all Support Thurles Rotary Christmas Challenge
December 26th 2015 will now see three events taking place at the Thurles Crokes AC Club House, Racecourse (Nenagh) Road, Thurles and which are highlighted as follows:-
NOTE FIRST: Registration for the following events will begin sharp at 10.00 am.
(1) Starting at 11.00am:- A 55k Cycle Event.
(2) Starting at 11.30am:- A 6k Walk.
(3) Starting at 11.30am:- A 6k Fun Run.
Prizes will include:- €70.00 for 1st Men & Women; €40.00 for 2nd Men & Women and €25.00 for 3rd Men & Women. Please note also that Thurles Crokes AC have kindly offered their facilities to assist those taking part to; Park Vehicles, Change Clothing and Take a Shower.
After this event a separate Prize Draw will take place in the Clubhouse, where entertainment will also be provided for a period of time. Note: Thurles Knights of Malta and Thurles Gardaí are also assisting, where needed, at all four events, in the interests of Health & Safety.
Please if at all possible, do attend and support this event. Entry to Fun Run/Walk costs €10.00, with Cycles costing €20.00 or whatever donation you can afford to give. Cheques can be made payable to Thurles Rotary Local Charities.
The self-styled boxing professional ‘Gypsy King’ Tyson Fury defeated Ukrainian professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko to claim the WBA, WBO and IBF titles to become Ireland and Britain’s eighth world heavyweight champion at Dusseldorf’s ESPRIT Arena yesterday.
Tyson Luke Fury, aged 27, was born August 12, 1988 into a family from the Irish Traveller community; his grandmother being a native of Co. Tipperary. He has represented both Ireland and England at Amateur Level boxing and acknowledges his Irish fans at most post-fight celebrations.
“I am going to be the first Irish heavyweight champion of the world,” he stated back in November 2012; then ahead of his fight against now retired American, dominant jabbing, boxing professional Kevin Johnston. Last night, true to his prophecy, same came to pass, as judges awarded Tyson his title win, scoring 115-112 twice and 116-111 points respectively.
“We are calling on all the people of Tipperary to come along and attend the “January Jog” for Suir Haven Cancer Support Centre on this coming Sunday, January 3rd 2016, here in Thurles.
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