Firstly, before we begin, it is necessary to carefully digest the following statement.
It is simply astonishing and somewhat unnerving that, in a democracy, after a 10 week period of asking on numerous occassions a simple question; all elected Thurles Municipal District representatives; plus Tipperary County Council officials (lead by Chief Executive Mr Joe McGrath and Ms Janice Gardiner (latter Acting District Administrator, Thurles) and two elected politicians, namely Mr Jackie Cahill TD and Mr Michael Lowry TD, can wilfully withhold information in relation to a planning query by any member of the public.
Let’s be reminded of the question sent to all the aforementioned elected personnel all paid by you from the public purse.
The Question: “Will the planned Thurles inner relief road impinge, in a negative way, on the 1846 Thurles “Double Ditch”, which has been a right of way and a Mass Path for almost 175 years and which is the property of the people of Thurles and a national monument?”
The Reply: The only single reply received in the last 10 weeks came we think reluctantly from Ms Janice Gardiner(Acting District Manager Thurles), who wrote: “Tipperary County Council has reviewed all documentation relating to the planning aspects of the Thurles Inner Relief Road Project and can find no reference to the existence of the feature/path/monument you describe.”
An Archaeological Impact Study and documented Impact Statement regarding the development of an inner relief road at Thurles, Co. Tipperary, now confirms that Tipperary County Council officials, aided by elected local councillors, are intending to destroy a valuable piece of Thurles history. This is further confirmed by their attempts at secrecy and verbal denial.
The author of the Archaeological Impact Statement for the development of this proposed relief road (ÆGIS REF : 210 -11) was Mr Frank Coyne(BA MIAI, director of Aegis Archaeology, No.32 Nicholas Street, King’s Island, Limerick.); latter company regularly used by Tipperary County Council. Indeed the same company, who on Friday 11th July 2014, undertook the Archaeological Impact Statement for the now completed new carpark on Liberty Square / Slievenamon Road, area of Thurles, under the Thurles and Environs Development Plan 2009-2015.
The client named in this 2013 Archaeological Impact Statement (for the development of this inner relief road at Thurles, Co. Tipperary), was Mr Michael Devery, Road Design, (North Tipperary County Council, Civic Offices, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.)
Picture shows maps used in this Archaeological Impact Statement by ÆGISin relation to the development of this proposed inner relief road in Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Map A: is the 25 Inch B&W (Same constructed between 1897-1913) and regarded by cartographers as amongst the very finest ever produced.
Map A used in this Archaeological Impact Statement by Mr Frank Coyne, clearly shows “Double Ditch” text by the cartographer, (See small pink arrow in Map A.), yet surprisingly nowhere in this Impact Statement produced does the “Double Ditch” get referenced.
The two letters on the map found before the cartographers text of “Double Ditch” are F.P., which I initially thought represented ‘Famine Project’, however on further research, I discovered same indicated the acknowledgement of a ‘Foot Path’ being in existence.
So we now know that this footpath has been in continuous use for at the last 123 years, according to the map reference itself, (dated 1897), and almost 175 years per page 6 of the original “Minutes of the Thurles & Rahealty Famine Food Committee”, published on website Hidden Tipperary.com. Hence, we have established without doubt that same remains both a “Public Right of Way and as described by other historians, a Mass Path”.
Rights of Way Note: A right of way can be a laneway, or a mere gap in a hedge that leads to property owned by someone who does not own the same laneway or gap in the hedge, and that has been used over a long period of time by that same ‘someone’.
Initially, we understand that same right was only legal if the period of use by that somebody was over 20 years. However since the Land Law and Conveyancing Act of 2009, a person can claim ‘right of way’ if they can prove continuous use for 12 years.
Roads Act 1993. Under the Roads Act 1993, it is the responsibility of local authorities to protect the public’s right to access ‘rights of way’ in each local authority area. Where a local authority proposes to extinguish such public rights of way their requirements under legislation can be found clearly stated HERE in our Irish statute books.
The ‘LEAT’
A ‘Leat’(Same an artificial watercourse or aqueduct. See picture above.), dug into the ground travelling from the area behind today’s St. Patrick’s College to as far as the ‘Lady’s Well’ area, before exiting under the Poulnaneigh River; (same used to remove flood water from the River Suir’s north end and draining it Southward further downstream back into the River Suir) once again, also gets no mention in this Archaeological Impact Statement.
This ‘Leat’was also built during the Great Famine period 1846 – 47 by the same starving Thurles paupers, and their gargantuan efforts from 175 year ago remain clearly visible to this very day.
Were one to view the 1829 – 1842 Ordnance Survey map, latter the first ever large-scale survey of the entire Irish countryside; the ‘Leat’ and the ‘Double Ditch’ are entirely absent, since both projects were not undertaken until 1846/7.
One further question; are the Co. Council engineers aware of the difficulties associated with the building a relief road on a flood plain?
To be continued.
Part 2 of “Tipperary Co. Co. Intent On Destroying Thurles Heritage” will be published in the coming days.
Councillors, Mr Seamus Hanifin and Mr Sean Ryan (Elected Members Thurles Municipal District Council) have both moved quickly to confirmed that the 1798 Memorial statue, better known locally as the ‘Stone Man’, will not be moved or indeed removed from its current position overlooking Liberty Square, in Thurles town, Co. Tipperary.
1798 Memorial erected on Liberty Square, Thurles in 1901
In an email addressing a number of key questions sent from Thurles.Info, Cllr. Mr Seamus Hanafin stated; “There are no plans to move the monument on Liberty Square, either during or after the works”.
Answering this same question, Cllr. Mr Sean Ryan further confirmed this welcome news, stating; “I am informed by the council’s engineering staff that the statues in Liberty square will not be moved during the upgrade of the square”.
Fears expressed to Thurles.Info some weeks ago, were based, understandably, on an early drawing of the ‘new look’ sanctioned Liberty square, (Image shown above) which appears to indicate that the statue of Archbishop Thomas William Croke, (First G.A.A. Patron) would be moved to replace the ‘Stone Man’, latter which would be then be moved elsewhere, out of its current streetscape position.
To read more on the history of the 1798 Memorial please view HERE. To read more on the history of Archbishop Thomas William Croke, First G.A.A. Patron, please view HERE.
The Chairman of Fáilte Ireland has resigned from his 6 year held post after it emerged he had travelled to Italy with his family on holiday.
The Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht Ms Catherine Martin has rightly accepted Mr Michael Cawley’s resignation, after it was confirmed he had indeed been on holiday in Italy, despite the Government’s request to avoid non-essential travel abroad.
Tipperary Heritage Week 2020
Autumn near Cahir Castle, on the river Suir at Cahir, Co. Tipperary.
Heritage Week starts today, Saturday 15th August 2020 and people are encouraged to take this opportunity to visit their local sites.
Fine Gael TD Mr. Patrick O’ Donovan, latter Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, has stated that a visit to any Heritage site is a great day out for all the family. He continued “We have all endured a lot in recent months and I’d encourage everyone to bear in mind that many of the wonderful ancient places around Tipperary, like the Rock of Cashel are open to visitor again and although there are access restrictions in some cases, this is because the OPW has had to make sure that people can stay safe during their visit and enjoy these beautiful places without fear.”
The Minister also confirmed that the OPW sites in Cahir, which have been delayed in reopening, will now be open to visitors again; the grounds of the Swiss Cottage site will be open from today Saturday 15th August and Cahir Castle will reopen from next Thursday next, August 20th.
The Minister has also confirmed that Cahir Castle is about to welcome a major film production which will be shooting there later in September, and some set preparation are happening early next week. In relation to Cahir Castle, the Minister also stated, “I am happy to confirm that the public will again be able to see the Castle grounds from the 20th onwards and people may also be happy to know that admission will be completely free.”
Note: In the past (1981) Cahir Castle was used as a location for a battle scene in the film Excalibur. The castle was also used as a location for the television series The Tudors and The Green Knight.
May I first ask our readers to again refresh your memory in relation to the case of Mary Ellen Morris, Thurles, Co. Tipperary; the story of which can be located HERE.
Back in June 8th 2020 last, we asked if any of our readers could shed further light on those named in that story or indeed were any of you in anyway possibly related to either of these families named?
We still would love to hear from you, as indeed would family relatives living currently today, and who are actively tracing their Irish roots.
Back 10 years ago, in early September, the somewhat forgotten burial ground, which can be found to the rear of the Community Hospital of the Assumption, (once the Thurles Workhouse); had sad memories rekindled with the erection of a memorial headstone placed in this cemetery.
I recently unearthed my photographs of that same event, having been contacted by Morris family relatives, which I have now refreshed as a slide show to possibly aid further recollection. Alas, some of the congregation which can be seen back then have since passed on, but thankfully many others are still with us.
This monument was kindly erected by the local Sisters of Mercy Order of Nuns at a special Mass and blessing ten years ago in September 2010.
Sr. Mary Barry back then stated: “On behalf of the Sisters of Mercy, and the Staff of the Community Hospital of the Assumption, I extend a warm welcome to you all. Today, as we gather in the graveyard, we remember and pray for all those who are laid to rest here, down through the years. We trust that this headstone will now become a focal point where we can visit, pray and remember.”
The original old Thurles Union Workhouse, which many Thurles residents will well remember, had been originally built in 1840 under plans designed by British Architect, George Wilkinson. The building, designed to accommodate 700 paupers, like all such workhouses then erected, had the appearance of being a grim institution, with conditions inside and out, designed to discourage all but the destitute from attempting to seek refuge within. Nevertheless, it did made some contribution down through the years, especially to the saving of lives from starvation during that period of Irish history known as the Great Famine years, (1845-1849).
Over 15,000 persons were assisted with Indian meal (Ground Maize) in just one week, in 1848 and as many as 3,732 were housed here and in other associated rented buildings in the area back in 1850.
To give us some understanding as to the hardship then being experienced, we must look at primary sources still available. In the minutes of the Thurles and Rahealty Famine Food Committee book, 1846-1847; we can read a report dated 11th February 1847, sent to the British Association for the Relief of Extreme Distress in Ireland and Scotland, shown here as follows:
“Of the population of the united parishes of Thurles and Rahealty 8,000 are on the relief list. The majority obtain very inadequate relief by employment on Public Works. There are about 300 destitute families having no person to work, to whom gratuitous relief must be given; there are other families varying from 10 to 12 having only one member able to work, whose wages 10 pence a day, would not be adequate to the support of two persons at the present famine prices of food. The poor house (Hospital of The Assumption) built to accommodate 700 has now stowed within 940 and there cannot be any more admissions and groups, who cannot be admitted, are to be seen shivering in the cold and wet, anxiously expecting the fragments of cold stirabout, that remains after the inmate pauper meal. We have lived to see the poor sitting at the pauper’s gate, among the crumbs that fall from the paupers table. We have not had any deaths from actual starvation but numerous deaths have occurred from severe and long continual privation. The weekly average of deaths has increased fivefold.”
It was not until November 5th 1877, however, that four nuns from the Sisters of Mercy, set out from Doon, Co Limerick for Thurles town Co. Tipperary, to begin what was to become a long and beneficial association with this once workhouse. They came not to take charge, but to work under the Master and Matron of the Workhouse, Mr and Mrs Pat Russell until 1922, when the Order’s Sister Ita became the first nun to be appointed Matron. These newly arrived Doon Nuns were soon to raise hygiene standards by cleanliness through the scrubbing of floors etc. and bringing about other major change for good through leadership by example and through their rolls as both workers and carers.
Under the management of Sister Ita, the name of the workhouse was changed to “The County Home” and came under the jurisdiction of Tipperary Co. Council. In 1954 the name was again changed, this time to the ‘Hospital of the Assumption‘. Flower beds were introduced to enhance its still grim, grey looking facade, by Sister Baptist and her ‘men’, as she referred to them, latter her resident patients. Occupational Therapy for patients was also undertaken by Sister Bonaventure.
In 1960 the Health board under Mr P.J. Flynn, took on the responsible for the removal of the very high walls, which were in being, simply to keep inmates within the grounds. These were then replaced with railings possibly showing the true building facade to many outsiders for the first time.
Mr Larry Moloney Clerical officer, latter who died in 1970, was remembered at this event, 10 years ago, as being of tremendous help to the Mercy order. Mrs Betty Moore would be the first secular matron to be later appointed.
In February 2006 the old hospital building was replaced with the new present state of the art Community Hospital, which contains accommodation space for up to 72 patient beds.
The celebration Mass for the memorial ceremony 10 years ago was conducted by celebrant Rev. Fr. Jimmy Donnelly, ably assisted by Rev. Fr. Gerard Hennessey, then both in charge of Bohernanave Parish Church.
Music and song for the event was originally supplied by the wonderful Thurles Tenor, Mr Michael Molumby; Mrs Antonette Ruth; with the magical fingers of Mrs Mary Rose McNally on keyboard and violin. Alas, no sound recording was taken on that day. However, thanks to the courtesy and generosity of The Cullinane Gospel Band, (Telephone 087 6729242), we have been permitted to use sound from a recent charity CD produced by them.
The total number of Covid-19 virus cases confirmed here in Co. Tipperary; as of midnight on Wednesday, June 24th, remains at 543, with zero cases identified over the previous 24-hour period.
This evening, the Department of Health has confirmed that sadly 6 further death has been caused by Covid-19 in Ireland over the last 24 hours. These latest figures leave the total number of deaths caused by this pandemic currently at 1,734.
This evening, it has also been confirmed that an additional 23 new cases of the virus have been identified, bringing the total since conception, here in the Republic of Ireland, to 25,437.
Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health Dr Tony Holohan has expressed serious concern about Irish people travelling abroad this year, fearing that many people were planning foreign trips abroad.
This year, in particular, Irish residents should be staying at home and spending locally in an effort to kickstart our own Irish economy and small businesses, while following basic public health advice. Now is the time for Tipperary Co. Council’s tourism department to waken up and begin promoting / highlighting tourism in what after all is the Premier County.
Time to resurrect that now long forgotten money wasting logo “Tipperary – The Place – The Time”.
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