Pollution: Noun – from Latin ‘pollutio’ – the introduction of a contaminant or contaminants into the natural environment, thus causing unwanted and adverse change.
Protect the River Suir you love.
The continued pollution of the river Suir, here in the centre of Thurles, goes on unabated. The limestone banks constructed some 20 years ago, by environmentalist; the now deceased Wilbert Huben and his then Tidy Towns Team, were then strongly resisted by North Tipperary County Councillors, some of whom used every possible means to halt this development, including seeking help from the Irish Fisheries Board, who in turn issued threats of court action.
Today, the careless dumping of contaminants e.g. plastic items, beer cans, a series of unidentified chemical spillages (see video clip above), the uncontrolled growth of weeds and willow tree saplings etc., now trap these pollutants, resulting in the choking to death of this rich, living water resource.
We learn that Local councillors, [members of the Templemore / Thurles Municipal District] at this month’s meeting of Tipperary County Council are ‘calling’ again; this time seeking fishing facilities to be installed in Thurles on the river Suir. They would like to see board-walks and other facilities put in place, to assist those already fishing, and to attract more people into the area. Director of Services with the local authority, Mr Pat Slattery put a stop to these ‘callings’ by stating, “We’re looking at tying in this idea with another project“. Once again enigmatic Tipperary County Council officials are saving up a big surprise for both elected councillors and urban dwellers.
For those who wish to refute this stated assessment, please view the signs posted at the “Swinging Gates” opposite Thurles Leisure Centre and at Lady’s Well, latter further down on the river bank.
This is, after all, ‘Local Election Year’ for new potential local councillors and for those elected councillors, who, over the last five years have accomplished absolutely nothing. District residents are now expected to rush out to polling booths; to vote on May 24th next, granting substantial extra income to double jobbing individuals, many of whom will quickly vanish silently back into the woodwork, to remain ‘Dumb and Dumber’, until a couple of weeks before the next local election, due in 2024.
It is now quite obvious that these elected councillors are spending too much of their time on Facebook in their efforts in ‘pre-election vote gathering’. We now invite them to take a breather and walk just 20 metres (a mere 65ft) along the water front area, between the Thurles Leisure Centre and the River Suir.
Warning: Watch you don’t slip.
No, I am not referring to the surrounding crude graffiti currently on show: instead keep your eyes strictly focused on the water’s edge. Now, ask yourself why here in the heart of our rural town, you have, on your watch, allowed a rich living water resource to be turned into an almost lifeless smelly cesspool?
Through your lack of proper governance, no self-respecting fish will ever be caught in this area and indeed if an angler were lucky enough to catch some misguided, disorientated, gill-bearing aquatic animal here; sad to say, it beggar’s belief that he / she would ever eat it.
“If you do not take an interest in the affairs of your government, then you are doomed to live under the rule of fools.”
[From a quote attributed to the Greek philosopherPlato.
Picture (1)Erin Foods closed in June 2008. Picture (2) Thurles.ie no longer exists on line. Picture (3) Disk Parking hasn’t existed for years. Picture (4) North Tipperary Co. Council ceased to exist in 2014.
It’s a local election year. We know this because new signage shown hereunder has now been unveiled to local sitting Councillors, who met yesterday to formally give their ‘sign of approval’ to the project.
On highlighting this issue, the public realised the 11 years of sheer neglect by our Templemore / Thurles Municipal District councillors, and a brief consultation process was recently began for the redesign of new insignia for Thurles.
This announcement, some 11 year too late, was announced on Tipp FM radio yesterday, mainly driven by the need to highlight individuals and party members, all wishing to ingratiate themselves to voters, prior to the upcoming Local Elections on Friday May 24th next.
This proposed re-branding was revealed by Ms Caroline Nesbitt of “Designedly”, at a recent Municipal District Council meeting. The simple design shows leaves attached to a branch, latter a continuation of the letter T and includes pictures and text noting the different facets of life in our town, e.g. sport, theatre, education and business.
We note the picture specifically highlighting ‘Culture’, namely ‘The Source’ building, was wisely taken at night, thus hiding its ongoing ground floor shabbiness and heavily featured graffiti, not to mention the unkempt overgrown river forefront. Nice job; good exposure.
Disappointingly, we note that while Thurles is more often referred to, (with some pride I hasten to add), as the “Cathedral Town”, no Cathedral building appears to feature in anything we have viewed. [Then again is not our small nation ruled over by decidedly unchristian officialdom?]
As well as a tree branch and photographs, this new signage also includes the phrase “Fan Tamall linn” meaning “Dwell Awhile”, no mention of the failed, Tipperary –The Place – The Time.
www.thurles.ie
One small fact however, the website shown on this new signage, namely www.thurles.ie, has so far not been activated for well over 6 years, due to the failure to pay for the cost of the ‘Host Name’, (About €12.00 per annum) Now, because of this failure, it was sold; before being purchased as a Swedish Casino site, by Mardukas Technologies Limited; latter who then cybersquatted on the host name, informing all Thurles visitors and local viewers that they could “Vi guidar dig till de bästa casinobonusarna” which when translated means, “We will guide you to the best casino bonuses.”
The Real Reason for Hikes In Tipperary Property Tax
We are not aware of exactly how much tax payer’s money was wasted in any buy-back arrangement with Mardukas Technologies Limited, for the site ‘thurles.ie’. We are aware however that the site, together with the build and administration costs, over the years prior to the purchase by Mardukas, exceeded well in excess of €10,000.
Two Questions; (1) Was the site content deleted when the new purchasers took possession?(2)Was the site ever backed up by Tipp Co.Co.? If No is the answer to both questions, expect another hike in your property tax this year.
Hopefully, those resident in Thurles will also get the opportunity to formally give their ‘sign of approval’ to this new signage, in the interest of public consultation you understand; guaranteed by Tipperary Co. Council and our local elected representatives. After all councillors have confirmed that same was paid for by that recent increase in our property tax.
Tipperary County Council is seeking to improve the streetscape and public realms of the towns of Thurles through supporting owners of properties to improve and enhance their properties and the public area generally. (This funding obviously comes from savings made by the Templemore / Thurles Municipal District councils failure to erect that couple of meters of bunting during the recent St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the town.)
Suggested Possible Improvements:
Removal of inappropriate contemporary signage, fittings and general clutter and replacement with shop fascia signage (with an emphasis on hand painted signage).
Painting and general improvements to Commercial and Residential building frontages.
Erection of planters, floral hanging baskets or other environmental improvements.
Picture (1)Erin Foods closed in June 2008. Picture (2) Thurles.ie no longer exists. Picture (3) Disk Parking hasn’t existed for years. Picture (4) North Tipperary Co. Council ceased to exist in 2014.
Maximum Grant for such improvements is 50% of the approved cost of the works subject to a maximum of €500.00. Priority will be given to applications for properties that are in need of works in order to prevent them from becoming or remaining derelict. (As you can see with regards to dereliction, €250 goes a long way in Thurles if you are strapped for cash.)
Application forms can be found HERE and are also available from the offices of Templemore / Thurles Municipal District council, latter situated at Castle Avenue, in Thurles (Old Library) and any further queries can be directed to Ms Louise Phillips, Tipperary Co. Council, by email at louise.phillips@tipperarycoco.ie or by Telephoning 0761 06 6067.
Completed Application Forms
Completed Application Forms should be clearly marked“Thurles/Templemore Town Enhancement & Painting Scheme 2019” and returned to Ms Janice Gardiner, (Acting District Administrator, Templemore Thurles Municipal District, Castle Avenue, Thurles, Co. Tipperary), by no later than 4.30pm on Friday April12th. 2019 next.
Well-known Irish painter, Richard Thomas Moynan (27th April 1856-10th April 1906) was born in Dublin at No.1 Eldon Terrace, off the South Circular Road. He was the fourth of eight children; three sons and five daughters, born to Mr Richard Moynan (Sr.) and his wife Harriet (nee Nobel and daughter of Arthur Nobel, a Church of Ireland clergyman). The father of Richard Moynan (Jr.) held a managerial position with the fabric importers Ferrier, Pollock and Company, who had registered offices at No. 59 William Street, Dublin 2.
Richard Moynan (Jr.) initially studied medicine; however, his artistic instincts would prove to be too strong to be resisted and shortly before his final medical examinations, he decided instead to commence his training in the arts, at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art, in January 1880.
Somewhat older than his fellow students and perhaps better educated; Richard Moynan was soon winning prizes in the Taylor and Cowper competitions. [The Taylor Art Trust was formed in 1878 in response to the will of Captain George Archibald Taylor, latter who died in 1854 leaving £2,000 for the “the promotion of art and industry in Ireland”.]
In 1882 he moved on to the Royal Hibernian Academy, winning both silver and bronze medals for his talents and in the following year, 1883, achieved the Albert Scholarship for the best picture shown at the Royal Hibernian Academy by any student. This painting entitled “The Last of the 24th at Isandula” (RHA, 1883), portrayed an imaginary episode in the Zulu wars fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.
The Health Service Executive (HSE), on behalf of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), inspect tens of thousands of food establishments throughout Ireland every year.
Note: Food safety legislation here in Ireland sets standards which food businesses must stringently adhere to, and no short-cuts are acceptable or permitted, when it comes to ensuring the protection of consumer health.
The number of food outlets (takeaways, restaurants, wholesalers, butchers and retailers etc) shut down in Ireland last year, rose by over 25%; when compared to the previous year 2017, with 66 enforcement orders activated across Ireland.
The FSAI have described this increase as totally unacceptable, stating there are “absolutely no excuses for negligent food practices”.
Last year Dublin saw the largest number of such offenders; numbering in total 22; [(Northside (12), Southside (10)]; however, when broken down by population, it was Co. Louth which fared the worst with 6 closure orders instigated across the county, wrestling the title relating to hygiene-related activities held previously from Co. Donegal.
Counties that were given a clean bill of health in 2018, included Kerry, Wicklow, Offaly, Waterford, Sligo, Kildare, Leitrim and Longford.
While food providing establishments in Thurles town, here in the Premier County also received a clean bill of health; County Tipperary, as a whole entity, comes in at 5th place on a list of 15 named offending counties; which include Kilkenny, Laois, Carlow, Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Clare, Galway, Louth, Meath, Mayo, Westmeath, Cavan and Donegal.
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