Tipperary Gardaí continue to appeal for witnesses following a car crash that sadly took the life of one teenager and left two other people in hospital.
The crash occurred on the evening of Thursday, March 18th last, on the N74 route at Kilfeacle, between the hours 8:00pm and 9:00pm.
The three occupants of the car were taken to Limerick Regional Hospital where one of the occupants, a male in his late teens, has since passed away.
Gardaí are now appealing to anyone who may have information in relation to this accident or who may have witnessed the collision to come forward.
They are also anxious to speak to anyone who may have been travelling on the N74 route, between Cashel and Tipperary town, between 8:00pm and 9:00pm on the evening in question, who may have dashcam footage, to contact Tipperary Garda Station, Tel: 062 80670; the Garda Confidential Line Tel: 1800 666 111 or indeed any other Garda station.
Garda Investigations are continuing.
Sadly, last year (2020) saw 148 fatalities occurring on our Irish roads, of which 7 such deaths were here in Co.Tipperary.
Put simply, we are all losing one hour’s sleep tonight, but the trade-off is worth it.
From tomorrow there will be “a great stretch in the evenings” signaling that summer isn’t too far away. We may not be able to travel far during lockdown, but at least we’ll have an extra hour or two in the evenings to get outdoors.
Road Safety Tips for Pedestrians from the Road Safety Authority, (RSA).
Getting outdoors is vital in maintaining everyone’s mental and physical health, but walkers, runners and joggers remember to always increase your visibility!
Throughout the day, and even on a bright evening, wear a high visability jacket, reflective armband or other reflective clothing to ensure you can be seen on roads. It’s vital that drivers can see pedestrians from a distance.
In addition, remember to always find a safe place to cross roads, and where there is no footpath; walk, jog or run on the righthand side of the road, facing oncoming traffic and keeping as close to the side of the road as is possible.
Teaching children the Safe Cross Code (see video above) is very important also. For more pedestrian safety tips visit the Road Safety Authority’s website by clicking HERE.
“What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.“ Sir Walter Scott.
I received an email from the office of Mr Micheál Lowry on Monday, March 15th, 2021, at 17:08 (7 days ago).
It should be noted that the sender of the email, (content shown hereunder), appears to originate from the son of Mr Michael Lowry, Teachta Dála (TD); the former being a member of the “Lowry Team” group of Co. Councillors. Same in no way should be attributed to his father, latter TD, who also has refused to reply to any of my previous attempts to correspond.
The sender is the same man whom readers will remember, enquired from me, during a mobile phone call, (September 2020), asking quote “Who the f..k do you think you are?”
This confusing content contained in Mr Lowry’s only communication ever sent to me in relation to the destruction of the Great Famine Double Ditch is shown directly hereunder, in full; same raising more questions, than it offers answers.
Read Carefully between the lines
George In relation to your email dated the 4th of March, I wish to put on record that I nor to my knowledge any of my council colleagues have any desire to “destroy” the double ditch which you write about.
A small section of the walkway will potentially be removed to facilitate the proposed inner relief road for Thurles Town. While a map exists which outlines the proposed route (you have displayed same in previous articles) the fact remains that the County council have not at time of writing acquired the lands over which the proposed route will traverse. Should the lands be acquired and funding confirmed I along with my council colleagues will do all we can to ensure that minimum disruption is brought to bear on the double ditch walk way.
If you have any proposals as to how you would like to see the walkway promoted internationally as stated in your article dated March 5th please forward same to the area councillors for discussion as part of the Thurles Municipal projects development plan.
Regards Micheál Lowry.
Questions Raised: In Mr Lowry’s opening paragraph he states, “I nor to my knowledge any of my council colleagues have any desire to “destroy” the double ditch“. Then in his second paragraph he states, “A small section of the walkway will potentially be removed to facilitate the proposed inner relief road for Thurles Town.” Readers will no doubt find this statement contradictory.
Firstly, if this is the case why the refusal by all Municipal District / Co. Councillors and Council officials to initially communicate; forcing me to contact the Standards In Public Office Commission (SIPO)?
I have done the measurements. Is it not true that over half the double ditch, 250 yards approximately, will be eradicated, including its eastern 175 year old stone entrance?
Is it not true that contractors employed by Tipperary Co. Council have already partially undertaken the destruction of the 175 year old Great Famine Double Ditch, through digging out and flooding the northern side; breaking the eastern 175 year old stile entrance, while allowing the area to become a ‘fly-tippers paradise’?
Mr Lowry Jr. states, “the County council have not at time of writing acquired the lands over which the proposed route will traverse. Should the lands be acquired and funding confirmed I along with my council colleagues will do all we can to ensure that minimum disruption is brought to bear on the double ditch walk way.”
While I accept that Tipperary County Council may not have acquired the lands as yet as purchasers, we must believe that some sort of an agreement / consensus / accordance or indeed rapport has been entered into with all / any future vendors.
Who drew up the map, shown above, without the consent of the owner of the lands involved?
Who sought planning permission through An Board Pleanála, on land that are not yet acquired or entered into by agreement?
Who also sanctioned the undertaking of an EIA Screening report, (OCSC Project T189) on lands, where no previous agreement has been entered into?
Who requested the poorly carried out Archaeological Impact Statement from ÆGIS(REF.: 210-11), which failed to identify the double ditch shown clearly on the 1883 Ordinance Survey(5 inch) map, and more recently again also shown clearly on the 1951 ordinance survey map?
Who gave all these consultants and archaeologists permission to trespass on lands, where no agreement with the owners had been entered into between the vendors and by Tipperary Co. Council?
Will this land be acquired without the consent of the owners, by means of a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO)? It is with regret that Cllr. Mr Jim Ryan, latter who lives close by the Great Famine Double Ditch, has failed to reply to two questions, sent to him on March 3rd last, (see request HERE).
In relation to your final paragraph and your request regarding “walkway promoted internationally”. When I am convinced that the 175 year old Great Famine Double Ditch will been retained in full, together with the provision of a small parking area for tourist traffic; God willing, I will begin the process of promotion and marketing, something that Tipperary Co. Council’s Tourism committee has failed miserably to achieve for Thurles. You will remember the disastrous costly promotion entitled, “Tipperary The Place, The Time” launched back in early 2017. Where did all of the TD’s, Ministers, Councillors and Celebs that were rounded up, go after the photographs and the expensive promotional banquet?
Our readers should note that I have not replied personally to the above email sent by Mr Lowry Jr., nor indeed currently do I intend to do so.
A water leak, possibly coming from a water metre, is slowing down traffic at the Westgate Thurles, location.
Three units of Tipperary County Council’s Water Services are presently at the scene.
Westgate is situated at the junction of Friar Street and Liberty Square, and the area should possibly be avoided, especially by traffic coming from the west.
However road works are also taking place on two sections of the Slievenamon Road, south of the town, and together with the continuing upgrade to Liberty Square and the closure of the car park on the north side, to the rear of the Ulster Bank building; people are asked to please be patient and above all, do take care.
Motorway speed safety cameras have been installed on the M7 in Co. Tipperary since Monday last.
The decision to execute this plan was jointly decided by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the Roads Safety Authority and An Garda Síochána.
This safety camera system was installed between Junction 26 – Nenagh (West) and Junction 27 – Birdhill, covering traffic flow in both directions. Same will be Ireland’s first mainline motorway-based system since an identical system became operational with great success in the Dublin City Tunnel back in mid-2017.
The location identified for the installation on the M7 in Co. Tipperary, has been in the past the subject of frequent micro-climate events, with mostly large ice particles falling in the form of hail, thus resulting in an increased collision frequency in this particular area of the county.
We understand that the objective of this installation is to secure compliance, not prosecutions. However, with current speeds on the M7 regarded as totally unacceptable, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) state that such speeding is typical of driver behaviour on low traffic volume sections of our Irish motorway network, throughout Ireland.
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