“Free Parking” in Thurles, Co. Tipperary will exist throughout the town for the first 30 minutes of each day, starting from Sunday December 1st next. Sounds great on paper, but of course local residents and particularly a much diminished group of business owners are fully aware that car parking in Thurles town centre has mostly been eradicated. Indeed, dare any ‘Joe Soap’, (i.e. any foolish stooge or scapegoat) consumer should park his/her motor vehicle here in any of the provided loading bays, when a traffic warden is in situ; they will quickly realise that same are reserved for the free parking of SHOWTIME trucks, same involved in advertising the fizzog of Fianna Fáil Councillor Mr Michael Smith on a giant screen. (Remind me again what has Councillor Michael Smith ever done for Thurles, that he should be elevated to further rule over us?).
Half Day Free parking on a Thurles loading bay for FF Councillor Michael Smith.
In the meantime, we understand that motorists and heavy goods vehicles will experience a new traffic layout for 4 days, between Tuesday 26th November beginning at 8.30am, until close of business, ending on Friday 29th November.
This new trial traffic layout will see the south/west side of Liberty Square (Area in front of Supermac’s Restaurant), reduced to one lane and with restricted parking, leading into Friar Street. Parking will be also restricted on the central traffic island. Observations made during this trial period will then be reported on and will influence a decision expected to be discussed by elected councillors at an agreed and convened meeting set for December 4th next. According to local businesses, if the existing plans are accepted by elected local councillors, this currently existing plan, will hasten the total annihilation of Thurles town centre over the following 12 month period.
Pied Wagtail colony currently residing in West Liberty Square.
Parking in the 3 car parks in Thurles will be free on the first three Saturdays in December, (i.e. Saturday December 7th, Saturday December 14th and Saturday 21st). Officials have failed to note that the 3 only existing car parks are normally packed anyway, while 2 existing car parks remain closed, with little effort being made to speedily upgrade existing car park under The Source building, now closed foe over a year. Interesting to note; the Great Famine Victorian farm sheds, situated close to “The Source” building, which has brought about the closure of a second town car park, (designated to be reduced in size, with the aforementioned existing sheds set to be converted into yet another restaurant for whom a tenant is yet to be acquired), is now delayed due to the Common Pipistrelle and Soprano Pipistrelle Bat species and Common House Sparrow being in situ, same non rent paying sitting tenants. Compare this existing situation, to the trees due to be annihilated in Liberty Square, under the current proposed Phase 2 town centre plan. The tops of these trees are currently home to over 1,000 ‘black bib and crown’ Pied Wagtails, latter who reside there nightly all year around. Will environmental officers also be employed to take their soon to be declared homeless plight into due consideration when existing mature trees are replaced by other overgrown shrubs?
N62 Junction with Clongour Road, this morning (November 18th 2024).
Thurles Municipal District Councillors and their officials, who were supposed to meet this morning, will now meet on December 4th, to discuss how they can ensure that traffic through the centre of Thurles town will continues to be even further choked.
Motorists are now asked to take great care, if travelling on the Slievenamon Road (N62), at the junctions of Clongour Road, (opposite Lidl Supermarket) and the Inner Relief Road, that was never built, due to a lack of funding, which in turn led to the destruction of the historic Great Famine Double Ditch.
Hope there are no live electric wire here, which could endanger children.
Picture Top:Looking West, unto Slievenamon Road, Thurles. Picture Centre:Looking East, unto Emmett Street, Thurles. Picture Bottom:Looking North from rear of Bank of Ireland, facing unto Liberty Square, Thurles.
So, where are those promised extra Thurles car parking spaces that were promised behind Bank Of Ireland, latter facing unto Liberty Square in Thurles?
One is reminded of a remark once used by American showman, businessman (Barnum & Bailey Circus), Mayor (Bridgeport Connecticut), author and anti-slavery Republican politician, Mr Phineas Taylor Barnum. the remark, demonstrates the deep understanding of scepticism, human nature, and the limitations of deceit, including that expended by our local Thurles councillors and politicians. The remark attributed to Mr Barnum states, quote; “You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” The adage “There’s a sucker born every minute”, is also frequently attributed to the aforementioned Mr Barnum; latter remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes.
Truth was that customers drove into the Bank of Ireland (BOI) car park, parked their vehicles, dealt with their banking business, and then walked out to Liberty Square or back unto Emmett Street, entering into the rear of the multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer Tesco, leaving their car free of street parking charges.
Now, with a new wall backing unto BOI, latter moved further northwards, and a second gap opened from what was known as the Slievenamon Road car park (or Checkpoint Charlie) we have actually, once again, lost at least 6 car parking spaces, hitherto available to the town centre. [I base this assumption, noting that the new gaps created, (one leading east unto Emmett Street and the other leading north unto the rear of Bank of Ireland), will no longer offer parking spaces.]
Quote: “Ireland’s towns and villages are an important resource to protect and nurture. We want to ensure that they remain resilient locations with vibrant inclusive communities and a strong cultural and social fabric that deliver a good quality of life for future generations. We (the government) will support them through a strong commitment to ‘place-making’ so that any town centre environment is one in which people want to live, do business, visit and is ultimately successful”.
Why does ‘The Source’ Car Park remain closed.
A 2024 General Election date is to be announced on Thursday November 7th next. The previous disastrous decisions forced on our town centre businesses, (first begun on August 17th, 2020), now leaves our medieval streetscapes fully choked with HGV’s and other traffic; and will not easily be corrected even when, (if ever), a bypass is eventually constructed.
To those canvassing for votes on our doorsteps, the question which should be on the lips of every Thurles resident and remaining, business owner in our town is; “When will ‘The Source’ car park be open again, in an effort to support town centre businesses?
With just 7 weeks until Christmas, why was this presently closed parking benefit, situated under ‘The Source’ library building, not taken in hand, as a greater parking priority, rather than the opening of a new gap in a partially land locked car park, latter which will now lead to even greater frustration, with motorists forced to emerge onto Barry’s Bridge, from this new Emmett Street gap, to take their chances manoeuvering around a totally ‘castle blind’ corner, unto Cathedral Street.
Motorists travelling into Thurles from the west side of town tomorrow morning, e.g. parents dropping students into the various educational facilities in the Town, please take note.
On Friday last, September 20th 2024, per the Tipperary County Council website, an announcement was posted stating that there will be Temporary Traffic Management on Abbey Road Thurles, Co.Tipperary (R-660).
Annual Blocked Drain on Kickham Street, Thurles. Pic: G.Willoughby.
The road hazard type is described as “Road Works”.
Interesting that, since this road was only upgraded just 3 years ago, (August 19th, 2021 viewHere) with funding of €75,000 allocated to erect a basic road roundabout, which is constantly struck by heavy traffic, resulting in motorway signs being replaced, (Following month September 29th, 2021, view Here).
Do you think one of that workforces employees might oblige by dropping up to Kickham Street, armed with a shovel, to unblock a drain?
Politics: From the words Poli (Meaning ‘Many’) and Tics (Meaning ‘Blood Sucking Parasites’).
The Thurles Roofless Bicycle Shed.
A newly erected bicycle shed to house eighteen bikes at Leinster House, latter the seat of the Oireachtas, the parliament of Ireland has cost more than €335,000. The above expenditure could have purchased a 4 bed, 3 bath, 138 m² detached house, or 3 semi-detached council houses each with 3 Bedrooms, and 1 Bath, here in urban Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Initially hailed by Transport Minister Mr Eamon Ryan TD, as an excellent example of public sector climate action, this shelter, required archaeological advice, to make sure it fitted into the parliamentary complex, at a cost to the taxpayer of €2,952.
We are advised that over 600 civil service staff support the functioning of the Oireachtas in Leinster House. Add this number to the 160 TDs attending for 3 days each working week, [Note: 124 men and 36 women (latter only 22.5%)]; one hopes that this “18 Space Bicycle Shed” can be easily expanded.
Then again many may be working from home or using “The Dart” (“The Dort”, for the benefit of those commuting from Sandymount and Foxrock)“, or (God forbid) these rainy days, using other public transport. One thing we do know, the vast majority of these 760 workers and their bosses are not arriving on bicycles, but then again we never get to see what is parked around the back of that formidable structure and are the great unwashed permitted to mix with nobility?
We further learn, courtesy of the Office of Public Works, that a high-quality structure was needed because of the building’s sensitive location.
Note: Off the record, and keep tight lipped on this, Thurles does not have even one Bus Shelter, and when Tipperary Co. Council learn of the above costs of an 18 Space Bicycle Shed, local commuters had better continue to carry their parasols and hope for non-windy conditions.
According to numerous press outlets, other breakdown costs; provided by the Office of Public Works, shows that €322,282 was spent on the main construction and finished installation; while €10,816 was paid for quantity surveying services and contract administration services.
However, asked for a copy of the business case for this project, the OPW confirmed that none had been required. On a more positive note: unlike roofless Thurles Bicycle stalls on Liberty Square, Thurles, shown above, at least the 18 cyclists in Leinster House won’t have to ride home on wet saddles or come out to find someone has reversed into their “High Nelly” .
Looks like Tipperary Co. Council are not the only wasters of taxpayer funding.
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