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Every person aged 66 and over, living permanently in the Irish State, are entitled to avail of the Free Travel Scheme. Some people under 66 also qualify. If you qualify for free travel, you are issued with a card that you must carry with you when using public transport. In some cases, a Free Travel Companion Card is also available which allows a person to travel with the holder (if they are unable to travel alone).
This Free Travel Scheme allows for free travel being made available on all Irish State public transport systems, e.g. Bus, Rail and Dublin’s LUAS service, with some minor exceptions.
 Left-Right: Ms Joan Farrally, Mr Vincent McNally (Group Organiser), Mrs Eilish McNally, and Mrs Brid McMenaman. Mr McNally (Pictured above) headed up a most wonderful, friendly, knowledgeable and well travelled group of 45 retired persons from Co. Dublin, on Wednesday, March 7th last, all who arrived by train to Thurles Railway Station. Answer two simple questions.
(1) “Have any of you retired persons, aged 66 and over ever visited the historic town of Thurles?”
(2) “Do you realise that you can have a most enjoyable day out in Thurles town for a maximum of €12.00?”
So what can you get for €12.00 in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, armed with a Free Travel Scheme pass card?
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First, remember your travel is free and Thurles Town enjoys the luxury of an excellent and regular Iarnród Éireann daily train service.
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Lunch in the historic Hayes Hotel, Liberty Square, offers a full Lunch Menu in the comfort of their attractive Carvery. [e.g. main course of Roast Beef & 3 Veg, plus Tea or Coffee will cost you just €11.00.]
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The Davin Room in Hayes Hotel will be made available, free of charge, for groups of twenty persons or more, with a charge of just €1 per head to attend a one-hour lecture on the Great Famine (1845-1850) and to view, up close, some of the extremely rare artefacts, collected from that period; not available to see anywhere else in Ireland.
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Other activities can also be arranged around your day trip, subject to your particular interests.
So, here is a perfect opportunity for those of you benefiting from the Free Travel Scheme, to round up a group of friends and give yourselves a well deserved day out; one to remember here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, with an opportunity to meet the friendliest and most obliging people in the world.
Tripadvisor:
A must for anyone interested in Irish history.
It was an eye opener for all of us active retirees to learn about the famine history, from a very well spoken orator, who delivered an excellent talk about this sad period in Irish history.
Tripadvisor:
Lots of very interesting displays of what life was like during the famine. Has original “Gratuitous Relief Ration Record Book” (or the ‘Distribution Book,’ as it was also called,) for the electoral divisions of Holycross, Thurles and Ballycahill for 1847. Admission is only a nominal donation.
Further details can be had by phoning at any time, Mobile – (086) 8785859, and we will endeavour to ensure you enjoy your day trip to this most historic of Tipperary towns; Thurles.
[Please Note: All money, in total, collected from these “Great Famine” lectures goes to Thurles Lions Club, for use at their discretion, with a total of €140.00, having already been handed over to this very worthy organisation, to date this year.]
It looks like the necessary surface work required to upgrade Barry’s Bridge, crossing the River Suir here in Thurles town, is at last about to start.
Health and Safety barriers were erected on the bridge this morning beginning at 9.00am, together with led digital signage, requesting drivers of vehicles, where possible, to use alternative routes out of the town centre.
Barry’s Bridge in Thurles, Co Tipperary, has provided passage over the river Suir, since around 1650, and was partially widened again circa 1820.
Bridge Castle, overlooking this seasonally shallow river crossing, has dominated the Thurles skyline since as early as 1453, built possibly by the Norman invader McRickard Butler of whom history records that he erected, in 1453, two castles at Thurles and one at Buaidlic (Boulick).
While footpaths for pedestrians remain unrestricted presently, we understand that vehicles will be curtailed to one single lane of traffic crossing the bridge, for the duration of the period deemed necessary to carry out the resurfacing work.
So, where possible do try to use the alternative entrance and exit routes indicated, in order to keep traffic flowing.
A Leader Of Irish Girl Guides Recalls Her Five Years In India
Reporter Tom Ryan
 This year’s World “Thinking Day” (22nd February last) – a day when Girl Guides celebrated their international friendships; had special significance for a Thurles Irish Girl Guide Leader.
It was the first time in five years that Catherine O’Connor, formerly of Cathedral Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, had celebrated that event in Ireland. For the past five years she has celebrated with Girl Guides from around the world at Sangam World Guiding Centre in Pune, that sprawling city in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, India; in her role as Deputy World Centre Manager.
World “Thinking Day” is a day when Guides across the globe give thanks for the international friendships they enjoy through the Guiding movement and raise money to deliver life-changing opportunities for girls in developing countries. This year’s World “Thinking Day” theme was ‘Impact’ and the Irish 12,000 Girl Guide membership joined with 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts across the globe, to celebrate the
impact that Guiding has on them and that they, in turn, have on their local communities and the wider world.
Catherine, who is a Leader with Thurles Senior Branch (Senior Branch Irish Girl Guides are those aged from 14-30 years) and a Community Youth Worker with Youth Work Ireland Tipperary, says, “Everything we do in Girl Guiding has an impact on our lives and the lives of people around us. My own life has been hugely impacted by Girl Guiding since joining at age seven. By taking part in relevant, exciting and fun activities our members experience positive change within themselves. As they develop different skills such as communication, collaboration, creativity, commitment and citizenship, they get motivated to make a positive change in the community and wider world. Hence, Girl Guiding impacts individually and collectively.”
Catherine’s time in India was life-changing. “What an amazing country! From the colours, the noise, the festivals, the vibrancy, the hustle and bustle and the warmth of the people, it was a real honour calling this country my home,” she says.
“A big honour for me was getting to represent the Irish Girl Guides and when I got to see the Irish flag flying high at the opening ceremony of the 107 events that happened during my time at Sangam. There was lots of fun and laughter when I attempted to teach Irish dancing at international nights and special memories of enjoying Tayto sandwiches, while watching and explaining Moone Boy with the Sangam family.”
“During my time at Sangam I got to meet over 5,000 Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from all around the world! I also got to work closely with 13 other international staff, 36 Indian staff and volunteers in training from the local community. (Some 71 volunteers and 125 interns were community programme participants). So on a daily basis I got to experience the true friendship and sisterhood of global Guiding and have such interesting conversations, learning so much about other cultures. I am so privileged to have friends I can now visit around the world; from Australia, Chile, Costa Rica, Canada, Japan, Kenya, Nepal, Rwanda, Slovenia and Sweden, to name but a few places.”
Cate considered herself very lucky to have been part of Sangam’s 50th birthday celebrations, from the early planning stages in March 2013 right through to the big day on 16th October 2016, when 1000 plus friends from around the global and local community joined in with the Sangam camp-site for a massive celebration. She was delighted to discover that “amazing, wonderful, exciting things can can happen when you’re brave enough to try and take the chance on new and sometimes scary opportunities”.
She continues, “By getting on the plane on 19th July 2012, just days after Irish Girl Guides’ international camp CAMP 101, despite being so nervous, anxious, doubting myself and so tired; I got to experience so
much from the kindness of strangers who are now lifelong friends; to being able to call the amazing country of India my other home; to having dared myself to do all of the following, from driving a
rickshaw and scooter, trying Bollywood dancing, hanging upside down in an ariel yoga hammock, abseiling off the Sangam water tower, to travelling solo in India, including taking an overnight sleeper bus and finding my way around Delhi train station at midnight.
This all happened because I took that first step to apply! So I would encourage you to BE BRAVE when new opportunities come your way, just GO FOR IT!”
Local Littleton / Two-Mile-Borris Correspondent Mr Gerry Bowe Report:
With so much inclement weather having being experienced in recent months; waiting for buses in the village of Two-Mile-Borris has become somewhat of a major ordeal for computers of all ages.
Some twenty-five schoolchildren are presently forced to congregate in the open twice daily to use school transport. On Friday’s some fifteen adults, including many old age pensioners must wait for rural transport in similar circumstances, with a minimum of six people on other week days.
The rural transport service is provided by Kavanagh’s of Urlingford, whose facility is greatly appreciated, especially by those with no other available means of transport. The Kavanagh service include stops in Urlingford, following a route to Clonmel, operating a twice daily service.
School transport, also greatly appreciated, conveying students in particular to schools in Thurles is presently being provided by Jerry Ryan Coaches in Thurles. Under the present scenario pupils find themselves often sitting through the day, in wet clothing, due to a lack of basic shelter.
Sites available and indeed suitable for the erection of a bus shelter, have now been identified in Two-Mile-Borris village.
It is now hoped that with the support of local Councillors and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (T.I.I), swift action will be taken to advance an obvious solution with regard to this ongoing issue.
So what country will you be visiting on the 17th. of March 2018, Patrick’s day?
While you are making your mind up; do be aware that just back yesterday from their 28-day Christmas holiday recess, government ministers are already planning for the ‘St. Patrick’s Day Weekend-Away’, courtesy of the ever-generous Irish taxpayer.
This year St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Saturday and a total of 35 countries will be visited as part of our annual political junket celebrations. Alas only mostly common backbenchers, yet again, to be found in the ‘place d’honneur’, seated on our parade viewing stands.
Taoiseach Mr Leo Varadkar will travel to the US where he will visit the US President Mr Donald Trump at the White House, while Tánaiste Mr Simon Coveney will lead a large delegation to China and Hong Kong. The Cathaoirleach of The Seanad, Mr Denis O’Donovan is off for a little skiing in Slovenia.
Minister for State for Housing Mr Damien English is set to view the medieval architecture of Poland, while junior Minister Mr Pat Breen is off to Bonny Wee Scotland, soon to be the next breakaway colony of GB.
Our Finance Minister Mr Paschal Donohoe is expected to travel to Argentina this year. (Check his luggage for cash boys; remember the Nazi Ratlines) with Education Minister Mr Richard Bruton taking a linguistics course in German.
Flights are booked to the USA for Attorney General Mr Seamus Wolfe, Minister Ms Heather Humphreys, Mr Michael Ring, Mr David Staunton, Mr Ciaran Cannon, Mr Michael D’Arcy, Mr Brendan Griffin, latter who is also expected to visit President D. Trumps ‘great wall’, from the Mexican side.
Communications Minister Mr Denis Naughten and Minister of State Mr Patrick O’Donovan will say hello to the thousands forced to flee from Ireland seeking a life over the past 8-10 years and now residing in Canada, while Children’s Minister Ms Katherine Zappone and Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty will savour the juice of this years ‘Vitis vinifera’ and ‘Petit Verdot’ grape, in Italy and France, respectively.
Culture Minister Ms Josepha Madigan will drop off in Norway and Sweden, parachuting along the way Junior Minister Ms Catherine Byrne into Denmark and Finland.
Housing Minister Mr Eoghan Murphy will be checking housing prices and rents in South Korea and Japan and Chief Whip Mr Joe McHugh can’t wait to examine how opposition party members end up being shot in Brazil.
Mr John Halligan, widely tipped to travel to North Korea, has instead been forced to present a bowl of Shamrock to the Queen of England.
Ms Mary Mitchell O’Connor will be tanning herself in the United Arab Emirates and Oman, and Minister Paul Kehoe will be checking out defences in Cyprus.
Minister of State for Disabilities is Mr Finian McGrath will be off to the Czech Republic, with Junior Minister for Agriculture Mr Andrew Doyle all set to examine the rice paddy field terraces of Vietnam.
Minister of State for Rural Affairs and Natural Resources Mr Sean Kyne is off to Switzerland to look at the profitability of manufacturing Cuckoo Clacks to boost rural job opportunities, with Minister of State for European Affairs Ms Helen McEntee being sent into nearby Austria and Slovakia, to dance the Vienna Waltz in the palaces of Schönbrunn and Hofburg.
Minister of State for the OPW Mr Kevin Boxer Moran, if he survives his visit to Tipperary next week, will study flooding and climate change in Kenya, and the Minister of State for Local Government and Electoral Reform Mr JP Phelan will study electoral reform in Singapore.
Minister of State for Older People Mr Jim Daly will travel to Australia and New Zealand, and the Ceann Comhairle Sean O’Fhearghail will travel to Croatia.
Who’s Minding the Shop?
So, who will be left minding the shop I hear you say? Fear not, yes once again our old stalwart Transport Minister Mr Shane Ross will remain on hand with the nuclear button on his desk, ready for use if necessary, should North Korea’s Mr Kim Jong-un get pissed off, with all this “greening of the world”.
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