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 Following strong concerns over the condition of the R498 road, linking Thurles to Nenagh at Latteragh, Templederry, and the safety of those using it, notice has been given by Tipperary County Council to make an emergency road closure order, under the Roads Act 1993 – 2007 (Section 75 of the roads Act 1993,) Roads Regulations 1994.
The period of closure will come into effect from 8.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. from Monday December 8th to Friday December 12th 2014.
Motorists must now use the following alternative routes; with all R498 North Bound traffic diverted Currabaha Cross via the L2261, L2124, L2122, R497, R499 to re-join the R498 at Ballinamona Cross.
The R498 south bound traffic will divert at Ballinamona Cross via the R499, R497, L2122, L2124, L2261 to re-join R498 at Currabaha Cross. Heavy Goods Vehicles are well advised to use the R501 and N62 via Templemore and Roscrea as their chosen alternative diversion routes.
Note: Diversions will be fully in place and clearly sign-posted for all those travelling this route and Tipperary County Council sincerely regrets any inconvenience caused as a result of this unforeseen yet very necessary road closure, brought about as a result of serious recent flood damage.
The R498, a 37km (23m) stretch of regional roadway here in County Tipperary; linking Thurles, via Bouladuff and Borrisoleigh to Nenagh, which was recently severely damaged by extensive flooding, is to be shoring up temporary using large boulders and concrete.
This regional road is an important access route; joining together the North and South Riding’s of Tipperary, latter recently amalgamated into just one single Authority by former Fine Gael Minister Phil Hogan TD, following the last local elections. Following recent severe flooding and overall neglect spanning some ten years; currently this important arterial route servicing North and South Tipp, is now severely curtailing traffic movement; reducing same down to one single lane with access controlled by traffic lights.
Tipperary County Council’s Director of Services for Roads, Mr Marcus O’Connor, has stated that temporary remedial works must now be carried out as a matter of urgency, but warns that a longer term more permanent solution will, into the future, prove expensive; with an expected price tag of some 10 million Euros.
It should be noted that a previous plan by North Tipperary County Council to undertake a structural upgrade of this important arterial route was shelved, following concerns raised by local anglers over its impact on fish stocks in the Nenagh River. The angler’s concerns were taken before the European Commission, latter which ruled that North Tipperary County Council should not proceed with their intended plans. Same it would appear included the introduction of a number of bridge crossings, forced on the North Tipperary Council, because widening and extending of the present road surface area was not seen as an alternative option.
It would now appear that interference by the European Commission, over which Ireland has apparently no influence, could have cost the present amalgamated Tipperary County Council a great deal of money in their efforts to protect a few brown trout, which would have probably been kept out of the river area temporarily in any event.
While the now Irish European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan was making plans to amalgamate North and South Tipperary, as a then Fine Gael Minister, it would appear God was laughing, looking down on his disastrous and unwanted meddling.
Some 27 close-knit members of the ‘Kenny Clan,’ led by George Kenny and his wife Sandy, visited Thurles for some six days last week; all part of their summer vacation and ongoing research into their roots.
Gathered from all over the USA, the ‘Clan Kenny’ group choose the historic Lisheen Castle, near Thurles, Co Tipperary as the location for their base and recent sojourn.
Click Here To View Video In HD
American, Australian and other welcome European and Asian visitors searching for their roots and who carefully and intelligently plan their trips to Ireland are now beginning to wisely make their holiday bases here in Thurles, Co.Tipperary. Of course logically and geographically Thurles Co. Tipperary represents the very hub of Ireland, providing just a one or two hour drive, at most, to access most of Ireland’s historical and scenic areas, (e.g. Cobh – 1 h 20 min or 126.4 km, Cliffs of Moher – 2 hrs or 156.8 km, Kilkenny Castle – 44 min or 48 km, Dublin’s Trinity College – 1 h 31 min or 146.2 km etc.).
Visitors on the other hand who choose their holiday bases on Ireland’s coastline, soon learn to their financial and other costs that a great deal of vacation time is being lost in attempting to reach these same destinations, during any visit. Coastline visitors end up instead constantly forced to change their ‘base camps’ in their efforts, over a short period, to pack in all of what our island of Ireland has to offer.
George and Sandy Kenny, through their own research, have discovered that their Kenny ancestors first arrived in America, possibly sometime in 1846 during the great Irish famine (1845-1849) period. However while records of their arrival in New York are recorded, to date little is known about from whence they originally hailed here in Ireland. To this end if anyone has any information on known Kenny immigrants in or around that period in Irish history, perhaps you could contact us here on Thurles.Info and we can arrange to connect you with the US Kenny Clan.
The Clan members, many of whom are keen musicians, visited the Monk’s Traditional Irish Pub here in Thurles, to join local musicians as part of their regular Wednesday night Irish music jam sessions.
We look forward and welcome their promised return trip to Ireland in the not too distant future.
Last, but by no means least, a big ‘Thank You‘ to classic rock and folk singers, songwriters and musicians; Nikki Turner and Nora Fogarty ; latter also Sean-nós (Irish for “old style”) singer for their granting of the free use of their great vocal & musical talents, in the making of this slide-show video.
Hidden Tipperary Tourism Group launched their new Tourism Brochure for the 2014 season on Thursday night last. This new brochure is the first group tourism venture to be published, in an attempt to attract visitor to the areas of Thurles, Holycross and Upperchurch, in recent years.
Pictured above L-R : Mr B.Clancy, Mrs M.Cullen, Mr J.O’Shaughnessy (President Thurles Chamber), Mr C.Cullen, Ms. Kathleen Bourke and Mr S.King, representing Hidden Tipperary Tourism Group and Thurles Chamber.
Launching the new Hidden Tipperary brochure at the Thurles Chamber Enterprise Centre, Nenagh Rd, the Thurles Chamber President Mr John O’Shaughnessy congratulated the tourism group on the layout of the brochure and the attractive content published therein. He also informed the gathered assembly at this launch that for the first time a Portable Document Format File (PDF) of this brochure would now be shortly published on-line on various websites, thus allowing visitors from both at home and abroad, not only the opportunity to read same but also to print off a copy, prior to visiting the area.
Mr O’Shaughnessy stated “I believe that in the future other tourist visitor attractions in this area will join with the Hidden Tipperary Tourism Group, to also jointly market their particular attraction. Same attractions properly networked would demonstrate that Thurles and its environs is “no one stop shop,” but rather the perfect place to visit in any season, to spend a few days quietly relaxing, while visiting just some of these various and numerous wonderful venues, now shown to be on offer in this new publication, right here in our rural Hidden Tipperary.”
This first venture into such brochure networking, features the attractions; Cormackstown Heritage Centre, Holycross Abbey, Farney Castle, St Mary’s Famine and War Museum, Cabragh Wetlands, Upperchurch and Lár na Páirce GAA Museum.
All of attractions also offer a wide variety of interesting entertainment headings including; Sport, History, Culture, Scenic Countryside, Heritage, Family Fun, Walking, Climbing etc in Upperchurch, Holycross and Thurles town.
Major Rare WW1 Exhibition Scheduled for Thurles
The World War1 (1914-1918) Memorial Wall situated in St Mary’s Graveyard is dedicated to some 71 known soldiers from Thurles, Co Tipperary, who unselfishly gave of their lives, in the defence of small nations.
This Memorial Wall is possibly the first such monument erected in rural Ireland, same being funded by Thurles Town Council (TTC) and erected by a TTC Fás scheme in 2000, based on research undertaken and made available publicly by Holycross author, Mr Thomas Burnell.
On Saturday March 1st 2014, as part of a memorial to all those brave Irish men who gave their lives in this ‘War to end all wars,’ an exhibition of WW1 artefacts will go on display at Thurles Famine & War Museum, here in Thurles, Co Tipperary.
Special Admission Price
Old Aged Pensioners & Retired Groups – €2 per person.
School Student Groups – €1 per person.
Note Booking: Same is by appointment only and for more information please Tel: 0504-21133.
Students, Old Aged Pensioners & Retired Groups, who intend to visit Thurles for this major exhibition, are also invited to check out the educational and other major attractions within the town and its immediate environs and to plan their trip to include a day long visit.
Bookmark this page to find out more information on special ‘Week-End Accommodation Packages‘ during March & April 2014, which will be announced during February this year, by the newly formed tourism group Hidden Tipperary.
You can also get this information and other local breaking news stories around Thurles in your Mail Inbox, simply by inserting your Email address in the box supplied on the Right Hand Side of our Home Page. (See Daily News To Your Inbox.)
Other Recommended Attractions Nearby
Cabragh Wetlands. Clare Glens. Cormackstown Heritage Centre. HolyCross Abbey. Lár na Páirce GAA Museum. Semple Stadium. St Mary’s Famine & War Museum. Upperchurch Walking Routes & Indoor Rock Climbing Wall.
To find Thurles & St Mary’s Famine & War Museum – Click Here
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