Yesterday, January 22nd 2024, the road sweeper unit made several passes up and down on Kickham Street, east of Thurles Town centre, Co. Tipperary. Their purpose for the crew’s occupancy, was not to collect litter or debris relating to ‘Storm Isha’, but rather to suck up loose gravel, generated by the cold tarmacadam that had been brought into play, to fill giant craters just 14 days before.
Street sweeper unit gathering gravel on Kickham St. Thurles. Pic: G. Willoughby. Mid-morning January 22nd 2024.
Thankfully, the cold spell experienced over the past two weeks had held this tarmac together, now that the rainy season has arrived, as we have experienced since Saturday last; unprecedented heavy traffic and heavy rain has, as expected, loosened the cold tarmacadam, resulting in the road surface becoming one long gravel driveway. (See image hereunder).
Gravel on Kickham Street, Thurles, before the Road Sweeper Unit arrived; brought to my attention by stones striking the toughened glass on my front window, latter broken by flying surface gravel, sometime previously. Pic: G. Willoughby. Early Morning of January 22nd 2024.
Yesterday’s road sweeping exercise resulted in a two man operation. One driving the sweeper unit, while another employee attempted to keep pace, slightly to the fore, using a leaf blower to drive loose gravel from pavements; slung their by the wheels of vehicles and aimed at unsuspecting pedestrians.
Mr Joe MacGrath (Chief Executive Tipperary Co. Council), was busy yesterday, rubbing shoulders and having his picture taken with Fianna Fáil’s Minister Mr Darragh O’Brien and Tipperary Fianna Fáil TD Mr Jackie Cahill (Thurles); all 3 individuals attempting to boost both their images and personal expenses, while officially opening a children’s playground in Newport, Co. Tipperary, which by the way, cost almost €3 million to deliver. They were then later joined in their promotional picture by Mr Michael Lowry TD. (Thurles), who climbed in on the act, at Woodview Close, Nenagh, where Mr Darragh O’Brien officially cut the ‘Munster GAA blue ribbon’, suitably chosen, to open 10 social homes.
Meanwhile, back on Kickham Street, in forgotten Thurles, Co. Tipperary, within 4 hours after the sweeper had sucked up much of the loose gravel and departed, the last remnants of the streets cold tarmacked surface broke loose, leaving behind massive crates. (See image hereunder).
Kickham Street, Thurles yesterday afternoon, after the road sweeper unit had returned to base. Pic: G. Willoughby. Afternoon of January 22nd 2024.
We ask the question again and again, “For what are Thurles residents paying property tax ?” We get absolutely nothing in return, except silence or arrogance from officialdom, same disposed to exaggerate their own worth or self importance; often dished out in an overbearing manner”.
Time has now come to name the Tipperary Municipal District officials responsible.
Ms Sharon Scully (Thurles District Administrator), together with Mr Joe MacGrath (Chief Executive of Tipperary Co. Council) and Mr Marcus O’ Connor, (latter Director of Services Roads and Transportation, Active Travel, Health and Safety) have all been notified. [We have been made aware that Mr Joe MacGrath will be away from his office until Friday next, January 26th, with limited access to his emails. To this end a communication has been forwarded to his secretary Ms Evelyn Harty, since this matter now requires urgent attention.]
I recall the phrase, accredited to French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr in 1849, who wrote “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” – translated from the French “The more things change, the more they stay the same”, and meaning that despite apparent changes or advancements, certain fundamental aspects or patterns remain unchanged over time.
NCN aim to link 200 towns, cities and destinations across Ireland with a safe, connected and inviting cycle network integrating with other cycle infrastructures including greenways; encouraging people away from their cars onto bicycles, for at least 4 months of each year and expect to serve 2.8 million people upon these new network completions.
Today, here on Thurles.Info we feature the Nenagh To Thurles Route, as once set out in the 125 year old Cyclists’ Touring Club – Irish Road Book Part 1, for Tipperary South, same compiled and edited by R.T. Lang, (published in 1899). Hopefully, the National Cycling Network (NCN), will publish and continue the practise hereunder of describing the areas passed through, in a fluent and persuasive manner, in advance of the opening any future network.
Route 153. Nenagh To Thurles.
Mls from Thurles.
Places on the road.
Intermediate Milage.
Comprehensive Milage.
General description of the road.
22-3/4
Nenagh Post Office
…..
—–
From the post office turn to the left into Barrack Street and then straight on up same and over the railway bridge by an indifferent level road to Kilkeary cross-roads.
22-1/2
Railway Bridge.
1/4
22-1/4
Union Workhouse.
1/4
21-3/4
Tyone Bridge.
1/2
19
Kilkeary Cross-roads.
2-3/4
Here keep straight on leaving the R.I.C. Barrack on the rightand a direct forward road, with better surface, to Borrisoleigh.
16-1/4
Carrick Wood.
2-3/4
12-1/4
Curraghbaba Cross-roads.
4
Almost level road, but with a few slight rises and falls to Curraghbaba Cross.
9
Ballyroan Bridge.
3-1/4
For the last 2-1/2m the road winds down the valley of the Cromoge River.
8-1/4
Borrisoleigh.
3/4
14-1/2
Entering the village, pass the Church (on right) and keep straight forward on a winding but obvious road past ‘The Rag’ public house.
6-3/4
Rathmoy House.
1-1/2
5-1/4
Inch House.
1-1/2
4-3/4
The Rag, Public House.
1/2
1-1/2
Kilyon Graveyard*.
3-1/4
300 yds further bear to the left at a fork, then straight on to Kilyon*, where ascending the hill bear to the left, before reaching the graveyard and then to the right at same, then forward and over the railway bridge (Great Southern and Western Railway) into Thurles.
1/2
Union Workhouse.
1
Entering Thurles by New Street* to the Square
1/4
Railway Bridge (G.S.& W Railway).
1/4
Thurles Square.
1/4
22-3/4
With the exception of the short easy hill, at Kilyon*, a practically level road, with good surface.
Nenagh To ThurlesReverse, – Leaving Thurles Square by New Street *, pass over the railway bridge and at the workhouse turn to the left. At Kilyon* graveyard bear to the left again and 100 yards further, just as the road slopes downward towards the bog, keep to the right, and thence forward through Borrisoleigh, to Ballyroan Bridge, where turn to the right, and cross same, and then forward into Nenagh. On reaching Castle Street, turn to the right, to the post office.
Note Please*Kilyon Graveyard, is known today as Killinan Graveyard. * New Street is known today as Parnell Street, following changes to the names of certain Thurles streets and lanes by Thurles Urban District Council in more recent years.
The information, above, has been passed to Green Party Minister Mr Eamon Ryan, in an effort to progress ideas and implement this network as soon as possible on behalf of Thurles towns currently non existent tourism. [eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie].
On January 29, 1886, Carl Benz applied for a patent for his vehicle, latter powered by a gas engine. The patent – number 37435 – may be thus regarded as the birth certificate of the auto-mobile industry.
The first car imported here into Ireland was a Benz Velo, which arrived in 1898. Cars were costly, and in 1904, only 38 motor vehicles were registered with in the Irish State. This figure currently equates to a private fleet of close to some 2.5 million vehicles
Back in 1879, the Irish Cyclist Touring Club was founded which resulted in the publication of the Irish Road Book of 1899. Subscribing Members were charged 3 shillings for this publication, while non-members were charged 10s-6d.
To the Irish peasantry, back then, this very costly publication would not have been readily available, but amongst the gentry of that period, same would have been the then ‘cyclists satellite navigation’, of the late 19th century.
Route 131 A – Killenaule To New Birmingham.
Places on the road.
Intermediate.
Comprehensive.
General description of the road.
Kilenaule.
—–
—–
Proceeding northward out of the village (Killenaule),keep to the left just after passing the R.C. Chapel (St. Mary’s Church Bailey Street, Killenaule, Thurles, Co. Tipperary), on the left and then straightforward on an almost level road, to New Birmingham. Good surface.
The Four Roads.
1.3⁄4 mls
—–
—–
Waterloo Lodge.
3⁄4 ml
—–
—–
Shelbourne Lodge.
3⁄4 ml
—–
—–
New Birmingham.
½ ml
3.3⁄4 mls
—–
Killenaule to New Birmingham (Reverse) – Proceed Southward out of New Birmingham and thence straight forward to Killenaule.
Now a question for our readers. Where was Waterloo Lodge & Shelbourne Lodge, back then, located? Thurles.Info would love to know. Please contact us HERE
In 1839, on today’s date, (January 6th, latter the Feast of the Epiphany), a devastating hurricane passed over Ireland leaving many dead and thousands of people homeless as the wind caused mass structural damage to homes across the country. The event is referred to as the “Night of the Big Wind”, (Irish – Oíche na Gaoithe Móire).
Drawing of Moycarkey, Thurles, missing Sheela-na-gig.
Today, January 6th is also known as Women’s Little Christmas Day (Irish – Nollaig na mBan), or Old Christmas Day or Twelfth Night down here in rural Ireland, when no doubt mothers will be following the age old custom of rubbing the tail of a herring across their children’s eyes to give them immunity against disease for the rest of 2024. Local wells may also, as tradition has it, have their water turned into wine at midnight, with no one being permitted to observe this spectacle, or even to sample the well water, lest they be met with ‘mí ádh’ (Irish – bad luck).
Time to attract Tourism.
Seriously though, now during our winter months is the time for us to start planning for the year ahead in other ways, most notably for the future of our currently non-existent tourist trade, here in Co. Tipperary.
We understand that a discussion has already taken place in Thurles, with regard to the failure, over many years, to attract visitors to the town and county. Unfortunatly, other matters prevented Thurles.Info from attending that particular public meeting.
However, the result of that meeting appears to have generated little in the way of any future planning, except perhaps in identifying and regurgitating small bits of already well known local history.
Starting today and over the coming weeks, Thurles.Info together with Hidden Tipperary.com, will attempt to revive at least some enthusiasm in the effort to attract visitors to Thurles and the massive decline in street footfall, by offering some marketing ideas on how we can, working closely together, make tourism in Thurles and Tipperary a reality.
Suggested first project:
Make contact with local bus companies; Thurles accommodation providers; restaurants etc to put together prices for Bus Tours.
One Suggested Tour:
Offer an all-in tour of Tipperary Sheela-na-Gigs [Excel file here provides all the information required in relation to discovery], based and operated from Thurles town. Pass the above Excel File to bus operators in the locality to obtain their daily rate and contact local hotels and restaurants to acquire best group prices for accommodation and food. Based on the route used by the bus operator, contact with a hotel in one of the counties outlying areas will be necessary to acquire prices for a light lunch, leaving the provision of breakfast and dinner, to the hotel and restaurant sector in Thurles.
Having made contact with the above necessary service providers, a meeting should be convened and prices having been once accepted, should be keenly, and immediately marketed in time for the Summer of 2024, both at home and away, with no time lost. While tourists from abroad may take more time to attract; visitations from home counties should show immediate interest, if proper marketing is undertaken using senior citizens clubs, walking clubs etc . It is important that an Irish Rail representative be also included in any future planning negotiations. It will be necessary also to provide a tour guide on all trips undertaken, and training for this undertaking can easily and immediately be undertaken.
What are Sheela-na-gigs?
Sheela-na-gigs are rare and ancient (c. 12th century) figurative architectural stone carvings (also known as grotesques) of female figures found on Cathedrals, Churches, Castles, and other historical buildings. Scholars debate the origins of these figures but some speculate that they may have been used to ward off evil spirits or may have had something to do with pre-Christian fertility or mother goddess religion. While the greatest concentration of surviving carvings are to be found in Ireland, a few are also located in Great Britain, France and Spain. Image above shows a nineteenth-century sketch of a Sheela-na-gig, currently preserved in the Royal Irish Academy, No. 19 Dawson Street Dublin 2, [Located atD02 HH58]. Same was formerly to be found on a tower house in Moycarkey, Co. Tipperary. Its whereabouts today, however, is presently not known, but somewhere, someone may know its present location. This is not the first time that a looting of ancient Tipperary Sheela-na-gigs has taken place. Listen to and read related RTÉ Radio documentary HERE.
Note: Of the 124 known examples throughout the counties of Ireland, some 24 of these unique stone carvings are or were located within the boundaries of Co. Tipperary.
So let’s get started and begin to work togetherwithin our present tourism structure, if possible.
It would appear that our elected politicians; our Municipal District Councillors and our Thurles Municipal District officials no longer have the will or indeed the power, to organise the filling of a pothole in Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Just a section of the road surface on Kickham Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
The pictures shown here demonstrate a small section of road conditions being experienced by motorists over the Christmas holiday period. It must now be clear to our electorate the need to seek out fresh blood, come the local elections next March 2024, and the need to replace those who have demonstrated total contempt for our towns; its needs, while further demonstrating their total lack of respect and courtesy to those who elected them to highly paid posts.
Another view of the numerous pot holes that vehicles encounter on Kickham Street, Thurles, latter the busiest exit and entrance into the town.
Page 8 of Tipperary Co. Council’s Management Report to Council (VIEW pdf HERE), published in February of 2023, stated that the N75, Liberty Square to the Anner Hotel, (which includes Kickham Street, the most used road surface in Thurles), would involve the rehabilitation of approximately 1km of road pavement on the N75 National Secondary road within the town of Thurles, from its junction with Mitchel Street to the Anner Hotel; with the scheme then at a preliminary design stage. Back then it was anticipated that works would commence in Q4 of 2023. We now understand that this date has been postponed until possibly Q3 of 2024.
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