An large crowd once again put in an appearance at this years Thurles St Patrick’s Day parade, held yesterday afternoon, Monday March 17th. Despite the overcast sky and low temperatures, few locals were deterred from attending to view the event, as it passed through the town centre.
Amongst those in attendance were people from the Republic of the Philippines, Czech Republic, Ukraine, England, Brazil, South Africa, China, Poland, Italy and Sweden, who joined the very large number of local residents.
Onlookers packed Thurles streets, from Friar Street west, through the town centre and unto Barry’s Bridge; same extremely impressed by the colours of floats; the marching groups representing numerous clubs and societies; the bands and in particular the individual stilt walkers from Cloughjordan, North Tipperary who took part for the first time.
A huge “Thank You” to the work undertaken by Mr John Kenehan and his committee, and to the many individuals in reflective jackets and the Gardaí, who ensured the health and safety of the public in attendance and controlled the traffic.
Lyrics: Irish songwriter and novelist Brendan Graham. Vocals: Secret Garden.
My Land
How green are your valleys, how blue your great skies, Your mountains stand tall in their glory. Your rivers run free – the bright stars are your eyes, Your beauty is endless before me. For you are the song ever singing in me, And you are the heart ever true. For you are my land and you always will be, The voice ever calling me home to you. When to your green valleys some day I return, When you lay your mantle around me. At rest I will be where the heart will not yearn, That my land will ever surround me. For you are the song ever singing in me, And you are the heart ever true. For you are my land and you always will be, The voice ever calling me home to you. For you are the song ever singing in me, And you are the heart ever true. For you are my land and you always will be, The voice ever calling me home to you. The voice ever calling me home to you. END.
Tomorrow, March 17th, will see the Thurles Town’s St Patrick’s Day parade (Lá Fhéile Pádraig)2025, taking place, leaving from the west side of town, from Abbey Road, down Friar Street, into Liberty Square, starting at 2:15pm sharp.
The nearby parade in the village of Littleton will start in the morning, with other events occurring in Tipperary throughout the day, all expected to draw large crowds to the areas of Cahir, Tipperary town, Clonmel and Cappawhite, and northwards, into Nenagh, Templemore, and Roscrea.
With weather promising to remain dry but cloudy and with temperatures of 8° to 10° best to keep well wrapped up.
The “Sweet White Violets”(Latin Name: Viola odorata alba), which is expected to appear in late winter or early Spring, arrived exactly on time this year, exhibiting a massive crop of blossoms.
Sweet White Violets pictured here with emerging wild Primroses. Pic: G. Willoughby.
This small hardy herbaceous perennial is also commonly known as ‘Wood Violet‘; ‘English Violet‘; ‘Common Violet‘; ‘Florist’s Violet‘ and ‘Garden Violet’.
Sweet White Violets: The flowers which are either dark violet or white in colour, are scented, with the species most often found near the edges of forests or in shaded clearings; it is also a common “uninvited guest” found on shaded lawns or elsewhere with in Irish gardens.
Both the leaves and flowers are edible and in the late Victorian period, were used in the production of cosmetic fragrances and perfumes and in the production of medicine. Interesting to note: The scent somehow has suggested sex, so the violet served as a symbol of a favoured flower of Aphrodite, (latter ancient Greek goddess of sexual love and beauty); and her son, Priapus, (latter a minor fertility god in Greek mythology), who was also the protector of livestock, fruit plants and, yes male readers should note, male genitals. Both the former named Greek goddess and minor god were the deity of gardens.
A Bunch Of Violets Blue.
Lyrics: Attributed to composer, writer John McCormick. Vocals: Irish country, traditional and easy listening singer, guitarist and saxophone player, the late Tom McBride, (Big Tom 1936–2018).
A Bunch Of Violets Blue.
It was out in a moonlit garden, Not far from the ballroom grand, A soldier and his sweetheart, Went strolling hand in hand. Tomorrow the war would call him, And he vowed he would be true, And from her breast she gave to him, A bunch of violets blue. They were only a bunch of violets, A bunch of violets blue, Fresh and fair and dainty, All sparkle like the dew. Fresh and fair and dainty, As he pressed them to his heart, He smiled and said where’er he’d roam, From them he’d n’er would part. A soldier boy lay dying, Upon the cold, cold ground. A bunch of withered violets, Upon his breast was found. Turning to his comrades, In a feeble voice he sighed. Take them back and tell her that, I wore them till I died. They took the withered violets back, It been on her wedding day. An old man’s gold had won her, From her soldier far away. An old man’s gold had won her, From her soldier young and tall, And this is what he said to her, One evening at the ball. They were only a bunch of violets, A bunch of violets blue, Fresh and fair and dainty, All sparkle like the dew. Fresh and fair and dainty, As he pressed them to his heart, He smiled and said where’er he’d roam, From them he’d n’er would part.
Lyrics and Vocals: American singer, songwriter, actor and country musician Vince Gill (Vincent Gill).
When I Call Your Name.
I rushed home from work like I always do. I spent my whole day just thinking of you. When I walked through the front door, my whole life was changed, ‘Cause nobody answered when I called your name. A note on the table that told me goodbye. It said you’d grown weary of living a lie. Oh, your love has ended, but mine still remains, But nobody answers when I call your name. Oh, the lonely sound of my voice calling, Is driving me insane, And just like rain, the tears keep falling, But nobody answers when I call your name. Oh, the lonely sound of my voice calling, Is driving me insane, And just like rain, the tears keep falling, But nobody answers when I call your name. Oh, nobody answers when I call your name.
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