The bridge will close nightly from 19:00hrs (7:00pm) until 05:00hrs (5.00am), from Thursday night next, June 27th, 2024 until Friday July 05th 2024 in order to facilitate the resurfacing works, which were first promised in May of 2023.
Alternative routes are identified as follows: Traffic attempting to progress eastward on the N75 towards Two-Mile-Borris will be diverted in Liberty Square central, before turning right, continuing on the N62 for approx. 2.5km, before turning left onto the L-4161 at Turtulla, Cross, (turning left at the T junction above Thurles Golf Club), then left onto the L-4157 Mill Road, to exit at the N75 roundabout east of Kickham Street.
Traffic attempting to progress westward on the N75 will be diverted at the afore mentioned Mill Road roundabout, onto the L-4157 Mill Road for approx. 2km, before turning right onto the L-4161 at Turtulla and turning right again, at the upcoming T- junction onto the N62, remaining on this road before entering unto Liberty Square to continue your onward journey.
This Mill Road is exceptionally narrow and traffic is warned to take great care.
Radon is still the main source of radiation exposure for the Irish public, say EPA and HIQA.
The ‘Ionising Radiation – National Dose Report’ assessed the radiation exposure received from the air we breathe, medical exposures, our diet and exposure to radiation in our environment.
Over 99% of radiation dose received comes from natural sources of radiation, and medical exposures such as X-rays and CT scans.
Nearly 60% of the dose is due to the radioactive gas Radon.
10 % of the dose comes from medical exposures, mainly from medical imaging.
7% comes from our food and drinking water.
This assessment found that the average dose remains similar to that found a decade ago.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) today published a new assessment of the average radiation doses received by the Irish population. The Ionising Radiation – National Does Report assessed the radiation exposure over the last five years received from the air we breathe, medical exposures, our diet, and exposures to radiation in our environment.
This is an update of a 2014 assessment, and the current assessment found that the average dose remains similar to that found a decade ago. The assessment found that over 99% of the average radiation dose comes from natural sources of radiation, and medical exposures such as X-rays and CT scans. Medical exposure alone can account for just over 10% of a person’s total exposure or dose.
The assessment found:
Nearly 60% of the dose is due to the radioactive gas Radon in indoor air, with over 8% coming from exposure to another radioactive gas, Thoron.
10% of the dose comes from medical exposures, mainly from medical imaging.
9% comes from cosmic radiation, of which 2% is due to exposure received if flying.
7% comes from our food and drinking water.
6% comes from radiation from the ground as gamma radiation.
People in Ireland receive a slightly higher average radiation dose than the European average, mainly due to radon exposure in the home and in the workplace. Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, contributes almost 60% of the annual dose. This is of concern as radon is a major cause of lung cancer.
Over 7% of the average annual radiation dose comes from radiation in food and drinking water, the source of which is mainly naturally occurring radiation.
Radioactivity from artificial sources, such as discharges from nuclear facilities abroad, fallout from historic nuclear weapons testing and past nuclear accidents make up less than 1% of overall exposure.
Dr Micheal Lehane, EPA Director said, “Radon is the largest contributor to radiation dose in Ireland. If there is a high radon level in your home, it is exposing you and your family to unnecessary radiation. The good news is that radon is easy to test for and solutions are available to reduce high levels where necessary. When building a house it is critical to seal the base of the building to prevent radon from getting into your house in the first place. For existing houses, we urge people to test for radon, and remediate if necessary, as this is the only way of protecting you and your family from this cancer-causing gas.”
As part of the assessment, HIQA reviewed radiation exposure to patients, finding that the average amount of radiation from medical exposure has decreased. This is in part due to improvements in the overall reduction of exposure to patients and increased access to new and improved medical imaging.
Mr Sean Egan, HIQA’s Director of Healthcare Regulation, said, “It is encouraging to see the decrease in amounts of ionising radiation received from medical exposures over the past 10 years. Since HIQA began regulating ionising radiation facilities in 2019, we have seen increased compliance with the regulations year-on-year. This means that services are considering how best to use equipment to meet the intended diagnostic or treatment goal while keeping exposure of the patient as low as possible, reducing the risk of harm to patients. We will continue to engage with services to ensure that this good practice continues.”
Congratulations to whoever sowed the wildflower seeds on the west side of Liberty Square in Thurles and also opposite Thurles Shopping centre roundabout, which can be found when exiting unto the junction of Pearse Terrace, close to Davis Road.
Wild flowers on Liberty Square. Pic. G. Willoughby.
Meanwhile, hopefully Thurles Municipal District Council Officials have begun to issue invoices to two of our politicians for failing to remove their posters within the required time period, following the local and European elections held on June 7th last (2024). The first and main offender was Aontu’s Ballydehob, Co. Cork based Mr Patrick Murphy who was threatening to “Put Ireland first in Europe”.
Mr Patrick Murphy who failed to be elected as an MEP. Pic. G. Willoughby.
Mr Murphy failed to remove at least 3 of his posters here in Thurles; one on the junction of the Jimmy Doyle Road and the N62 Templemore Road, and two posters on the Nenagh Road, opposite LIT Thurles. According to these posters, we learn from the small print that same were sponsored by Mr Peadar Tóibín, a current reigning TD, who readers will remember resigned from Sinn Féin on November 15th 2018; due to his anti-abortion views, after opposing the party whip on the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018. So possibly best to send the invoice to him.
Mr Murphy’s poster erectors broke several rules. Posters remain attached to road signs. Same signs where posters are attached are below head height and posters do not meet the minimum height of 2.3 metres above both footpaths,
The second offender was newly elected Fianna Fáil councillor Ms Kay Cahill Skehan, sister of reigning TD, Mr Jackie Cahill, who up to yesterday, June 23rd 2024, saw her image topping a street lamp pole in the centre of Liberty Square.
Newly elected Fianna Fáil Councillor Ms Kay Cahill Skehan. Pic. G. Willoughby.
Earlier, before the local election, poster erectors showed little respect for the environment, using a ‘Pozi Driver’, to screw a poster of Ms Cahill Skehan unto a tree on the N62 close to Thurles Golf Club, South of Thurles. The poster was later ripped off, but the three screws sadly remain buried in the unfortunate tree-trunk. Rules regarding election posters state that same should be securely fixed to poles(not trees) using cable ties, to facilitate removal without causing damage. Cable ties should also be removed when the posters are being taken down.
Only today, June 24th, was Ms Cahill Skehan’s poster displayed in Liberty Square removed, so the invoice can still be sent.
The rules were made quite clear, prior to the election date; ‘All posters must be removed by “Friday 14th June 2024 (midnight)“. If posters are in place outside of this date, fines will be issued by the Council at the rate of €150 per poster. The four posters identified here should yield €600 to benificiares Thurles Municipal District Council, per the Litter Pollution Act 1997, as amended by the Electoral (Amendment)(No.2) Act 2009.
In her 93rd year and pre-deceased by her husband Laurence, infant son Laurence, granddaughter baby Katie, brothers James, Thos, Martin and Willie, sisters Peggy, Mary and Angela; Mrs Long passed away peacefully at the residence of her daughter Jean, residing at Rathmines, Co. Dublin.
Her passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her sorrowing family; sons John, Martin and Frank, daughters Mary and Jean, grandchildren Eoin, Conor, Brian, Megan, Sophie, Lauren, Carl and Fionn, daughters-in-law Josephine, Maria and Monika, son-in-law Carsten, sister Ann (Canada), brother Paul, nephews, nieces, sisters-in-law Mary, Philomena and Bernie, relatives, neighbours and friends.
For those persons who are unable to attend the funeral service for Mrs Long, same can be viewed streamed live online, HERE.
The extended Long and Boilson families wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time, and have made arrangements for those persons wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.
Lyrics: Dutch composer and lyricist Werner Theunissen of the 70s Dutch country music band ‘Pussycat’. Vocals:‘Pussycat’ singers Toni Willé, Marianne Veldpaus and Betty Dragstra.
Mississippi.
Where you can hear a country song from far, And someone play the honky-tonk guitar. Where all the lights will go out one by one, The people join the song and the wind takes it away. Where the Mississippi rolls down to the sea, And lovers found the place they’d like to be. How many times before the song was ending? Love and understanding everywhere around. Mississippi, I’ll remember you. Whenever I should go away, I’ll be longing for the day, That I will be in Greenville again. Mississippi, You’ll be on my mind. Every time I hear this song, Mississippi roll along, Until the end of time. Now the country song forever lost its soul, When the guitar player turned to rock ‘n’ roll, And every time when summer nights are fallin’, I will always be callin’, dreams of yesterday. Mississippi, I’ll remember you. Whenever I should go away, I’ll be longing for the day, That I will be in Greenville again. Mississippi, You’ll be on my mind. Every time I hear this song, Mississippi roll along, Until the end of time. Every time I hear this song, Mississippi roll along, Until the end of time. END
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