Residents and visitors from the counties of Tipperary, Clare and Limerick (Ireland’s Mid-West Region) are expected to gather in large numbers, to watch Ireland’s largest Christmas parade which will roll through the municipality of Bunratty, on Thursday November 28th next; as the County Clare village is transformed into a winter wonderland.
Bunratty Castle, in Ireland’s Mid-West Region will host Ireland’s largest Christmas parade in 2024.
Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, supported by the local business community and Clare Co. Council, has announced that 400 parade participants will wind their way through the village to the courtyard of Bunratty Castle, where the annual switching on of the Folk Park’s Christmas lights will take place.
The procession will feature more than 100 elves, Christmas characters, the Tulla Pipe Band, animals from the Folk Park, members of the All-Ireland winning Clare senior hurling team, and Santa Claus, (whose sleigh will be drawn by six horses). Additional musical entertainment will be provided on the evening by the Bunratty Brass Band and two local choirs.
The parade marks the beginning of ‘Christmas at Bunratty 2024’ with 35,000 people expected through the gates of the popular 26-acre visitor attraction during these festivities.
Santa Claus will be making a welcome return to his grotto on the Village Street on Friday, 29th November. Visitors will have full access to Bunratty Folk Park Trail of Lights Experience and can enjoy puppet and magic shows and traditional Christmas tales with Bunratty’s resident Seanchaí, drop into the festive themed shops, meet and greet in the Ice Queen’s Cottage, and take a ride on the Polar Express. The ‘Breakfast with Santa’ event and Christmas-themed castle banquets also return for 2024.
Councillor Mr Alan O’Callaghan, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council commented, “It is wonderful to see local businesses and the community of Bunratty coming together to support what will be an incredible spectacle for the village. Bunratty never does anything in half measures and this Christmas parade will be no different as the village prepares for its busiest time of the year.”
Ms Charlotte Rebers, Head of Operations at Bunratty Castle & Folk Park said, “We wanted to do something completely different this year by bringing the entire community together to celebrate the magic of the Christmas season. Months in the making, this parade will light up the village up with colourful characters, festive music and a joyful procession along the 700-metre route. Everyone is welcome to attend.”
Following the parade, Bunratty Castle and Folk Park will present a donation to this year’s nominated charity, Down Syndrome Clare.
Spokesperson Ms Bríd Hayes commented, “We are very excited about attending this festive event and we are grateful to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park for their fundraising efforts on our behalf. Such donations enable us to deliver vital services and supports for our members and their families to thrive and for the professionals who work to support them.”
The Bunratty Christmas Parade commences from JP Clarke’s at 6.00pm on Thursday, November 28th. The village main street will be closed to vehicular traffic for the duration of the parade, while public parking will be available throughout the village and at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park in advance.
All businesses in Bunratty will remain open before, during and after the parade. Bunratty Castle and Folk Park will be closed to the public after the parade in line with standard winter operating hours.
Pre-deceased by her beloved husband Eamon, much loved son Liam, her brothers and sisters; Mrs O’Halloran passed away peacefully, in her 97th year, while in the loving care of her family, at her home in Corbally, Drangan.
Her passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her sorrowing family; sons Michael, Noel and Paul, adored grandchildren Niamh, Aoife, Niall and Brian, daughters-in-law Annette and Deirdre, extended relatives, neighbours, friends, and all those within the wider community, whom she served for over 60 years, from behind the counter at ‘The Corner House shop’.
From her home in Corbally, Drangan, the remains of Mrs O’Halloran will be received into the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Newtowndrangan, Drangan, Thurles (E41 YD73) on Wednesday morning, November 13th, to further repose for Requiem Mass at 11:00am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards, in the adjoining graveyard.
For those persons who are unable to attend the funeral service for Mrs O’Halloran, same can be viewed streamed live online. [Note: LinkTo Follow]
The extended O’Halloran family 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.
The combined family of Mrs O’Halloran would like to express their sincere gratitude to all those who cared for her, throughout her period of illness.
Suaimhneas síoraí dá h-anam dílis i dteannta na Naomh agus na n-aingeal.
It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Saturday 9th November 2024, of Mr Patrick (Paddy) Kelly, Church Street, Templetuohy, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
The passing of Mr Kelly is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; his wife Josie, devoted children Jean, Susan, Brian, Liam, Paul, David, Annmarie and Elaine, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers, sisters, grandchildren, great grandchildren, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended relatives, neighbours and a large circle of friends.
Requiescat in Pace.
Funeral Arrangements.
The earthly remains of Mr Kelly will be received into the Church of the Sacred Heart, Church Lane, Templetuohy, Thurles, on Tuesday morning, November 12th, to repose for Requiem Mass at 11:30am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards, in the adjoining graveyard.
For those persons who are unable to attend the funeral service for Mr Kelly, same can be viewed streamed live online, HERE.
The extended Kelly family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time.
Dreamers. Soldiers are citizens of death’s grey land, Drawing no dividend from time’s to-morrows. In the great hour of destiny they stand, Each with his feuds, and jealousies, and sorrows. Soldiers are sworn to action; they must win Some flaming, fatal climax with their lives. Soldiers are dreamers; when the guns begin They think of firelit homes, clean beds and wives. I see them in foul dug-outs, gnawed by rats, And in the ruined trenches, lashed with rain, Dreaming of things they did with balls and bats, And mocked by hopeless longing to regain Bank-holidays, and picture shows, and spats, And going to the office in the train.
Extract from the poem “Aftermath” by Siegfried Sassoon.
“Do you remember the dark months you held the sector at Mametz. The nights you watched and wired and dug and piled sandbags on parapets? Do you remember the rats; and the stench, Of corpses rotting in front of the front-line trench, And dawn coming, dirty-white, and chill with a hopeless rain? Do you ever stop and ask, ‘Is it all going to happen again? Have you forgotten yet? Look up, and swear by the green of the spring that you’ll never forget.“
The Irish General Election will take place on November 29th 2024. This week local people on social media were extremely reticent about the direction in which Thurles town was heading, describing same as “A dead horse town”, and “A sh#t hole with nothing in it”. Despite 90% of second level students educated in the town, moving on into third level education and following diploma courses, some people saw the idea of a proposed Drive-Thru McDonald’s as “giving huge employment” and putting Thurles “back on the map”.
(This upcoming General Election will now give these same commentators an opportunity to vote. But most likely they will once again vote for the same ineffectual lunatics to take over this picturesque rural Tipperary asylum, for yet another 4 years. Even worse, they will protest, voting for persons who were once members of, or, at the very least, known associates of proscribed organisations.)
But perhaps the social media comment, which I felt had the most ring of truth, read as follows, “There’s nothing left in the town”. (Thurles).
With tomorrow being Remembrance Sunday (Sun November 10th 2024), a day on which we commemorate the anniversary of the end of hostilities in World War I (1918) and commemorate the contribution made by Irish soldiers in that war; allow me to elucidate further. On April 16th, 2020, we wrote about Thurles born Cpl. John Cunningham VC (Victoria Cross), under the heading “Lest Thurles Forgets Cpl. John Cunningham VC”. Please FirstRead the Post in full Here.
Missing – The Cpl. John Cunningham Plaque. Pic: G. Willoughby.
Following from that, we were contacted very recently (October 27th, 2024) by a family descendant of Cpl. John; namely Ms Susannah Cunningham, who kindly brought us up to date, as to the whereabouts of his missing Victoria Cross.
Ms Cunningham wrote; “The Victoria Cross medal is now in the Imperial War Museum in London, in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery. Lord Ashcroft collected Victoria and George Crosses and paid for the dedicated museum within a museum. The medal was on loan, but I noticed it had been bought by Lord Ashcroft recently. It is an excellent display and in a place that it will be appreciated, as is his grave in France, which is well attended, but a shame the medal is both out of Ireland and has been sold. I don’t know what happened to John’s service medals or Patrick’s WWI medals. My father-in-law, Freddie Cunningham, is John’s nephew, via his younger brother Joseph.”
As Thurles residents will be well aware, a plaque commemorating Cpl. John Cunningham VC; positioned at were his family home once existed, [at the junction of Sarsfield Street and Stradavoher (R659)], was erected, at considerable expense, many years ago, by the then existing North Tipperary Council, with the necessary permissions granted by the property owner. Some 18 months or so ago, it was deliberately demolished by a jack hammer, without, as far as I am aware, any public consultation or debate. Its absence went unnoticed by the powers that be, latter who currently rule over us. (See Photograph above.) Following enquiries made, I am now promptly informed by Ms Sharon Scully, (Administrator Thurles Municipal District Council) that, quote “I can confirm that Tipperary County Council were not involved in the removal of the Cunningham Plaque”.
This being the accepted case, (which I believe); I would like to know where the removed plaque can be currently located, so that same can be re-erected at an alternative location nearby, which does not cause either interference or disorderliness.
I now also hope, nay, expect, that Thurles Municipal District Council officials and recently elected councillors, will follow up on finding and re-locating same.
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