The Saturdays To Play Thurles Greyhound Stadium Tipperary

Posted on March 9, 2012 by George

Una-Healy, with Ben Foden & friends on a night out in her native Thurles.

It has been confirmed that Thurles native Una Healy and her girl band ‘The Saturdays,’ will play Thurles Greyhound Stadium at 2.30pm on Sunday June 3rd next here in Tipperary. (June Bank Holiday weekend.)

Promoter, David O’Mahony and Frances Bannon, of Kennedy’s Live Promotions, stated today: “We are delighted to announce the arrival of The Saturdays pop sensation, here to Thurles. Fans are promised a high octane show with strong vocals, tight harmonies and slick choreography supporting the girls’ array of crowd-pleasing hits like ‘Notorious,’ ‘Work,’ ‘Forever Is Over,’ and ‘All Fired Up.’ This latter coupled with dramatic lighting and stunning visual effects, will ensure that this Tipperary gig will be one of the most exciting concert events attended here in Ireland this year.”

While Una Healy is a regular visitor to her home town of Thurles, this will be her first visit where she will perform live with the band.

Una and her English rugby player fiancé Ben Foden will celebrate their wedding at an exclusive country house here in Co.Tipperary on a date yet to be announced. Kilshane House situated three miles outside Tipperary town, on the Tipperary to Bansha road and at the end of a half mile long daffodil lined driveway, is likely to play host to what will be possibly the most discussed wedding of the decade here in Tipperary.

Tickets for the coming Thurles concert go on sale at €35.00 excluding booking charges and will be available from www.ticketmaster.ie
Photo Courtesy G.Willoughby

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Tipperary Irish Language Hill Walk In Upperchurch

Posted on March 7, 2012 by George

Upperchurch

“The beauty of the world hath made me sad, this beauty that will pass;
Sometimes my heart hath shaken with great joy to see a leaping squirrel in a tree,
Or a red lady-bird upon a stalk, or little rabbits in a field at evening,
Lit by a slanting sun, or some green hill where shadows drifted by,
Some quiet hill where mountainy man hath sown and soon would reap; near to the gate of Heaven.”

Every time I read the above text I often wonder if the Irish poet Padraic Henry Pearse, (Pádraig Anraí Mac Piarais) when penning his wonderful poem “The Wayfarer,” wasn’t writing about the magnificent wild, unspoilt and uncontrolled, heavenly beauty, that is Upperchurch, Thurles, here in Co Tipperary.

Your excuse for an overdue visit to Upperchurch, Co. Tipperary, comes next Sunday, March 11th, when a walk with all participants, using the Irish language, will be held starting from Upperchurch Village at 4.30p.m. sharp.

This event is part of Seachtain na Gaeilge activities and will take the Eamon an Chnoic Loop, over 8 km in length. (Excellent weather forecast.)

Registration is free and there will be an optional meal available afterwards at a cost €10 if booked at time of registration. There will also be traditional Irish entertainment to kick off the St. Patrick’s week festivities. All are welcome including those with little or no knowledge of the Irish language.

For further details of these and other walking and cycling events contact:- www.upperchurch.ie or Phone 0504 54443 any weekday 10:00am to 2:00pm or Phone: 086 0518934 or 0504 54284 at other times.

Tá tráthnóna pléisiúrtha sultmhar sláintiúil geallta do chách. Bígí ann. (Translated: A healthy fun enjoyable evening is guaranteed. Highly recommended.)

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Restoration Of Nenagh Castle’s Keep Complete By June

Posted on March 6, 2012 by George

Nenagh Castle 2011

Restoration of Nenagh Castle’s ‘Keep,’ will be completed by June in time for President Michael D. Higgins’s visit to the site. The Director of Services Marcus O’Connor and Nenagh Town Clerk Donal Purcell will finalise external works around the historic building by June 2012.
(Click on image for larger resolution.)

The visit to Nenagh by President Michael D. Higginsis is planned for June 6th next and when the ‘Keep,’ is opened to the public, it will be an added attraction to visitors, when taken in conjunction with the Nenagh Arts Centre, Nenagh Courthouse, Nenagh Jail and nearby churches in the area.

It was here, in 1336, that a peace treaty was signed between James Butler, 1st Earl of Ormond, and a representative of the Irish O’Kennedy clan. This treaty was presented as a gift to US President John F. Kennedy during his state visit to Ireland in 1963, and it is now housed in the J.F.K Library in Massachusetts.

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Tipperary Celebrates National Tree Week

Posted on March 4, 2012 by George

National Tree Week takes place here in Tipperary, from the 4th-10th of March 2012, organised by the Tree Council of Ireland.

The theme for National Tree Week 2012 is ‘Trees – Our Past, Our Present, Our Future, ‘ and will be officially launched by the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, with a tree planting ceremony at 12:00 noon, in Ardee, Co. Louth.

In Tipperary, residents are being prompted to perhaps plant a trees and are encouraged to celebrate our remarkable heritage of beautiful trees and woodlands, by attending at least one of the fifteen events taking place this week in Tipperary as part of this National annual event.

National Tree Week Events Being Held In Tipperary

Event (1): The Johnny Mc Carthy Woodturning exhibition.
Venue:  Bookworm Workshop, Liberty Square, Thurles.
Dates:  4th – 17th March. Organising Body:  Johnny Mc Carthy Woodturning.
Contact:  Johnny Mc Carthy,  Tel: 086-8326369.

Continue reading →

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Come Home For Thurles International Hurling Festival 2012

Posted on February 18, 2012 by admin

Last July Thurles Sarsfields here in Co Tipperary hosted their first ever International Hurling Festival, its coveted prize, the Tom Semple Cup.

This year, Thurles, proudly waving the banner “European Town of Sport,” for 2012, will see an even more exciting Festival, with the competition expanded to 12 teams, with the European County Finals in Hurling and Camogie also taking place. The first every official Hurl Ball competition will be established and Road Bowling teams from Cork and Northern Ireland have promised to join in and entertain. Four teams from the USA have already expressed an interest in taking part in 2013.

This inaugural competition, initiated by Thurles Sarsfields, in an effort to promote Tipperary as a venue for National and International tourism, saw eight teams taking part on Munster Final weekend 2011: The Wild Geese from the USA; Robert Emmets and Kilburn Gaels from London; Na Magha from Derry; Keady from Armagh; Naomh Moinne from Louth; Dunboyne from Meath and Naas from Co. Kildare.

The 2011 Tom Semple Cup was presented to the captain of Kilburn Gaels, after an exciting final against Dunboyne, by Anne Semple, daughter of hurling great, Tom Semple.

The success of the competition can be gauged by the fact that all teams have agreed to come back in 2012 and all publicly have expressed their enjoyment and appreciation of the event. The festival gave a much needed boost to the local economy last year and was very much appreciated by local business and all tourist interests in the area. The Tom Semple Cup is now recognised by both Croke Park and Shannon Development and is a permanent fixture on the GAA calendar.

To all our friends abroad, Thurles says “Come home for the hurling.”

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