Thurles

jooksavage wrote: »

There are a couple of bridges around Moycarkey side. The old line is cutting through large dairy farms now - won't have much luck establishing a route through there. I love the idea though - maybe the route can meander a bit from the original line. Even then, there's a big demand for agricultural land - might be hard getting as much as an acre set aside.

If its anything like here in Roscommon, there'll be serious opposition to that from landowners. They managed to build a greenway from Mullingar to Athlone on a disused railway line, but it looks like the progress could be halted west of the bridge unless they can sort something.

shmeee wrote: »

The line will be going through some of the best agricultural land around and will come up against strong opposition.

Again as you said, maybe go away from the main rail line and use whatever land is possible, and get as close to the old line as allowed.

There's some impediments along the way but it's an idea definitely worth looking into.

Imagine being able to walk or cycle on a Greenway through the beautiful roaming countryside in Tipperary - unbelievable.

Following on from the question does thurles benefit. By lunch of the armagh draw the hotels in thurles templemore nenagh and roscrea are booked out on the saturday. The roll the tipp footballers are on the last two years long may it continue if they draw at home to teams north of the country. Thats not what you see too often

Tyson Fury wrote: »

Yeah but there's not exactly loads of rooms, probably won't be more than 10,000 at the football with maximum 4,000 from Armagh imo. Worrying that they are all booked up and explains why the rugby world cup isn't coming to Thurles.

Why aren't there any concerts on in Semple Stadium?

Holycross has a country music festival which draws between 10 and 20,000 surely the stadium should be able to offer something similar.

The number of rooms is fixed, and suitable for the normal market so ya there might not be huge numbers of rooms but thats not the point. What is there is all booked up - so it has a positive effect.
Struggling to see how you found a negative!

No one is worrying - saying its a great thing.
World cup wouldn't have been confined to the towns north of Thurles listed, would also have Horse and Jockey, Cashel, even KK is just a 40 min spin - way less than world cup fans would often have to travel. Lim and Portlaoise short train hops away.

Concerts - they did when they needed the money, perhaps they are comfortable where they are now.
Double edged sword - yes it would give back to the town but also takes over the town. Perhaps they are conscious of that.

Tipp_gunner we need you on the board of semple stadium.
Those two examples would have been perfect gigs.

Looks like they missed out with ed sherran too.

Tyson Fury wrote: »

When the stadiums for the rugby world cup were announced the reason Thurles wasn't selected was because lack of accommodation. If hotels in North Tipp are all booked up over a qualifier in the football then this backs up the opinion of the RFU.

Both Limerick and kk have suitable accommodation and as a result have been chosen as host cities. That's the negative. I would have thought it was quite obvious.

Cashel is another example, the rock is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Ireland yet the town doesn't benefit much as 90% of the people visiting the area won't stay overnight in the town due to lack of accommodation.

You originally asked did Thurles get a benefit from match days.

You got an answer to say yes, it does, for example hotels are booked up and the knock on benefits of that.

You didn't seem to want a positive so then you introduced a different element.
One of the reasons stated around the rugby was accommodation - but am sure that was discussed at the time.

So in terms of what the benefits to Thurles of match days the fact that Limerick City and KK City have more accommodation than a town.
Yes it is obvious that cities would have more accommodation than a small town - wasn't obvious in terms of what you had asked. (or why one would conflate such different points)

Those and other cities sell out for big events too, otherwise would be pointless to have the rooms there.

So again dont see how you found a negative.

It seems that there are benefits to Thurles from match days.

Its a wider argument (and different discussion) as to whether Thurles needs more hotel rooms.
From a business based perspective would need to know what is the average occupancy on a standard mid week / standard weekend. There is space and buildings and hoteliers there if the market is there.

1. Does Thurles benefit from match days?
Question for people who live work and own businesses based in the area and it a question based on past experience.


2. Does Thurles need more hotel rooms?
Business based question as to whether economically feasible - so question based on estimation of future trends and needs.

Ya, great to seem them booked up and people spending a few bob in the area.
Will help balance out the many quiet nights.
Sat night prob busy anyway with weddings etc - its trying to sell them in small towns the rest of the week!

Ah the Feile, it was after my time really, but never met anyone who attended who didn't have at least one horror story to relate!

As for Thurles town, always seemed fairly well equipped accommodation wise to me with the Anner, Hayes and the H&J. Nenagh has the Abbey Court and that's about it as far as I'm aware.

The two mile borris venture was to be a destination in itself and creating its own market. Flying in big rollers. It is only financially viable with the large casino. But ya there would likely to have been spin offs for Thurles as the venue would have been less than 9km from the town. But the main centre still would not be Thurles. If it went ahead would bring great demand for services and supplies so thus generating a lot for the wider region.


Most provincial towns wouldn't be a destination in and of themselves.

The reason Semple Stadium is popular is because it is the 2nd largest stadium in the country and is an excellent pitch to play on.
It happens to be located in a relatively small town, but is still a great resource for the town.

Yes it location makes it easy to get to and for example Cork fans have traditionally enjoyed travelling to Thurles and in fairness they spend when there.
But for qualifiers games for example regardless of where there are for many people they are just a day trip. As traditional Sunday games would have been - day trip, game, few pints, home for work Monday morning.

Yes obviously people do stay over for some games but I dont think its a matter of getting the hell out its more a matter of provincial towns are not a place you would head to/stay over for a wild night out. They are just too small.

20silkcut wrote: »

We have great motorways and railways to make sure people can get the hell out and home as quickly as possible .

I would suggest the excellent motorway and rail facilities encourage people to travel in the first instance, enjoy their day, spend a few €€ and then its easy to leave.
Its not a matter of "getting the hell out" because to get out they have to travel in in the first instance.


Plus that is the nature of a good portion of the travelling gaa public, regardless if the match is in Cork or Dublin - a good portion head straight to the car and on the road home.

macjohn wrote: »

The two mile borris venture was to be a destination in itself and creating its own market. Flying in big rollers. It is only financially viable with the large casino. But ya there would likely to have been spin offs for Thurles as the venue would have been less than 9km from the town. But the main centre still would not be Thurles. If it went ahead would bring great demand for services and supplies so thus generating a lot for the wider region.


Most provincial towns wouldn't be a destination in and of themselves.

The reason Semple Stadium is popular is because it is the 2nd largest stadium in the country and is an excellent pitch to play on.
It happens to be located in a relatively small town, but is still a great resource for the town.

Yes it location makes it easy to get to and for example Cork fans have traditionally enjoyed travelling to Thurles and in fairness they spend when there.
But for qualifiers games for example regardless of where there are for many people they are just a day trip. As traditional Sunday games would have been - day trip, game, few pints, home for work Monday morning.

Yes obviously people do stay over for some games but I dont think its a matter of getting the hell out its more a matter of provincial towns are not a place you would head to/stay over for a wild night out. They are just too small.

20silkcut wrote: »

We have great motorways and railways to make sure people can get the hell out and home as quickly as possible .

I would suggest the excellent motorway and rail facilities encourage people to travel in the first instance, enjoy their day, spend a few €€ and then its easy to leave.
Its not a matter of "getting the hell out" because to get out they have to travel in in the first instance.


Plus that is the nature of a good portion of the travelling gaa public, regardless if the match is in Cork or Dublin - a good portion head straight to the car and on the road home.

Just looking back on my post now I was wrong to say that accessibility is the only reason semple stadium is a popular venue.
When you think back 30 years ago when they used to jam 60,000 into semple stadium for Munster finals and with all the other industries you had in the town which have since disappeared things really were that bit better economically. Actually more than a bit better. I remember seeing an episode of the RTÉ series "as the crow flies" filmed in the early 80's as the plane flew over Thurles it described it as a busy prosperous market town fed by a rich hinterland. Not so sure that description could be applied today.

20silkcut wrote: »

Really puts into perspective how much of a blow the town the shooting down of the Tipperary venue in two mile borris was. If that had to become a reality then Thurles is a destination.
The only reason Semple stadium is popular is because Thurles is easy to get home out of. We have great motorways and railways to make sure people can get the hell out and home as quickly as possible .

That whole twomileborris thing i think is a wash out. Thurles needs to do something different to promote itself. The only thing that brings life and business to a tow in tourism and tourists by pass thurles for cashel. All those old watch towers surrounding thurles could be made in to an historical tour, I'm sure if the right people delved into the history of the town they could come up with something. It'll never have much going for it unless it brings in tourists.

Does Thurles get much benefits from having LIT campus in it. Does it bring any business to the town? The Eirn foods site just sitting there is such a shame.
Also agree the mental health facilities in mid tipp. Seriously lacking. A Templemore could do with a nursing home too...there was plans for a retirement style village by the train station in templemore but those plans left with the tiger

Yes the shopping center is nice.can get most things in there and met a friend for coffee and a chat. The only way some of the issues with the square will be resolved is by the town getting a propper ring road
Friar st on the other hand is an embrassment.
Its time people started to kick up a fuss and putting pressure on the powers that be to start doing something about the likes of thurles cashel borris and templemore..As much as I aint a fan of mr kelly nenagh is getting things done,gas pipeline, site secured for the doubling of st conlons, first data (that building is coming along nicely)

shmeee wrote: »

Would have been a waste.

They have a museum in the town already in Lar na Pairce and the number of visitors that went there last year was actually embarrassing. Couldn't believe the figure, if I said under 30 paid visitors you'd probably won't believe me but that was it.

Can't see how a museum in Hayes will help in anyway, interest and visitors just ain't there.

Thurles is forgotten about, the majority of people living in Thurles commute on a daily basis to work, great transport networks out of Thurles is the only positive thing; train track and 5 mins from the motorway.

really is it that bad.
I would close the current one and move it.
I'm sure if it was advertised some people might go to it.


nothing left in thurles. completely ignored for generations.

The County Board should house the museum inside or alongside the walls of Semple Stadium. The sky walk idea is excellent, there are tremendous views of Tipperary from that elevation and it would certainly be a good tourist attraction. The museum, a sky walk, a café would all be very doable for relatively small money. Tourist buses could swing by and tourist could get a walking tour of the stadium. Also, when Semple was redeveloped, meeting & conference rooms should have been installed. The Stadium should be run like a business, not like an venue for hosting matches.

The roads around Thurles are shocking, driving on Liberty Sq is terrible as it is too confusing to visitors in the town. Traffic lights are required to control traffic flow better and make it a more stress free driving experience. I've been driving around it over 15 years and I still see people causing havoc daily.

Erin Foods is owned by Richard Quirke as far as I'm aware, the place is full of asbestos so that's not going to be redeveloped any time soon I would imagine. Perfectly safe in it's current state, but would cost hundreds of thousands to remove safely.

Hotels in town are badly needed, The Anner and Hayes have upped their game significantly but the Munster Hotel (across from the Cathedral) is an awful eye sore on the town. It should have been torn down or redeveloped into something more useful. The owners should be made sell it or redevelop it ASAP!! The same guy has purchased another bar/ restaurant beside Lar na Pairce and doesn't plan on doing anything with that either!!

Regarding Tourism, why aren't all our historical sites put on a map around the town with guided walking Tours organised thorugh a small Tourist information office? We have plenty of heritage sites around the town I'm sure that would be of great interest to numerous people.

The people of Thurles have taken a battering with the loss of the Sugar Factory, Erin Foods, The Lisheen Mine and other large companies and nothing has replaced them. A lot of people have lost faith with our local government and TD's who have failed to provide any real sustained employment.

Rant over.

I'm not pointing fingers at anyone, just think it's a shame these businesses aren't open and creating employment etc.

macjohn I just did a quick search on the coco website and the plans for the supermarket in the Munster has been withdrawn, however the planning for the medical centre remains..although i wonder will it go ahead at all..

shmeee wrote: »

Nothing is going to happen there in the coming few years especially a medical centre, the doctors won't move there and it's impossible to get GP's anyway for Thurles.

Was only bought on the cheap.

I'd imagine the cost to fix all the issues in the Munster would be very prohibitive.