BIG READ: €100m would be a good start for Thurles, but it might not actually go all that far!

A wish list – that’s what we need – a wish list.

It’s common enough to see a pre-Christmas wish list for what is needed to ‘fix’ the locality.

Everything and anything can appear on that list – more business, more social outlets, infrastructure, sporting clubs and facilities etc.

Well, here is a wish list at the end of March, so we are getting the Christmas requests in good and early.

€100m would be a good start for Thurles, but it might not actually go all that far. Included in that €100m could the €4million required to restore and refurbish Semple Stadium to transform it into an up-to-date, modern and attractive sporting icon again.

In recent times, the stadium has appeared dated and crumbling in parts – it needs a lot of attention and there are moves afoot behind the scenes to raise seed funding so that Croke Park can be approached to approve loans to begin the work.

Recently, a new scoreboard was added at the Town End – the original scoreboard had been out of commission for some time and replacing it was going to cost monopoly money.

We have also seen the pitch suffer greatly and a recent Allianz National Football League game had to be removed from the venue and played elsewhere – rainfall and weather has been the big problem here and while the €4million budget will not be able to sort the elements, it will do a lot for a stadium which boasts an iconic reputation as the finest hurling venue in the world.

So, €4million please for Semple.

Cross the bridge and over to east side – how about coming up with €2milion for the roof of the Cathedral of the Assumption.

The magnificent cathedral requires immediate attention in order to preserve the splendid work which took place there close to twenty years ago when an almost complete refurbishment of the building was undertaken.

People often ask why the roof was not replaced then – it wasn’t ailing at the time, but predictions that it would require attention within two decades were correct.

The Cathedral Re-Roofing fundraising project has been ongoing for some time and a special lotto was established to help build up a war chest to get started.

But, gathering in the pennies has been slow and perhaps in line with the declining numbers attending church, the fundraising efforts have not been as successful as hoped.

Driven by Thurles parish, the efforts continue with a Michael English concert in the Premier Hall on Sunday April 7th being the latest project to help bolster the efforts.

The parish remains incredibly grateful to all who have, and who continue, to contribute to the efforts but they really do require ‘pennies from Heaven’ to reach the target.

So, €2million please for the Cathedral of the Assumption.

Mention of the Premier Hall earlier brings to mind the efforts to restore the Premier Hall complex to its former glory. This complex boasts the Social Services Hall, the Premier Hall itself and the listed and beautiful Confraternity Hall.

The Con’ as it is known locally is steeped in history and one look at the inside and outside of the building reveals a unique style and characterisation which is second to none.

But, the building is crumbling and needs urgent attention if it is to be retained as an important community space.

The culture and heritage associated with this once splendid facility which hosted Eamon de Valera on one memorable occasion make it a most important building in the Cathedral Town.

The Premier Hall also needs attention. This is the place of legend with all the big dance bands attending over weekends of yore and drawing patrons from far and wide.

Butch Moore, Dickie Rock, Brendan Boyer, Gina and the Champions, the Indians – they all played the Premier and packed the place to capacity.

Of course, the Premier has also been the venue for many memorable shows and concerts and it remains a very important local facility which is used extensively and regularly by clubs, organisations, schools, societies and businesses.

So, about €2million would do nicely for the entire complex to give Thurles a really important, modern and splendid community space.

Liberty Square still needs work and the plans for the ‘top’ of the Square are in place, only to be executed.

However, the traffic problems remain and no matter what works are undertaken in the town centre, the same volume of traffic will have to pass through it.

So, that’s what makes the link road over the River Suir so important.

How long will it take for the first vehicle to drive on this link road -How long is a piece of string?

The project itself is relatively straight forward with most of the land acquisition issues sorted; the spec drawn up and the plans submitted.

Now it requires departmental sanctioning and funding.

How much? Again, that’s guesswork and as the years pass by, the price goes up. €50million would be a good guess at this stage.

Right, we have spent €58million so far but we have yet to do the work at the top of Liberty Square  - let’s say another €3million for that to be matched up with the style and the layout of the rest of the Square.

This work will finish off the project and help to make it a far more appealing place to work, rest and play, as they say.

Perhaps if we could get a more tenants in the unoccupied buildings in the town centre it would really kick things off, starting with the former Post Office building.

Another ongoing saga is the whole issue of Turtulla Cross – that very dangerous crossroads needs urgent attention and it just does not seem to be moving.

It will be costly to realign the junction and do all the necessary site works, but the sooner it starts the better.

Just like the Liberty Square project, there will be traffic disruptions, but it will be short term pain for long term gain.

€1million perhaps for this?

We still have €38million in the kitty – give or take a few bob here and there.

There would be absolutely no objection to the roads and footpaths receiving attention – the bridge surface over the Suir is constantly crumbling and there are a number of other problematic areas throughout the town where patching works have just consistently failed. This has resulted in good money being thrown after bad.

Public lighting out to Dew Valley on the Holycross Road is surely a priority. There are literally hundreds walking that road to and from shift work in the dark.

Would it be too much to ask for the lighting to be extended a few hundred metres to keep these workers safe? The same could be asked of Mill Road – public lighting as far as Kickham Park perhaps.

Speaking of the River Suir – Thurles Lions Club were taking a lead on a project to continue the River Walk right out to Ladies Well and back in on the eastern bank towards the MIC complex.

What an addition that would be and it would certainly be a big help in terms of bringing the river back to the town and making it accessible to the people.

Money well spent would go a long way here and the ultimate goal is to continue the walk out as far as Holycross Abbey, passing through Cabragh Wetlands en-route.

The value of this from ecological, social, tourist and leisure perspectives would be incalculable.

So, there’s the wish list - €100million worth – there are surely many other items which could be on it too. Here’s hoping that €100 million might be shaken from the fiscal tree and land locally. With an election on the way, you’d never know.