Dear Santa - a letter from Thurles

Dear Santa,
Just a quick note to tell you that you had better make sure your SAT NAV is up-dated before you set sail for Thurles.

You see, a lot has changed in Thurles since you were here twelve months ago and I just wanted to make sure that you don’t end up confused as you navigate the streets of the Cathedral Town.

First of all, Bowes corner is well - let’s just say if Rudolph hasn’t a red nose heading into Thurles, he could have a bloody one leaving it. You see they have changed it all around and if you try to make a turn to go up and over the bridge, you’ll end up head-on with somebody coming the other way. It’s supposed to be more pedestrian-friendly with wide footpaths and flashing lights and big loopy poles all over the place. But, for you Santa, guiding you sleigh and for the many motorists who use the junction, it’s a case of Ho Ho Ho...ly Jesus , what have they done with it???

Of course, I forgot. Forgive me. You have that magic touch and you’ll be able to manage no problem. But, for the rest of us, well, maybe you might just leave the number of a good panel-beater in one of our stockings under the tree. I have a feeling business will be booming for the fender benders in 2023.

A lot of work has taken place on Bowes Corner

As if that junction is not enough, you will have to be extra careful when you make your merry way through Liberty Square. You’ll notice a great difference with the wide plazas and the new lighting and all that. It looks great in fairness and we have had some great days of celebration during the summer with music and song at the centre of it all- silent nights they certainly were not.

But, now we hear that the Liberty Festival has to move to the Town Park because of health and safety concerns. Where could be more safe that Liberty Square, I hear you ask? Apart from if you happen to be driving on the Square of course.

I wonder if you have come across any other town centre in the country where you have to cross traffic constantly in order to get to the feeder-street you wish? It has been looked at by expert after expert, and engineer after engineer. Still, they cannot come up with a suitable layout for the traffic - perhaps you could have your elves take a look as they pass by - they couldn’t make it any worse, that’s for sure.

Of course, I shouldn’t moan - I do appreciate all the money which has been spent on the town in recent years - millions in fact. I just wonder if it is value for money. I mean when you spend money on big projects like that, you do expect that it will make things better. But????

You’ll notice we have a new housing project on the Mill Road - make sure you have the correct addresses for all those children who will be expecting something nice under the tree on the 25th.

Liberty Square has been transformed

We would also like to have a bit of news in relation to the Mill Road very soon - as in, that the link over the River Suir and on to Slievenamon Road will begin. Well, it has already begun of course, from the other end, but to get the go-ahead for the bridge and the new road would really be something - I know the stocking might be fairly full already - a bridge too far you might say - but if you could do anything about speeding up the process, that would be tremendous.

You see, a new road, a new bridge and all that would help us all hugely and would allow for the good people in MIC, St Patrick’s College to realise the plans they have in store for the whole campus. They want to provide accommodation and facilities for more and more education in the town and it’s brilliant - they are even thinking of building a new Coláiste Mhuire down there. But, it all depends on that link road and bridge. Did anybody ever ask you for a link road for Christmas I wonder??

If you are coming back down towards the Square again, throw your eye over to the right and have a look at the roof of the Catehdral of the Assumption. Fly up over Archbishop Leahy’s statue, up above the dome and take a look at the big problem we have up top. There are more leaks in the roof than there are from government buildings!!

We are trying to Raise the Roof and we even have the Lotto going to try and get the cash for the work. Perhaps you might be able to sneak us the Euromillions Lotto numbers - with the way construction costs are on the increase it will take the Euromillions loot to do the job.

We know God works in mysterious ways - perhaps Santa, you might follow His lead and give us a dig out, in the same way a certain former Taoiseach got one many years ago!!

This Christmas we are blessed to have in our community many new residents - our Ukrainian friends would much prefer to be at home, but instead they are making their home amongst us. If they could go home, all their Christmasses would come together, but instead we have to try and make it as good a Christmas as possible for them.

At least they are safe and sound and when the new homes are built in Gortataggart, they will have somewhere permanent to call their own - I know we give out a lot and complain about the state of us, but really we have a lot to be thankful for.
Santa - enjoy your trip through Thurles and try to spread your magic for us all.

Until next year. Adieu.