Looking back over March 2022 in Tipperary - Prince Charles visits and support for Ukraine

March 3, 2022

The show of solidarity to the people of Ukraine was incredible as hundreds of Tipperary people queued up to help in Fethard, wrote Eamon Lacey in our first edition in March.
Native Ukrainian Alla Dediuk was visibly moved by the outpouring of support as she watched people join a long queue outside her confectionery business to raise money to aid her fellow Ukrainians.

In a heartwarming show of solidarity, the sale of cakes and coffee raised over €11,000.

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After years of expectation and waiting, Cashel Palace Hotel reopened on Tuesday, March 1, following a multi-million refurbishment that has breathed new life into the former Archbishop’s residence on the Main Street.

No expense was spared in bringing the Palace back to life under the careful stewardship of Mrs Susan Magnier.
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In March we reported that Tipperary Town, Carrick-on-Suir and Ballyporeen were given a massive boost with funding approved for important projects.
€500,000 was approved by the Government for a Tipperary Hills enhancement project.
€198,000 would be spent in Ballyporeen on the upgrade of the old schoolhouse for a broadband hub and community centre.
In Carrick €90,000 was earmarked for developing lands abutting Glanbia Co-Op in Carrickbeg on the southern bank of the Suir to provide a public amenity park which will extend the existing parkland east of Dillon Bridge.
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March 10, 2022

We carried a story in March that the Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan had done a U-turn on funding for the Cahir-Waterford section of a new N24 upgrade.
Plans for the Cahir- Waterford section of the project had been shelved by the Minisiter but after coming under huge pressure from Government Deputies, Minister Ryan, announced €2 million in funding for the Cahir- Waterford section.
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Eleven years ago Carrick-on-Suir singer and former Independent councillor Liam Dwyer suffered a serious stroke that left him barely able to speak but he overcame that huge setback to record a CD called Heartfelt at the age of 77.
Heartfelt has been a labour of love for the former showband frontman from Ard Mhuire, and a shining example of how he has triumphed over adversity.
When the CD went on sale in Carrick-on-Suir and Clonmel in March, it marked the culmination of over two years of recording and preparation.
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A seriously injured paraglider and lost walkers were rescued from the Comeragh, Knockmealdown and Galtee Mountain ranges in south Tipperary and just over the county border on Saturday, March 5.

SEMRA was first called out to rescue two female walkers lost on the Coumshingaun Loop of the Comeraghs near Kilclooney Woods. .
In the Knockmealdowns, the team was called to assist Coastguard helicopter 117 with the rescue of a seriously injured paraglider.
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The sudden and untimely death of Paul Shefflin, brother of Kilkenny hurling legend Henry Shefflin, shocked and deeply saddened all who knew him in Clonmel where he worked at Clonmel Healthcare.
The father-of-four, who was aged in his early 40s, died suddenly on Friday, March 4 and was laid to rest in his native Ballyhale in Kilkenny. The former Ballyhale Shamrocks hurler had been Director of Finance in Clonmedica, a division of Clonmel Healthcare, and his funeral was attended by many of his colleagues.
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Looking back over October 2021 in Tipperary - Visitors to Cashel cemetery harassed, intimidated

March 17, 2022

In our March 17 edition, Aileen Hahesy reported on a courageous Clonmel man, who delivered a van load of medical supplies to Ukraine on Sunday, and was staying on in Lviv city to work as a humanitarian volunteer.
Andrew Laste, whose wife Elena is from Ukraine, offered his experience and skills as a former fire fighter with Tipperary Fire Service and emergency medical technician to the humanitarian effort in the country under siege from the invading Russian army.

Andrew arrived in Lviv with fellow Stand with Ukraine volunteer Anthony Broxson from Ballyrichard, Carrick-on-Suir.

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Ballingarry scooped the top prize in Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District’s annual Tidy Towns Awards ceremony at Cloneen Community Hall on Tuesday evening, March 8.
The village’s Tidy Towns committee won the top award in the competition for achieving the biggest increase in its marks in last year’s National Tidy Towns Competition.
The community improved its performance in the national competition by an impressive 18 points to bring its overall total to 296 earning the committee a €3,500 prize.

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On Thursday, March 10, 2022, Devitt’s Funeral Directors on The Green in Cashel marked its own milestone, celebrating 50 years in business.
Tom Devitt started the business in 1972 and James Devitt took over the family business from his father in 2005, having trained by his father’s side since he was 18-years-old. James and his wife, Siobhán, now undertake the ceremonies together.
As one of Tipperary’s most experienced undertakers, James Devitt has had cause to reflect on life and death more than most.
James served his apprenticeship with O’Connor Brothers in North Gate Bridge in Cork.
Graduating in 1989, he returned to Cashel.
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March 24, 2022

Twelve months since her ascendancy into the realms of global superstardom, Rachael Blackmore was still making headlines, wrote Eamonn Wynne in our edition of March 24.
It had been another week of glorious firsts for the Killenaule jockey at the 2022 Cheltenham festival. In the space of four days she became the first female jockey in the sport’s history to win the Gold Cup and the first female jockey to win both the Gold Cup and the Champion Hurdle in the same year.

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An obvious indicator that the country was over the worst of the Covid pandemic was evident on Thursday, March 17, when St Patrick’s Day parades returned to the streets of every city, town and village in the country.
South Tipperary was no different with parades in all the bigger towns and some smaller villages got in on the act also. Ballylooby celebrated its first ever St Patrick’s Day Parade on Friday, March 18 - which was a unique Bank Holiday for 2022.

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March 31, 2022

Undoubtedly the big story of our edition dated March 31, 2022, was the Royal Visit of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall Camilla to Tipperary.
Britain’s future king and queen showed visited Cahir on Friday, March 25 where they chatted with community groups, residents, school children and Prince Charles played the bodhrán with trad musicians, wrote Aileen Hahesy.

HRH Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, were later greeted at the Rock of Cashel in stunning sunshine by the bellows of iron age trumpets played by husband and wife team Simon and Marie Cullen O’Dwyer, from Ancient Music Ireland, wrote Eoin Kelleher.

His Royal Highness visited Cormac’s Chapel, built in 1127, one of the earliest and most complete Romanesque Churches in Ireland, with the only surviving Romanesque frescoes in the country.

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A wreath laying ceremony took place at Friarsfield, just outside Tipperary Town to commemorate the death of Suprintendent John (Seán) Curtin, who was the highest ranking member of An Garda Síochána to be murdered in the line of duty during the one hundred years of the force.
Assistant Commissioner Michael Finn placed the wreath at the gates of Friarsfield House where Superintendent Curtin was ambushed and shot by the IRA on March 20 1931.

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A bridge in west Tipperary that is close to collapse had become a life and death emergency for residents who can’t cross it to work, study, or access vital emergency services, while thousands of gallons of milk can’t be delivered, the March meeting of Tipperary Cashel Municipal District was told.
Councillor John Crosse said the bridge at Lisvernane near Aherlow has been subsiding for the last three weeks, and if engineers didn’t repair it in the coming days, it would collapse leaving local families isolated.
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Celebrations to mark the 140th anniversary year of the Loreto Secondary School in Clonmel culminated in a huge school concert in March.
Guests of honour included Clonmel’s Mayor and Deputy Mayor, many former staff members and past pupils together with Sister Bridie Mullins and Sister Margaret Quirke and Ms Mary Kennedy.