South Tipperary Co. Council is to suffer another major blow to its status by ceding responsibility for the county’s water and waste water services and infrastructure to a new national public utility company over the next five years.

Have you stopped off in Cashel lately? Well if it’s good enough for Queen Elizabeth II to drop in on her tour of Ireland, then why don’t you take some time to visit the local sights, have a leisurely stroll through the pretty town, take your time to peruse the many shops selling wonderful local crafts, produce, the best in fashion and footwear, and maybe even find a bargain before relaxing over a tasty snack, lunch or dinner in one of the many pubs and restaurants that are among the best in the county.

The BIGbin is for household rubbish, can be used 7 days a week and is now on forecourts in Cahir, Cashel, Clonmel, Thurles, Roscrea, Nenagh, Carrick On Suir and Tipperary town. It is only €5 to dispose of two 80L bags. No bin tags! No stickers! No special bags! No pulling and dragging wheelie bins! No waiting for specific days of collection.

A Cashel student put his thinking cap on and then got all his friends around to his home where he held a fundraising competition in aid of the Niall Mellon Fund, recently.

Michael Heverin

Tributes were paid at this week’s meeting of South Tipperary Co. Council to former Co. Manager Seamus Hayes, who passed away last week at the age of 82.

A County Kilkenny man who was assaulted in Thurles at the weekend has died in South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel.

The Tipperary Association Dublin invites nominations for its Annual Awards for 2011, which acknowledge the special contribution made by and the achievements of Tipperary people.

Some of the best chefs in the Tipperary region are to showcase their skills at the Knockmealdown Active ‘Demo & Dine’ event, which takes place in Cahir House Hotel on Wednesday, February 29th at 7.30pm.

Bernie Commins

Over 2500 projects were initially submitted to the BT Young Scientists Competition in the RDS, Ballsbridge last month and of these only 550 were picked for inclusion in the competition proper, including a project from the Loreto Secondary School, Clonmel.

South Tipperary Fine Gael T.D. Tom Hayes has issued an invite to Julian King, British Ambassador to Ireland, to visit Cashel and South Tipperary as a way of acknowledging the one year anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II visiting the town. Her Majesty stopped off at the Rock of Cashel on the last day of her 4 day State Visit in May.

While others celebrated the New Year, the troops of IRISHBATT were called upon to aid the people of Bint Jubayl in Lebanon.

A council motion tabled last October by Mayor Maribel Wood seeking an urgent meeting with HSE personnel to discuss the serious concerns in the Cashel hospitals received a negative response recently.

“The inferior quality of the public toilets at the Rock car park are a growing embarrassment,” according to Mayor Maribel Wood.

Eamonn Wynne

A young man from Clonmel is helping to lead a national campaign in third level colleges to highlight sexual health this week.

On Saturday next February 18 at 10am sharp, a group of up to 50 ”Tour de Munster“ cyclists will leave the Park hotel, Clonmel and embark on a mid winter cycle in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland Tipperary, Kilkenny and Waterford branches. Day one takes them to Kilkenny and back to Clonmel and day two will see them go from Clonmel to Carrrick-on-Suir home of the legendary Sean Kelly, who is an integral part of the Tour de Munster Team, and back to Clonmel.

Two Cashel gardeners who have tended the town’s streets and parks for the past 13 years, have lost out on a bid to renew their contract due to procurement rules.

Bernie Commins