Failure to promote Tipperary’s European Town of Sport title branded an ‘insult’
The failure to acknowledge Thurles’ European Town of Sport award is an “insult” to the people who secured it, according to a local representative.
At the most recent meeting of the Thurles Municipal District, following a presentation from Tipperary Sports Partnership, independent councillor Jim Ryan said that Thurles had been given a European sports award back in 2012, but that it has never been promoted.
The European Town of Sport designation is awarded annually by ACES Europe to recognise communities that promote sport and physical activity.
“Back in 2012, Thurles was awarded as the European Town of Sport, a really prestigious award, not many towns across Europe have been given that award,” Cllr Ryan said.
“At the time we were told that this was going to be a game changer for Thurles, both for sports tourism and for funding opportunities.
“Shockingly though, you’d never think that we do have that award. There’s not a sign around Thurles and even on the Tipperary County Council or Thurles website, there’s not a mention of it,” Cllr Ryan added.
The independent councillor said that he believes that a number of the sports clubs around Thurles who have applied for sports capital grant funding probably don’t even know that the town is a European Town of Sport because it’s promoted so little.
“I’d go as strong as to say it’s a huge insult to the people back in 2012, and there was a huge campaign with all the sports clubs in Thurles and the town council at the time, it was a massive amount of work to get the award,” he said.
“It’s been brushed under the carpet ever since and I think it’s appalling that it hasn’t been promoted properly,” he added.
Cllr Ryan called on the Thurles MD or Tipperary County Council to put up signs around the town to showcase the achievement to make people more aware of the accolade.
In response, a representative from the Sports Partnership said an issue like this wouldn’t be within their remit, and that it would be more for the municipal district.
“It’s not really the remit of the Sports Partnership in regards to erecting signs in the county, so that’s probably something we’d kick back towards the municipal district,” the meeting was told.