Three landmark hotels in the mid-Tipp town have been purchased recently culminating in the auction buy yesterday of the birthplace of the GAA.
The Anner and the Munster Hotels were sold earlier this year while the iconic Hayes Hotel on Liberty Square went under the hammer at an Allsops Auction yesterday.
Members of the Maher from Thurles family purchased the Anner Hotel in February – it's relaunching this weekend while proposed changes to the Munster Hotel are almost at the planning stage.
Jack Halley from Fethard splashed out €650,000 on Hayes Hotel yesterday.
The Allsops Auction at the RDS attracted a number of bidders with 27 year old Halley the highest bidder.
He plans to restore the hotel to its former glory in a phased development – he says there are no immediate plans to re-open the 30 bedrooms at the landmark Liberty Square building.
There had been suggestions that the GAA should purchase Hayes Hotel given its links to the association but they were quick to rule this out saying they were not in the property business.
Tipp County Board Chairman Sean Nugent says they will gladly meet with Jack Halley to see what they can do but feels there should also be involvement from the Government in the form of grant aid.
The importance of Hayes to the town of Thurles has been highlighted by the vice president of the local chamber.
John Butler says the hotel is as vital to Thurles as some of the flagship businesses such as Bewleys and Clery’s are to Dublin.
Martin Healy from Two Mile Borris recently bought the Munster Hotel – he says this combined with work on the Anner Hotel and the purchase of Hayes Hotel by Jack Halley is good news all round for Thurles.
However the Munster will not be continuing as a hotel – Martin Healy says a planning application is due to be lodged with Tipperary County Council shortly for a health care facility.
