posted 10 December 2002 10:37 AM         

Gardai are continuing their search over a wide area for the men who got away with over £24,000 - more than half the gate receipts during last Sunday's Munster senior hurling final at Semple Stadium, Thurles, in an armed hold-up that was all the more audacious by the fact that there was unprecedented security for the attendance at the game for the President, Mr. Patrick Hillary, An Taoiseach, Mr. Jack Lynch and several other members of the cabinet.

Shortly after half-time in the senior game, three men armed with revolvers opened the unlocked door of the counting room under the stand where three officials were checking the day's return approximately £48,000. In the counting room at the time were Tadhg Crowley, Munster Council Treasurer and his nine year old son, Mr. Seamus Power, the former Waterford hurler, a council official now, and Mr. Timmy Grace, Thurles, a stileman on Sunday, who was making his returns. The men wearing wigs and dark glasses, and with cardigans down across their faces to conceal their identities , ordered the officials to lie face down on the ground while they packed £24,594 of the takings (as much as would fit) into a brief case. They warned the officials to stay on the ground for ten minutes after they left, but once the raiders were gone, officials immediately alerted the Gardai.

The most daring aspect of the raid was carried out on the day when there was heavy security at the stadium because of the presence at the game of the President, Mr. Hillery, and the Taoiseach Mr. Lynch. However the large contingent of Gardai were deployed towards the playing area of the stadium, some distance from the counting room, which was unlocked and unguarded.

posted 10 December 2002 11:53 AM         

quote:

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Originally posted by zanussi:
Was out in Dun Laoghaire last night and I bought the latest Tipp Star from a newsagents out there. Amused to see the story below in it, which has been reprinted as part of a "It happened 25 years ago in Thurles" column. The match in question was the Munster senior hurling final between Cork and Clare, which Cork won handily enough.

Gardai are continuing their search over a wide area for the men who got away with over £24,000 - more than half the gate receipts during last Sunday's Munster senior hurling final at Semple Stadium, Thurles, in an armed hold-up that was all the more audacious by the fact that there was unprecedented security for the attendance at the game for the President, Mr. Patrick Hillary, An Taoiseach, Mr. Jack Lynch and several other members of the cabinet.

Shortly after half-time in the senior game, three men armed with revolvers opened the unlocked door of the counting room under the stand where three officials were checking the day's return approximately £48,000. In the counting room at the time were Tadhg Crowley, Munster Council Treasurer and his nine year old son, Mr. Seamus Power, the former Waterford hurler, a council official now, and Mr. Timmy Grace, Thurles, a stileman on Sunday, who was making his returns. The men wearing wigs and dark glasses, and with cardigans down across their faces to conceal their identities , ordered the officials to lie face down on the ground while they packed £24,594 of the takings (as much as would fit) into a brief case. They warned the officials to stay on the ground for ten minutes after they left, but once the raiders were gone, officials immediately alerted the Gardai.

The most daring aspect of the raid was carried out on the day when there was heavy security at the stadium because of the presence at the game of the President, Mr. Hillery, and the Taoiseach Mr. Lynch. However the large contingent of Gardai were deployed towards the playing area of the stadium, some distance from the counting room, which was unlocked and unguarded.

Gas thing about this whole raid is that it wasn't Dublin, Cork or Limerick criminals. It wasn't the IRA or the INLA. Apparently it was down to some local handiwork with "Boys in Blue" involvement as well. A relative was telling me recently that it was the best night that was ever visited upon the town. The craic in the pubs apparently was fantastic with the news of the daring raid spread all over the town. One local wag was heard to have said that they would have had the whole lot if the GAA boys had to have turned out their pockets. BTW, no one was ever convicted of this crime. That 24k is probably 300,000 euros in today's terms. Not a bad haul at all.

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posted 10 December 2002 12:44 PM         

quote:

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Originally posted by The Brewery Horse:
Cody's Men,

If you are from where I think yer from then you might have heard the one about Dick and Sid the kid.
Said persons were imbibing in one of the local hostelries (Fennelly's) when they ran out of money.
Together they crossed the road and into Powers drapery where they purchased a pair of tights between them.
The boys then proceeded to return to the pub with the one pair of tights over two heads and attempted to rob the poor woman behind the counter.
I think it ended up with the landlady sending them home under threat of being barred.
Thats the gist of it and people swear its true.

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thats where the D'Unbelievables got there sketch from , "dont bother calling the cops,ive cut the phone lines outside"!

posted 10 December 2002 12:51 PM         

quote:

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Originally posted by the tones:
thats where the D'Unbelievables got there sketch from , "dont bother calling the cops,ive cut the phone lines outside"!

What the F**k does Mickey Malone want with Party Horns!?

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Swear to God. I think it happened in the late 80's. The two are still alive, well and drinking. The pub is closed however.
The landlady refused some friends because they were too young.
The youngest of them was 22.

posted 10 December 2002 01:13 PM         

quote:

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Originally posted by The Brewery Horse:
Swear to God. I think it happened in the late 80's. The two are still alive, well and drinking. The pub is closed however.
The landlady refused some friends because they were too young.
The youngest of them was 22.

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posted 10 December 2002 10:00 PM         

quote:

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Originally posted by zanussi:
Was out in Dun Laoghaire last night and I bought the latest Tipp Star from a newsagents out there. Amused to see the story below in it, which has been reprinted as part of a "It happened 25 years ago in Thurles" column. The match in question was the Munster senior hurling final between Cork and Clare, which Cork won handily enough.

Gardai are continuing their search over a wide area for the men who got away with over £24,000 - more than half the gate receipts during last Sunday's Munster senior hurling final at Semple Stadium, Thurles, in an armed hold-up that was all the more audacious by the fact that there was unprecedented security for the attendance at the game for the President, Mr. Patrick Hillary, An Taoiseach, Mr. Jack Lynch and several other members of the cabinet.

Shortly after half-time in the senior game, three men armed with revolvers opened the unlocked door of the counting room under the stand where three officials were checking the day's return approximately £48,000. In the counting room at the time were Tadhg Crowley, Munster Council Treasurer and his nine year old son, Mr. Seamus Power, the former Waterford hurler, a council official now, and Mr. Timmy Grace, Thurles, a stileman on Sunday, who was making his returns. The men wearing wigs and dark glasses, and with cardigans down across their faces to conceal their identities , ordered the officials to lie face down on the ground while they packed £24,594 of the takings (as much as would fit) into a brief case. They warned the officials to stay on the ground for ten minutes after they left, but once the raiders were gone, officials immediately alerted the Gardai.

The most daring aspect of the raid was carried out on the day when there was heavy security at the stadium because of the presence at the game of the President, Mr. Hillery, and the Taoiseach Mr. Lynch. However the large contingent of Gardai were deployed towards the playing area of the stadium, some distance from the counting room, which was unlocked and unguarded.

Gas thing about this whole raid is that it wasn't Dublin, Cork or Limerick criminals. It wasn't the IRA or the INLA. Apparently it was down to some local handiwork with "Boys in Blue" involvement as well. A relative was telling me recently that it was the best night that was ever visited upon the town. The craic in the pubs apparently was fantastic with the news of the daring raid spread all over the town. One local wag was heard to have said that they would have had the whole lot if the GAA boys had to have turned out their pockets. BTW, no one was ever convicted of this crime. That 24k is probably 300,000 euros in today's terms. Not a bad haul at all.

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Jaysus, 25 years ago, I must be getting old. I was there that day and remember it well. The public address asked the cops, half of them were sitting down beside the pitch watching the game to go to the stand. So they all trouped off and missed the end of the game.