We are known as “The Home of Hurling” and we are very proud of our sporting heritage and excellent local sports partnerships in Thurles and of the promotion of sport and physical activity in our schools.

In fact Thurles was the first town in Ireland to claim the the prestigious title of ‘European Town of Sport’ in 2012 when a delegation from the European Capitals and Cities of Sport Federation (ACES) (who formed a team to inspect our town’s top sports venues) witnessed the huge range of sports offered to the people of Thurles and stated that there truly is something for everyone to engage in and get active here in our town. It was noted that “The facilities that the inspection team saw were very impressive, particularly for a small town, and many a city would be proud to boast of such a portfolio”. Of course Thurles, and more specifically Hayes’ Hotel in the Square, is synonymous with Ireland’s greatest and largest sporting and cultural organisation, the Gaelic Athletic Association, which was founded in the town in 1884.