Late late show for our Olympic heroes
YOUNG and old alike in Killorglin were up all night on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, as Kerry’s Olympic heroes Monika Dukarska and Aileen Crowley took to the water in Tokyo.
At 4.30am Irish time, members of Killorglin Rowing Club were amongst those cheering on the local Olympians as they secured fifth place in the semi-finals of the W2 event, narrowly missing out on an Olympic final.
And last night looked like being another late night for friends, family and supporters of the rowing duo - after their amazing efforts at the Sea Forest Waterway, Monika and Aileen were scheduled to compete in the ‘B Final’ in the early hours of this morning (Thursday).
What happened in Kerry this week
Young and old in Killorglin waited up until the small hours of Wednesday morning to cheer on their local Olympic heroes, Monika Dukarska and Aileen Crowley, as they took to the water in Tokyo.
CNN reporter Donie O’Sullivan arrived back from New York to Kerry this week as the popular correspondent caught up on some local news while he enjoyed a few pints in his hometown of Cahersiveen.
One Kerry seaside community is now at its ‘wits’ end’ coping with disgusting reminders of ‘sex parties’ that are being left behind on their local beach.
Kerry footballer Seán O’Leary said he is inspired to make a return to playing football again after coming onto the pitch to celebrate last Sunday’s Munster Final win with his teammates
The exorbitant cost of developing a new car park on private land near Inch Beach is forcing Kerry County Council to explore ‘alternative options’ to the ongoing traffic crisis at the Blue Flag attraction.
Donie catches up on the local news!
CNN Reporter Donie O’Sullivan arrived from New York to Cahersiveen this week, and wasted no time getting out to see his friends - the popular news correspondent for the American news channel enjoyed a few pints at home for the first time since Christmas 2019.
Here for a week-and-a-half, Donie said he’s going to enjoy every second of his break home, as he hasn’t seen his parents and his two sisters in well over a year, due to the pandemic.
His last trip to Ireland was in February 2020, when he visited Dublin, but when lockdowns brought the world to a grinding halt, the news reporter couldn’t get back for his usual two or three visits throughout the year.
Give your kids the Covid jab says top GP
A top Kerry GP says parents should get their kids vaccinated against Covid, because the benefits outweigh any potential risks.
Dr Gerry O’Shea of the Clounalour Medical Centre in Tralee welcomed the decision to offer vaccines to all children aged between 12 and 15.
Speaking to Kerry’s Eye this Wednesday, Dr O’Shea said while it is rare that children get very sick from the disease, receiving the vaccine is nevertheless ‘worthwhile’.
50,000 without WATER
SOARING temperatures in recent weeks along with an out-of-date pipe infrastructure contributed to the county’s worst water crisis in years, which left a third of the population of Kerry without water on Wednesday morning (yesterday).
Over 50,000 people were left without water in the areas surrounding Killarney and Tralee including Castleisland, Farranfore, Firies, Ballymacelligott, Fenit and Farranfore.
A burst main to the central regional water supply scheme at Lough Guitane on Tuesday evening is being blamed for the outages.
Hundreds of locals queued to fill bottles with water after water tankers were deployed in Tralee, Firies, Clogher, Killarney, Cordal, Abbeydorney, and Barraduff by Kerry County Council on Wednesday.
Seán’s back on the pitch
Kerry footballer Seán O’Leary is hopeful he can return to the football field someday - and said being able to celebrate on the pitch with his teammates after Sunday’s Munster Final win has inspired him to do so.
The Kilcummin player was seriously injured in a car crash a fortnight ago, close to the Kerry border just outside Abbeyfeale.
After being released from hospital just 48 hours previously, Sean joined his Kerry teammates in the dressing room last Sunday and was quickly in the players’ thoughts as celebrations got underway on the Fitzgerald Stadium pitch after Kerry proved runaway winners over Cork.
Kerry’s young people - your country needs you!
The Reserve Defence Forces are currently looking for young people ‘who possess a strong sense of duty’, to join their Irish army reserve unit based at Ballymullen Barracks in Tralee.
This opportunity is open to anyone aged 18 to 35 to join E Company - an army reserve unit in the 12 Infantry Battalion of the army’s 1 Brigade, based in Ballymullen Barracks, Tralee.
The army reserve, which augments the defence force’s operations in Ireland, are currently recruiting here in Kerry until August 13.
Millions to be spent refurbing St Brendan’s
Millions of euro are to be spent on a major refurbishment and extension of classrooms at the 750-student St Brendan’s College in Killarney.
St Brendan’s principal Sean Coffey greeted the announcement of the investment by Education Minister Norma Foley as fantastic news for the 160-year-old college.
The building project, which is expected to be completed by 2026, will largely replace the existing school structure with a modern campus and facilities.
Traveller site to get major €1.1m upgrade
TRAVELLERS at Rathass Halting Site in Tralee want more consultation with Kerry County Council over who will be accommodated there after a €1.1m upgrade.
The redevelopment of Rathass Halting Site has been approved by Tralee councillors and will see four existing housing units replaced with six new units, along with the construction of a new vehicular entrance near Aldi Supermarket on Ráth Óraig Road.
Under new plans for the halting site, each of the four homes will be replaced with new two-bedroom demountable units, while two additional three-bedroom demountable units will also be constructed.
Rozzers’ tasty win at Tripadvisor awards
Rozzers restaurant in Killeen House Hotel, Aghadoe, Killarney, has been named Ireland’s best fine dining restaurant at the Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice awards.
The readers’ choices were announced at an awards ceremony in London last week.
And Kerry was well represented with Mulcahy’s Bar and Restaurant in Kenmare taking second place - while the Chart House in Dingle came in fourth.
Geraldine Rosney, who runs Rozzers with her daughter Michelle, told Kerry’s Eye that since opening in 1992, they have always focused on creating memorable dining experiences using the highest quality local produce.
Killarney locals oppose new housing development
RESIDENTS of Flesk Grove in Killarney have appealed a decision by Kerry County Council to grant permission for 31 new two-storey houses beside their estate.
Flesk Grove Developments and directors Gerard Teahan and Aidan Forde, with an address at Burton Hall Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18, had sought permission to demolish a former B&B, Shraheen House, on the Ballycasheen Road, which links Woodlawn to the Killarney bypass, and construct the proposed development on the one-hectare site.
Planning permission had previously been granted by the Council for the housing development. The proposal is to include 11 two-bed terraced houses, six two-bed semi-detached houses, and 14 three-bed semi-detached homes.
500-day wait for a pint with friends
Old friends Michael Barron, Paudie Reen and Pat Randles met again for the first time in over a year-and-a-half in the Sportsman Bar in Killarney, when pubs around the county finally reopened for indoor service on Monday.
The old friends would always have met during the week for a pint and a catch-up, but all that changed when the pandemic hit. It had been 500 days since they last shared a pint and Pat said that you’d really miss the company, the social side of life.
“Especially in a town like Killarney, where tourism is a way of life,” said Pat.
Bringing it all back home
FAMILIES across Kerry are busy getting the turf home and dry, following more than a week of scorching hot weather and sizzling sunshine.
At Wrenn’s Bog outside Castleisland, fuel merchant Moss Ahern is delighted to see dozens of families working together to turn, foot and draw home their turf during the long summer days.
Meanwhile in Killorglin, Noel Foley has been flat to the mat making sure the turf is home before the weather breaks, while in Kilcummin, Sean Finnegan is happy to get all the help he can get for a few days in the bog.