Ellen’s having a Hell of a time!

TEMPLENOE IS famous for producing the three Spillane brothers that won 19 All-Ireland senior football medals between them and were all All-Stars to boot — but this small corner of South Kerry now has another ‘All-Star’ of All-Ireland quality.

That’s endurance athlete Ellen Vitting, who has made it through to the last instalment of Special Forces — Ultimate Hell Week, a gruelling journey with much more pitfalls than any Kerry team experienced en route to All-Ireland glory.

“It’s a very unique experience to be still standing,” Ellen told Kerry’s Eye this week.

“From the start my attitude was always that I was very grateful to be able to take part.

"It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to take part and get that insight into the selection course.”

Over the last five weeks, she has proved equal to every task that’s testing how far into the hugely popular RTÉ series her powers of endurance could take her — it now means the mother of two is on the cusp of being deemed good enough and strong enough, physically, mentally and emotionally, to be part of the Irish Army Special Forces team.

 Read the full story in tomorrow’s Kerry’s Eye

Super supporters hope for big match miracle

Hundreds of Liverpool fans from the Kingdom are aiming to sing loud and proud on Saturday night as their beloved Reds take to the field in the Champions League Final.

It doesn’t bother superfans like Richie Kelliher, his girlfriend Megan Skelhorn and their friend Mitchel O’Sullivan that they still haven't got their hands on tickets for Saturday night’s showdown with Real Madrid at the Stade Francais in Paris — they’ll still be there to watch Anfield legends Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mané take on Karim Benzema’s Spanish champions.

“You live in hope,” Tralee man Richie told Kerry’s Eye ahead of a five-day trip of a lifetime that will take in the match before they make a quick dash to Liverpool in time for the Sunday afternoon celebrations.

“It’s going to be a celebration,” said Mitchel from Killorglin.

“There was no celebration two years ago when we won the League, because of Covid - but with the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup and the Women’s League won this year, we have our celebration, but want the Champions League there.

 Read the full story in tomorrow’s Kerry’s Eye

Final delivery as Ballymac Dairy closes

After ten years in the milk business, Ballymac Dairy is winding down production, citing a rise in bills and costs as the reason.

Ballymac Dairy was set up by milkman Chris Maloney, who is originally from New York but moved here in 2011 with his Kerry-born wife Carmel O’Shea.

After a number of years working as a milkman, Mr Maloney went out on his own.

“I wanted to guarantee the quality of the milk I was delivering so I bought the equipment and outfitted our shed for production,” he said.

Since 2015, Ballymac Dairy has been producing pasteurised, non-homogenised low fat, whole and skimmed milk to homes and shops in Tralee, shops in Dingle, Killarney, Kenmare and towns and villages in between. It had also produced cream and ‘a bit of butter’.

“We were a small but handy business. We had three staff and a number of contracted drivers and it paid our wages,” he said.

However, as business grew in demand, it outgrew the humble property where the milk was produced and Mr Maloney said that with rising costs affecting every aspect of the business, expanding wasn’t an option.

 Read the full story in tomorrow’s Kerry’s Eye

'Without Air Ambulance,  I might not be here'

ORIN HOUGH doesn’t remember his helicopter trip to hospital in May last year – but he knows that without the help of the crew onboard he might not be around today.

The West Limerick schoolboy was crossing the road to go for a pizza with his dad in Listowel on a Saturday afternoon when he was knocked down on May 29 last year.

An off-duty firefighter arrived at the scene and alerted emergency services including the National Ambulance Service who immediately tasked the Irish Community Air Ambulance.

Orin had sustained serious head injuries and the accident left him paralysed down his left side and unable to speak.

Now one year later, back at school and even playing football again, Orin (11) is asking people to support the Irish Community Air Ambulance that saved his life.

“Without the Air Ambulance, I might not be here. Mum and Dad have told me that the Air Ambulance is a charity and needs our support.

 Read the full story in tomorrow’s Kerry’s Eye

Carry On Lifesaving!

WE DON’T know if the late British actress Liz Frazer ever made it as far as Kerry in her travels or filming work, but she will be celebrated like an Oscar winner here for many a long day after the lifesaving donation she has bequeathed to the county.

For the movie star who made her name in the ‘Carry On’ comedy franchise that had a cult following in the 1960s and 1970s, her message to RNLI volunteers in North Kerry is one of ‘Carry On Saving Lives’.

It’s all to do with the fact that the legacy of the well-known and much-loved actress has helped fund the new RNLI inshore lifeboat that will be stationed at Fenit and will officially go into service next week.

The new lifeboat has been named Lizzie in her memory and honour and will have its naming ceremony this Sunday at Fenit Lifeboat Station, when the entertainment will be provided by Tralee Pipe Band and Fenit NS Choir.

Paying tribute to the late actress for her donation that helped fund the lifeboat that’s valued at €99,000, the Lifeboat Operations manager at Fenit, Gerard O’Donnell, told Kerry’s Eye, “we thank her for her lifesaving donation and for bringing a touch of show business to Kerry”.

 Read the full story in tomorrow’s Kerry’s Eye

Jordan's driving home the message

Paralympian Jordan Lee is driving home the message that nothing is impossible as he drives from school to school around Kerry to share his story.

Jordan’s Drives is an initiative sponsored by Kelliher’s Garage and Toyota dealers in Tralee who have given Jordan the wheels to make the journey.

In his adapted car, the Killarney Valley Athletics Club star - who was born with one hand - said that he feels very supported in his dreams, one of which was to spread the message that having a disability doesn't make you any less deserving of respect.

“I hope that the pupils and students I speak with can relate to me, as I’m only 21, and see that just because I have a disability, it doesn't make me any different.

"So they will learn not to be afraid of someone like me - but be more accepting,” the Killarney man said.

Jordan - a Top 10 finisher in the T47 High Jump at the Paralympics in Tokyo last year - said that when he was growing up, there wasn’t as much awareness about inclusion as there is now and he welcomes the change.

 Read the full story in tomorrow’s Kerry’s Eye

Churchill's pride in revamped Forge

A warm welcome was extended to everyone from the Spa and Fenit communities who attended the official opening of The Old Forge and Museum in Churchill.

Committee member Nora Landers welcomed everyone to the newly refurbished amenity which won a National Rural Networks award in 2020, following extensive works that were completed in 2019.

Ms Landers explained that since its inception in 1985, the Community Council has been actively involved in progressing many projects for the area it serves.

“We have developed play areas in The Spa and Fenit, upgraded viewing parks in Fenit and Kilfenora, created a memorial monument in Spa to commemorate a famous sea rescue, initiated the Tralee Fenit Greenway, but the one project that we take great pride in is the renovation and restoration of the Forge and the addition of the museum here in Churchill,” she said.

In 2001, the Krehbiel family in Churchill House donated the forge to Spa Fenit Community Council. With financial support from the Krebhiel family and grant aid from Tuatha Chiarraí, the forge was repaired and restored in keeping with its original format.

 Read the full story in tomorrow’s Kerry’s Eye

Men's sheds take flight with bird boxes

A LACK of older trees and modern farm buildings are proving detrimental to some of our migrating birds who are finding it increasingly difficult to build nests when they migrate here in the spring.

In response, Kerry Biosphere and the Kerry Eco-Social Farming Project is working with farmers throughout the county to help them improve nature on their farms by providing bird boxes for several important bird species.

Killarney Men’s Shed has been helping out by building bird boxes in advance of an event being organised for tonight (Thursday) where they will show members of the public how to build their own bird boxes, suitable for various species of bird.

Biodiversity officer with the Kerry Eco-Social Farming  EIP (European Innovation Partnership) Project Luke Myers, and Kerry Biosphere officer Eleanor Turner, will also be on hand to share their knowledge about birds and how to put together a bird box suitable for the type of bird you want to help.

 Read the full story in tomorrow’s Kerry’s Eye

Commitments star jets in for special award

Kerry International Film Festival brought actor and singer Bronagh Gallagher to Tralee to present her with an award and host a screening of her latest movie.

The Derry-born actor first reached stardom in 1991, when she landed a role in the musical comedy classic ‘The Commitments’ from director Alan Parker based on the book by Roddy Doyle.

On Thursday night, the Kerry International Film Festival presented the much loved actor and singer with the 2019 Maureen O’Hara Award, in a celebration of women in film.

As well as ‘The Commitments’, Gallagher's screen roles include ‘Pulp Fiction’, ‘Sherlock Holmes and ‘Albert Nobbs’, while she has also appeared in a wide range of theatre productions and television shows over the past three decades.

Welcomed with ‘open arms’ at Kerry Airport when she arrived, the film and television star took the time to greet everyone, being very gracious with her time.

 Read the full story in tomorrow’s Kerry’s Eye

Tralee rowers back where they belong

Tralee Rowing Club are finally back where they belong, now that the canal is filled with water again.

The Tralee ship canal was drained of water for five months while essential works were completed. The empty canal gave Tralee Rowing Club (TRC) an ‘unfortunate problem’, having nowhere to train, and practice what they do best.

However, in recent weeks the water has been allowed to flow through the canal again, and everyone, including the local swans, as well as the rowers are delighted to see things return to normal.

Tralee Rowing Club PRO Jane Boyle said: “Nothing can keep the dedicated members of this club down and despite being unable to use the canal their adult and youth rowers kept up their training in their gym and competed in several Head of the River events and achieved great success at The Provinces Indoor Rowing Championships in November at UL.

“The club members have now hit the ground running by making up for lost time on the canal and competing in a busy regatta season,” she said.

Club captain Heidi Giles said: “This season was even more frustrating than those impacted by the pandemic, it was so difficult knowing that other clubs were getting to train regularly on the water and although Muckross RC were incredibly accommodating and welcoming, there’s no substitute for the convenience of using your own boats locally. Our juniors, their families and our adult members were an inspiration to me in how they persisted despite the third season of disruption to our activities.”

Read the full story in tomorrow’s Kerry’s Eye