'My Hero': Tralee man's gift of life
The mother of 31 year old Tralee man Tom Ato Cains, who tragically died on January 1st in the UK, has described her son as a hero for the decision he made to donate his organs - a decision that has already given the gift to three others.
The unexpected and tragic death of the Tralee man and father to a four-year-old daughter, has left his family devastated and in total disbelief.
Tom is the son of Tralee woman Georgina Maher and Laurence Cains, he was born in the UK and grew up in Tralee before moving back to the UK in his late teens.
What happened in Kerry this week
A freak tornado has ripped through Ballyduff, tearing tiles from roofs, shattering windows and damaging cars - and even toppling a massive concrete gravestone in the church cemetery, as winds reaching between 120-150km hit the village last Friday.
Hollywood star Michael Fassbender is to play the lead role in a new film due out later this year, which tells the fascinating story of American Samoa's attempts to qualify for the 2014 World Cup.
A county councillor has proposed that Tralee could at last have a dome of its own - by following the example of Connacht GAA and building its own air dome at Fels Point in Tralee.
The mother of Tralee man Tom ‘Ato’ Cains, who tragically died on January 1 in the UK, has described her son as a hero for the decision he made to donate his organs - a decision that has already given the gift of life to three others.
It’s a long way to Tipperary - so Austin Stacks have set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs of the ‘Trip to Tipp’ for their Munster Final this Sunday.
Twister leaves trail of destruction
A freak tornado ripped through Ballyduff on Friday, tearing tiles from roofs, shattering windows and damaging cars - and even toppling a massive concrete gravestone in the church cemetery.
With winds reaching between 120-150km/h, the unusual weather formation made ground in the North Kerry village, after forming off the Kerry coast as a water spout earlier that morning.
Locals have said that they have never witnessed anything similar before and that the sudden onslaught of the strong winds was frightening for many.
Fassbender scores lead role in soccer movie
Hollywood star Michael Fassbender is to play the lead role in a new film due out later this year, which tells the fascinating story of American Samoa's attempts to qualify for the 2014 World Cup.
Fassbender will star in the lead role of the film Next Goal Wins - a feature film based on the hugely-successful British documentary of the same name, made in 2014.
The film is directed by Taika Waititi, who also directed Jojo Rabbit.
€4.4m air dome ‘could lift spirits’
A county councillor has proposed that Tralee could at last have a dome of its own - by following the example of Connacht GAA and building its own air dome at Fels Point in Tralee.
Councillor Jim Finucane said he also believed that such a development would ‘lift the spirits’ as the county emerged from the pandemic.
He told a meeting of Tralee Municipal District on Tuesday that he had already been in touch with Connacht GAA about the cost of an air dome - and at €4.4m he said this could be something that was achievable for Kerry County Council.
“We have to start thinking about when we come out of this pandemic,” Councillor Finucane said.
Stacks get set for the Trip to Tipp
It’s a long way to Tipperary - so Austin Stacks have set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs of the ‘Trip to Tipp’ for their Munster Final this Sunday.
With the Rockies faithful set to descend on Thurles in their thousands, Stacks go in search of Munster glory for the first time in eight years, when they take on Cork champions St Finbarrs in Semple Stadium. But success comes at cost according to Shane Lynch, a member of the club’s finance team - and fundraising efforts have been seriously curtailed in recent months.
Teams call time-out for mental health
The Kerry Mental Health Association is teaming up with five leading basketball teams in the county to deliver positive mental health messages to Kerry basketball fans during match timeouts.
Under the new initiative, basketball fans at home games in Tralee, Killorglin, Castleisland and Killarney will hear information about the ‘Five Ways To Wellbeing’ during timeouts at Super League and National Leagues matches for the remainder of the season.
Dance teacher steps down after 43 years
LISTOWEL DANCE TEACHER John Stack is departing from his role with Ballydonoghue Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ) after more than 43 years of dedication and success.
Throughout the club’s many decades of triumph, he’s been a shining light in the lives of up-and-coming performers - helping young people everywhere to realise their potential and bring home dozens of All-Ireland medals across various categories.
On January 5, John announced he wouldn’t be returning as a teacher with Ballydonoghue CCÉ for the coming season, citing the impact of Covid-19 on practice sessions and competitions.
Town centres set to get €1.6m revamp
THE TOWN CENTRES of Listowel and Killorglin are set for a major revamp following an investment of nearly €1.7m under the Rural Regeneration Development Fund (RRDF).
In Killorglin, €961,800 has been secured to renovate a derelict courthouse, repurpose a vacant building as an education/tourism hub, and also to improve connectivity to amenities along the River Laune.
High hopes for hoops hat-trick
THREE national basketball finals in the space of four days won’t phase John Dowling, and the Mounthawk and Tralee Warriors head coach says the success of Garvey’s Tralee Warriors and Mercy Mounthawk is the result of many years of hard work growing the sport in Kerry.
Next week, Tralee Warriors, and Mercy Mounthawk’s Under 16 and Under 19 boys teams will hope to bring home silverware to the Kingdom, an achievement Coach Dowling says everyone at both the school and club are ‘incredibly proud’ of.
“It is exceptional really,” he told Kerry’s Eye. “It is very, very surreal that we are in three national finals.
“It is hard to take it all in.”
Milltown man takes top farming role
MILLTOWN dairy farmer Noel Murphy has been appointed as the new chairman of The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA).
The ICMSA represents all farmers - particularly dairy and livestock farmers - by lobbying at local, national and EU level, placing ‘special emphasis’ on preserving the family farm structure and defending the rights and incomes of farm families.
Mr Murphy, who is milking around 160 cows on his farm just outside Milltown, is currently the secretary of Kerry ICMSA and formerly chairman of the same branch - following in the footsteps of his father who had the role of Kerry chair back in the 1970s.
Noel plots course for budding mountain climbers
There’s no better place than Kerry when it comes to hiking, hillwalking or mountain climbing, and a new series of mountain skills programmes is now aiming to plot a safe course for outdoor enthusiasts tackling the county’s many hills and mountains.
Noel O’Leary, from Irish Adventure Dingle, is preparing to run the first of a series of mountain skills courses on site here in Kerry, and in other locations around the country.
Noel has years of experience when it comes to climbing mountains and says that as spring approaches, and more people start to escape to the outdoors, it’s important they know the basics of mountain safety.
'Disgraceful' playground vandals strike in Castleisland
VANDALISM to a new communications board in Castleisland playground just three days after it was installed before Christmas has been described as ‘absolutely disgraceful’ by a local county councillor.
The board, which was designed to help children with learning difficulties such as Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), has since been replaced by Kerry County Council.
However, Castleisland-based councillor Charlie Farrelly says anti-social behaviour in the town centre playground remains a ‘serious concern’.