Kerry swimmers set for Hall of Fame

Record smashing swimmer Elaine Burrows Dillane and open water swimming coach Kevin Williams are set to make history when they become the first Kerry swimmers to be inducted into the Irish Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.

The two Kerry swimmers are thrilled by the prospect of becoming Irish swimming Hall of Famers – an honour which will be made official at a special award ceremony on November 19 in Mullingar.

Elaine has been awarded a place in the swimmers Hall of Fame for her achievements in marathon swimming and her service in giving back to the sport while Kevin is being inducted under the category of an administrator or coach for his long-term dedication to and promotion of the sport, and his success in coaching swimmers to achieve their goals.

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

'Doors slammed on our dream home hopes'

A SOUTH KERRY family desperate to own their own home say they are being prevented from doing so by the government, Kerry County Council and financial institutions - despite matching all the criteria laid down to be part of the ‘Housing for All’ scheme.

Amid growing frustration at being refused access to the Government housing initiative - which is administered at local level by Kerry County Council - Finbarr and Claire Healy from Kilgarvan have gone public to air their grievances at having ‘the door slammed shut’ on their dream of building a new home.

Mother-of-two Claire hit out at what she said is the failure of both the local authority and government to take responsibility for a situation she says has seen her family fall between the cracks - and unable to source a bank mortgage or be included  in the ‘Housing for All’ scheme.

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

MTU launches first strategic plan

Higher Education Minister Simon Harris this week launched Munster Technological University’s first five-year strategic plan, which sets out the goals for the third level institution with six campuses across Kerry and Cork.

President of MTU, Professor Maggie Cusack, said the plan - titled ‘Our Shared Vision’ - was a 'historic milestone' for staff and students that would build on past successes to become an ‘internationally competitive’ technological university.

The strategy’s aim is to deliver outstanding education and experience to students to produce ‘work-ready’ graduates, increase investment and achieve significant growth and impact in its research and innovation, leading regional development and adopting a global outlook across all its activities. Launching the plan, Minister Harris said: “At a time when the world is facing major challenges in areas such as climate change and geopolitical instability, the importance of higher education has never been greater.

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

'Silver bullet vaccine' that could save cattle cull

A KERRY SCIENTIST could save farmers having to cull up to 20 per cent of their cattle herds – thanks to new cutting-edge medical technology being developed to combat climate-changing methane gas.

Dr John Roche, who is a native of Castleisland is behind what has been called a ‘silver bullet vaccine’ that will stop cattle producing methane gas.

It comes at a time when the Government’s 25 per cent emission reduction target by 2030 includes a plan to cull the national herd by one million cattle.

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

High hopes for the new oyster season

Demand for Kerry Oysters plummeted due to Covid but the Tralee Bay Oyster Fisheries are back on the water and are hoping for a bumper season as they start sending Kerry’s finest delicacy around the continent.

Oysters are back on the menu as the new season begins and for the past week, Tralee Bay Fisheries licensed boats have been out in the water, from the Maharees to North Kerry, Ballybunion to Cromane fishing for the best of wild Irish Oysters, native to Kerry.

Over 200 people are involved with the Fisheries, which has 78 permit holders on the books harvesting oysters around the county.

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

New laws to protect basking sharks

BASKING SHARKS are now a protected species under the Wildlife Act, which means it is an offence to hurt or injure them or interfere with their breeding and resting places - unless it’s done with the permission of Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The new law announced by Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue and Heritage Minister Malcolm Noonan came into affect at midnight on Monday.

A code of conduct is also being drawn up by the National Parks and Wildlife Service for wildlife watchers to allow for responsible and safe interactions with basking sharks.

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

Chopper for Mrs Coffey!

Staff and pupils of Holy Cross Mercy National School in Killarney really pulled out all the stops to salute the 42 years service of their principal, Ursula Coffey, who, quite literally, flew her way into retirement in some style on board a helicopter.

Mrs Coffey has retired from Holy Cross Mercy School in Killarney following 42 years of service. For much of that time, she taught Sixth Class pupils in what some of her former pupils referred to as her “finishing school” preparing young girls for their transfer to secondary school.

The past sixteen years also saw her undertake the historic role of the school’s first lay principal.

Last Friday however, after more than four decades in the Mercy, Mrs Coffey came in for her final day of school. And at the end of the day, she handed over her famously large bunch of keys to incoming principal and former Mercy pupil Mrs Alice Davern.

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

Text safety roll out to be extended

GARDAÍ in Kerry are continuing with plans to roll out a text alert system to all major towns across the county with plans to introduce the ‘See Something, Say Something’ initiative to both Listowel and Dingle ‘at an advanced stage’, it has been confirmed.

The ‘See Something, Say Something’ initiative, which is already successfully in place in Tralee and Killarney, allows the public to anonymously text Gardaí about incidents of concern.

In order to report an incident, people in Tralee and Killarney can send a text to ‘50555’ with the location of where the anti-social behaviour is occurring.

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

Kerry woman heads up new TV station

A WEST KERRY woman with nearly 25 years experience in the television industry is to head up Ireland’s newest channel that is set to come on air next year and broadcast for 14 hours a day.

Karina Feirtéar from Gorta Dubha in Baile an Fheirtéaraigh is manager of Cúla4, the dedicated Irish language station that will be broadcast from the TG4 headquarters in Baile na hAbhainn in Connemara.

Cúla4 was previously the children’s programming that was part of the daily TG4 schedule, but it has now been given the go-ahead by government and the BAI to operate as a stand-alone station that is made up exclusively of kids’ content.

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

Hindu celebration and colour in Kerry

Killarney is abuzz this week with the swish of saris, the beat of traditional drums and the chant of Hindu verse as the town celebrates the festival of Durga Puja.

The Hindu festival draws people from all over Kerry and indeed the country to join in the celebrations, which are held in Killarney over five days.

This festival is celebrated by Hindus worldwide and is the main Hindu festival for Bengalis. Hinduism celebrates women and gender equality in society and the festival of Durga, the Hindu goddess and defender of goodness, reflects female might, positive energy and the triumph of good over evil.

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