Daily Archives: November 3, 2021

News

Cllr Ferris Reiterates Call For Gates At Town Centre Laneway

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Old Kerryman Lane off Russell Street.

A COUNCILLOR called for an update on proposed measures to combat anti-social behaviour at a laneway in town, at the meeting of Tralee Municipal District of Kerry County Council on Monday.

Sinn Féin Cllr Deirdre Ferris asked for an update on any developments, following a previous motion submitted, regarding the erection of gates at the Kerryman Lane, which connects Russell Street to Market Lane .

Cllr Ferris called for the gates at the July meeting of the Tralee MD after she was approached by residents and business owners about anti-social behaviour which has plagued the area for a number of years.

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In reply, Council Management said that after her motion in July, a meeting was held with business owners adjoining the Old Kerryman Lane during which time the operational issues and associated legal issues associated with the partial closure of the lane were relayed.

Furthermore, the public lighting in the area was reviewed and repairs have since been completed.

Cllr Ferris said the anti-social behaviour is acting as a deterrent for people to use the laneway.

Cllr Ferris said the behaviour of certain people is intimidating for business owners and residents, it’s not acceptable to have laneways where this behaviour is going and she cannot see why the laneway can’t be closed off for certain periods.

News, SCHOOLS

Former Mercy Mounthawk Student Wins Naughton Scholarship

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Keela Hughes.

A FORMER student in Mercy Mounthawk has won a prestigious scholarship.

Keela Hughes from Tralee, who is now studying Physics and Astrophysics, University College Cork, is one of 36 students in the country to receive a Naughton Scholarship.

It’s the second year in a row that a former Mercy Mounthawk student has received the scholarship after Diana Meriakri in 2020.

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Mercy Mounthawk congratulated Diana on Twitter saying; “Congratulations to Keela Hughes on being the Kerry recipient the Nuaghton Scholarship. It is a fantastic achievemnent to receive this recognition for academic excellence on a national level. Well done, Keela.”

The Naughton Scholarship is currently worth €20,000 (€5,000 for each year of a four year undergraduate degree) or €15,000 for a three year degree.

The scholarship is intended as a reward and encouragement to exceptional students who would like to study in the STEM field (science, technology, engineering and maths) at University.

The school of each winning student also receives a prize for the schools science labs.  The Naughton group of scholars regularly come together for events throughout the year with the aim of building a community of bright students whom will be worldwide leaders in their fields in the future, be it in research or industry.

News

Public Tree Planting Events During November At Tralee Bay Wetlands

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TRALEE Bay Wetlands will be holding public tree planting every Saturday morning from 10.30am to 12.30pm through November.

If you are interested in joining them in planting trees and learning more about how they contribute to health of our environment please go along and, if possible, come with your own spade/ shovel and rain gear just in case.

The 2021 tree planting initiative in the public area of the Wetlands Centre is supported by the Community Water Development Fund, as part of the Water Quality Enhancement Programme, part of the Local Authority Water Programme and they will be planting with the consideration of the vital role of trees in the global water cycle.

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The plantings take place on November 6, 13, 20 and 27. Transition Kerry is supporting Tralee Bay Wetlands in this project.

If you would like further information of the event feel free to contact Tralee Bay Wetlands Eco & Activity Centre by phone or email on (066) 712 6700 or info@traleebaywetlandscentre.org . You can also contact them via their social media platforms.

News

Mayor Says Putting A Cover On The Square Should Be Done ‘As Soon As Possible’

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Mayor of Tralee, Johnnie Wall.

THE Mayor of Tralee said the Council should put a cover on The Square as soon as possible.

In his opening Mayoral statement at the Tralee Municipal District meeting of Kerry County Council on Monday, Cllr Johnnie Wall said the National Development Plan states that everything should be done to help develop town centres.

One of Cllr Wall’s stated priorities on his election to the Mayor position in June was advancing a covered structure for the Square.

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“We have money for a feasibility study to put a cover on the Square. It has to be done as soon as possible. This would be a gamechanger. Think of all the things that could happen,” he said.

Mayor Wall gave examples of a number of possible events that could take place under a covered Square, including a big screen for sporting events, parades and Rose of Tralee events.

“Businesses would thrive, it’s something we have to push for. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t go ahead with it, the money is there,” he said.

News

Tralee Poet Nominated For National Award

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Noel King

TRALEE poet Noel King is one of four nominees for Irish Poem of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards to be awarded at the National Convention Centre on November 23.

His poem “Glissando” was shortlisted by noted poet and broadcaster Ian McMillan.  It qualified by being published between October 1st 2020 and September 30th 2021 in Cyphers #91 in April 2021. Noel was born and lives in Tralee and his works include poetry, haiku and short stories published in over a thousand publications in 38 countries.

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He is also edited more than fifty books by fellow authors and was poetry editor of “Revival Literary Journal (Limerick Writers Centre).

He has been a prize winner in the William Allingham Short Story Competition, and was shortlisted for the 2011 Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Prize

The Irish Poem of the Year Award is decided by Public Vote, so your support would be gratefully appreciated.  Please vote at www.irishbookawards.ie One vote per email by 15th November.

Glissando

The sister played glissando after glissando,

annoying the hands out of all of us.

‘Mom, she’ll make the piano all out of tune’,

I complained, but mother just shrugged, smiled.

The ‘last charge’ was when a visiting neighbour boy

who hadn’t a musical note in his head

clenched his fist to his shoulder blade

and used his elbow for a 5 Octave glissando.

With a hot face I pushed him away,

took over the stool, played an angry Chopin fugue. 

Coming back to the sister, it was she started it, 

taping herself on a old Ferguson recorder,

reel to reel, playing it backwards,

wishing she had the technology to slow it down:

trying to make 

the perfect glissando;

something we’ve been doing 

with our lives ever since, the sister and I. 

Business/Property, News

New Car Sales In Kerry Down In October Compared To Same Month Last Year

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NEW car sales were down slightly in Kerry last month compared to October 2020, according to the latest statistics from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI).

There were 52 new car registrations in the county in October 2021 compared to 57 in the same month last year, an drop of nearly nine per cent.

In the first ten months of this year there have been 2,172 new car sales in Kerry while last year there were 1,924 in the same period, an increase of nearly 13%. Nationally, new car registrations are up nearly 19% at over 103,000 sold.

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So far this year, Hyundai is the most popular make of car in Kerry with 284 units sold so far this year, with the other Top 5 made up of Toyota (280), Volkswagen (246) KIA (227) and Ford (224).

The Hyundai Tucson is the most popular model sold this year on 150 units, with Kia Sportage (99), Toyota Corolla (80), Ford Focus (77) and Volkswagen Tiguan (71) making up the top five.

Diesel cars are the most popular engine type with 850 units with 638 petrol. Next is 339 petrol/electric hybrid vehicles sold, a rise of over 52% on the same ten-month period in 2020, 110 Electric vehicles (+100%); 108 petrol/plug-in electric hybrid (+151%);  106 diesel electric (+606%);  nine petrol/gas and two Diesel/Plug-In Electric Hybrid.

News

Walk-In Vaccination Clinic Open In Tralee This Friday

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THERE is a walk-in vaccination clinic in Tralee this Friday, November 5.

It will take place in the vaccination centre at the former BorgWarner site in Monavalley between 12 noon to 8pm.

Anyone aged 16 and older can attend a walk-in clinic alone, while children aged between 12 and 15 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. No appointment is needed.

This is a Pfizer dose 1 and dose 2 walk-in clinic. For the second dose, you must have waited at least 21 days after your first dose of the Pfizer vaccine to get your second dose. Bring your vaccination record card with you.

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