A KERRY boxer will contest his first professional bout next month.
Ballybunion native Maurice Falvey will make his debut on the Dylan Moran/Declan Geraghty topped Waterford card on Saturday, April 8.
The Cashen Vale boxer has an impressive amateur record and signed with boxing promoter Tony Davitt back in January.
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Falvey began boxing at London club Nemesis when he was very young, but has fought out of Cashen Vale once he returned to Kerry.
The 26-year-old is coached and managed by Davitt and will be also be guided by his amateur coach Patrick O’Brien and his father, Maurice Snr., who has helped nurture his talent over the years.
.Pat O’Mahony with Mary O’Brien as he cuts the tape to officially unveil the new St Brendan information panel. Photo by Dermot Crean
THE official unveiling of the new information panel on St Brendan The Navigator took place this morning in Fenit.
The information panel, which is in both Irish and English, is located adjacent to the playground and the entrance to the new greenway. It’s divided into three sections, with the first giving a brief history of St Brendan and beginning of a timeline of his life.
The second panel gives information on the statue of St Brendan (and its sculptor Tighe O’Donoghue/Ross) which overlooks the entrance to Fenit Harbour, while the third section concerns the St Brendan Way — the chain of sites in north Kerry associated with the saint.
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It also has a tribute to Fr Gearóid Ó Donnchada who was instrumental in the erection of the statue and led a fundraising local heritage group to bring St Brendan’s story to the fore in the village.
Welcoming the crowd on Thursday morning, Interim Chairperson of the Fenit Town Hall, Mikey Moriarty, paid tribute to all responsible for the getting the information panel installed.
The idea for the panel came about from Mary O’Brien from Fenit and Claudia Kohler from Kerry County Museum.
Fr Kieran O’Callaghan who blessed the information panel. Photo by Dermot Crean
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The cost of the panel, including installation, was €9,000. A Council grant of €4,000 was allocated while the St Brendan’s Statue Committee gave €3,000. This was aided by Cllr Deirdre Ferris who gave €1,000 from her councillors allocations and another €1,000 was allocated by the Council for installation.
Mikey Moriarty thanked Cllr Ferris and Mayor of Tralee Cllr Mikey Sheehy, who were both present, for their work promoting Fenit Village.
He also thanked Fr Francis Nolan and Fr Kieran O’Callaghan who came to bless the new sign and Michael Pierce of the Town Hall committee for helping co-ordinate the project. Local schoolchildren were also present while there was also traditional music for the entertainment of those in attendance.
Claudia Kohler said the new sign was a long time coming and replaced original panels installed by the late Fr Gearóid Ó Donnchada.
She said the new panel is dedicated to Fr Gearóid who, when he arrived there back in the 1980s, was instrumental in bringing St Brendan back the local community in Fenit
Another great servant of the Fenit community, Pat O’Mahony, performed the cutting of the tape to officially unveil the sign. Scroll down for photos…
At the unveiling of the St Brendan information panel in Fenit were; Claudia Kohler of Kerry County Museum, Pat O’Mahony, Michael Pierce, Shaun Daughton, Jean Foley of Kerry County Council, Mayor of Tralee Cllr Mikey Sheehy, Mary O’Brien, Chairperson of Fenit Town Hall Mikey Moriarty and Cllr Deirdre Ferris. Photo by Dermot Crean.Photo by Dermot CreanMusicians entertain those present. Photo by Dermot Crean.
.Abbeydorney Under 16s players and coaches at the awards.
THE future of ladies football in Abbeydorney appears to be in safe hands judging by the impressive array of medals, trophies and awards presented at the local club’s awards ceremony at Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Sunday afternoon.
Over 270 guests attended the Abbeydorney LGFA event – the first in-person celebration held by the club in three years due to Covid-19.
From the U6s right up to senior level, hundreds of players were honoured for their achievements on the football field over the past three seasons.
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While all girls were honoured with a medal for their participation in the club, the success of the competitive teams (from U12 upwards) was also celebrated on the day, highlighting the vast array of talent that currently exists in all competitions.
The U12 panels achieved no fewer than 10 impressive titles over the past three years – highlights including the North Kerry and County Division One titles in 2022: the U14s were celebrated for winning the North Kerry Division One Shield in 2021 and 2022, while the U16s were honoured on Sunday for claiming the 2021 County Division 2 Cup.
Abbeydorney young players and coaches at the awards.
Other teams honoured at the event were the minor ladies team who won the 2022 Division 2 County final, as well as the junior panel who won the 2020 County Junior B championship.
Another special feature of the evening was a presentation to 11 club players who are, or have, represented Kerry at various levels over the past two years.
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Among them is senior ladies star Ciara McCarthy who was the special guest on the day and presented all the girls with their respective medals and awards.
Outgoing club chairman Sean O’Loughlin paid tribute to the players for their tremendous success over the past three seasons, and said it was an honour to have served the club over the last number of years.
Taking over the reins as chairperson, Ursula Scullion said that the commitment, hard work and dedication shown by the players – from academy players to seniors – is a credit to the coaches, parents, and of course the members themselves.
The Abbeydorney Under 12s and coaches at the awards ceremony.
She paid tribute also to the impressive number of club players currently representing Kerry in their respective age groups, and said she has no doubt there will be many more Abbeydorney ladies donning the green and gold in years to come.
She also thanked the club’s coaches and committee members who go above and beyond behind the scenes each year to help bring such success to club.
And with training for all ages set to resume in the coming weeks, the newly-elected chairperson encouraged new members to get involved and share in the fun, friendships and camaraderie that is an integral part of what Abbeydorney LGFA is all about.
A KERRY boxer will contest his first professional bout next month.
