A KERRY TD has expressed his disgust at what he called the Government’s lack of commitment towards supporting Motorsport Ireland’s bid to host a round of the FIA World Rally Championship in 2025.
Motorsport Ireland finally received confirmation from Minister Byrne, Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, that his Department would need “at least six months” to undertake further independent economic assessments ahead of hosting the FIA World Rally Championship in Ireland, effectively putting an end to chances of hosting the round next year.
The Munster Technological University Kerry campus in Tralee was to be one of three bases in the country for the event. Deputy Michael Healy Rae says it’s a huge blow to the county.
Continued below…
.
“The financial impact that the FIA World Rally Championship would have brought to the Irish economy was massively significant with Kerry picked to be one of the hosting venues,” said Deputy Healy Rae.
“The amount of World Rally tourists alone would have led to a massive trickle down of much needed income for our tourist industry right down to the small local shops.”
“The run around that the Government has given Motorsport Ireland has embarrassed all those wonderful volunteers in the face of world sport. Motorsport Ireland had their house in order and went to the Government last year, but they were obviously given the run around considering that they engaged with and submitted a full event screening application on October 6th, 2023.”
“What I am most disgusted about is the fact that once they submitted their application, they received no questions or feedback on any of the documents they submitted despite frequent communications to the Department seeking if additional information was required. That alone is proof that the Government even from the start of this process failed to show any real commitment towards the project,” Deputy Michael Healy Rae stated.
The Kerry deputy has thanked the work and commitment made on behalf of the Kerry, Limerick and the Southeast, the regions which were nominated to host the event and is calling on the Taoiseach Simon Harris to get involved to ensure that every effort is made to get the event to Ireland in 2026.
THERE were 135 delegates from around the world who were welcomed to Tralee last night as the town is the European base for the International Wildland Fire Conference running alongside Boise, Idaho and Canberra Australia
At a formal reception at the Tralee Bay Wetlands, Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr Jim Finucane, welcomed all of the delegates to Tralee and promised them that they would enjoy the hospitality for which the town was renowned.
“Tralee offers organisations the very best of conference facilities and I hope that all of the participants have a very engaging and informative few days,” he said.
Continued below…
.
The local organising committee responsible for bringing the conference to Tralee was chaired by Ciarán Nugent a board member of the International Associate for Wildland Fires who works as a Regional Inspector for the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine.
The committee also had representation from the local business community through CEO of Tralee Chamber Alliance Colette O’Connor and Cllr Mikey Sheehy who sits on the Chamber Steering Committee.
Colette O’Connor said; “This conference is very timely here in Kerry where in recent years we have become all too aware of the dangers of Wild Fire, its an area where the learning needs to be fast to become more prepared for the increase in challenges that are now facing our wildlands. Tralee as a conference location works incredibly well for an international conference such as this given its accessibility through public transport links, Kerry Airport and also access to resources at MTU with a collaborative approach between Tralee Chamber and Kerry County Council creating ease for organising committees looking to host events in Tralee.”
“Delegates have been encouraged to soak up as much of the North Kerry experience as they can during their down time whether it’s out socialising in the evenings or availing of the many natural amenities close by such as Banna Beach and the Greenway,” added Colette.
“This week we have 130 international delegates who are experiencing Tralee, west Kerry and Kerry as a whole unlocking that potential we have as a premier tourism destination,” said Cllr Mikey Sheehy.
“I’m very hopeful that those 130 delegates will be ambassadors for Kerry when they return to their home countries.”
.Pictured at the launch of the Network Ireland Kerry ‘Businesswoman of the Year Awards 2024’ in The Rose Hotel, Tralee on Monday morning were: Roisin Smullen, Brid McElligott (Kerry Innovation Centre – Sponsor), with judges Breda O’Dwyer (MTU), Stephen Stack (AIB) and Tomás Hayes (Local Enterprise Office) with Linda O’Mahony Logan (President of the Network Ireland Kerry Branch) and Aisling Foley (The Rose Hotel), Antoinette Glavin (Glavin & Wiseman Chartered Accountants), and Emily Reen (MTU). Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography
NETWORK Ireland Kerry will be hosting their inaugural Businesswomen of the Year Awards on May 17 in The Rose Hotel, Tralee.
Winners of the prestigious Regional Kerry Awards will go on to represent Kerry in the National Network Ireland Awards in the Lyrath Estate Hotel in Co. Kilkenny this September.
Speaking at the launch of the awards Network Ireland Kerry, President Linda O’Mahony Logan said “this is an incredible opportunity for our members to showcase their business or their role in an organisation by applying for the awards. The worthy winners from Kerry will go forward to the national awards which brings even more prestige to their careers and business and will present even further opportunities.”
Continued below…
.
The night of the awards is set to be a stellar black-tie event, guests will enjoy a drinks reception on arrival, followed by a sumptuous four course meal and DJ and dancing.
Tickets are €70 for members and €85 for non-members. There is an early bird offer available until the 3rd of May, whereby you can purchase at table of 10 for €700. To book your ticket visit https://networkireland.ie/events/event_list.asp
The special guest on the evening is Trisha Lewis of ‘Trisha’s Transformation’, a leading businesswoman herself, her warmth, honesty and sense of fun have garnered her an army of fans in recent years and her business and brand have grown at record rates.
Her merits include, founder of Sharp by Trisha Lewis, a successful public speaking career, a TV & media career along with all her brand roles under her much-loved social media moniker of “Trisha’s Transformation”.
The awards on the night will be for the following categories:
• Networker of the Year (you can apply for this category along with any of the following below)
• Employee Shining Star
• Employee Rising Star
• Emerging Businesswoman
• Solo Businesswoman
• Established Businesswoman
• Creative Professional
• STEM Professional
Pictured at the launch also were the judges who have the difficult task of determining the winner in each category, these are Breda O’ Dwyer, Head of Department Organisation and Professional Development, MTU, Stephen Stack, Branch Manager, AIB and Tomás Hayes, Head of Local Enterprise Office, Kerry.
Putting yourself forward to showcase your career and achievements can be a daunting task, Network Ireland Kerry are here to help you through this process. For any additional questions email kerryawards@networkireland.ie
.Tralee Tidy Towns, Lions Club, Team Bramble members and volunteers gathered for a clean-up last Tuesday night as part of the County Clean-Up. Photo by Dermot Crean
THE Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr Jim Finucane has thanked the thousands of volunteers who took part in the County Clean-Up across Kerry over the past week.
Bags of litter were collected from the roadsides and towns and villages during the twelfth annual clean-up which was organised by KWD Recycling and Kerry County Council.
“This was another fantastic turnout for the County Clean-Up and shows how civic-minded many of our citizens are when it comes to keeping the county neat and tidy.”
Continued below…
.
“Storm Kathleen on Saturday 6th meant that arrangements had to be adjusted a little bit but over the course of the past week, there was a major effort from Tidy Towns groups and local volunteers who put the shoulder to the wheel,” he said.
“It would be great to harness the involvement of members of the public this past week by getting more people to sign up with their local Tidy Towns group or start a group in their own area and to get people out and about collecting litter more often.”
Cllr Finucane thanked KWD Recycling and their team for helping to distribute gloves and bags ahead of the Clean-Up and for arranging to dispose of the bags of rubbish collected. He particularly acknowledged the way in which the planned collection times for litter were readjusted because of the storm.
Noel O’Reilly of KWD Recycling said they were delighted with the turnout and the positive attitude of all the participants. He thanked and congratulated local volunteer groups for their involvement.
.Walk, jog or run a mile a day this May with the Mater Hospital Foundation by signing up to their new ’31 Miles in May’ challenge.
THE Mater Hospital Foundation is calling on people across Kerry to lace up, head out and take on its new 31 Miles in May challenge, supporting dementia care in the Mater Hospital.
This challenge is an opportunity for family members, friends, carers and anyone wanting to make a difference to get active for an important cause.
Taking time out to walk just one mile a day is beneficial for physical and mental well-being, and can be of real benefit to carers of people with dementia.
Continued below…
.
31 Miles in May is also a great way for companies to get their teams active and working together to raise vital funds in support of dementia care.
To get involved visit www.materfoundation.ie to register for your free challenge t-shirt (while stocks last!), miles tracker and set up your fundraising page on either Facebook, Instagram or JustGiving.
Join the exclusive 31 Miles in May private Facebook group to connect with other challenge participants from across Ireland, to get inspired and stay motivated for your challenge.
Everyone who completes the challenge will receive a special Mater Hospital Foundation certificate to celebrate their achievement.
Mater Hospital Foundation supporters have already supported a number of initiatives to support dementia patients in the Mater Hospital, like refurbishing St. Anne’s Dementia Friendly Ward and funding the unique ‘RITA’ (Reminiscence / Rehabilitation and Interactive Therapy Activities) technology that helps patients remember and share events from their past. Funds raised by the 31 Miles in May challenge will be put to work where they are needed most to continue to make a real difference in the hospital.
The mixed leagues came to an end this week as we held the finals on Monday and Thursday evenings in Ballyheigue. A big thank you must go out to the Ballyheigue club for hosting the finals on both nights and supplying all the tea coffee and refreshments on both evenings.
The 4 finals being contested were divisions 2 through to 5. On Monday night the division 2 and 4 finals took place with Killarney taking on Moyvane in the division 4 final and Listowel taking on Kingdom in the division 2 final.
Killarney Division 4 league champions.
Killarney won the division 4 final on the night with a very strong showing, beating Moyvane on a scoreline of 4games to 0. This was just Killarneys first win of the week.
The division 2 final was a much closer affair and went all the way to the end with Listowel winning on a scoreline of 4 games to 3.
Listowel will now go forward to represent Kerry in the Munster rounds which will take place on the 21st of April in MTU Cork in the grade D competition and Kingdom will go forward in the grade E competition.
The division 3 and 5 finals then took place on Thursday night. Both finals on this night were being contested between Listowel and Killarney and as always a great night of badminton was had.
On the night, Killarney took their 2nd and 3rd titles of the week when both their division 3 and 5 teams beat Listowel in their respective finals.
They took the division 3 final on a scoreline of 4 games to 0 while the division 5 final went the distance. Killarney winning the 3rd and final mixed game to secure the win 4 games to 3.
It was great to see such a great crowd of supporters from both clubs competing each night and also from other clubs who came out to support and cheer on everyone playing on the night.
Killarney Division 5 league champions.
Killarney now go forward with 3 teams competing and representing the county in the Munster stage of this competition which will take place in the MTU Cork on April 21st.
This is a huge achievement for the club and we wish all the teams that now go forward the very best of luck in the next rounds.
Killarney Division 3 league champions.
The finals that took place this week marked the end to the season of badminton inside the county for the 2024 season.
We want to thank everyone that took part in the leagues and competitions throughout the year and of course to the county board and all the volunteers that have helped out all year with the organization and running of competitions and league games all year.
..
Munster Doubles and Mixed finals
The Munster doubles and mixed finals took place this past Sunday in MTU Cork. It was a long day for many of our players who travelled to Cork to represent the county in their respective grades.
Caroline Lemass and Olena Paiuk- Munster Champions
But after a long hard days work on the court many Kerry players came home with some brilliant results. In the division/Grade G competition Olena Paiuk and Caroline Lemass (Killarney) took home the gold after winning all of their games.
Eileen McCarthy and Niall O’Hanlon – Munster Champions
In the mixed doubles of the same grade, Niall O’Hanlon and Eileen McCarthy came out victorious after winning all of their games as well. Both pairs had to play each of the 5 other counties before coming out on top in their respective competitions.
It was great to see such close games and it gave people the opportunity to play people that they wouldn’t come across every weekend as they may in their own county.
Helen Browne and Deina Vesko, Munster Runners-up
In the grade D ladies doubles, Helen Browne (Moyvane) and Deina Vesko (Listowel) came home with silver medals after falling just short to a pairing from county Waterford in the final.
Munster Intercounty League finals 2024
Best of luck to all teams that are going forward to represent the county this coming weekend in the Munster Interleague finals. The teams going forward in each grade are as follows
KINGDOM Swimming Club is to host the upcoming regional swimming gala on Saturday and Sunday, April 20th and 21st, at the Tralee Regional Sports and Leisure Centre.
The event, expected to draw over 200 swimmers, will see participants from various clubs, including Ballybunion, Killarney, Blackrock, Celtic Waves, Ennis Swimming Club, Lahinch, Mallow, Sundays Well, Limerick Swimming Club, Dolphin and Sunday’s Well.
Featuring up to 30 events spread over the two days, the gala promises a diverse range of competitions for swimmers of all levels and ages.
Continued below…
.
This is a level 3 gala meaning competitors can achieve qualification to Irish Summer Age Group Championships.
“We are excited to offer a packed schedule of events that cater to the varied interests and strengths of our participants,” said Hazel Reidy, Chairperson at Kingdom Swimming Club.
“It’s an opportunity for swimmers to test their skills across different disciplines and enjoy a weekend of healthy competition.”
For more information about the upcoming swimming gala, please visit contact Vicki at Kingdomswimmingclub30@gmail.com
The Kingdom Swimming Club Junior B Squad.The Kingdom Swimming Club Senior Squad.The Kingdom Swimming Club Development Squad.
PEIL FAOI 7/8/9: Our outdoor academy for the Under 7, Under 8 and Under 9 boys was a great success last Sunday. It was good to see our youngsters enjoying real football on real green grass!! The 2nd outdoor session of 2024 will take place Caherslee at 11am on Sunday next (21st April). Come along, boys, and enjoy another brilliant morning’s football agus, mar is gnách, new players welcome.
PEIL FAOI 11: (i) Brilliant U11 GoGames football was played on Thursday last ag Club na nGael ar an gCillín. Well done, all! Another exciting GoGames outing has been scheduled for this Thursday at 6.30pm. Expect text, a dhaoine óga! (ii) And Football-For-Fun will continue at 10.50am on Sunday next (21ú Aibreán) in Caherslee. Last Sunday’s session was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Let’s pray for fine weather! (Colm Ó Mongáin)
FAOI 13: Yes, a great start to our U13 season was made by our Rock boys against Na Mistéalaigh. We were delighted to have got two good victories in the County League. Tá an tús maith déanta; anois leanaimis leis an obair mhaith! We are looking forward to our next game….expect text. Training will take place on Tuesday night at the MTU. (Micko Horan)
FAOI 15: Another busy week for the U15boys with training sessions, district/development squad trials and County League games! (i) (a) On Sunday last (14th) our Division 1A team hosted Laune Rangers in Connolly Park. It was an exciting and entertaining encounter in which we had our downs and our ups….and our downs!!
Following a bright start in the opening minutes, during which we lead after scoring from a well-taken free kick, we unfortunately found ourselves on the back foot for the rest of the half. With the aid of the strong wind as well as playing good football Laune Rangers lead by 0-8 ag am sosa…1-6 to 0-1.
It was an anxious sos for the mentors but they spoke with confidence, gave great encouragement to the players agus d’éist na himreoirí go haireach leo. Things started to click for us after the restart.
Strong fielding at midfield ensured that our boys were able to work the ball well and give valuable possession to the hard-working forwards who took their scores. By midway through the half we were back on level terms…a really great comeback! What heart!
And our boys were ‘motoring’ well but…ach, faraor, ochón agus mo bhrón…Laune Rangers scored an unfortunate goal as the match reached the closing stages. Yes, we replied again and brought it back to a one-point game but, unfortunately for us, the final whistle sounded too soon. We were pipped! Another topple at Becher’s Brook!
Congratulations to Laune Rangers on their win, thanks to Billy Lacey (a former Rock underage hurler) for doing his refereeing duties with impartiality and ‘well done’ to all our players for a massive heroic effort.
(b) On Wednesday last (17th) we played away to Na Gaeil in Division 1A of the County League. Well done on a great effort, boys! Beidh scéal an chluiche againn an tseachtain seo chugainn. (ii) (a) It’s a big busy week for our B boys. On Monday last (15th) our Division 9 team hosted Kilcummin. Well played, boys! Beidh scéal an chluiche sin againn an tseachtain seo chugainn.
(b) We have been scheduled to play v An Ghaeltacht this Thursday (18th) in a Division 9 game and, so, we’re on the road again…ar an mbóthar arís! (iii) And a training session is planned for this Friday (19th) on the Astroturf pitch up in the MTU. Buachaillí Faoi 15B na Carraige: Conor Murphy; David Ahern, Dean Courtney, Diarmuid Hennessy (captain na foirne); Eliot Calleja, Fionn Cotter, Jayden O’Dowd; Joe Barry, Joe O’Halloran; John Riordan, Kyle Yoxhall, Liam Swords; Mark Foley, Mark Riordan, Noah Reidy, Oisín Cotter, Ryan O’Flaherty, Seán McCannon, Tom Dawson. (Ger Hobbert)
GAELTACHT SCHOLARSHIP: Interested in a grant to help you to spend time improving your Irish in the West Kerry Gaeltacht? Please contact the secretary of Bord Thrá Lí (GAA) to apply for a Gaeltacht Scholarship.
FAOI 17: Our minors challenged and overcome Listowel Emmets and An Spá (Cill Airne) in Division 1 of the County League and everyone in the club was delighted to see them in action v Kenmare in the semi-final ar an 8ú Aibreán. Imríodh an leathchraobh i bPáirc Uí Chonghaile. Once again, we witnessed our great team spirit, our tireless efforts and our skilful use of the leather sphere! Well done, boys!
Foireann na Carraige: Leon Sweeney; Gabriel Maszorek, Max Maszorek, Rian Walsh; Ben Litchfield, Fionnán Ryan, Adam Johnston; Alex Touhy, Liam O’Connell; Harry Murphy, Cormac Bastible, Jack Diggin; Tomás O’Connell, Ben Murphy, Rory Lynch; Jack Shanahan, Tadhg Falvey, Darragh Lyons. An bhainistíocht: Theo Diggin, David Courtney, Ronan Kavanagh, Liam Lynch, Frankie Murphy, Morgan O’Connell.
FAOI 18: Our great Rock minor team of 1969: Jo Jo Parker; John Crean, John Joe Naughton, Brendan Mangan; Ger O’Keeffe, Noel Kelter, Eddie O’Connor; John O’Keeffe (captain), Pat Dowling; Michael Sugrue, Ger Power, Tommy Kennington; Terry McSweeney, Ciarán Sugrue, Fergus Dillon; Timmy Clifford, Niall Murphy, Tony O’Keeffe, Ger McNamara, George Dineen, Pat McElligott, Rory McSweeney. Bainisteoir: Jackie Parker. That was the 1st County Championship win for The Rock. Bhuadar ar Néidín…3-12 go 2-5. Éacht agus mórghaisce!
Could we win our 3rd minor championship final in 2024?
SCÓR: Tralee’s Helen Uí Shiochrú (aithriseoireacht) was unlucky in the Senior Scór Munster Final that took place in Newport, County Tipperary, on Saturday last.
CLUB GEAR: Club merchandise from O’Neills. Log into www.austinstacks.ie
THANKS: Thanks to all club lotto supporters and especially to: (i) The Brogue, Sráid na Carraige; (ii) Siopa Chaoimhín de Barra, Ollmhargadh Grósaera na Carraige; (iii) Siopa Leabhar Pháidí Uí Chomáin, (PC Books) Sráid na Carraige; (iv) O’Flynn Interiors, Sráid na Carraige; (v) Hussey’s Deli and Newsagency, Cé an Phrionsa, (vi) The Burger Shack, Móin an Bhealaigh.
SINSIR na RÍOCHTA: Good wishes to Joe, Dylan, Armin, Joey and Kerry v Cork on Saturday.
