Peaceful Protest In Tralee Against Russian Bombing Of Children’s Hospital

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A PEACEFUL peaceful protest by Ukrainians living in Kerry will take place in the  Square in Tralee tomorrow (Wednesday) at 12.30pm.

The protest will be dedicated the memory of those children and adults who died in yesterday’s rocket attack on Kyiv, which resulted in the destruction of the Ohmadit Children’s Hospital.

The aim of the protest is to remind the media, authorities, and local residents that the war in Ukraine is still ongoing, and that innocent Ukrainian children are dying from rocket attacks on hospitals and residential buildings. All are invited to attend.

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MTU Project To Receive Over €574,683 In Funding

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Dr. Tim Yeomans, MTU; Dr. Emma Murphy, TUS; Minister Martin Heydon; and Leo Murray, ATU at the announcement of funding.

A MUNSTER Technological University-led project, Springwool, which focuses on removing obstacles and providing a springboard for innovation in the Irish-grown wool sector, has received €574,683 from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The project is being run in collaboration with Atlantic Technological University, Technological University of the Shannon and University College Dublin. The funding was announced as part of €22.3 million the Department is providing for 21 new research projects.

Minister of State with special responsibility for Research and Development at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon T.D., announced the funding at an event today at Farmleigh Estate.

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Dr Tim Yeomans, Centre Manager, Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre (MTU), said, “We are delighted to receive this funding from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to support the Irish-grown wool sector.”

“This is the most significant amount of funding ever allocated to wool research in Ireland and was driven by the publishing of the Wool Feasibility Study in 2022, and with the support of the Irish Grown Wool Council and the Wool Research Hub. Given the opportunities for Irish-grown wool, we feel it will be the first of many projects that will help to support and develop this sector and provide a fair return to farmers for what should be a valuable resource.”

The funding comes at a time when farmers are getting little in return for their wool; it costs farmers about €3.50 to shear a sheep with a return of roughly 20 cent/kg for the fleece. This funding will go towards key research to help create a brighter future for Irish-grown wool.

The different strands of research show the great potential of Irish wool. One application involves treating wastewater from scouring wool. Another examines repurposing waste wool to create compost.

There are also uses in cosmetics, medical device and healthcare through the extraction of ceramides and keratin from the wool.

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Siamsa Tire Appoints Community Engagement Manager

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Justin Walsh

SIAMSA Tíre has appointed Justin Walsh as its Community Engagement Manager.

He will be responsible for connecting with the Siamsa Tíre Community cast and the diverse communities across Kerry, to explore opportunities to deepen relationships, develop engagement and performance opportunities and explore new partnerships.

Nicola Hopcroft, Acting CEO, Siamsa Tíre said: “Community engagement has always been a core part of what we do at Siamsa Tíre and it will be pivotal in our future arts programming as we meet the needs of a more diverse community of artists and audiences in Tralee and Kerry.  We look forward to Justin’s return to Siamsa Tíre in this new role, bringing his experience and expertise to support this.”

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A native of Listowel, North Kerry, Justin began his theatre and Irish dance training at the age of five with the Jimmy Hickey School of Dance in Listowel and at seven began training with Siamsa Tíre, the National Folk Theatre of Ireland.

He graduated to perform in National Folk Theatre productions, notably Justin played the child role of Jerry Munnix the travelling dancing master in Fr Pat Ahern’s production of Ding Dong Dedero – Forging the Dance.

At 18, Justin became a full-time professional member with the company, providing training in various disciplines of theatre and dance and in particular the Munnix style of Irish dance unique to North Kerry and the folk theatre.

He was also part of the creative teams on productions including Clann Lir – Children of Lir, Oileán- A Celebration of the Blasket Islands and Moriarty the story of John Moriarty and many more.

Justin has toured both nationally and internationally with Siamsa Tíre representing Ireland at Expo 92 Seville Spain at age 11 and performing at the world-famous Fords Theatre Washington DC in 1999.

At age 20, Justin pursued a career in dance in Dublin and trained in Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Contemporary Dance at The College of Dance, Diggs Lane.

During his training, he took part in a workshop for Riverdance producers Moya Doherty & John McGolgan and performed the lead role and principal dancer of RiRá.

He subsequently successfully auditioned for Michael Flatley’s “Lord of the Dance” which began an eight-year touring career worldwide.

During this time, he performed in Michael Flatley’s productions of “Celtic Tiger” and “Feet of Flames” and in 2008 he joined “Riverdance the Show” touring extensively with a highlight of performing with Michael Flatley at Madison Square Garden New York City.

Justin also performed as lead dancer with the Norwegian Theatre Company in their production of “Playboy of the Western World”.

He has also performed on TV in Ireland and America.   Justin’s qualifications include a Diploma in Professional Dance Training (College of Dance, Diggs Lane) and a Master’s Degree in dance performance at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance University College Limerick. Justin continues to teach and is guest tutor in University College Limerick.

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Events At Kerry Library To Mark National Play Day

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A series of free events will be held at Kerry Library to celebrate National Play Day. Pictured at the launch were: Deirdre Hegarty (Healthy Kerry Coordinator), Niamh Doyle (Executive Librarian Kerry County Library), Mayor of Kerry Councillor Breandán Fitzgerald, and Gearóid O’Doherty (Coordinator Kerry Recreation & Sports Partnership). Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

A SERIES of free events will be held at Kerry Library to celebrate National Play Day from Saturday, July 13 to Saturday, July 20.

National Play Day is an annual initiative of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth whereby local authorities are supported to deliver a programme of themed activity that promotes play and recreation opportunities for children and young people across the country.

By linking in with Kerry County Council’s services, partnerships and programmes, Healthy Kerry, Kerry Library and Kerry Recreation and Sports Partnership have put together an exciting suite of free play events for children. Click here to see the timetable of events.

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The programme was launched today by the Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr Breandán Fitzgerald.

“Allowing time to play for children at every age is crucial for their development. When children have the time and space to play without restriction, their imaginations can soar. Children are happiest and at their most vital and energetic when they play,” said Healthy Kerry Co-ordinator, Deirdre Hegarty.

“Given that play is so important for children’s development and overall happiness, Kerry County Council are delighted to offer a variety of free play workshops through our library services for National Play Day”.

Cahersiveen, Killarney, Listowel, Killorglin and Tralee libraries will host a variety of free play events and workshops to celebrate National Play Day including LEGO, sensory construction playtime, STEM Toys playtime and Irish myths and legends themed arts and crafts.

Maeve Ryan of Kerry Recreation and Sports Partnership said: “We are delighted to partner with Healthy Kerry and Kerry library on this fantastic initiative to highlight the importance of play for children, not only for their learning development but their physical development and well-being too”.

Niamh Doyle from Kerry Library said, “Play is essential to help children to learn, explore, and make sense of the world around them. We’re delighted to support this initiative in our libraries.”

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UHK Introduces Text Service To Remind Patients Of Appointments

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UNIVERSITY Hospital Kerry (UHK) is excited to announce the launch of a two-way SMS text messaging reminder service to enhance patient engagement and reduce missed appointments.

Roll out of this new service has now commenced and will serve to remind outpatients of their upcoming appointments and allow them to confirm or cancel directly via text message.

Patients will continue to receive their initial outpatient appointment details via letter. Ten days before the scheduled appointment, patients will receive their first SMS Text reminder.

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If there is no response to the first reminder, a second SMS Text reminder will be sent five days before the appointment.

Upon receiving the text message, patients should reply: ‘Y’ to confirm attendance or ‘N’ to indicate they will not be attending.

Patients who do not respond or who respond with ‘N’ will be contacted by the hospital to reschedule or to remove them from the waiting list if the appointment is no longer needed. This service will be implemented across all outpatient specialties.

UHK has introduced this service to improve patient engagement and address the issue of missed appointments.

Many patients forget their appointments, leading to significant costs for the HSE and wasted time for medical staff.  Missed appointments also prevent those time slots from being offered to other patients, prolonging wait times.

Studies have shown that appointment reminders significantly reduce the number of missed appointments.  By improving clinic utilisation, here at UHK, we aim to shorten wait times for patients on the Outpatient Waiting List and enhance overall patient experience.

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Survey Shows 31% Of Kerry People Support England In Euro 2024

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A SURVEY by a betting company has revealed that 31% of Kerry people who took part are supporting England in Euro 2024.

Our neighbours are in the semi-finals on Wednesday against the Netherlands and it appears they have some support in the Kingdom.

Tonybet commissioned a survey to unearth exactly how Irish fans feel about supporting England as they look to win their first international tournament since 1966.

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In a survey of over 1,000 people conducted via pollsters Bounce Insights, it revealed the majority of Antrim, Fermanagh, Derry and Carlow natives want to see the Three Lions lift the trophy.

Limerick was the least supportive of England, followed by Kilkenny and Cavan. Men have a more favourable view of England than women and Spain are the squad Irish fans want to see take the title.

The poll revealed that Carlow was the most pro-England county with 65% of respondents admitting they would like to see England win the tournament with Antrim (58%), Derry (62%) and Fermanagh (60%) being the only other counties where the majority will be cheering for Southgate’s men.

On the flip side, Limerick is the most adverse to England going all the way, with just 14% of those polled admitting they will support the Three Lions.

The people of Kilkenny (15%), Cavan (20%), Longford (20%) and Wicklow(22%) are also hesitant to raise the St. George’s cross for the remainder of the tournament.

However, over a quarter of Dubliners (28%) hope to see Bellingham and the boys do the business, while in Cork – a county steeped in Fenian roots – one in four are getting behind them.

Elsewhere, when broken down by gender, Irish women are less inclined to support the near neighbours with only 28% backing the auld enemy compared to 35% of men.

The Tonybet poll also revealed that of the semi-finalists still in the tournament, Spain is the team of choice for Irish people – with 40% getting behind the Iberians followed by Netherlands (24%) and France (20%) with the remaining 16% backing England.

When asked if they believe Ireland will qualify for the next Euros, some of which will be played in Ireland and includes 2 guaranteed spots for the host nations who fail to qualify on merit, only 46% believe that they will make the tournament.

Here’s the list of counties and whether they support England or not.

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Austin Stacks GAA Juvenile Club News

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Youngsters at the Austin Stacks GAA Club Cúl Camp last Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean

PEIL FAOI 7/8/9: Great Under 7/8/9 football was played once again last Sunday morning i gCathair Sailí. More good exciting football at 11am on Sunday next (14th July). All welcome!

CAMPA PEILE: Our club summer camp which will take place in Connolly Park from Tuesday August 6th to Saturday August 10th (ó 9.30am go dtí 1pm gach lá). Fáilte roimh chách!

PEIL FAOI 11: (i) Our usual session will take place at 11am on Sunday next (14ú Meitheamh). (ii) On Thursday of this week we‘ll have another U11 GoGames challenge in which our young Rocksters will display their football skills! Busy times for our squad with games v Firies, Ballyduff, Kilcummin and Milltown!

PEIL FAOI 15: (i) Here is our U15 Central League (A and B teams) schedule for this week:
(a) U15A…Sunday July 7th v Na Gaeil in Connolly Park. Yes, a disappointing start to our Central League campaign! Unfortunately, we went down by a single point…2-9 to 2-8. We were trailing by 0-5 at one stage in the 1st half but stormed back into the game in the 2nd half before being pipped late on by that single point. However, our lads showed great heart as shown by their brilliant 2nd half fightback. The Rock squad: Jayden O’Dowd; Mark Riordan, Óran O’Donoghue, Ryan O’Carroll; Fionn Cotter, Eoin Mangan, David Hobbert; Jamie Casey, Darragh Lyons; Hawlie Cotter, Harry Murphy, Ryan O’Flatherty; Danny Lane, Jack Delaney, Denis Brassil; Joe de Barra, David Ahern, Kyle Yoxall, Noah Reidy.
(b) U15A…Wednesday July 10th v Laune Rangers in Connolly Park. Well played, boys!
(c) U15B Boys…Friday July 12th v Laune Rangers in Killorglin. Fingers crossed!
(d) And on Wednesday evening July 17th we’ll travel west…siar amach go Gallarus…to take on An Ghaeltacht. Gach ádh ar ár mbuachaillí!
NB: As always watch out for group messages for fixture and training updates.
(ii) Continued good wishes to our two North Kerry U14 development squad players, Daniel Lane and Mark O’Riordan.
(iii) Good wishes to the Tralee District footballers. (G.Hobbert/T.McMahon)

MINORS: (i) On Monday last (8th) our minors gave a good account of themselves in the Keanes SupervaluFootball Championship quarter final v Ballymac. Imríodh an cluiche i bPáirc Uí Chonghaile. Maith sibh, a bhuachaillí! (ii) Minor training takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays (in the gym) and Fridays except when we have a championship game. (Theo Ó Duigín)

UNDER 21: Congratulations to our U12 footballers (and their managers) who won the Ask Acorn Life U21 County Championship (Corn Shéamuis Uí Chofaigh) v Na Breandánaigh in Austin Stack Park last week. These are The Rock heroes who won our club’s 2nd U21 county title:
Ben Quilter; Joey Nagle, Ruairí O’Connell, Luke Ó Cathasaigh; Cian Ó Duilleáin, Ben Murphy (0-1), Seán Óg Brosnan; Cillian Litchfield, Conor Horan (0-1); Daniel Ó Ciarba (1-1), Jordan Kissane (0-3f), Shane Bastible; Paddy Lane (0-4, 2f), Damien Hogan (1-0), Donnacha Sayers; Ronan Carroll, Fionnán Ryan, Pádraig O’Halloran, James Fisher, Seán Heaslip, Mícheál Tansley, Colm de Brún, Ryan O’Driscoll, Thomas Deregee, Seán Moynahan, Noah Townsend, Eimhín Ó Foghlú.
Up The Rock!

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) Paudie Commane 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.

KERRY SENIORS: (i) Best wishes to Joe, Dylan, Armin, Joey and Kerry v Armagh in the All-Ireland semi-final. (ii) Comhghairdeachas le hAoife Ní Dhuilleáin, Dara Ó Lúing agus Mná na Ríochta vAn Mhí. Go n-éirí go geal leo v Ard Mhacha i leathchraobh na hÉireann.

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Dan’s Dive Raises €11,515 For Kerry Mental Health Association

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Dan O’Donoghue presents a cheque for €11,515 to the Kerry Mental Health Association. Also included I General Manager of KMHA John Drummey and Dan’s grandchildren. Photo by Domnick Walsh

A TRALEE grandad who completed a skydive in aid of Kerry Mental Health Association has presented €11,515 to the Association.

Following a lengthy weather delay, the 65-year-old Dan O’Donoghue, who’s originally from Valentia Island, made his tandem leap with the Irish Parachute Club in Co Offaly back on Saturday, April 27.

He raised €11,515 to help fund the roll out of free and affordable mental health first aid training in Kerry. Dan said he’s delighted with the outcome and grateful for the support of those who contributed to the gofundme campaign.

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A Night Out For Abba Fans At Benners In Aid Of Down Syndrome Kerry

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Siobhan Walsh, Down Syndrome Kerry Operations Manager with The Mias — Eimear Gallivan and Lauren Glennon — and event co-ordinator Joe Burkett looking forward to the event on July 26. Photo by Dermot Crean

DOWN Syndrome Kerry is excited to announce their summer fundraiser The Mia’s: Abba Tribute Concert, taking place on Friday, July 26, at Benners Hotel, Tralee.

This sensational musical event inspired by the movie Mamma Mia promises an unforgettable evening of music, food, and fun, all in support of a great cause.

The Mia’s, comprised of Eimear Gallivan and Lauren Glennon, are renowned for their fantastic vocal range and electrifying performances. They will be performing all the classic hits from the movie Mamma Mia and Abba, ensuring a night full of music, dancing, and nostalgia.

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Siobhan Walsh, Down Syndrome Kerry Operations Manager, shared her excitement about the event. “Abba fans and Mamma The Movie fans rejoice as The Mia’s will be live in Tralee. What a great way to celebrate the summer, and Benners’ courtyard will be giving off Greek Island vibes as Eimear and Lauren take to the stage. This is a fundraiser for Down Syndrome Kerry, and we would like to extend our sincere thanks to Orlagh Winters and her team for joining with us to create this amazing show.”

Joe Burkett, event co-ordinator, added; “From Dancing Queen to Voulez Vous, The Mia’s will be covering all the classic floor fillers we’ve come to love from Abba. It is the ideal event to bring all your Super Trouper friends together for a night of singing, dancing and all things Mamma Mia!”

Doors for this Abba-themed event will open at 7.30pm, and the show starts promptly at 8pm. Tickets for the evening show are now available from Benners Hotel and 321 Shop priced at €20. Your ticket not only grants you entry to the show but also includes complimentary food.

A matinee performance will take place at 12pm and local day service providers and their invited guests will enjoy an afternoon with the Mia’s. Tickets for the matinee can be purchased from the 321 Shop only.

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Kerry Men Helping Expand The Junior Entrepreneur Programme Into China

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Tom Cooper, PYP coordinator at Xiamen International School, pictured with his wife Fang and children Maureen and Danny. Maureen participated in the JEP pilot at the school this year.

THE Junior Entrepreneur Programme, founded by  Kerry businessman Jerry Kennelly, has made its first foray into China and two Kerry men are spearheading its expansion.

A new pilot programme was launched in the city of Xiamen in Fujian province earlier this year, and the first 85 JEP entrepreneurs have created their businesses.

It all started when Paul McCarthy, a teacher at Xiamen International School, began searching for an entrepreneurship and life skills development programme for his students last Autumn.

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Paul has been teaching in international schools in different cities in China since 2015. He currently teaches Middle School (ages 11 – 15) at Xiamen International School. Xiamen is located on the South East coast of China. It is home to the first free trade zone established in China.

Marie Lynch and Vicky Landers of the Junior Entrepreneur Programme with Paul McCarthy at Xiamen International School. Paul accepted the Bright Spark Award on behalf of one of his students.

Paul had run the Junior Entrepreneur Programme (JEP) at home in Kerry and felt something similar would be ideal for his class. “I was a primary principal in Lauragh, a small, rural 2-teacher school in South Kerry, from 2011 – 2015 and took part in JEP before I moved to China. The children greatly enjoyed it and learned a huge amount.”

“I felt that this type of programme, with a focus on collaboration and life skills, would fit very well with the ethos of Xiamen International  School. A high percentage of parents are business people, and I was confident they would appreciate the introduction of entrepreneurship skills at an early age.”

To his surprise, he could not find a programme comparable to JEP. “From my experience in an American International School, a British International School, and now an independent International Baccalaureate School, I haven’t encountered anything similar to JEP in the international community. Various countries have different initiatives but none of them bring together all of the elements in such a neat way.”

Paul contacted the Junior Entrepreneur Programme office to ask if they would consider allowing him to participate, and before long he and his class were up and running.

The pilot was a great success and culminated with one of Paul’s students winning the JEP Bright Spark Award.

Chen Jia (Jana) won the award for her idea, the PLA converter, which could convert used plastic into 3D printing material. The Bright Spark is the only award presented to an individual student.

Jana is looking forward to her trophy presentation when the school re-opens in mid-August. “I learned many lessons from this experience”, she said.  “The main thing is that things don’t always go as planned, and that’s okay. The sense of success came from a place other than making money. It came from the pride of being able to organise everything.”

Paul is not the only Kerry native working at the school. Tom Cooper, from Ballymacelligott, was the Primary Years Programme Coordinator at Xiamen IB School this year, and responsible for leading the implementation of the primary years curriculum.

Tom, his wife Fang, and their two children, Maureen and Danny, regularly visit Kerry. Maureen was a member of the class that completed JEP in Xiamen this year.

Another Irish staff member, James Gleeson from Midleton, Co. Cork, the IT and Communications Coordinator, has been based at XIS for five years and was heavily involved in the delivery of JEP.

According to Paul, there is a significant Irish community teaching in various institutions in China. ”The Irish education system holds up very well to international comparison. Irish teachers have an excellent reputation in China and around the world and are in high demand,” he added.

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