“Echoes of the Isles” is the latest project from soprano Sharon Lyons and Kerry Scotia Ensemble.
At 5pm on this Sunday in KDYS, Denny Street, Tralee, Sharon and Kerry Scotia Ensemble will perform original arrangements of folk songs from Ireland, Scotland and England.
TraleeToday.ie readers can avail of a special 10% discount if tickets are purchased from Eventbrite (click here) by using promo code SCOTIATRALEE10
Backed by a string quartet and classical piano, soprano Sharon Lyons will sing beautiful celtic classics like Caledonia, Isle of Hope, Raglan Road, Red is the Rose, Siul a Run and many more.
All of the music for the concert was arranged specially by Cork composer Richard Rudkins.
Sharon is a world renowned soprano and recording artist. Her single, Sacrifice, which was recorded for the Vikings TV show recently surpassed 1 million streams on Spotify.
She performs all over the world and has sung for the pope and various international leaders. Kerry Scotia Ensemble are a group of professional string and piano players based in Kerry.
They were established in 2016 with the aim of bringing high quality classical performances to audiences in Kerry. They have been supported by grants and awards from Kerry County Council, the Arts Council and the Department of Culture.
Tickets for the concert are limited and cost €20 for adults and €10 for children (U16). They are available for purchase on Eventbriteor on the door.
.Kyle Clifford, James Riordan and Mark Gazi at CBS The Green on Friday morning. Photo by Dermot Crean
THERE were mostly happy faces at the schools around Tralee this morning as the Leaving Cert results were revealed.
While students could access them online from 10am, some still chose to come into the schools to meet up with friends and share their good news. They were greeted by the Principals and some of the teaching staff who congratulated them on their achievements.
Over 1,800 students received their Leaving Certificate results across the county. Minister for Education Norma Foley wished all the students receiving results the best for the future.
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“I would like to congratulate each and every one of you on this milestone, which brings reward and recognition for all your work and dedication over the past number of years,” she said.
“This is an exciting moment in your life, as you look ahead to the many great and varied opportunities that lie ahead. Whether your next step will take you into the world of further or higher education, an apprenticeship, work, or other possibilities, I would like to wish you every success and happiness for all to come.” Scroll down for photos…
Student Saoirse Kerins with dad John Kerins and mom Helen Kerins at Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí on Friday morning. Photo by Dermot CreanHolly Leane, Lucy O’Donnell and Grace Kirby at Mercy Mounthawk on Friday morning. Photo by Dermot Crean.Lily Parker, Laura Reilly, Katie Nix and Labhraidh Costello at Mercy Mounthawk on Friday morning. Photo by Dermot CreanThomas Dereki, Raymond Lowe and Cody O’Shea at CBS The Green on Friday morning. Photo by Dermot Crean.Odhran Tobin and Tiernan O’Carroll at CBS The Green on Friday morning. Photo by Dermot CreanJosh Elvins, Billy Breathnach and Brian Ó Domhnaill at Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí on Friday morning. Photo by Dermot Crean.Principal Ruáirí Ó Cinnéide with students Luke Ó Chathasaigh and Dáithí Ó Loinsigh at Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí on Friday morning. Photo by Dermot CreanStephen O’Shea, with parents Alan and Karin, looking at his results at Mercy Mounthawk on Friday morning. Photo by Dermot Crean.Siobhan Clifford (centre) with Kerry Falvey and Mary Clifford at Mercy Mounthawk on Friday morning. Photo by Dermot CreanJamie Horgan, Rory Cantillon and Brendan Dwyer at CBS The Green on Friday morning. Photo by Dermot Crean.John Feeley, Noah Edwards Jack McCarthy, Jakub Mikolajczuk and Stephen O’Shea at Mercy Mounthawk on Friday morning. Photo by Dermot CreanSarah Maunsell and Kate McGarrell at Mercy Mounthawk on Friday morning. Photo by Dermot CreanBiye Guo Róisín Rahilly, Rachel Feeley and Mohamed Abdalla, all of whom received over 600 points, at Mercy Mounthawk on Friday, morning. Photo by Dermot CreanStephen Barrett and Ronan Mulrooney at Mercy Mounthawk on Friday morning. Photo by Dermot Crean
Ivan Hurley previews Kerry FC’s clash against Longford Town on Saturday night…
And then there were nine. Yep, you read that right, the league officially ticks past the three-quarter mark tomorrow and we face into the final nine games of the season with the trip to Longford Town (kick-off 7.30pm).
From here on in, these will be the final meetings between the sides, with only four home games remaining for Kerry FC this season.
After an absorbing Cup game against Bohemians last Sunday, attention now turns back to the League for the so-called run-in.
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Despite Kerry exiting the cup on penalties, there has been a serious buzz around the club for the week having brought 7-time winners Bohemians all the way to penalties.
But that buzz now needs to be transferred onto the pitch and it starts tomorrow against bottom-placed Longford Town.
One could argue that Kerry could be further up the table at this stage of the competition. With 27 points available in the remaining games, mathematically speaking the Kingdom has an outside chance of reaching the elusive playoff places.
However, a more realistic story is the progress shown by the club in their second year in the competition. A win would take the Mounthawk club seven points clear of the bottom which in itself is a huge achievement for the new boys.
Longford come into the game on a run of 5 straight defeats in the league, most recently losing 1-4 at home to Treaty United.
But Kerry are without an away league win in 2024 and Longford having last weekend off to build up to this one, the home side will see this as a huge opportunity to take all three points and close the gap to 9th by a single point.
Longford Town are the only team Kerry have managed a home double over in the club’s history. A convincing 3-0 win over ‘De Town’ in April was followed up with a 2-1 home win back in June in Mounthawk Park. But Longford took the spoils in Bishopsgate back in June.
Following a thrilling Cup game against Bohemians that lasted 120 minutes last Sunday, Conor McCarthy reported a few soar bodies after the match.
In positive news goalkeeper Antonio Tuta is closer to a return from his ankle injury and could feature in this one. Valerii Dolia returned from injury to make the Matchday squad last weekend, expect the Ukrainian to feature here.
“We’ve plenty of soar bodies this week after the Bohemians game but we gave the players a couple of rest days to get themselves back right,” said Conor McCarthy.
“We’ve seen them in training since coming back and they are as hungry as ever to keep going. We are putting everything into Saturday’s game now, the boys know what we need to do and we have a target set for the last 9 games to finish the season as strong as possible. It’s great to have Valerii back in the group, it’s earlier than we all thought which is great. We need everyone available to us now to close out the season in the best possible way.”
MILLTOWN and Valentia town centres will benefit from combined funding of €99,950 allocated by the Department of Rural and Community Development under Measure 3 of the Town Centre First Suite of Supports 2024.
Milltown will receive €49,950 whilst Valentia will receive €50,000. The funding is part of a nationwide allocation targeted at assisting local authorities to create a pipeline of significant, well-developed projects in local towns across Ireland.
Welcoming the news, Minister for Education and Kerry T.D, Norma Foley, said: “I am delighted that Valentia and Milltown will receive almost €100,000 in Town Centre First funding.”
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“In Milltown, the funding will go towards the project to reimage the Milltown heritage quarter and the Milltown Civic Centre. The Town Centre First project will support the delivery of the detailed design, planning and assessments necessary to advance the proposal to construction stage.
“In Valentia, the funding will go towards assessing the rejuvenation of the disused Coast Guard houses. This will involve a thorough investigation into the present condition of the structures, assessment of rehabilitation costs, and evaluation of their suitability for housing. The project seeks to restore these historic buildings while addressing the pressing need for affordable accommodation.”
.Cllr Angie Baily, Mayor of Tralee Mikey Sheehy and Billy Nolan at ‘Castle Street Through the Ages: An Evening at Jess McCarthy’s’ on Thursday. Photo by Dermot Crean
THERE was an entertaining and a insightful gathering at a Tralee pub on Thursday to learn more about the history of one of our most famous streets.
‘Castle Street Through the Ages: An Evening at Jess McCarthy’s’ saw the proprietor of the aforementioned pub, Justin McCarthy and local historian Mike O’Donnell speak about Castle Street and its rich history.
The event, which was part of National Heritage Week, was sold out and a great opportunity to learn more about the local area and the businesses on the street through the years.
.Justin McCarthy of Jess McCarthy’s Bar with Colette O’Connor of Tralee Chamber, Martha Farrell of Tralee Tidy Towns and local history expert Mike O’Donnell at ‘Castle Street Through the Ages: An Evening at Jess McCarthy’s’ on Thursday. Photo by Dermot CreanKerry Lewis, Anne O’Donnell, Melanie O’Donnell and Claire O’Donnell at ‘Castle Street Through the Ages: An Evening at Jess McCarthy’s’ on Thursday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Billy Ryle says Minister Norma Foley is as good as her word as Kerry’s Leaving Cert cohort deliver outstanding results…
The 2024 Leaving Cert cohort achieved a great success today when the exam results were issued at 10am by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) directly to candidates through the Candidate Self Service Portal (CSSP). Results are also available in schools from 10am.
Leaving Cert results in Kerry are superb again this year so congratulations to all concerned.
When it comes to achievement in the Leaving Cert and securing places in Further, Tertiary and Higher Education, Kerry students win the gold medal.
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While success should be celebrated, it’s important to consider your options during the next few days and to keep a close eye on the fast-moving timeline.
CAO offers will flood into Kerry when Round One is released at 2pm on Wednesday, 28th August and important decisions will have to be made about your next step.
Leaving Cert results were issued early again this year as the timeline gets back to normal after the disruptive Covid years.
60,839 candidates took the Leaving Cert this year – 56,791 sat for the established Leaving Cert and 4,048 opted for the Leaving Cert Applied (LCA). 1,840 candidates from Kerry took the 2024 Leaving Cert exam – 1,713 sat for the established Leaving Cert and 127 opted for the LCA.
Once again, there was no return to 2019 pre-pandemic grade levels in the 2024 Leaving Certificate results. Minister Norma Foley gave a commitment that the 2024 Leaving Cert exam results would, on aggregate, be no lower than the 2023 results and she was as good as her word.
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The post-marking adjustment applied by the SEC following the marking process made sure that would be the case. Of the 405,171 Leaving Cert individual results, 68% were increased in the marking adjustment, compared to 71% in 2023.
The remainder were unchanged. No marks were adjusted downwards. So, the overall results in 2024 have been adjusted up by an average of 7.5%, compared to 7.9%. last year.
The range of marking adjustment was from 12.1%, added to those at the bottom of the scale, to 4.8%, added to those at the top of the scale. Good news, indeed for Kerry candidates, whose overall results are every bit as strong as last year.
Candidates can see their marks, including marks for each component and the post marking adjustment, on the CSSP from 12.00 on Tuesday, 27th August.
Candidates can apply on the CSSP to view their scripts online between 17.00 on Tuesday, 27th August and 20.00 on Wednesday, 28th August.
LCA application to view scripts is done online during the same timeline. It’s well worth viewing your marked scripts before deciding to appeal any subject(s) results. The facility to view marked scripts is provided free of charge.
Both scripts marked manually and scripts marked online will be available to candidates for viewing. In the case of the former, each candidate will be assigned one of two three-hour sessions on Saturday, 31st August.
Session One is from 09.30 to 12.30, Session Two is from 14.00 to 17.00. Online access to view scripts that were marked online will also be available on the CSSP from 09.00 on Saturday, 31st August to 09.00 on Sunday, 1st September.
Any candidate who wishes to submit an appeal application against an awarded grade – commonly called ‘applying for a recheck’ – can do so on the CSSP between 10.00 on Sunday, 1st September and 17.00 on Monday, 2nd September.
The results of appeals will be available to view on a candidates CSSP from 11.00 on Friday, 27th September.
Appeal results will also be available on Schools Portals from 11.00 on Friday, 27th September. The appeal fee is €40 per Leaving Cert subject and €15.50 per LCA subject. The fee is refunded if the appeal is successful.
The timelines for candidates to apply to view scripts and to lodge their appeal applications are very short.
The SEC maintains that these timelines are essential to ensure that the remaining stages of the appeal process can be completed as quickly as possible.
The SEC will not accept late applications for viewing scripts or for submitting an appeal against an awarded grade.
Latest CAO data confirms a final application figure of 83,537 applicants, down 689 from 84,226 in 2023. CAO has received 2,362 applications from County Kerry. That’s a slight decrease on the 2023 figure of 2,394.
The blue riband courses are again in high demand and will require high points to secure a course offer.
However, with over 50,000 places on offer this year, applicants can be very hopeful of a college offer.
All will be revealed when CAO Round One of offers is released next Wednesday. I sincerely hope that it will be a joyful day for Kerry’s CAO applicants.
SEC/CAO TIMELINE 2024
• Fri., 23rd Aug: Leaving Cert results issued online at 10.00
• Tues., 27th Aug.: Candidates can see their marks on the CSSP from 12.00
• Tues., 27th Aug.: Online application to view exam scripts opens at 17.00
• Wed., 28th Aug.: Online application to view exam scripts closes at 20.00
• Wed., 28th Aug.: CAO Round One offers online from 14.00
• Thurs., 29th Aug: CAO available place facility opens at 12.00
• Sat., 31st Aug.: viewing of scripts marked manually from 09.30 to 12.30
• Sat., 31st Aug.: viewing of scripts marked manually from 14.00 to 17.00
• Sat., 31st Aug.: viewing of scripts marked online from 09.00
• Sun., 1st Sept: viewing of scripts marked online closes at 09.00
• Sun., 1st Sept: application to appeal opens at 10.00
• Mon. 2nd Sept: application to appeal closes at 17.00
• Tues., 3rd Sept: accept Round One offer by 15.00
• Mon., 9th Sept: CAO Round Two offers online at 14.00
• Wed., 11th Sept: accept Round Two offers by 15.00
• Tues., 17th Sept: CAO Round Three offers online at 10.00
• Thurs., 19th Sept: accept Round Three offers by 15.00
• Fri., 27th Sept.: results of Leaving Cert appeals released at 11.00
• Many Post-Leaving Cert (PLC) courses still have vacancies
• Tertiary Degree course applications accepted to late September
• Apply now to State Agencies for training courses
• Many schools cater for repeat Leaving Cert students
• Double check all important dates on official correspondence
• The confidential help line free phone number is 1800 265 165
• Good luck to all candidates getting Leaving Cert results today
• Billy Ryle is a Career Guidance Counsellor and Educational Commentator
Ivan Hurley previews Kerry FC’s clash against Longford Town on Saturday night…
MILLTOWN and Valentia town centres will benefit from combined funding of €99,950 allocated by the Department of Rural and Community Development under Measure 3 of the Town Centre First Suite of Supports 2024.
Billy Ryle says Minister Norma Foley is as good as her word as Kerry’s Leaving Cert cohort deliver outstanding results…