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Continuing our review of stories we brought you in 2018, here’s the news from April…
• A TRALEE businesswoman called on Irish Rail to review their security policy after an incident as she travelled between Mallow and Tralee in early April.
Margaret Kissane of Connect Publications was attending Mallow Races with her husband and when they returned to Mallow station after the races, there were two men in the waiting area provoking and intimidating other people.
Later on the train, an intoxicated female in her 40s started to cause a disturbance and began intimidating other women on a carriage, one of whom was very distressed by the incident.
She said Irish Rail has a duty of care to their customers and a staff member should be travelling on a more regular basis between the carriages to ensure passengers are behaving themselves and not intimidating other people.
• PUBS in Tralee, supported by local Gardaí, backed Tralee Chamber Alliance’s roll-out of the ‘Ask For Angela’ initiative for people who feel unsafe on a night out.
The campaign encourages people who might find themselves in an uncomfortable situation to ‘Ask for Angela’ at the bar.
When a customer uses the code-phrase ‘Ask For Angela’, the staff in Tralee’s pubs will know that something is not right and will then help the customer by discretely removing them from the situation.
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• A Kerry man kept up a time-honour tradition at the US Masters.
For the sixth year in a row a golf fan donned his green and gold jersey while at Augusta. Naturally, the Irish media lapped it up.
•. A YOUNG Tralee boxer won an All-Ireland title in Dublin. Chris Mongans became an All Ireland Champion (Boy 2 54Kg).
“The improvement in this young man since winning his County Championship in February is largely down to the young fella’s attitude to work. He never misses a training session always willing to do a little more than the next guy, and a huge amount of guts,” said Donie Jack Griffin of Tralee Boxing Club.
• TWO people died after an accident involving a pony and cart on the Gap of Dunloe. A man and a woman in their 60s, from Arizona in the United States, were fatally injured when the horse and carriage they were travelling in went off the road.
They were pronounced dead at the scene and their bodies removed to University Hospital Kerry in Tralee.
• A CAHERSIVEEN man’s photo has come second in the World Press Photo awards.
Stephen McCarthy’s image was taken during a British and Irish Lions game last summer and it took the runner-up gong at in the sports category of the awards in Amsterdam.
Working for Sportsfile, Stephen took the shot at the Lions’ game with the Maori All Blacks on June 17 last year at Rotorua International Stadium.
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• A LOCAL primary school received national attention after instigating a pilot programme with parents, where children will not use smartphones or social media applications for the remainder of the school year.
The programme was run by St Brendan’s NS in Blennerville after it was discovered that some sixth class pupils had access to inappropriate material for their age on social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat.
This behaviour occurred outside of school, as use of smartphones is not permitted at the school. This came to the attention of staff at the school because this was affecting relationships between the students in the class and staff were concerned about their emotional well-being.
• A LOCAL teacher appeared on RTE’s Today show with Daithí O Sé and Maura Derrane after the success of an initiative to bring joy to older people in nursing homes.
Evelyn Dore of Moyderwell Primary and Karen Walsh of CBS created ‘Storyboxes’, a box with books, CDs and photos of times past which they hoped would jog the memories of residents in nursing homes.
The project was launched in late March and since then the ladies have been overwhelmed by its success.
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• THERE were 27 gardaí in Kerry injured on duty since January 2017 it was revealed at the Joint Policing Committee meeting April.
Kerry Garda Division Chief Superintendent, Tom Myers, said the vast majority of these incidents were assaults on garda members including being punched in the face and having blood spat in their face. Others suffered injuries like a dislocated shoulder, back and neck injuries, broken wrist and a broken leg.
• A YOUNG pupil at CBS Primary School who uses a wheelchair was able to take part in a sports activity thanks to a kind-hearted employee of Our Lady Of Fatima Nursing Home.
Six year old Arthur O’Brien was born with a rare condition called arthrogryposis which severely curtails the movement in his arms and legs and prevents him taking part in any sports activities at the school.
Through the school’s Seanóige project with Fatima Nursing Home, the school became aware of a Boccia Stand which was made by Josh Corbett, an activity facilitator there and he made one for Arthur much to the delight of his family.
• THE RTE cameras were in town in late April as students from three secondary schools spoke to the ‘Nationwide’ programme about a wonderful art project which will see their paintings displayed all over Tralee.
Students from Presentation, CBS and Mercy Mounthawk were in Denny Lane to display some of the works which depict 19th century Tralee, as part of a project in collaboration with Tralee Tidy Towns and Kerry County Council. It was envisaged the paintings will form part of a heritage trail of old Tralee.
