KERRY Sinn Féin will hold their annual Volunteer Charlie Kerins commemoration on Friday December 1.
Members and supporters of Sinn Féin will march from the Pikeman monument on Denny Street at 7.30pm to the monument at Charlie Kerins Park in Strand Road where MEP Liadh Ní Riada will give the oration.
“It is a great honour to be asked to speak at the Charlie Kerins commemoration in Tralee,” said Liadh Ní Riada.
“The period of history that Charlie Kerins lived and died in has largely faded in the memory of most people, it is a credit to Kerry Republicans that they have kept his memory alive by acknowledging his sacrifice each year. The circumstances of his trial and execution have, to this day, still not been explored properly. I look forward to being in Tralee to attend this important event and it is very appropriate that it is being held on the same night as the Sinn Féin convention is being held in the GAA clubhouse that bears his name.”
Kerry Sinn Féin members will meet at Kerins O’Rahillys Clubhouse at 8.45pm that night, to select a candidate to stand in the next general election. Sitting Sinn Féin TD for Kerry Martin Ferris has informed party members that he will not be allowing his name to go forward at convention. It is expected that Toireasa Ferris will be the person chosen to be the party’s candidate in the next election.
Chairman of Kerry Sinn Féin Tadhg Dennehy stated; “This convention will be the first time in over 20 years where the name of Martin Ferris will not be put before the party membership. We have requested nominations from the party structures throughout the county and the deadline is tonight, Tuesday at 8.30pm. On behalf of the entire membership in Kerry I would like to thank Martin Ferris for his utmost dedication to his job as a TD for North Kerry/West Limerick and for the entire county since he was first elected to the Dáil in 2002 and previous to that on Kerry County and Tralee Town Council. We are very appreciative to his efforts as a hardworking and selfless politician, he leaves big shoes to be filled, and we look forward to helping a new candidate retaining a seat at the next election.”