We started TraleeToday.ie in late April, so we’re going to begin our review of the news we brought you throughout the last eight months with May…
Tralee Central Hotel
• THE Tralee Central Hotel in Maine Street came on the market with a guide price of €1m. The hotel, formerly known as the Abbey Gate, was run by the Carlton Hotel group from 2013 and rebranded as the Tralee Central Hotel. It closed its doors in January of this year.
• THERE was four reported suicides in south Kerry since Donal Walsh came to national prominence in March 2013, down from 28 on the previous 12 months.
The figures came from South Kerry Coroner, Terence Casey, who told Donal’s father, Fionnbar, when he met him in Killarney. Mr Walsh revealed the figures in a speech to students in the CBS The Green gym when the Cycle Against Suicide participants paid a visit to the school in early May. (click here)
• WE brought you the sad news that Liam Heffernan, who had been battling Batten’s Disease died.
His father Tony tweeted the news on the morning of May 4. Liam, from Castlemaine, suffered from the rare Battens Disease and last year lost his sight and began suffering a surge in seizures. His sister Saoirse died of the same condition, at the same age in 2010.
• WE told you about the video of Ballybunion people dancing to the Pharrell Williams hit ‘Happy’ and the media attention since it was uploaded to Youtube. At the time of the story, the video had received 5,000 views. It now has just under 120,000. (click here)
The tyre marks on the Tralee to Farranfore road.
• BOY-RACERS were blamed for the marks on the Tralee/Farranfore road. We took pictures from the flyover just before the Currans/Ballyfinnane turn off on the N22 between Tralee and Farranfore.
• ON May 7 we brought you the news that the €11m in funds left in the Town Council coffers will stay in the town.
Tralee Town Manager, Michael McMahon, said he has received assurances from Kerry County Council management, that these monies will remain for use in the town and were “ring-fenced” for projects in Tralee, despite the fact that the accounts will be merged with the Kerry County Council account after the abolition of the Town Council.
• A VISITOR to Denny Street caused some amusement on May 8. A duck decided to take in the sights on the street but after a chase, the feathered friend was caught and put behind bars. (click here)
• SIAMSA Tire members, past and present, enjoyed a fantastic evening of entertainment on Sunday, May 11 to mark the organisation’s first 4o years in existence.
It was particularly special for Fr Pat Ahern, the Moyvane priest, who started it all off back in 1974 and he unveiled a plaque outside the front entrance, marking the anniversary. (click here)
• FORMER Austin Stacks player Mike Finn unwittingly found himself part of a Youtube video that has gone viral around the globe.
In the video Mike, an Australian Rules player, is being interviewed on a football field (still wearing the black and amber). In the background, a man carrying a child tries to catch a ball but instead drops the infant to the ground. (click here)
• MEMBERS of Tralee Town Council came together for the last time on Monday, May 20 and it proved to be an emotional occasion, filled with laughter and tinged with sadness.
Photographs were taken and many memories shared before and after the meeting (click here)
• ON May 23 we brought you the news that a Tralee institution was to reopen in July.
Cotter Food & Catering Limited is made the announcement that the company has purchased Kirby’s Brogue Inn, Rock Street and it would continue to have strong links with the Kirby Family. (click here)
Kerry Rose, Mary Hickey.
• KERRY’S Rose was crowned in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday, May 23. Mary Hickey was picked out of the bunch of 27 contestants. The 26 year old primary school teacher was shocked and delighted when Daithi O Sé made the announcement. (click here)
• WE brought you all the news from the Kerry County Council elections where veteran politicians Johnnie Wall and Ted Fitzgerald bowed out of politics, while Tom McEllistrim returned to the council.
Sinn Fein were the big winners though. Cllr Toireasa Ferris topped the poll for the Tralee Municipal District with 2,679 first preference votes, followed by her party colleague Pa Daly on 2,122. (click here)
