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CONTINUING our Review of 2015, here’s some of the news we brought you from August…
Speacial Olympian, Brendan O’Connell, who won a gold medal and a 4th place ribbon at the Special Olympics in Los Angeles. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
• The month got off to a great start as a Tralee man won a Gold Medal at the Special Olympics in Los Angeles.
Brendan O’Connell from Oakpark won in the 800m freestyle event. The 29 year old Kerry Stars Special Olympics Club member, from the Oakview area performed well in the 1,500 metre open water swimming event, but sadly just missed out on the medals the day before, but made up for it later. (click here)
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• Tralee got a new pub when Jack Mac’s opened its doors for the first time. The bar is situated at the old Baily’s Corner on Ashe Street and threw open its doors on the bank holiday weekend. (click here)
Barry John Keane celebrates scoring a goal against Kildare. Photo by Dermot Crean
• Kerry destroyed Kildare by 27 points in the All-Ireland quarter-final in Croke Park in early August.
Seven second half goals helped equal the all-time winning margin in championship football. Ruthlessness, driven by competition for places was the catalyst for a powerful Kerry display. (click here)
• An IT Tralee lecturer saw his documentary on an Irish doctor who survived the bombing of Nagasaki, released nationally in selected cinemas.
Bob Jackson – who has been lecturing at the IT Tralee for nine years since 2006 – shot and created a film called ‘A Doctor’s Sword’ which received rave reviews. (click here)
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• A stand-off involving a woman armed with a knife who barricaded herself into a shop in Tralee ended peacefully.
The woman from Cork county was taken into custody and no one was harmed during the incident. (click here)
• A Mitchels man captained Kerry to a 16th All-Ireland Junior title after they gave a masterclass of football in Croke Park to beat Mayo by 2-18 to 0-10.
Alan O’Donoghue, who had a stormer of a game for the Kingdom, lifted the cup to the cheers of the vocal Kerry fans present. (click here)
Kerins O’Rahillys U21 players celebrate their county final win.
• The Blue side of town had something to shout about when Kerins O’Rahilly’s beat East Kerry on a scoreline of 2-15 to 2-9 to win the U21 County Championship final.
Goals by man of the match, Cormac Coffey and midfielder Diarmuid O’Sullivan, helped them on their way to a victory in Castleisland. (click here)
• It was a poignant moment for Dick and Eibhlín Henggeler when the new Rose Walkway in memory of their daughter Dott was officially opened in the Town Park.
The Rose contestants, local politicians, Kerry County Council officials and a good crowd present, watched as and the Mayor of Tralee, Tom McEllistrim, unveiled a beautiful monument to mark the opening of the walkway, dedicated to the memory of Dorothy Moriarty Henggeler, the 2011 Washington DC Rose who passed away last year. (click here)
• Tralee architect Shane Kenny was named the 2015 Newbridge Silverware Rose of Tralee Escort of the Year.
Shane’s fellow Rose Escorts and this year’s 32 International Roses voted for the winner before Dáithí Ó Sé announced the result in the Festival Dome live on RTÉ One. (click here)
Rose of Tralee Elysha Brennan.
• The Meath Rose won the Rose of Tralee 2015. Elysha Brennan, a 22 years old Bettystown native looked shocked but delighted as her name was announced by Dáithí Ó Sé on stage.
The second year medical student in the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin was emotional as she told the audience how proud she was to be name this year’s winner. (click here)
• A Tralee man completed the arduous challenge of swimming the English Channel in August.
Kristian O’Donovan, swam the channel in a more than respectable time of 13 hours and 48 minutes. (click here)
• The Republic of Ireland manager, Martin O’Neill and Chief Executive of the FAI, John Delaney, were in Mounthawk Park to officially open the Kerry District League’s new all-weather pitch.
The Ireland boss was delighted to see the progress that has been made by the Kerry District League. The development was secured with a €200,000 grant from the government. (click here)
• The Kerry senior team advanced to their 12th All-Ireland final in 18 years with a victory over old rivals Tyrone in Croke Par.
Played in the driving rain, Kerry secured a sweet four point victory over the northern side. (click here)
• A Tralee site was purchased by a the Lidl supermarket chain for a price in excess of €1m.
The former Heiton Buckley premises, accessible by Edward Street and located behind the Centrepoint building on John Joe Sheehy Road/Edward Street, was bought by the chain. (click here)
