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We continue our review of the stories we brought you this year with the news from February…
• TRALEE women were among the winners in the World Cup Ireland Ice Swimming 1Km Championships in Wild Water Armagh
Mags O’Sullivan, Anna McCarthy and Elaine Burrows Dillane represented Tralee Bay Swimming Club, and came first in her categories.
• TOP fashion designer, Don O’Neill, received the Special Achievement award for ‘Industry Innovator’ at the inaugural Xposé Benefit Awards at a glitzy affair which took place at the Mansion House in celebration of the best in fashion and entertainment in Ireland.
The Ballyheigue native was in the capital with his husband Pascal Guillermie to attend the ceremony and also to pick up his Irish Tatler Man Magazine ‘International Man Of The Year’ award.
• A TRALEE native was announced as a winner of one of the prestigious NUI Galway 2018 Alumni Awards.
Award-winning poet, Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh, originally from Derrylea, Oakpark, was one of just seven winners to be presented with the ‘Gradam Alumni don Ghaeilge’ at the 18th annual Alumni Awards Gala Banquet.
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• THERE was great sadness in Tralee and around the county with the news that Ted Moynihan had passed away.
He died in the new Palliative Care In Patient Unit at University Hospital Kerry, the facility he had been instrumental in building through his fundraising efforts over the years.
The Mayor of Tralee, Norma Foley, paid tribute to Ted saying he was an “absolute gentleman” and “our community is a better and more caring place because of the impact that Ted has had.” Ted was the driving force behind the Kerry Hospice Foundation for the past 28 years.
• IRISH Water said it was rolling out an extensive multi-million mains rehabilitation and lead replacement programme in Tralee.
It’s part of Irish Water Capital Investment Programme with €5m works planned for the Tralee Town Area during 2018.
This work entailed the replacement of approximately 2.4km of existing watermains and also approximately 500 associated household connections.
• BRAVE young teenager, Tina McElligott, from Kilflynn, passed away after a battle with a rare illness.
The 17-year-old suffered life threatening seizures as a result of Alpers syndrome. She passed away peacefully at home in the arms of her mom and dad. A guard of honour was formed at her funeral on the streets of Kilflynn.
• Fr Pat Ahern was honoured by Kerry County Council with a Civic Reception. Fr Ahern was honoured for his outstanding contribution to the artistic, cultural and literary tradition of the county.
A native of Moyvane, Fr. Pat Ahern is a founder member of Siamsa Tire, the National Folk Theatre established in 1973. He helped develop Siamsa Tíre into the success it is today and was artistic director there until 1997.
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• A MEMBER of Tralee Parnells Hurling and Camogie Club was honoured at national level at an awards ceremony in Croke Park.
Tralee Parnells Camogie Chairperson, Carmel O’Shea-Maloney was given a Volunteer of the Year Award at The Camogie Association Volunteer and Media Awards Dinner.
Over 100 guests were in attendance at the event at which Volunteer and Media Award winners were honoured for their contributions to the Association in 2017.
• GARDAI were investigating an incident in Tralee Town Park when the slide in the playground was doused in bleach.
A Tralee father took his child to the playground and the young girl used the slide and when her father investigated he saw her jeans was soaked in bleach.
He said there was a little redness on his daughter’s legs after the incident, but she was doing fine. He said it was hard to understand the mentality of someone who would do such a thing.
• A KERRY work syndicate claimed a whopping €333,913 EuroMillions Match 5 + Lucky Star prize. The winning ticket was bought from The Reeks Gateway Centra on the Tralee Road in Killarney .
It was a bitter sweet win for the Kerry men as they were one lucky star away from scooping the life changing €138 million EuroMillions jackpot on offer.
• THE final day of February saw a Status Red snow and ice warning issued for Kerry as the county awaited the arrival of Storm Emma.
Met Eireann predicted blizzard-like conditions would develop in heavy snow and strong easterly winds giving significant snow drifts in many areas.
