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We begin our review of the stories we brought you this year at the obvious starting point – January…
• A Kerryman had a great start to the year when he collected a cheque for €552,182 after winning through an online play for Lotto Match 5 plus Bonus.
The lucky online player revealed he will mark his win by getting a tattoo and a piercing.
He said: “I’m going to look after my wife and kids but I’ve always wanted to get a tattoo and a body piercing but never got around to making a decision. I’m thinking if I don’t do this now, when I’ve won this lovely amount of money, I never will so that’s what I’m going to get done now! Apart from this the rest of the money will be spent wisely!”
• THERE were safety concerns expressed after Storm Eleanor caused damage to a popular walkway just outside Tralee.
The walkway from the Spa to Cockleshell Road is used regularly by leisure walkers, but parts of the underside of the wall were washed away by the storm.
Kerry County Council erected signs telling people to avoid using the walkway due to the damage, but they said the walkway is not in the charge of Kerry County Council and was therefore not in a position to carry out the repair works.
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• A clip of Éanna O’Connor launching a football out into St Finan’s Bay went viral at the start of the month.
The son of former Kerry senior boss, Jack O’Connor, Eanna kicked the ball out to sea and the ball didn’t get far and came back to him. It was viewed millions of times.
Different kind of resistance training for Moorefield GAA player Eanna O’Connor as he decided to get some kicking practice in during Storm Eleanor last week Credit: Cian O’Connor pic.twitter.com/6D9TXodl17
— Irish Daily Mirror (@IrishMirror) January 8, 2018
• THE annual Tralee Municipal District of Kerry County Council Awards were handed out at council buildings and there were four very worthy recipients.
Patrick McCarthy, Dr Rizwan Khan, Tralee Soup Kitchen and Kerry Diocesan Youth Service were all commended for their achievements and contribution to the community and life in the Tralee area.
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• FORMER Tralee RFC player, Ciara Griffin, was announced as the new Ireland women’s rugby team captain.
Ciara, daughter of Kathleen and Denis Reidy, hails from Ballymacelligott and works as a primary school teacher in Limerick. She began playing underage rugby with Castleisland RFC and then moved to Tralee RFC at senior level.
Speaking about her captaincy on the Irishrugby.ie website, Ciara said; “I’m delighted to have been asked by Adam to captain the side, I feel so proud to represent my country, and to captain the side is the ultimate honour.”
• IN a press statement on January 16, An Garda Síochána apologised to Joanne Hayes over the handling of their investigation into the death of ‘Baby John’ whose body was found with multiple injuries on White Strand Beach in Caherciveen, on April 14 1984.
The apology came as An Garda Síochána opened a review into the death of the child. An incident room was been established in Caherciveen Garda Station and a Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) appointed.
• FUNDING of over €11m was announced for the completion of the Tralee Northern Relief Road as part of the 2018-21 Capital Plan Review.
The road will link the Bracker O’Regan Road at Monavalley with the Forge Cross roundabout at the top of the Oakpark Road near the IT Tralee.
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• COLM Cooper was announced as Kerry Person Of The Year by the Kerry Association in Dublin on January 17.
The Kerry GAA legend would be presented with the award at a gala ceremony at the Association’s annual Oiche Chiarrai at the Ballsbridge Hotel in Dublin in March.
• THERE was very sad news on January 23 when it was revealed that the body of young kayaker, David Higgins from Tralee, had been found in Ecuador.
Mr Higgins (26), who had been living in Galway for a number of years, went missing when he and four other men got into difficulty during a flash flood on the Abanico river. Another Irishman Alex McGourty (19) from Sligo, also died in the tragedy.
• THE month ended with another big lottery win for a Kerryman.
The person who bought their Euromillions ticket in Ballybunnion claimed their €500,000 prize at National Lottery HQ in Dublin.
The winner was a Kerry man and said he has no firm plans on what to spend his new fortune on but did say that he would look after his family.
