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Continuing our review of stories we brought you in 2019, here’s the news from June…
• CABALLS on Bridge Street announced it would be closing its doors for the last time in June after 99 years in business.
There was sadness around town at the news but Ann Laide decided it was time to move on and retire from the business.
Niall Kelliher.
• THE new Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council was elected at the first meeting of the newly elected Council, following May’s local elections.
Rathmore native Cllr Niall Kelliher — who now lives in Headford, Killarney — was chosen at the meeting at County Buildings in Tralee. First elected in 2014, the Fianna Fáil representative is a councillor for the Killarney Municipal District.
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Kerry Rose Sally-Ann Leahy
• THE new Kerry Rose was announced at the selection night in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel. Seventeen ladies from all over the county and beyond, were vying for the chance to represent Kerry in the Rose of Tralee Festival this August.
Watched by over 400 people, host Dáithi Ó Sé announced Sally Ann Leahy from Causeway as the winner to the delight of her family and supporters.
• GARDAI in Tralee received a number of complaints from the public about people engaging in road bowling games. According to gardaí, these groups were playing these games in locations around the town and on the outlying roads.
This was causing serious traffic disruption and gardai say this is an offence which could result in fines of up to €1,000.
• IBAL (Irish Business Against Litter) announced their first results for 2019 in June, which saw Tralee leap from a lowly 30th in January, right up to 5th in the overall rankings, the biggest difference of any town in Ireland.
The rankings show Tralee to be ‘Cleaner Than European Norms’ in their report. Glan Tralee spokesperson Martha Farrell said “a concerted effort has been made by many groups in Tralee to work together for the good of the town, including Glan Tralee, Team Bramble, Tralee Tidy Towns, Kerry County Council, Friends of Able and North East Kerry Development, and massive congratulations must go to all of them”.
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• KERRY Fine Gael TD and Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin, announced major funding of €2,208,911 for Kerry Airport towards improvement works, safety and security.
The amount was almost €1 million of an increase on the 2018 figure. This Government funding from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport will go towards a range of investments for the airport.
• FINE Gael councillor, Jim Finucane was elected as the new town Mayor of Tralee at the first meeting of Tralee Municipal District since the local elections in May.
Cllr Finucane was proposed for the position by Labour Cllr Terry O’Brien and seconded by Fianna Fáil Cllr Norma Foley. Similarly, Cllr Foley proposed Cllr Sam Locke as Deputy Mayor which was seconded by Cllr Terry O’Brien.
In his first address to the Council, Mayor Finucane — who last held the position in 2014 — said it was time to take “bold steps” for the town.
• STATISTICS published in June by the UK Department of Health show that 52 women giving Kerry addresses travelled to have an abortion in England or Wales in 2018.
This is up from 50 in 2017 and 49 in 2016. The figures show that the number of women giving Irish addresses who had an abortion in Britain was 2,879.
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• A VALIANT effort, but it just wasn’t enough to attract the masses to the Town Park for the Tralee Nun Challenge.
Organised by Tralee Rowing Club — with part of the proceeds going to Pieta House — the aim was to beat the Guinness Book Of Records feat of 1,436 people dressed as nuns assembled in one place, achieved by people of Listowel and north Kerry back in 2012.
While hundreds showed up, it sadly wasn’t enough to threaten the record but a lot of fun was had.
• IT was a long time coming but it was announced on June 21 that the Tralee-Fenit Greenway was to receive €3m in Government funding.
Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffinannounced funding of €3.5m for the Kilmorna to Listowel and €3m for the Tralee to Fenit Greenways.
This was fantastic news for all involved in the project and work would start in November on the greenway which will be a huge boost to tourism in the Tralee area.
