The sun shone down on the Ladies Beach in Ballybunion on Sunday as crowds gathered for the annual ‘Swim In Pink’ event.
The Ballybunion Dippers group organised the swim in aid of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute and this was the biggest yet with hundreds of people on the beach for the fun event.
Just after 11am, the masses — many of whom were decked out in pink — made their way into the cold water cheered on by family and friends.
Continued below…
The organisers were delighted with the turnout. “This is our third year in a row putting on the event and last year we raised over €3,000,” said Chris Power of the Ballybunion Dippers. “We’re so happy with the glorious day, the great turnout and the lovely atmosphere.”
“We couldn’t have imagined we would have a crowd this big,” said Maureen O’Mahony, another Ballybunion Dipper. “It’s the biggest so far and it was lovely to see people in pink and we had men taking part too,” said Maureen.
After the dip, there were refreshments on the beach and plenty of laughter after a wonderful community event for a great cause. Scroll down for photos…
KERRY County Council has announced this afternoon that bathing is prohibited at Ballybunion beaches.
Following sampling of water quality showing elevated levels of bacteria in the water, and further to consultation with the HSE, a prohibition has been placed on bathing and swimming at Ballybunion North and South beaches, with immediate effect.
Signage advising of the prohibition is being placed at the beaches. Further sampling will be carried out and the prohibition will only be lifted on receipt of improved water quality results.
A MAN and a woman have drowned at Ballybunion beach this evening.
The man was taken from water at the Men’s Beach shortly after 6pm but efforts to revive him failed. The woman’s body was recovered minutes later. The man is aged in his 5os and the woman in her 60s.
Ballybunion Sea and Cliff Rescue Service and a rescue helicopter were involved in the rescue operation.
FUNDING has been made allocated to create three centres for outdoor water-based activities in Kerry.
Centres at Ballybunion Beach, Fenit Beach and Magherabeg Beach will be enhanced with hot showers, changing and toilet facilities, secure storage, induction spaces, equipment washdown and orientation points.
They will be fully wheelchair accessible and built using sustainable materials such as solar heating panels.
Continued below…
In total €19 million in funding will go to 22 locations across Ireland as part of a pilot scheme, which will be ready for use in 2022.
Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Education, Norma Foley said: “I welcome this funding which will enhance the natural tourist experience at three of Kerry’s finest public beaches. This funding will be used to build high standard facilities where water-based activities are a key visitor attraction for years to come.”
A second phase is expected to commence in 2023 under Fáilte Ireland’s Platforms for Growth capital investment programme.
THE new public toilets at the Mens’ Beach in Ballybunion were opened by Cllr Michael Foley, Cathaoirleach of Listowel Municipal District on Friday last.
The toilets were funded under the 2017 Town & Village Renewal Scheme with a grant investment of €200,000 with match funding coming from the Strategic Community Support Fund of Kerry County Council.
This project is an example of ongoing investment in Ballybunion and North Kerry Tourism infrastructure, and follows on from the refurbishment of the public toilets at Ladies’ Beach in Ballybunion and refurbishment of the Gleann Road.
Continued below…
Work will also shortly be commencing on a new Adult Outdoor Exercise Area and upgrading of the playground in Ballybunion.
Kerry County Council acknowledged the support of the people of Ballybunion and the Ballybunion Community Forum, Ballybunion Development Company and Ballybunion Tidy Towns.
IT’S a beach hugely popular with the people of north Kerry and now the facilities there are set for an overhaul.
Facilities at Ballybunion’s Men’s Beach are due to be improved soon with the demolition and replacement of the existing toilet facilities.
As part of a major redevelopment of the area, construction of a new Beach Service Centre is to commence. This will consist of lower level public toilet facilities and the upgrading of the existing retail outlets.
Continued below…
With the introduction of the hugely successfully Wild Atlantic Way initaitive, Ballybunion has witnessed a growth in popularity over the last few years.
However, the infrastructure serving the Blue Flag beaches was not up to the standard of a modern seaside destination.
In 2016 the toilet facilities at the Ladies’ Beach were completely refurbished by Kerry County Council, but those overlooking the Men’s Beach remained unchanged.
Kerry County Council and Ballybunion Community Forum, a highly proactive local community group recognised that Ballybunion could enhance its visitor experience with redevelopment of the public toilets overlooking the Men’s Beach.
The Forum works closely with other local groups such as the Tidy Towns Group, Ballybunion Development Company and organisers of local events and festivals, as well as Fáilte Ireland.
Councillors in the Listowel Municipal District welcomed the development. Cathaoirleach Cllr Mike Kennelly said: “The existing toilet block is two-storey and adjoins a number of single-storey shops. Funding was secured under the 2017 Town and Village Renewal Scheme for the demolition and clearance of the existing public toilet structure, construction of a new lower level public toilet facility and upgrading of the shops, along with associated landscaping.”
“The lowering of the toilets to a single storey will also result in an improved vista for the visitor from the main streets overlooking the beaches and Wild Atlantic Way. This area when complete will improve the holiday experience for our international and domestic visitors to Ballybunion,” he said.
Malachy Walsh & Partners (MWP) Consulting Engineers were appointed to oversee the project and tenders are currently being sought for demolition and construction. Kerry County Council hopes to progress the project as early as possible.
FUNDING of €300,000 from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport is to go towards works to prepare the R556 Dale Road for full reconstruction.
Kerry Fine Gael TD and Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin welcomed the funding which is part of an overall increase in Kerry Regional and Local Roads funding for 2019 of 19% on the initial 2018 allocation and 48% on the initial 2017 funding.
The stretch between Abbeydorney and Ballyduff is the scene of frequent accidents and this funding is a step towards making the road shovel ready for full works in 2020.
Continued below…
Minister Griffin said: “This is hugely significant for the R556. Kerry County Council (KCC) recently applied to our Department for funding and I am delighted to be announcing this grant of €300,000 to go towards preliminary works and land acquisition.
Cllr. Aoife Thornton, said: “I am delighted that the Minister and the Department has granted this funding following KCC’s recent step to make an application in respect of the R556, a step that I had fought for since my election to Kerry County Council in 2014.
“This stretch of road is a key access artery for North Kerry and is very busy all year round but especially in the summer months, with coaches travelling to and from Ballybunion. The road is narrow, with severe sagging in places and is elevated above the surrounding lands with unguarded edges.”
Minister Griffin concluded: “I am glad to have helped to deliver this significant step for the many commuters and other road users who use this road regularly. Aoife and I brought Minister Ross to see the danger of this road on-site last summer and we also met officials in the Department before Christmas to press the case for funding on safety grounds.”
THE National Lottery is this morning appealing to its Lotto players in Kerry to check their tickets to see if they have landed a big prize last night.
One Kerry player came agonisingly close to hitting the €5.2 million Lotto jackpot, but won €289,861 after matching five numbers and the bonus.
The Kerry ticketholder bought their golden ticket in Buckley’s Great Gas, East End, Ballybunion.
Continued below…
The store owner Padraig Buckley, who runs the shop with his wife Sinead, said: “It is great news this morning and there is a great buzz in Ballybunion. It is the second major Lottery win for the town in the past six months, as last June another local won €500,000 on EuroMillions. We are delighted to have sold this Lotto ticket and we’ve been spreading the word all morning to customers to get checking their tickets. We’ve no idea who the winner could be but I wish them all the best!”
This continues a recent lucky Lottery streak for players in both counties as earlier this month a Daily Million jackpot of €1 million was won in Tralee and a Millionaire Raffle prize of €100,000 was won in Listowel.
Continued below…
A spokesperson for the National Lottery said: “It is some fantastic news to wake up to on this bitter cold January morning. We are advising all our Kerry players to carefully check their Lotto tickets. Be sure to sign the back of the ticket, keep this valuable piece of paper safe and contact our prize claims team on 01 836 4444 and we will make arrangements for you to come to the National Lottery to get your prize”.
There were no winner of the €5,211,766 jackpot, which will roll to an estimated €5.5 million on the next draw on Wednesday 23rd January.
A TRALEE man played his part in raising over €10,000 for two great organisations after a day long event in Ballybunion.
A 24 hour hydrobike challenge at Ballybunion Leisure Centre back in March raised €10,785 which was divided equally between Nano Nagle School in Listowel and Kerry Parents and Friends who each get €5392.50.
Colin ‘Poshey’ Aherne from Tralee, who works at the centre, played a big part in organising the event and was one of the staff on hand to present the cheques. The event saw people take turns on the hydrobikes in the pool over a 24 hour period.
Ballybunion Leisure Centre thanked everyone who contributed and Coast Cafe Ballybunion for sponsoring the event.
IN case you missed it, they created something amazing on Ballybunion beach at the weekend to highlight the issue of plastic in our oceans.
Earth Day 2018 is dedicated to providing the information and inspiration needed to fundamentally change human attitude and behavior about plastics.
A tremendous amount of work went into the beach art and the drone footage of the work speaks for itself.
Well done to Michael ‘Pixie’ O’Gorman, Poshey Aherne, Abbie and Michael O’Gorman, Siobhan Gleeson and Shane Walsh, Jack Buckley and his son Jason and Christina Kennelly for doing this…
A CHARITY event in Ballybunion is seeking participants to help raise funds for Nano Nagle School in Listowel and Kerry Parents and Friends.
Organised by Ballybunion Health and Leisure Centre and sponsored by The Coast Cafe, the event will see people take turns on the hydrobikes in the pool over a 24 hour period.
The hydrobikes have been in the leisure centre for the past few years and they are used for hydrobike classes.
Nano Nagle School caters for pupils aged between 4 and 18 year olds who have been assessed to have a moderate, severe or profound general learning disability and Autism. Kerry Parents and Friends provides residential and day services together with respite and home support.
Continued below…
The plan is to do the 24 hydrobike starting on Friday, March 23 at 4pm. The organisers are hoping people will come and support this amazing event by doing a half an hour or hour over the course of the 24 hours. If interested please ring or text Kieran on 087-2594298.
They also have a massive raffle in in the leisure centre where there is 3 strips for €5. The prizes include 4 three-month memberships for the leisure centre,
4 hampers, 5 personal training lessons, hours reflexology, three entries to Ballybunion 10k in March, €50 voucher for The Marine Restaurant and much much more. For more details please visit the Ballybunion Leisure Centre Facebook page here
PADRAIG Harrington has named two Kerry courses among his Top 5 in Ireland, but Rory McIlroy didn’t include any when asked for his choices, according to a story in the International edition of the New York Times yesterday.
Speaking before the Irish Open which begins tomorrow, Padraig Harrington, the two-time British Open champion, was asked to name his top five courses and gave seven instead. But he did distinguish a Big Three that separate themselves from the rest.
Continued below…
1) Royal Portrush
1a) Portmarnock
3) Ballybunion — “It’s traditional links golf at its best. It’s funky, and all sorts of crazy things can happen, but I love it.”
4) Waterville — “It gets a little complicated after my Big Three. Waterville is stunning. Lovely views of mountain ranges and the Atlantic Ocean. All you need to know about the layout is the first hole is named ‘Last Easy.’”
5) Royal County Down
He also mentioned Doonbeg and European Club.
Rory McIlroy’s top five were;
1) Royal County Down
2) Royal Portrush
3) Portmarnock
4) European Club
5) K Club
Maybe he should spend more time down here on our great courses.
FOR the beautiful sunny day that’s in it, this amazing footage of the beauty of the Ballybunion coastline was uploaded to Youtube a couple of weeks ago.
The guys at Tralee-based Eagle Sky Media did a stunning job capturing the amazing cliffs, beach and Castle Green. Have a look below…
PHOTOS of last night’s sunset have mesmerised the county, but this video captured in Ballybunion might be the finest way to witness the spectacular natural event in all its glory.
The footage (below) was shot overlooking ladies beach in Ballybunion. A beauty spot on the Wild Atlantic Way already famed for its gorgeous sunsets.
Watch as a kaleidoscope of red, purple, orange and yellow fill the sky to create an unforgettable scene.
SINCE the summer holidays are still here and people like to get out on day trips, I thought I’d take the food review on tour this week.
First off, I have to confess more than a grá for Ballybunion.
My better half hails from the beautiful seaside town and I’ve been spending many weekends there, from April to September, for the best part of 20 years.
Continued below…
There are incredible sunsets (especially if you’re sitting outside McMunn’s with a pint watching the sun descend on the Castle Green), the beaches are incredible and the cliff walk is – even though well-known in north Kerry – the underrated gem of Kerry.
Then there’s the food.
The town boasts some really good places to eat and so far this summer I’ve sampled the fare in the following…
Daroka is the pick of the bunch for foodies. Just a couple of years on the go, it was included in the McKenna’s Guide Top 100 Restaurants in Ireland for 2016, which is no mean feat.
The food is simple but with incredible ingredients. I had an amazing pork belly starter, followed by Dover Sole mains and a caramel mousse a few weeks ago and it was the best meal I’ve had this year.
We also got a table upstairs overlooking the ocean which was a bonus.
Continued below…
Just up the road from Daroka is the Cliff House Hotel. Again, it’s blessed by its location overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, but the menu is also eye-catching. I’ve had steak there twice this summer and it’s been cooked to perfection.
They also serve food in Bernie’s Bar adjacent to the restaurant which is particularly popular with families as children are very welcome.
On Sandhill Road, both McMunn’s and The Marine Hotel command beautiful views of the ocean and are the perfect locations to eat and drink while watching the sun go down.
The Marine has a more modern feel, with tasteful decor and even tastier food, while McMunn’s is a more traditional Irish-style bar/restaurant with an extensive menu. Look out for their great specials.
Kilcoolys is doing a roaring trade at the top of the Main Street (where the salmon comes recommended) and fans of trad music will enjoy the entertainment.
Also worthy of mention is Teach de Broc, a large luxury guesthouse, located near the Golf Club, with a superb restaurant and great service. While I haven’t been there (yet) this year, I’ve heard only good things.
It’s well worth a visit out to Ballyb for any of the restaurants above, but don’t miss the cliff walk if you’re there.
THE public toilets at Ladies’ Beach in Ballybunion have undergone an upgrade worth €60,000 following an investment by Kerry County Council.
Ahead of the traditionally busy tourist season, the toilets have had a significant facelift. There are also plans in train to upgrade the main public toilets on the main road to the Mens’ Beach.
The upgrading of the public conveniences in Ballybunion coincides with the announcement last week that both of the local beaches – Ballybunion North and Ballybunion South – have retained their Blue Flags for 2016. The Blue Flags are an internationally recognised statement of the quality of bathing water and a clean beach environment.
“Beachside facilities like the public toilets in Ballybunion are absolutely integral to enhancing the comfort and enjoyment of what Ballybunion has to offer to visitors and locals alike,” said Joan McCarthy, Listowel Municipal District Manager and Head of Kerry County Council’s Tourism Unit.
‘Kerry County Council has now invested €60,000 in the toilets on Ladies’ Beach and we are planning to invest also in the main public toilets nearby. This is part of the council’s commitment to enhancing the amenities in our coastal areas. Local councillors and community groups have been hugely supportive of the works and have lobbied for the renovations.
“The retention of two Blue Flags for Ballybunion for 2016 is a wonderful vindication of the efforts of local groups and individuals who work in conjunction with Kerry County Council to maintain and enhance these beautiful beaches,” she said.
West and south Kerry, quite rightly, are deified by national and international media for their stunning coastlines and breathtaking beaches. But the attractions of Ballybunion in the north of the county are sometimes overlooked.
This aerial footage (below) from ‘The Irish Drone’ on YouTube shows exactly why it is one of Kerry’s most beautiful places.
They caught it on a glorious spring day and it shows the Castle Green, the cliffs, the Nine Daughter’s Hole, the Virgin Rock and the bright blue ocean in all its splendour. We really are spoilt here in Kerry!
AFTER a fantastic event last year, a north Kerry nightclub is again to welcome a very different clientele than usual for the ‘FrozenFest’ party next month.
Around 500 people from north Kerry, many from Tralee, went to JD’s Nightclub in Ballybunion last March, where the venue was transformed into Arendelle for the event. Children enjoyed numerous activites and met the characters from the popular animated movie phenomenon.
This year the fun will take place on Sunday, March 13, from 2pm to 5pm with nail and face painting stands, a disco, a screening of the movie, bouncy castle, food stands and much, much more which will keep the little ones happy for hours.
Continued below…
The event is being run by the Ballybunion Events committee with all monies raised going towards funding further events in the year.
Tickets are €10 for children while adults go free and there are family discounts available.
Tickets go on sale in Supervalu Ballybunion and Mike Joyce Post Office in Ballybunion on Monday, February 15 or can be pre-ordered and collected from Sundaes Ice-Cream Parlour (call Joanna on 086-0523089) on the day of the event. Check out the event’s Facebook page here
BALLYBUNION has been named amongst the best of the best in terms of summer getaway destinations for surfing.
The area has been ranked fifth best in the country as a surfing spot by leading surf travel provider ‘surfholidays.com’ who ranked what they considered to be the best places to surf along our coasts.
In what will surely be another big boost for tourism in the area, the list was compiled over a fortnight and took into account factors such as surf breaks, cafés and amenities, nightlife, family friendly options, surf schools in the area and the general ‘vibe’ of the surf community.
The report on the website states that “when travelling the Wild Atlantic Way, Ballybunion in Co.Kerry is simply not to be missed.”
Check out the full blog report on why it was chosen here.
WHILE ladies from all over the world are vying for a place in the Rose of Tralee at the Regional Finals in Portlaoise this weekend, Ballybunion is picking its own Rose on Sunday.
If you’re around the north of the county this Sunday, then a visit to the event in Ballybunion could prove a lot of fun.
The ‘Ballybunion Rose 2015 Selection’ – which is not affiliated with the Rose of Tralee Festival – takes place in the Cliff House Hotel at 8.30pm and sees nine beautiful local ladies vying for the the crown.
The ladies will be interviewed on stage by compere, Radio Kerry Broadcaster and Journalist Deirdre Walsh with a panel of independent judges choosing their ‘Ballybunion Rose 2015’.
Each girl will have an escort who are being provided by the Beale GAA Senior Players, while proceeds from the event go towards the Ballybunion Wildcats Basketball Club & Beale GAA Players Fund.
Tickets are on sale locally at a cost of €10 each and there is a fantastic door prize up for grabs on the night of two nights B&B with one dinner and two and half hour beauty treatments in The Glenroyal Hotel, Maynooth, Co. Kildare.
The are also some fantastic spot prizes on the night including golf on Ballybunion’s Cashen course, dinner for two, a year’s membership in Atlantic Triathlon Club (newly formed in Ballybunion) to mention but a few.
The Rose hopefuls are: Aoife Murphy 23, radiographer; Katy Purtill 24, Physiotherapist; Kerrie Ryan 26, Architectural Technologist; Ayla Farrell 27, Social Worker; Coleen Kennelly 19, Sales Assistant; Triona Moore 28, Pharmacy Technician; Jacqueline O’Connor 22, Skin Care Consultant & Beauty Therapist; Michelle Egan 20, Trainee Teacher and Mollie Buckley 18, Student in NUI Galway.
SEAFOOD lovers in Tralee may be interested in a new mini-festival over the road in Ballybunion in June with an appearance by celebrity chef Clodagh McKenna.
The Ballybunion Community Forum-Tourism and Marketing Team is planning the Wild Atlantic Seaweed Weekend June 5-7.
The weekend will celebrate everything good about seaweed…from seaweed in cookery, in healthy living, in beauty products to soaking in the age-old tradition of their famous seaweed baths.
The weekend will also celebrate other bounty from the sea like local periwinkles, mussels, oyster, fish and sea salt.
The weekend will open Friday, June 5 with an evening wine reception hosted by celebrity chef, Clodagh McKenna.
Following that, tickets will be available for a cookery demonstration with Clodagh. Here she will demonstrate three recipes highlighting seaweed and seafood combinations to delights the palate.
Several lucky attendees will be selected to share in the tastings which will be perfectly paired with complimentary wines.
Then, for the next two days, a fantastic selection of seaweed enhanced tasting menus will be available in the many Ballybunion restaurants and a wide program of activities featuring seaweed and the sea will keep patrons entertained from morning ‘til night.
Participants, young and old, will be able to choose from events like bathing in traditional salt water/seaweed baths, foraging for seaweed from the famous Black Rocks, watching seaweed and seafood cookery demonstrations, attending discussion groups about seaweed health and beauty products, joining seminars about other healthy gifts from the sea, investigating tide pools on guided tours, taking boat trips along our shores and learning about the unique Shannon Dolphin that live off the shores.
Also, featured is a jazz brunch and cooking demonstration/lunches highlighting seaweed as an ingredient.
MANY Tralee people who enjoy golfing in Ballybunion will see some big changes to the greens by this time next year.
Almost 300 members attending a Special General Meeting at Ballybunion Golf Club on Thursday night voted on a proposal by the club’s Management Committee to strip all eighteen greens on the famous old course of their Poa weed grass and re-sod them with Fescue turf.
The work will be carried out between October of this year and January of 2016 and the greens would then re-open for play in the Spring with true links green surfaces.
The council also approved a complete re-design of the seventh green on the old course (by designer Graeme Webster) and the total combined cost of both jobs is estimated to be in the region of €1.5m.
A FANTASTIC day was had in Ballybunion on Sunday where around 500 people from north Kerry (many from Tralee) enjoyed a ‘Frozen’ Party.
JD’s Nightclub was transformed for the event where children enjoyed numerous activites and got to meet the characters from the popular animated movie phenomenon. The cost was €10 per child but adults went free.
There was nail and face painting stands, a disco, a screening of the movie, bouncy castle, food stands and much, much more which kept the little ones happy for hours.
It was all down to the efforts of the Ballybunion Events committee who said the event was a huge success and all monies raised will go towards funding further events and the Christmas festivities.
“We cannot even begin to thank everyone as so many people helped to take a part in this community event,” said a statement on their Facebook page. “The tenacity and determination of our face painters, nail varnishers and hair braiders was a credit to every little Elsa or Anna that left the party. However, the stars of the show had to be the characters, who brought so many smiles to so many faces.”
THE annual celebration of the most influential women working in the public eye is set to take place at the third Women in Media event at Kilcooly’s Country House Hotel, Ballybunion, on Saturday/Sunday April 18-19.
The only event of its kind in Ireland, Women in Media aims to provide a forum for women to come together to discuss the achievements and challenges of women working in the media, political and related industries.
The event, which will be opened by former Tánaiste Mary Harney, will feature a weekend of talks and debates with some of today’s top female figures in the Irish media including: former editor of the Irish Times Geraldine Kennedy; broadcaster and publisher Norah Casey; journalist and broadcaster Olivia O’Leary; West Limerick presenter Sheila O’Regan; RTE’s Miriam O’Callaghan; and Irish Times columnist Roisin Ingle.
Joan O’Connor, event organiser of Women in Media said: “I am delighted that we are back with another really inspiring line-up of speakers for the third Women in Media event in Kilcooly’s Country House in Ballybunion this April. Women in Media is the only event of its type in Ireland and we aim to get both women and men alike discussing the issues of working in male-dominated industries as well as celebrating those that are an inspiration to us all.
“Each year we have seen it grow from strength to strength which highlights to me just how many people are interested in all issues equality related. So if you are interested in hearing some of today’s top female figures in the public eye share their stories, listen to their struggles, celebrate their achievements and above all, be inspired, log onto the websitewww.womeninmedia.ie or call us on (068) 27112 to register for the events.”
The Women in Media event specifically acknowledges the lifetime achievements of two ladies with strong links to Ballybunion; the late Mary Cummins, Irish Times journalist and Seanad Eireann reporter and the late Maeve Binchy, international successful novelist, who spent most of her teenage summers in Ballybunion.
For more information about the 2015 Women in Media programme and to register for the events go towww.womeninmedia.ie or call (068) 27112.
Here is the full 2015 Women in Media Ballybunion Programme of events at Kilcooly’s Country House Hotel, Ballybunion
Saturday 18th April 2015
10:00am: Opening Speech with Mary Harney, former Tánaiste and Leader of the Progressive Democrats
10:15am: Broadcasting Symposium – The Most Influential Women in Broadcasting Today
Dee Forbes, President & Managing Director, Discovery Networks Western Europe
12:00pm: The Daughterhood
Introduction by Billy Keane, publican and author
Natasha Fennell, author
Roisin Ingle, Irish Times Journalist
2:00pm Political Panel – Working in the Media and Politics – are women treated differently?
Chaired by Mary Dundon, Head of Journalism, University of Limerick
Panel includes: Mary Harney, former Tánaiste & Leader of the Progressive Democrats
Olivia O’Leary, Journalist and Broadcaster
Dick Spring, Businessman, former Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs
Dr. Tom Clonan, academic and journalist
3:30pm: The Power of You
Norah Casey, broadcaster and publisher
7:30pm: Gala Dinner
Followed by presentation of the Mary Cummins Award for Women of Outstanding Achievement in the Media
MC – Sheila O’ Regan, Presenter at West Limerick Radio
Keynote Speakers: Geraldine Kennedy, former editor of the Irish Times
Olivia O’ Leary, broadcaster & journalist
Sunday 19th April
11:00am: Online Media Symposium
Chaired by David Labanyi, breaking news editor Irish Times
A CONTROVERSIAL site in Ballybunion, where there were plans in the past to build a €25m hotel development, fetched €200,000 at an auction today in the RDS Dublin.
The 2.45 acre site opposite Ozone Terrace, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, was once the location of The Castle Hotel and is situated in the town centre about one kilometre from the famous golf course. It went under the hammer at the Allsop Auction today.
The property had a reserve of between €125,000-€175,000. It is not known who has bought the site.
The site was earmarked for a major €25m hotel development by San Jose businessman, Tom McEnery, in the mid-2000s. A group calling itself the Castlegreen Conservation Group lodged their objection to the planning application back in 2005.
Many locals were outraged at the objections and staged a protest in support of Mr McEnery’s project. The project was granted planning permission with revised conditions in November of 2005 by An Bord Pleanala, but Mr McEnery subsequently sold on the property and it has lain idle over the years.
The description on the Allsop website states “the property still has planning to construct a 71 no. suite hotel with eight number aparthotel units in a two-storey building with additional dormer accommodation to main street, three-storey with additional accommodation overlooking car park and three-storey over basement with additional dormer accommodation to beach front. Development contains bar, restaurant, one retail space, meeting room, leisure facility, temporary seasonal tea rooms structure, steps to beach and associated hotel infrastructure, 75 car parking spaces and associated landscaping at site of former Castle Hotel.
The expiry date on the planning permission is October 21, 2015.
YOU can expect a small exodus from Tralee this March 8 as a Ballybunion venue is set to be transformed into Arendelle for a ‘Frozen Fest’.
JD’s Nightclub in the town will host the event, where up to 500 young people will have the chance to meet the characters as well as enjoy other Frozen-themed attractions for the afternoon.
Continued below…
“The Frozen Fest is to be held in our own snowy Arendelle where everyone will be welcome to join in with the fun,” said Mary O’Grady, one of the Special Events organising committee.
The afternoon (2pm-5pm) will celebrate all things ‘Frozen’ with a sing-a long movie, face painting, bouncy castle, frozen hair and nails, snowball football, Icicle archery and a children’s disco to name but a few things that will be available.
The day will be made even more spectacular with the opportunity to meet and greet the four main characters – Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf – from the movie. Although there is an initial charge of €10 per child to enter (accompanying adults go free), all the activities are then complementary.
“Any monies raised will go towards future events we hope to hold during the forthcoming year,” said Mary of the Ballybunion Events Committee. “We are delighted in the level of interest already generated and it promises to be a very exciting family fun afternoon.”
Due to the unprecedented demand there will also be tickets available in advance from Ballybunion Supervalu, Post Office and Sundae’s Ice Cream parlour in the town.