ANOTHER Republic of Ireland and Liverpool football legend is coming to Tralee next month.
Following on from the success of the evening with Ronnie Whelan back in April, Ray Houghton will come to The Huddle Bar on Sunday, October 9.
The man who put the ball in the English net back in 1988 will be interviewed on stage and pose for photos with fans on the night.
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While Ray enjoyed League titles and FA Cup success with Liverpool, he also won a League Cup with Oxford United in 1986 and played with West Ham, Fulham, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Reading and Stevenage Borough during a storied club career.
He’ll forever be remembered though for the winning goals against England at Euro 88 and against the Italians at Giants Stadium during the 1994 World Cup.
Tickets for the evening, which begins after the Arsenal v Liverpool Premiership clash (kick-off 4.30pm) are priced at €20 and more details are available by calling into The Huddle Bar on Strand Street.
IF you’re a Liverpool fan, you’ve been here before…many times. More recently, last year when the town was absolutely jammers for the game against Real Madrid.
It all ended very badly for Reds fans that night and while many of them went straight home after the game, others packed the bars until the wee hours leaving publicans wondering what might have been had Liverpool actually won the Champions League!
Of course, while we can’t forget that there’s actually a decent amount of Spurs fans about Tralee, I’m at a loss to know if they’re all getting together to watch the game somewhere (although I hear Colin Boyle of The Ashe Hotel is a Spurs fan so Alfie’s Bar might be a good spot).
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It’s worth remembering every football fan — bar Arsenal supporters — who isn’t a Kopite will be praying the cup goes to Tottenham and they’ll be out in force to taunt Liverpool fans, so that will swell the numbers in pubs. Speaking of which, here’s where to watch the game…
The Liverpool haunts…
1. The Huddle Bar
Last year, on Champions League final night, I have it on good authority that the six bar staff lost about three stone between them such was the amount of running around trying to satisfy the demands of beer-loving Liverpool fans.
It’s been a go-to place for Reds fans all during the season, with an especially raucous vibe for the big games.
Such is the crowd they’re expecting tonight, there’s a DJ —no doubt blasting out Liverpool songs — starting from as early as 3pm. Get there early, wear the colours and prepare for a fantastic night.
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2. O’Donnell’s Mounthawk…
The Liverpool Supporters Club are gathering once again to watch the game here so it’s a good place to go if you have younger members of the family out.
Famed local Red, Leo Byrne, has organised the event in the function room (to the left as you come in the main door). They are asking for a €5 donation for the Irish Kidney Foundation with finger food at half-time.
It’s obviously free in the rest of the bar, where there’s three TVs as well as a massive screen where, last year, 200 — predominantly Liverpool fans — watched the game. A solid option for Reds with a great atmosphere.
3. Paddy Macs…
Johnny McCarthy of Paddy Macs is a Red through and through, as are most of the lads behind the bar.
In fact, Johnny was one of 10 publicans nationwide chosen by Diageo for a VIP weekend to see Liverpool play Wolves on the last day of the season, where he met Pool legends and got to play on the hallowed turf in Anfield.
Because of the compact nature of the pub, if you want a good view get there very, very early to get a seat to see the action.
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4. The Abbey Inn
Danny Leane Jnr is a big fan who’s been over to Liverpool a number of times this season.
He’s got a special line-up of entertainment for the evening, starting with a DJ from 6pm, free half time finger food and a free Desperados beer for all when Liverpool score a goal!
Liverpool fans can’t ask for more than that!
The rest…
5. Kirbys Brogue Inn
You’ll be made feel welcome in a place where you can have a bite to eat (if your stomach settles with the nerves) before watching the match.
There’s music later on too, if Liverpool or Spurs fans want to carry on the celebrations.
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6. Hennessy’s
Huge numbers of Liverpool fans used to congregate here in the 80s/90s, for the big games and it’s still a place where football fans of all clubs gather.
No matter who wins, it’s sure to be buzzing late into the night.
7. Bailys Corner
Although, traditionally a rugby haunt, this Castle Street bar will be packed to the rafters with fans of all teams looking forward to the game on Garry’s big HD TV screens.
8. The Castle Bar
Despite being more known as a Chelsea/Man Utd/Leeds pub, the slagging should be good in this famous Rock Street institution. They were asking anyone with Liverpool or Spurs flags, scarfs etc to call in and decorate the pub during the week, so it should be some night there.
9. The Blasket
With plenty screens to choose from, this should be a really popular spot to watch the game.
The late bar will be heaving later on in the night, but it remains to be seen who’ll be celebrating.
10. Benners Hotel
Last but not least, Benners have the big screen in their Courtyard so it’s probably the coolest place in town to watch the game while having a bite to eat.
Also, the nightclub is open later so it’s going to be packed with a great atmosphere whatever the result.
.Tralee Dynamos U12B team players, parents and coaches before heading to Dublin on Friday afternoon..
ALL the fund-raising efforts by a group of Tralee youngsters paid off on Friday, as they headed off to see Liverpool and Irish soccer legends play in Dublin.
Nineteen kids from Tralee Dynamos U12B side, along with 10 adults boarded a Power’s Travel bus early on Friday afternoon to journey to the Sean Cox Charity Football Match at the Aviva Stadium where such legends as Robbie Fowler, John Aldridge, Ian Rush and Ronnie Whelan took to the field.
“We did all the fundraising ourselves,” said Helen Kerins of Tralee Dynamos. “We did bag-packing in Tescos on two days to fund both the tickets and the travel. Tesco have provided us with drinks and taytos for the journey.”
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“We’ve a mix of Liverpool and Ireland supporters and a few Man United as well! We’re looking forward to a fun day out and it’s great as the funds go to charity. A lot of the kids have never been to the Aviva,” she said.
Over 26,000 people attended the event last night where the Liverpool side won 2-1 on an emotional night for the Cox family and Liverpool FC.
Kissing the crest…Liverpool fans Mollie Duggan, Saoirse Kerins, Jesse Duggan and Jamie Lee Duggan before heading to Dublin on Friday afternoon. Photo by Dermot Crean
“Six times! We’ve won it six tiiimes/In Kiev, we won it six times!”
How that chant sounds depends on where your loyalties lie. For Liverpool supporters it would be as mellifluous and soothing as a babbling brook on a sunny day.
For most other soccer fans it would sound like a cat and a crow, both armed with a knife and a vial of acid, locked in a death grip with their claws scraping down a blackboard.
It’s this fascinating dichotomy between the fans that is going to make Saturday such a manic, magnificent night out in town for the Champions League Final (kick-off 7.45pm).
Funnily enough, Liverpool fans could be in the minority in most pubs as many United/Chelsea/Arsenal/Chesterfield/Nameanyclubyoulike supporters will be expecting hot favourites Real Madrid to get the better of Liverpool so they can enjoy an apoplectic gloating frenzy come the final whistle.
So where’s a good place to watch it?
1. The Huddle Bar
The Huddle are catering for both sides of the upcoming clash. Photo by Fergus Dennehy.
While ostensibly a place for all sports fans, the bar has a shrine inside the front door to Liverpool and it’s been the scene of some wild celebrations for Kopites of late.
The scenes at the end of the Roma game were something to behold. Don’t expect to get a good view of the multiple screens unless you’re in before 6.30pm. One of the few places where Liverpool fans will virtually take over.
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2. O’Donnell’s Mounthawk…
Apparently, this is the ‘official’ place that Liverpool supporters are gathering to watch the game in Tralee. Famed local Red, Leo Byrne, has organised a special night with a signed Jurgen Klopp shirt to be raffled for €5 a ticket (funds going to the Irish Kidney Foundation) and food at half-time.
The word is there’s a huge crowd of Reds heading there.
3. Paddy Macs…
With the bar staff mostly made up of Pool fans, Reds will feel at home here and the atmosphere is sure to be amazing in the compact and friendly pub.
4. Kirbys Brogue Inn
Chances are that Liverpool fan Brian Morgan (who was in Istanbul back in 2005) won’t be behind the bar tonight, but you’ll be made welcome in a place where you can have a bite to eat (if your stomach settles with the nerves) before watching the match.
There’s music later on too, if Liverpool fans want to carry on celebrations….that’s a big if!
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5. Hennessy’s
Back when I were a lad, many moons ago, huge numbers of Liverpool fans used to congregate here in the 80s/90s, for the big games.
You can expect the big bar to be buzzing from early on in the night.
6. Bailys Corner
Although, traditionally a rugby haunt, this Castle Street bar will be packed to the rafters with fans of all teams looking forward to the game on Garry’s big HD TV screens.
7. The Castle Bar
Despite being more known as a Chelsea/Man Utd/Leeds pub, the slagging should be good in this famous Rock Street institution. They were asking anyone with Liverpool flags, scarfs etc to call in and decorate the pub during the week, so it should be some night there.
8. The Blasket
Apparently, the place was rocking all night after the semi-final win, so Liverpool supporters can expect a bit of craic at the Castle Street bar. If Liverpool win the late bar will be rocking.
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9. The Abbey Inn
Danny Leane Jnr is a big fan so Liverpool fans will be in good company for the game.
Like The Blasket, if the Reds win, this will be a great spot for the late drink and celebrations into the night.
10. The Greyhound
Always a great place for football games, there’s enough tellies around the place to make sure everyone has a good view. Again, fans with loyalties to all clubs will mingle here so the banter should be fun.
So then, you’re spoilt for choice with that array of great places to watch the match. Altogether now, “Allez allez allez! Allez allez allez!!!…”
IT’S an exciting time to be a Liverpool fan, especially with the European Champions League Cup Final coming up on May 26.
Now, following on from the appearance of Jamie Carragher last month in Killarney, 5Times Events are advertising that a fellow Kop legend Robbie Fowler is coming to the INEC Killarney on Friday, September 21, to share his views on the progress of the famous club.
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You’ll get the chance to meet him beforehand – shake his hand, get your photo with him, get him to sign something for you – and then you’ll be able to see him live on stage in his hilarious show as he talks about his time at the club and the goings on right now.
No doubt he’ll have his own take on what’s happening at the club on what should be an unmissable night for Liverpool fans. For more details on tickets for the event click here and here for their facebook page
.An amused Jamie Carragher with Frankie Murphy of Celsius Menswear in the video (watch it below).
YOU’VE got to hand it to him, he’s got star quality.
The ace marketing team at Celsius Menswear on Russell Street capitalised on the visit of Jamie Carragher to Killarney at the weekend when they got the Liverpool legend to make their weekly draw at a special meet and greet event.
Frankie Murphy has become widely known for his exuberant style of presenting the weekly videos where people have a chance to win Celsius vouchers.
He has had special guests like Michael Healy Rae, Kieran Donaghy and David Clifford pull the names out in the past, but this week he surpassed himself.
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Lifelong Liverpool fan Frankie explained how he got the star to oblige him.
“I had the bag of names with me and I told him that I do weekly prize draw videos and asked would he do it. He just looked at me and said, ‘yeah, go for it lad’. It was really sound of him,” said a delighted Frankie. Watch the video below…
.Zach Garvey from Tralee interviews Liverpool legend Terry McDermott.
A YOUNG Tralee soccer fan will always remember his first trip to see his favourite team, after he interviewed a club legend for his video blog.
Zach Garvey is an 11 year old student in Scoil Eoin Ballooonagh who went to Anfield a couple of weeks ago with his dad Anthony to see his beloved Liverpool play.
Liverpool reversed a bad run of games to beat Tottenham 2-0 to make it a happy first visit for Zach.
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While on a tour of Anfield the following day, he bumped into three-time European Cup winner and six-time First Division title winner, Terry McDermott.
The star, who played his football with Liverpool from 1974 to 1982, agreed to answer some questions for an excited Zach.
Watch a ‘Vlog’ of his trip to Anfield below with the interview starting around the 1:58 mark where McDermott talks about his favourite goal and Liverpool’s chances of a top four finish…
Stephen Roche joined the Kerry Liverpool Supporters Club on a trip to Anfield last weekend. Despite the 0-1 defeat to Manchester United, he said the trip was worthwhile to see the Reds in action…
Kerry Liverpool supporter Robbie O’Sullivan with ex-Liverpool star John Arne Riise at Anfield last Sunday. Photo by Stephen Roche
THE Kerry Liverpool Supporters Club travelled over to Liverpool last weekend to watch them take on old rivals Manchester United in the Barclays Premier League match at Anfield.
The club, which has a strong membership, has two weekend trips a season— one in the first half and the other in the second half. Just over 30 of the members travelled.
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The group left Tralee early Saturday morning to reach the ferry and then drove down to Liverpool from Wales, where they stayed in St. Helens, a town just outside the city. The members spent Saturday exploring and shopping around the city and then went to the match on Sunday.
Leo Byrne, who organises the trips for the club, spoke about the weekend: “It’s good to go over to see the team. Being such a popular club, it’s hard to get tickets. We try to come over for two games a season, but it all depends on tickets. It’s good to see new faces and even though we didn’t get a result, it’s still good to see the stadium and the team.”
The general feeling among the supporters club on match day was that of excitement and nervousness. It’s always an occasion when Liverpool are playing a bitter rival and the game is one of biggest on the calendar for both teams.
There was a mix between those who have been to Anfield numerous times and those who were there for the first time. Robbie O’Sullivan, who was attending his first Liverpool game, sat in the prestigious Kop.
That wasn’t the only occasion that he’ll remember. Robbie, who was in the front row of the Kop, noticed Liverpool legend, John Arne Riise, doing media work on the pitch just a few metres away. He managed to get the attention of the former player and got his picture taken with him.
“This is my first game and I was just excited to see it,” said Robbie. “I was really close to the pitch, and I noticed that Ray Houghton and Riise were doing some media work. I knew it’d be a long shot, but I went and asked. It almost didn’t happen, as security was really strict in here, and they just about allowed the photo to be taken.”
Despite the result, it didn’t ruin the fun of a fantastic weekend. The group are optimistic that Liverpool can get a trophy this season and are also looking forward to planning another trip away.
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.Kerry Liverpool fans waiting for the team to arrive at Anfield last Sunday. Photo by Stephen RocheKerry Liverpool fans relaxing in their hotel in St Helen’s last weekend. Photo by Stephen RocheKerry Supporters Club members Phillip O’Shea, Helen Moriarty and Nathan Moriarty in Anfield for the game against Manchester United last weekend. Photo by Stephen Roche
LAST night’s Premier League match at Anfield was a great game with Liverpool and Arsenal playing out a 3-3 draw.
One Tralee family who won’t forget it in a hurry are the McCarthys from Cois Lí, Ballyvelly.
Dad Simon took his sons Sam and Jamie across the Irish Sea for the clash and Liverpool-mad Sam, a pupil in Holy Family School, captured the moment Roberto Firmino scored the opening goal.
Cue mayhem on the Anfield Road end where the lads were seated. Great timing to get dad’s phone out Sam! (see below)
IT was a great night for Liverpool fans in when Anfield icon John Barnes appeared in The Brandon Conference Centre on Friday.
The local Liverpool Supporters Club brought the former Kop legend over to meet local fans and to answer questions about his career.
Between 180 to 200 people came and paid the €20 entrance fee and, after costs, it is thought nearly €1,000 was raised for the Kerry Branch of the Irish Kidney Foundation.
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Barnes certainly was accommodating to the fans present, posing for photos and giving of his time.
“We had to stop it at midnight last night and he would have stayed on for another hour I’d say,” said Leo Byrne of the Liverpool Supporters Club. “He’s a really easy-going, very knowledgable guy and honest with his answers. Everyone there had a great time and there was some great raffle prizes won as well,” he said.
John was up early the next morning and off to Cork airport to catch the Liverpool game at Stoke today.
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Trvor Dalton at the Evening With John Barnes at the Brandon Conference Centre on Friday night. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
James Sugrue and Tommy Lyons at the Evening With John Barnes at the Brandon Conference Centre on Friday night. Photo by Gavin O’Connorat the Evening With John Barnes at the Brandon Conference Centre on Friday Patrick and Katie Dillon night. Photo by Gavin O’ConnorBrian Tess and John Quirke at the Evening With John Barnes at the Brandon Conference Centre on Friday night. Photo by Gavin O’ConnorMossy and Eoin Kelliher at the Evening With John Barnes at the Brandon Conference Centre on Friday night. Photo by Gavin O’ConnorBrendan and Sean Dillane at the Evening With John Barnes at the Brandon Conference Centre on Friday night. Photo by Gavin O’ConnorA fan has his shirt signed at the Evening With John Barnes at the Brandon Conference Centre on Friday night. Photo by Gavin O’ConnorJack and Fergal Moriarty at the Evening With John Barnes at the Brandon Conference Centre on Friday night. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
ONE of Anfield’s greatest heroes, John Barnes, will visit Tralee on Friday, November 28.
It’s all a part of charity night being held by the Kerry Liverpool Supporters Club, in the Brandon Hotel Conference Centre.
Tickets are €20 with all proceeds, after costs, going towards the Tralee branch of the Irish Kidney Association.
“John Aldridge came over in 2011, so it’s great to get our second big legend to come to the town,” said Leo Bryne of the Kerry Liverpool Supporters Club.
John Barnes, was at Liverpool for a decade. He most famously plied his trade down the left wing where he was one of the most exciting players to ever play in England.
On the night, Barnes, will do an interview which will last between 30 and 40 minutes, then there will be a break and a chance for Reds fans to get a photo with one of their idols. The second part of the show will be a Q&A with the audience.
In his time on Merseyside, Barnes, who wore the number 10 shirt, picked up two league titles, two FA Cups and one League Cup. He also won the 1988 PFA Player of The Year.
As of Thursday, before posters had even been put up, 80 tickets out of 300 have been sold, so they are going quickly. There will be a raffle and an auction also on the night.
Tickets available from, Leo Byrne, call 087-2374993.
Here is a video to rekindle your memory of one of the finest footballers to ever pull on a red shirt.
IF you’re a Liverpool fan, you’ve been here before…many times. More recently, last year when the town was absolutely jammers for the game against Real Madrid.
Johnny McCarthy of Paddy Macs is a Red through and through, as are most of the lads behind the bar.
Danny Leane Jnr is a big fan who’s been over to Liverpool a number of times this season.
You’ll be made feel welcome in a place where you can have a bite to eat (if your stomach settles with the nerves) before watching the match.
Huge numbers of Liverpool fans used to congregate here in the 80s/90s, for the big games and it’s still a place where football fans of all clubs gather.
Although, traditionally a rugby haunt, this Castle Street bar will be packed to the rafters with fans of all teams looking forward to the game on Garry’s big HD TV screens.
Last but not least, Benners have the big screen in their Courtyard so it’s probably the coolest place in town to watch the game while having a bite to eat.
