.Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council Jim Finucane presented a gift to Governor of New York, Ms. Kathy Hochul, during a Kerry County Council Civic Reception in Spillane’s Restaurant, Fahamore, The Maharees, on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography
KERRY County Council hosted a Civic Reception for the Governor of New York, Ms. Kathy Hochul, on Sunday at Spillane’s Restaurant, The Maharees.
Ms Hochul is visiting Kerry for a number of days including attending the Global Economic Summit in Killarney.
Ms Hochul, whose ancestors came from the Fahamore area, was honoured by the Cathaoirleach and Elected Members of Kerry County Council at the reception and was presented with a number of gifts which marks the close connections between New York and County Kerry. Scroll down for photos…
Danny Hennessy pictured with his Nana Marian Browne and his mom Kerry Hewson when they met their relative, Governor of New York, Ms. Kathy Hochul, at the Kerry County Council Civic Reception in Spillane’s Restaurant, Fahamore, The Maharees, on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography.Mary Ellen Maunsell and Trish Browne pose for a photo with the Governor of New York, Ms. Kathy Hochul, during a Kerry County Council Civic Reception in Spillane’s Restaurant, Fahamore, The Maharees, on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean PhotographyThomas Finn, Evelyn Courtney Finn and Martha Farrell pictured meeting Governor of New York, Ms. Kathy Hochul at the Kerry County Council Civic Reception in Spillane’s Restaurant, Fahamore, The Maharees, on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography.Sandra Finn and Martin Finn pictured meeting Governor of New York, Ms. Kathy Hochul at the Kerry County Council Civic Reception in Spillane’s Restaurant, Fahamore, The Maharees, on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean PhotographyCllr Seamus ‘Cosai’ Fitzgerald (left) with Christy O’Connor (Kerry County Council) and guests pictured with Governor of New York, Ms. Kathy Hochul, at the Kerry County Council Civic Reception in Spillane’s Restaurant, Fahamore, The Maharees, on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography.Kerry County Council Chief Executive, Moira Murrell, First Gentleman of New York Bill Hochul, Minister for Education Norma Foley and Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council Jim Finucane pictured the Kerry County Council Civic Reception in Spillane’s Restaurant, Fahamore, The Maharees, on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean PhotographyLocals prepare to meet Governor of New York, Ms. Kathy Hochul, at Spillane’s Restaurant, Fahamore, The Maharees, on Sunday afternoon. Pictured were: Mary Ellen Maunsell, Maura Lynam, Mary Harrington, Martin Finn, Dora Moynihan and Pat Finn. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography.Maura Lynam has a quiet word with Governor of New York, Ms. Kathy Hochul, during a Kerry County Council Civic Reception in Spillane’s Restaurant, Fahamore, The Maharees, on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean PhotographyCarmel Courtney meets her second cousin, Governor of New York, Ms. Kathy Hochul, at the Kerry County Council Civic Reception in Spillane’s Restaurant, Fahamore, The Maharees, on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography.Evelyn Courtney Finn welcomes Governor of New York, Ms. Kathy Hochul, to Spillane’s Restaurant, Fahamore, The Maharees, on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography.
.Members of the Maharees Conservation Association with Vinny Hyland (creator of the guided tour) and Cllrs Mike O’Shea and Breandán Fitzgerald of the Castleisland Corca Dhuibhne MD – Mike O’Shea is the cathaoirleach of Castleisland Corca Dhuibhne MD at the launch on Monday.
MAHEREES Conservation Association members have just launched a free mobile accessible self-guided tour of the Maharees Heritage Trail.
Funded through a Heritage Council community grant and developed over the last year by members of Maharees Conservation Association, historian and author Martin Lynch and multimedia artist Vincent Hyland of Wild Derrynane, the tour has audio and visual elements and helps the user to get a sense of the rich heritage of Maharees whether they’re in Maharees or thousands of miles away.
The tour comprises twenty points of interest/ stops and interprets wildlife species, geological features, built heritage, traditional place names and depicts the way of life and the activities of the people of Maharees through the ages.
In support of this amenity, Maharees Conservation Association has also organised a series of events to celebrate the heritage of Maharees this summer.
From free wildlife talks and Maharees heritage events to beach cleans, marram planting and fun quiz events, there is something for everyone to get involved in.
The biodiversity events have been kindly supported by the Kerry County Council Community Support Fund 2022.
The summer events will culminate with a National Heritage Week event on Saturday 20th August at 11am – a guided tour of the Maharees Heritage Trail which will be led by historian and author Martin Lynch and by wildlife biologist Ciara Dolan.
As the number of participants will be limited for some events, those interested are advised to book in advance by emailing mahareesconservation@gmail.com.
Martha Farrell, Chair of registered charity Maharees Conservation Association CLG said: “We are delighted with the support of The Heritage Council in making possible the addition of this fantastic self-guided tour of Maharees. It is difficult to portray just how special this area is. We have signs, we have web content but this audio and visual guide, which was so excellently produced by Vincent Hyland, really brings the story together and it helps us to share our heritage with all who visit Maharees more easily.”
We are also really grateful to Kerry County Council for the Community Support Funding provided to support our schedule of biodiversity events. Without the Community Support Fund, groups like ours would struggle to deliver visitor and community events like this.”
THREE community groups working to protect dune systems in Maharees, Fenit and Banna have come together with the support of Clean Coasts to create an awareness-raising film on sand dunes in time for World Sand Dune Day which takes place on June 25.
The film, which features members of the Maharees, Fenit and Banna communities, highlights the importance of sand dunes as a coastal defense and as a wildlife habitat.
It also showcases work being done to protect the sand dunes and lists ways that the public can help in the effort.
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The simplest piece of advice is to walk on the beach and main dune pathways and keep off the sand dunes – this action protects the dune vegetation which keeps the dunes strong and healthy.
“We are very grateful to Clean Coasts for the grant which allowed us to make this short shareable film,” said Huw Roberts, Maharees Conservation Association.
“We hope that everyone who loves these beautiful coastal areas can share this film to get the message out there because we find that once people realise that their actions can hinder or help communities in dune protection work, they are happy to cooperate. Most people just don’t realise how fragile Marram grass and other dune plants actually are and how important they are for dune stability.”
“Fenit Coast Conservation (FCC) notes that World Sand Dune Day is an opportunity to highlight the value, vulnerability and key pressures that threaten critical coastal barriers such as the Fenit Island Tombolo and the dunes of Banna and the Maharees,” said Patricia O’Halloran of Fenit Coast Conservation.
“Banna Coastcare is delighted to be part of this production in helping to raise awareness about the importance of our sand dune systems and habitats,” said Rachel Geary of Banna Coastcare.
Each of the communities involved in the film are also hosting events to mark World Sand Dune Day – all happening on Saturday 25th June.
Maharees Conservation Association CLG is organising Marram grass planting (meeting 10am on Saturday 25th June at Béal Geal (Blue Flag beach) car park, Maharees).
Banna Coastcare are organising a beach clean and a sand dune awareness talk (meeting 10am on Saturday 25th June at the main car park, Banna).
Fenit Coast Conservation are organizing a beach clean and sand dune protection project (meeting 10am on Saturday 25th June at Fenit Island Tombolo Strand).
MAHAREES Conservation Association will host a one-hour webinar to celebrate the wild birds that depend on the coast of Maharees and Castlegregory, on Sunday August 22 at 7pm.
The webinar which is funded by the Community Water Development Fund and the Kerry County Council Community Support Fund, will take place to coincide with National Heritage Week and Water Heritage Day.
The event is free and those interested are invited to send an email to mahareesconservation@gmail.com to register for the event and to receive the webinar link.
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Tralee native and wildlife enthusiast, Ed Carty will deliver the webinar which aims to raise awareness of and appreciation for the diverse set of bird species to be found along the North side of the Dingle Peninsula.
Maharees Conservation Association Chair, Martha Farrell said: “We got a sense that during lock down, people were appreciating the coast and its wildlife to a greater extent. While we have been very successful in sharing information about wildflower species and the Natterjack toad, we wanted to raise awareness of the bird species also – especially as the Maharees and Castlegregory area is part of the Tralee Bay Complex Special Protection Area, the Dingle Peninsula Special Protection Area and the Magharee Islands Special Protection Area and is an important area for many year-round and visiting bird species.”
Community Water Officer for Kerry, Breda Moriarty said: “It is great that on Water Heritage Day we are celebrating the amazing wader birds that we find on our shores. The Local Authority Waters Programme is delighted to be supporting this fantastic webinar on the importance of the Maharees and Castlegregory area and its wild birds species.”
Tralee Bay Wetlands will run a free event on Tuesday, August 24 at 11am to support the webinar.
Join Ed Carty and Alan Balfe, the Ecologist at Tralee Bay Wetlands Eco and Activity Park, where they will lead a walk around the Tralee Bay Wetlands Eco Park and introduce you to the Bird Life and the Wetlands Habitat. You can book online at www.traleebaywetlands.org/book-now
.Martha Farrell accepting the Group Of The Year Award on behalf of The Maharees Conservation Association.
A MAHAREES group has won a national Clean Coasts Ocean Hero Award.
The Maharees Conservation Association won the Group Of The Year category at the awards yesterday attended by Damien English, TD Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, at the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin.
The association was established in February 2016 as the community at Maharees were faced with serious coastal erosion issues impacting one of the most important dune habitat SAC’s in the country.
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According to the awards citation; “The group are doing some of the best work that we have seen in raising awareness of coastal erosion, and in coming together as a community to undertake measures to protect their dune systems. They also are extremely active in raising awareness of marine litter and have completed many beach cleans and marine litter surveys.”
The Clean Coasts’ Ocean Hero Awards are about honouring the invaluable contribution Ireland’s coastal communities have made towards conserving our spectacular coastline.
The awards, originally called the ‘Clean Coasts’ Merit Awards’, were conceived in 2006, consisting then of only one category, ‘The Clean Coasts’ Group of the Year’.
Since then the Clean Coasts’ programme has grown to engage over 550 Clean Coasts groups, becoming embedded in many coastal communities nationwide. In an effort to recognise this growth the number of Ocean Hero categories have expanded to include six categories.
MAHAREES Conservation Association will host a one-hour webinar to celebrate the wild birds that depend on the coast of Maharees and Castlegregory, on Sunday August 22 at 7pm.
