Tag Archives: Tralee Tourism

Tralee, Blennerville And Fenit To Feature On RTE’s ‘Ireland’s Tracks and Trails’ This Friday

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Ursula Jacob walks along the canal.

THIS week’s ‘Ireland’s Tracks and Trails’ programme on RTE will focus on Kerry with a former GAA star taking in the sights of Tralee bay.

The episode, on Friday at 7.30pm on RTE One, will be presented by former Wexford camogie player and RTE analyst Ursula Jacob.

Taking a break from her busy family and working life to discover two coastal trails, the episode starts in Tralee.

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With a bird’s eye view of the trail ahead, Ursula sets off along the old ship’s canal on a trail that is long but easy under foot and takes her along the coastline and greenway all the way to Fenit.

With a stop at Blennerville lighthouse to hear about its history and its connection to Tralee bay, Ursula then heads out towards Fenit in the shadow of the Slieve Mish mountains.

Joined on a section of the new Tralee – Fenit Greenway by Kerry footballing legend Kieran Donaghy, the pair discuss life after competitive sport and what is so special about this part of Kerry.

Once Ursula reaches the harbour at Fenit she joins John Edwards who runs a local sea adventure business for a boat trip out to Fenit Lighthouse accompanied by a very special group of local celebrities who swim along beside them.

Heading south towards Waterville for her next walk along the rolling Kerry coastline where land and sea collide, Ursula settles in for a hike.

Even though this hike is only 10km long, it takes in sections of three routes: an old Butter route, The Kerry Way and the Derrynane Mass Loop.

With the rugged Atlantic coastline spread out before her, Ursula walks a section of the trail in the company of Eileen Daly, a volunteer member of the Kerry Mountain Rescue and who also organises the famous Kerry Way Ultra Race.

After a walk together down the mountain in the typically changing Irish weather, Ursula then continues down on her own in the direction of Derrynane.

Here she stops off at the home of Daniel O’Connell for a tour around the gardens of his beloved home with foreman James O’Shea, before meeting local poet Dr Paddy Bushe to hear the story of a recently uncovered path which has lain hidden in the grounds of Derrynane and rediscovered through the words of a poem written in 1832 by Ellen, a daughter of O’Connell’s.

Ursula then heads towards a waterfall in the grounds of Derrynane which was another favourite place of O’Connell’s.

You can watch live on RTE One or the the RTE Player, or on YouTube, with further viewing details here: https://www.discoverkerry.com/blog/post/irelands-tracks-trails-kerry-ursula-jacob/

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Tralee Welcomes Delegates For International Wildland Fire Conference

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The 7th International Fuel and Fire Conference underway in Tralee Co Kerry this week. Pictured at the Wetlands on Monday evening were, Cllr Mikey Sheehy, Jim Finucane Mayor of Kerry, Colette O’Connor, CEO of Tralee Chamber, Ciarán Nugent, Board Member of the International Association of Wildland Fire and Chair of the Irish Organising, Niamh O’Sullivan Kerry County Council and Steven Stack President Tralee Chamber. Photo By : Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD

THERE were 135 delegates from around the world who were welcomed to Tralee last night as the town is the European base for the International Wildland Fire Conference running alongside Boise, Idaho and Canberra Australia

At a formal reception at the Tralee Bay Wetlands, Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr Jim Finucane, welcomed all of the delegates to Tralee and promised them that they would enjoy the hospitality for which the town was renowned.

“Tralee offers organisations the very best of conference facilities and I hope that all of the participants have a very engaging and informative few days,” he said.

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The local organising committee responsible for bringing the conference to Tralee was chaired by Ciarán Nugent a board member of the International Associate for Wildland Fires who works as a Regional Inspector for the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine.

The committee also had representation from the local business community through CEO of Tralee Chamber Alliance Colette O’Connor and Cllr Mikey Sheehy who sits on the Chamber Steering Committee.

Pictured at the Wetlands on Monday were : Lucie Kidláková and Maketa Podebradska, Kerry . Photo By : Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD

Colette O’Connor said; “This conference is very timely here in Kerry where in recent years we have become all too aware of the dangers of Wild Fire, its an area where the learning needs to be fast to become more prepared for the increase in challenges that are now facing our wildlands. Tralee as a conference location works incredibly well for an international conference such as this given its accessibility through public transport links, Kerry Airport and also access to resources at MTU with a collaborative approach between Tralee Chamber and Kerry County Council creating ease for organising committees looking to host events in Tralee.”

“Delegates have been encouraged to soak up as much of the North Kerry experience as they can during their down time whether it’s out socialising in the evenings or availing of the many natural amenities close by such as Banna Beach and the Greenway,” added Colette.

“This week we have 130 international delegates who are experiencing Tralee, west Kerry and Kerry as a whole unlocking that potential we have as a premier tourism destination,” said Cllr Mikey Sheehy.

“I’m very hopeful that those 130 delegates will be ambassadors for Kerry when they return to their home countries.”

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Removal Of Old Freight Wagons At Tralee Station Paves Way For Steam Train Tourism

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Irish Rail is to remove the old freight wagons (left of picture) from Casement Station. Photo: Fiachra Dunne Drone Services

LOCAL Green Party representative Anluan Dunne has welcomed Irish Rail’s confirmation that old steel freight wagons in Casement Station Tralee are due to be removed in the coming days.

This development means that the line connecting to the locomotive turntable will be cleared.

“This is great news for Tralee, Killarney and for Kerry as the availability of the locomotive turntable will make it easier for the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI) to run more heritage steam train services to Casement Station, Tralee.” said Mr Dunne.

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“Previously, the locomotive and tender would have to reverse all the way from Limerick Junction which was difficult for the train engineers to operate.”

Joe McKeown, Operations Manager for the RPSI in Dublin said: “The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland run many Steam and Diesel trains all over the Irish Rail network. We require a turntable to turn the steam locomotive when we arrive at our destinations. Presently, we run trains to Rosslare, Kilkenny, Limerick and the West of Ireland , where there are facilities for turning the locomotive.

“We have tried for many years to use Tralee turntable, but as there were wagons stabled on the table and Irish Rail were unable to remove them due to them being totally seized with rust etc. Because of this, the RPSI were unable to run steam trains into Tralee.”

The development is especially welcome with the opening of the Tralee to Fenit Greenway along the old line this simmer.

Mr Dunne believes this added attraction and focus on railway heritage will add another offering for the town.

Mr McKeown continued:  “We generally carry 300 to 400 passengers on all our trains. We also stay overnight in hotels in the town attached to the Station where we terminate. We have a meeting [in 2022] with an English railway touring company to discuss the running of steam tour of Ireland in 2023.  On average we carry over 13,000 per year on our steam and diesel tours. ”

Anluan Dunne concluded: “I understand that discussions to run a steam rail tour of Ireland are well progressed at this stage. If all goes to plan, perhaps by May of this year we can welcome these amazing trains back to our towns as part of the tour. A great development for Tralee, Killarney, the people of Kerry and the hotels and businesses along the line. My own family have a long heritage of working on the railways in Ireland so this is especially welcome for me personally.”

Tralee Represented At Major Holiday Exhibition

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Aisling Foley, The Rose Hotel and Claudia Kohler, Kerry County Museum at the exhibition in Stuttgart.

Tourism Ireland in Germany has kicked off its 2020 programme of promotions at CMT (holiday exhibition) in Stuttgart this week and Destination Kerry were delighted to at the show again this year.

Attending the show at the weekend on behalf of Destination Kerry was Aisling Foley of The Rose Hotel and Claudia Kohler, Kerry County Museum.

CMT Stuttgart provides an excellent platform to encourage German travellers to put Kerry on their holiday list for 2020 and remind them with the ease of access from Frankfurt or Berlin that Kerry has many wonderful attractions and things to see.

CMT is one of the biggest travel fairs in Germany, attracting more than 260,000 visitors – or potential holidaymakers for Ireland – looking for ideas and suggestions for their next holiday.

CMT also attracts leading tour operators and travel agents, as well as travel and lifestyle journalists, during the nine-day event.

Old Chimney At Island Of Geese Being Considered As Location For ‘Tralee’ Sign

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How it was envisaged the old chimney and public realm at the Island of Geese site would look like in the masterplan which was published in summer of 2018.

THE chimney at the old Denny site is being considered as a location for a sign spelling out Tralee in large letters.

At the Tralee Municipal District meeting on Monday, Cllr Norma Foley, asked that the Council erect a large sign depicting the name of the town in big bold letters at an appropriate location.

She said the sign could have potential to be a significant tourist attraction and encourage people to be photographed at the sign and post images on social media.

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Cllr Foley said she has seen people posing in front of the Kerry Group sign outside their headquarters and that such a sign would give a ‘destination Tralee’ aspect to the town.

In reply, Council management said options are being considered to depict the name on the old chimney at the Island of Geese/old Denny site. Details of this will be developed after the construction of the public realm later in 2020. Other locations in town will also be considered.

WATCH: ‘Tralee By The Sea’ Video Showcases Top Attractions In Local Area

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Mayor of Tralee Cllr Jim Finucane, Mags O’Sullivan, President of Tralee Chamber Alliance Kevin McCarthy, Shane Murphy of ONIT and Mary O’Connor of Tralee Bay Wetlands at the launch of the ‘Tralee By The Sea’ video at the Wetlands on Thursday. Photo by Dermot Crean

AFTER the launch of the new ‘Tralee by the Sea’ brochure earlier this year, this week saw the launch of the new ‘Tralee by the Sea’ video.

The video (watch it below) showcases top attractions and activity providers in the beautiful Tralee Bay area. Mags O’Sullivan Centre Manager at the Aqua Dome said “the aim of this collaboration is to establish Tralee as one of the top tourist destinations along the Wild Atlantic Way”.

“Once people see this video, they will be inspired to visit Tralee and experience all the wonderful  hospitality, activities and adventure this coastal town has to offer,” added Mags.

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The video (above) shows the magnificent scenery, rugged mountains, stunning beaches, diverse indoor and outdoor activities, excellent retail outlets, wonderful hotels, accommodation and restaurants along with great night entertainment to enjoy in the local area.

Members of ‘Tralee by the Sea’ group work closely with Tralee Chamber Alliance, Kerry County Council, Failte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and other local businesses and networks in an effort to develop tourism in Tralee.

“There is no other town in the country that has so much to offer locals, families, day-trippers, tourists and holiday makers alike to suit everyone’s taste and budget,” said Mags.

Shane Murphy of ONIT Media produced the video while Tralee Bay Wetlands hosted the launch on Thursday morning.

Action Plan For Developing Tourism In Tralee Launched

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In front; Kevin McCarthy, Garvey Group; Michele King, The Rose Hotel; Minister Brendan Griffin, Ken Tobin of Tralee Chamber Alliance and Deputy John Brassil. Back from left; Colin Boyle, The Ashe Hotel; Mark Sullivan, The Rose Hotel; Ruth O’Sullivan, The Ashe/Manor West Hotels; John Griffin, Kerry County Council and Sean Linnane, NEWKD, at the launch of the action plan for ‘Developing Tourism in Tralee’ at Ballyseede Castle Hotel on Monday. Photo by Dermot Crean

A PLAN which aims to develop tourism in Tralee over the next five years was launched by Minister of State for Sport and Tourism, Brendan Griffin, at Ballyseede Castle Hotel on Monday.

The ‘Developing Tourism in Tralee — Action Plan to 2025’ was commissioned to provide a blueprint for the future development of tourism in the greater Tralee area and to influence future tourism plans and strategies.

The aim is to have Tralee recognised nationally and internationally as an exciting, accessible, modern, world class destination set in an area of immense natural beauty, which delivers memorable experiences for visitors.

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It is anticipated that with the implementation of the plan, Tralee will be one of the best family-friendly destinations in the country; will attract events and conferences; it will promote activity tourism in the Tralee Bay area; promote the culture, language, arts and creative sector; establish Tralee as Tourist Destination Town based on criteria set out by Fáilte Ireland.

The report was commissioned by Tralee Chamber Alliance with support of Kerry County Council and NEWKD, while O’Leary and Associates carried out the analysis and developed the plan in consultation with the TCA Tourism Team, local businesses an stakeholders/partners in Tourism Development. The action plan will be available soon to view on www.tralee.ie

Declan Dowling, Kingdom Greyhound Stadium, Mags O’Sullivan,The Aqua Dome, Grace O’Donnell, Go Kerry, Deirdre Twomey, Bank of Ireland and Gerry Enright, Bank of Ireland, at the launch of the action plan for ‘Developing Tourism in Tralee’ at Ballyseede Castle Hotel on Monday. Photo by Dermot Crean
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David Scott, Brian Stephenson, John Harty and Andrew Ong at the launch of the action plan for ‘Developing Tourism in Tralee’ at Ballyseede Castle Hotel on Monday. Photo by Dermot Crean
John Edwards of Wild Water Adventures and Jean Foley of Kerry County Council at the launch of the action plan for ‘Developing Tourism in Tralee’ at Ballyseede Castle Hotel on Monday. Photo by Dermot Crean

VAT Increase And Employment Costs The Main Issues Facing Tralee Hospitality Industry

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Ken Tobin, TCA.

THE increased VAT rate is having a major negative impact on hotels and restaurants in Tralee according to the results of surveys commissioned by Tralee Chamber Alliance.

The hospitality sector in Tralee is now calling for greater action to sustain the industry over the coming 12 months.

Ken Tobin of Tralee Chamber Alliance said; “We anticipated an impact on the tourism and hospitality industry, and knowing that we were facing some uncertainty for the sector, we engaged Consultants to help us develop a Tourism Strategy, which will set out a clear framework on how we grow the sector over the coming years.”

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Tralee Chamber Alliance will publish an Economic Tourism Strategy for Tralee in mid-July, which will set out how the town can develop over the coming years to improve its tourism and hospitality industries.

Ken Tobin outlined; “We knew the increased VAT rate, and increased investment in the midlands of Ireland would have an impact on the sector in Kerry, so in addition over the past year we have been working very closely with our colleagues throughout the entire County, including Dingle and Killarney, in order to support the entire county’s tourism sector.

“These surveys confirm what we expected, which was that the increased VAT rate and rising employment costs would affect Kerry much heavier than other counties in Ireland, because it’s our largest employment sector.”

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“There is no doubt about it, that we will need to invest heavily in supporting the hospitality and tourism businesses in Tralee, this will mean we must develop new attractions, improve our existing amenities and improve the attractiveness of the town.”

While reserved in their expectations for the next year, the surveys demonstrate the negative impact the increased VAT rate and rising staff and insurance costs are having on the sector in Tralee.

The surveys show that over 72% of Tralee Hotels and Restaurants still reflect very good value for money compared to other locations, however in two separate surveys, one for the Restaurant sector and one for the Hotel sector in Tralee, over 90% of respondents highlighted the increased VAT rate as having a major negative impact on their businesses.

Highlights of the surveys showed:

• Hotel: 43% expected up to a 10% decrease in trade over the next 12months, with over 85% having already experienced a decrease so far this year compared to 2018

• Restaurants: 50% expected up to a 10% decrease in trade over the next 12months, with over 80% having already experienced a decrease so far this year compared to 2018

• Hotels: 75% have seen a decrease in international visitors by 10% or more, and 71% reporting a decrease in Irish ‘Staycationers’ by up to 30%.

• Restaurants: 100% of respondents cited the Tralee Food Festival as having a positive impact on business in 2019

• Hotel: With varying factors impacting business, the largest negative effects have been Brexit 59%, Staffing Costs 86%, Insurance Costs 88% and VAT Increase 100%.

• Restaurants: With varying factors impacting business, the largest negative effects have been Staffing Costs 80%, Running (Utilities, Rents, Suppliers) Costs 90%, Insurance Costs 90% and VAT Increase 90%

“Locally the industry is calling for improvements to be made at the entrances to the town, and to our public areas including the town park and playground to enhance the town not just for visitors but also for locals”

“While the rest of the country is indicating a slight upturn in tourism figures at 5% for the year ahead, the competitiveness of Kerry has been overly impacted and immediate action is needed at both a National and Local level.”

Tralee Makes Airbnb’s Top 10 Irish Destinations Most Popular For Bookings

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TRALEE features in the top 10 trending destinations in Ireland for family guest arrivals with Airbnb.

Tralee features at No.6 on the list with Killarney at No.3, Dingle at No.7 and Kenmare at No.10.

A report from the company has revealed that a quarter of the bookings are by families based in Ireland.

The accommodation website also revealed that this year they expect to see a 30% increase in people using it to book a place to stay over the August Bank Holiday.

The top trending 10 destinations for family guest arrivals:

1.   Dublin City

2.   Galway City

3.   Killarney, Co Kerry

4.   Cork City

5.   Westport, Co Mayo

6.   Tralee, Co Kerry

7.   Dingle, Co Kerry

8.   Clifden, Co Galway

9.   Ennis, Co Clare

10. Kenmare, Co Kerry

Council To Look For Funding For Tralee-Blennerville Steam Railway This Autumn

KERRY County Council is to apply for funding for the restoration of the Tralee Blennerville Steam Railway this autumn.

After a motion tabled at Monday’s meeting of Tralee Municipal District councillors by Cllr Pat McCarthy, that the Council support the local and national efforts to restore the Tralee/Blennerville Rail Link as a tourist attraction, the Council said its officials have had a number of meetings with Fáilte Ireland and Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin, regarding the project.

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The Council had submitted a proposal back in 2016 to restore the steam railway and upgrade the Blennerville Windmill Visitor Centre under the large capital grants scheme, but this was unsuccessful.

The Council has been invited to submit a revised application when the second phase of funding of large projects re-opens in the autumn.

The Council said outside professional support has been engaged to strengthen proposals going forward.

World’s Leading Tour Operators To Visit Tralee Golf Club

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Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin T.D., welcomed 35 of the world’s top international golf tour operators to Killarney for Fáilte Ireland’s 2018 Golf Ireland Convention, a showcase of the country’s top-class golfing experiences on Tuesday. Also in photo at the Great Southern Hotel are from left, Martin Donnelly, Failte Ireland, Aine Mangan, IAGTO, Minister Brendan Griffin, Paul Mockler, Fáilte Ireland’s Head of Commercial Development and Carlton Carugati, IAGTO. Photo: Don MacMonagle

MINISTER of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin T.D., today welcomed 35 of the world’s top international golf tour operators to Killarney for Fáilte Ireland’s 2018 Golf Ireland Convention, a showcase of the country’s top-class golfing experiences.

During their stay in the south-west, the visitors will attend The Rose Hotel in Tralee and play a round at Tralee Golf Club where they will see what the town and the famous course has to offer golfers.

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The major golfing trade event is taking place over the course of two days (Monday and Tuesday) at Dooks Golf Club and the Great Southern Hotel in Killarney. After, delegates will be brought on a tour of the area to experience some of the best courses, attractions and hospitality in the South West for four days, including in Tralee and Dingle.

The convention, organised in partnership with Tourism Ireland and IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators), is a forum for key overseas golf operators to meet directly with more than 60 Irish golf industry members and to negotiate overseas business for 2018 and 2019.

Golf tourism is an extremely lucrative sector for Ireland with golfers being amongst the highest yielding visitors to Ireland.

Over 200,000 overseas visitors take part in golf during their visit to Ireland every year, contributing almost €270 million to the economy and driving over 1.7 million bed nights right across the country.

International buyers attending this year’s convention have been selected from core golf tourism markets, including Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and US, and represent some of the biggest producers of golf business as well as those with the most potential to grow golf tourism into Ireland.

During the convention, Irish suppliers will have the opportunity to sell the best of golf in Ireland to the key operators through familiarisation trips, a round of golf, workshops and networking sessions. In total, the 2018 Golf Ireland Convention will facilitate over 700 face-to-face meetings.

Opening the networking event at the Great Southern Hotel in Killarney, Minister Brendan Griffin said: “Ireland is home to over 400 golf courses, including spectacular parkland courses, and has hosted some of the biggest and most prestigious golfing events in the world.

“Golf plays a significant role in Irish tourism and it is important that we do all we can to support the industry to reach key overseas markets, helping to boost visitor numbers across the country.”

Boost For Tralee As Over 650 To Visit For PROBUS Weekend Event In May

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Launching the upcoming PROBUS All-Ireland Rally event to be held in Tralee this May were, from left; Billy Myles, Brendan Dinneen, Liam Sayers (President PROBUS 1997 Club), John Murphy and Peter Kelly.

UP to 650 people from all over the island of Ireland will descend on Tralee early in the summer to attend the annual PROBUS All Ireland Rally at the Brandon Conference Centre from May 15 to 17.

PROBUS 1997 Club Tralee, who are organising the event, have launched a sponsorship drive in the hope that local businesses and Kerry County Council will help fund the planning, promotion and delivery of this large-scale conference in Tralee.

The 2018 PROBUS All Ireland Rally, will have a positive knock-on effect for the local economy as delegates and their guests are expected to occupy up to 1,100 bed nights in the town.

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They will also visit a number of top tourism and literary locations in Tralee, Killarney, Dingle and Listowel over the course of the three-day event.

The All Ireland Rally was last staged in Tralee in 2002 when more than 600 men and women over the age of 55 were in attendance.

The President of PROBUS 1997 Club Tralee, Liam Sayers, said: “We have every intention of staging a memorable event with a view to showcasing Tralee as Ireland’s Best Large Tourism Town and more recently, Ireland’s Most Enterprising Town. More than half of the delegates are expected to travel from Northern Ireland. We have applied to the Kerry County Council Community Fund and we are also inviting local businesses to come on board as sponsors to help us fund the conference. Over the three days of the Rally, we aim to deliver a full programme of entertainment, seminars and delegate-outings to top tourism landmarks in Kerry. We expect to announce details of the guest speakers at the Rally in April.”

A number of sponsorship offerings are available with opportunities to position an information stand at the Brandon Conference Centre for the duration of the conference, advertise in the event programme and place branding at the venue, on the event website and Facebook Page.

PROBUS is an international organisation of retired and semi-retired men and women who join together in autonomous clubs. The word PROBUS is an abbreviation of PROfessional and BUSiness but membership is not restricted to these specific groups.

The 10 PROBUS Clubs in Kerry, eight of which are in Tralee and one each in Dingle and Castleisland, have a total membership of nearly 350 members, with a waiting list of people to join some of the clubs.

Anyone interested in supporting the 2018 PROBUS All Ireland Rally in Tralee from 15th to 17th May can contact PROBUS 1997, c/o Tralee Chamber Alliance, 18 Denny Street, Tralee on 087 1694370 or email info@probus97tralee.com.

WATCH: Great Video Shows How Much Tralee And North Kerry Has To Offer

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IT might not seem like tourist season at the moment, but people all over Europe and the world are scouring websites looking for places to spend their hard-earned cash in the coming year.

Hopefully they’ll  come across this video by Richard Dwyer of Spinning Yarns Video Productions which shows what a wealth of entertainment and attractions we have in Tralee, west and north Kerry. Look at the video below and you’ll agree…

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Tralee To Feature On RTE’s ‘Today’ Show This Friday

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TRALEE will feature in the ‘Our Town’ slot on the popular RTÉ ‘Today’ Show this Friday between 3.30pm and 5.30pm.

Cameraman Klaus Kappa with June Carey, Rose of Tralee Jennifer Byrne and Colm Flynn of RTE Today in the Town Park back in October. Photo by Dermot Crean

Back in October, reporter, Colm Flynn, and crew were in town filming some of our top attractions.

They started at Blennerville Windmill where Donal Coppinger showed them around the wonderful facility, including a look at the model railway exhibition.

They also spent time at Tralee Bay Wetlands, before Colm got a bird’s eye view of the town thanks to Padraig McGillicuddy of Ballygarry House Hotel.

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Next up was a chat with June Carey about her family’s involvement in the Rose of Tralee Festival, followed by an interview with current Rose of Tralee Jennifer Byrne, they filmed the new look town centre (although it looks quite different now than it did in October) and spoke to Heather O’Sullivan of John Ross Jewellers about how Tralee has many family businesses and how the #LoveTralee campaign is progressing.

Let’s hope all of this makes the cut when it airs tomorrow on the popular show which is hosted by Daithi O Sé and Maura Derrane. More good exposure for the town.

More Good Publicity On The Way For Tralee With Popular RTE Show

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Colm Flynn of RTE Today with Blennerville Windmill’s Donal Coppinger at the centre on Thursday morning. Photo by Dermot Crean

IT’S all Kerry these days on the RTE ‘Today’ show.

The afternoon programme hosted by Dáithí Ó Sé and Maura Derrane sees Tralee native Mary O’Donnell in a regular beauty spot, Ballyfinnane-based fashionista Orla Diffily dispensing style advice, but we’ll see more of the town on the show soon.

Their reporter, Colm Flynn, and crew were in town today filming some of our top attractions. Continued below…

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The model railway exhibit in Blennerville Windmill.

They started at Blennerville Windmill where Donal Coppinger showed them around the wonderful facility, including a look at the model railway exhibition.

They also spent time at Tralee Bay Wetlands, before Colm got a bird’s eye view of the town thanks to Padraig McGillicuddy of Ballygarry House Hotel. Continued below…

Cameraman Klaus Kappes with June Carey, Rose of Tralee Jennifer Byrne and Colm Flynn of RTE Today in the Town Park on Thursday afternoon. Photo by Dermot Crean

Next up was a chat with June Carey about her family’s involvement in the Rose of Tralee Festival, followed by an interview with current Rose of Tralee Jennifer Byrne who was in town for the first time since August when she won the title.

They also filmed the new look town centre and spoke to Heather O’Sullivan of John Ross Jewellers about how Tralee has many family businesses and how the #LoveTralee campaign is progressing. Continued below…

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The segment is due to air within the next month to six weeks so you’ll have to tune in to see the town being promoted in a positive way. Here’s Colm being dropped off in the Town Park this afternoon by Padraig McGillicuddy…

PHOTOS: Travel Bloggers See What Tralee Has To Offer Tourists

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Delegates from the TBEX Conference with Fiona Kirby of Kirby’s Brogue Inn at the bar on Tuesday. Included are Paige Brunton (The Paige Studio), Jeff Maudsley (Venture Writing), Lara Dunning (Small-town Washington And Beyond) and Sarah Martin (The Mad Woman In The Attic). Photo by Dermot Crean

WHILE Killarney is getting massive exposure this week with its hosting of the TBEX Europe conference, some travel bloggers got on a bus to have a look at what Tralee has to offer on Tuesday.

There’s 600 of the world’s top bloggers who have a combined audience of 380m travel fans at the INEC  this week so Kerry can benefit hugely from their visit as they are being escorted on tours all over the county.

A group of about 14 of them were having lunch in Kirby’s Brogue Inn when we called in on Tuesday.

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“We’ve been at Kerry County Museum and Tralee Bay Wetlands this morning and we’ve stopped for a spot of lunch here in Kirby’s Brogue Inn,” said Siobhan King of Failte Ireland who was escorting them on the tour.

“The response has been fantastic. They chose this particular trip based on their interests and they’ve been blown away by the welcome they’ve had in Tralee,” said Siobhan.

After lunch, the bloggers then headed off to Blennerville Windmill and Siamsa Tire which they also thoroughly enjoyed.

It’s great exposure for Tralee and hopefully they’ll say nice things about what the town has to offer on their social media and websites. Scroll down for photos…

Siobhan King (centre) of Failte Ireland with delegates from the TBEX Conference, James Cobbold (Finding The Bliss) and Luciana Moraes (Finding The Bliss) at Kirby’s Brogue Inn on Tuesday. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Delegates from the TBEX Conference with Fiona Kirby of Kirby’s Brogue Inn at the bar on Tuesday. Gemma Thompson (girlsthattravel.com), Albion Gould (albiongould.com), Sara Hoffman (Major Hoff Takes A Wife), Michelle Deans Harding (MD Harding Travel Photography) and Jessica Flynn (roflcopterftw). Photo by Dermot Crean
Delegates from the TBEX Conference at Kirby’s Brogue Inn on Tuesday. Sahar Eissa (Cross Country Tours), Bill Fink (Bill Fink Travels) and Danielle Fernandes (Bantr Inc). Photo by Dermot Crean
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PHOTOS: New Booklet Promoting All That’s Great About Tralee Launched

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Damien Fitzgerald, Tralee Printing; Grace O’Donnell, GoKerry and Maeve Collins, Ballyroe Heights Hotel at the launch of the new Tralee tourism information booklet at the Ashe Memorial Hall on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean

A NEW 52-page tourism information booklet aimed at encouraging people to visit Kerry’s capital town for business or pleasure, has been launched by Mayor of Tralee, Cllr Terry O’Brien.

The booklet, which is packed with information about local accommodation, hospitality, indoor and outdoor attractions, festivals, events and leisure activities, is effectively an A to Z of all that Tralee has to offer.

“The new Tralee brochure gives a more professional look for Tralee in all the promotions it undertakes,” said Chief Executive of Tralee Chamber Alliance, Kieran Rutledge. “It is attractive and eye-catching and promotes Tralee as a great destination for all the family to visit.”

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The Mayor of Tralee, Cllr Terry O’Brien, said: “Tralee is the Best Large Tourism Town in Ireland which highlights the positive visitor experience for those coming to and staying in Tralee. As an all-weather destination for holidays or short breaks, Tralee continues to shine over other destinations throughout the country and the new brochure will help raise the town’s profile as a great place to visit.”

Sandra Leahy of Kerry County Museum and Trina Houlihan of Tralee Chamber Alliance gathered the content, while it was designed by Emma Collins of Collins Shannon Design & Print and produced by Tralee Printing.

10,000 copies of the Tralee booklet have been printed for the coming season and while they will be mostly distributed outside the county, copies are available from Tralee Chamber Alliance, 18 Denny Street, Tralee and online at www.Tralee.ie. Scroll down for photos…

In front; Cllr Norma Foley, Mayor of Tralee Terry O’Brien and Michael Scannell of Kerry County Council. Back from left; Kieran Ruttledge, CEO of Tralee Chamber Alliance; Sandra Leahy, Kerry County Museum; Trina Houlihan, Tralee Chamber Alliance; John Drummey, President of Tralee Chamber Alliance; Emma Collins, booklet designer and Cllr Tom McEllistrim at the launch of the new Tralee tourism information booklet at the Ashe Memorial Hall on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Siobhan Ní Mhathúna, Meadowlands Hotel; Michelle Diggins, Ballygarry House Hotel; Heather McIver, Meadowlands Hotel and Michele King, The Rose Hotel at the launch of the new Tralee tourism information booklet at the Ashe Memorial Hall on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
Breda Walshe and Cllr Norma Foley at the launch of the new Tralee tourism information booklet at the Ashe Memorial Hall on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
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With Five Weeks To Go, Tralee Is Booked Out For Dubs Game

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Kerry and Dublin will renew acquaintances in March in Tralee.

WHATEVER about the Kerry v Mayo clash on Saturday, it seems a Dublin invasion is on the cards for St Patrick’s weekend.

With over five weeks to go to the match, there isn’t a hotel bed to be had in town on Saturday, March 18 and you’ll be hard pressed to find a B&B vacancy.

A search on booking.com for all accommodation in town reveals there is no bed in Tralee on the night of the match and all the hotels’ own websites booking services confirms this.

The combination of St Patrick’s festivities, the Tralee Marathon and the match is going to make for a massive weekend for the town, providing a great economic boost for pubs and restaurants.

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There is reportedly massive interest in the game among Dublin supporters – who are also snapping up beds in Killarney – so expect a sellout and a ticket scramble for what should be the best atmosphere ever at a game in Tralee.

Meanwhile, the Mayo team won’t bring as many supporters, but Austin Stack Park is ready to welcome a huge crowd for Saturday night football to Tralee.

The match has a 7pm throw-in time but stiles will open at 5pm. Admission is €15 (usual concession for Students and OAPs applies, under 16s go free) and entry to the Stand will be on a first come first served basis.

Tickets have to be pre-purchased either in advance or from the ticket vans positioned outside the ground. They can also be purchased in advance (20% off the adult admission price up to 12 midnight on Friday night) at all the usual outlets including participating Supervalu and Centra Stores throughout the Country including all Garveys Supervalu Stores, at GAA.ie and at the Kerry GAA Store in the Outlet Centre Killarney and the Pavilion in Austin Stack Park Tralee. Tickets may be purchased on-line right up to match time.

Kerry County Council have offered Free Parking in the Car Park adjacent to The Rose Hotel, Dan Spring Road, which is walking distance of the venue. Patrons travelling to Austin Stack Park Tralee for the event are advised to arrive early as a large crowd is expected.

Two-Day Conference On History Of Tralee Set For This Weekend

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At the launch of Tralee 800 Conference were, from left: Kathleen Brown (Kerry Archaeological Society), Noreen O'Connor (Tralee Municipal District), Tony Bergin (Kerry Archaeological Society), Vincent O'Mahony (Speaker), Terry O'Brien (Mayor of Tralee), John Griffin (Kerry County Council), Helen O'Carroll (Kerry County Museum) and Maureen Hanifin (Kerry Archaeological Society) . Photo of Gavin O'Connor.
At the launch of Tralee 800 Conference earlier this month were, from left: Kathleen Browne (Kerry Archaeological Society), Noreen O’Connor (Tralee Municipal District), Tony Bergin (Kerry Archaeological Society), Vincent O’Mahony (Speaker), Terry O’Brien (Mayor of Tralee), John Griffin (Kerry County Council), Helen O’Carroll (Kerry County Museum) and Maureen Hanafin (Kerry Archaeological Society) . Photo of Gavin O’Connor.

FORMER Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dick Spring will officially open the Tralee 800 Conference this Friday evening, November 4, in Siamsa Tíre Theatre.

The two-day conference in Siamsa and the Rose Hotel will explore the 800 year history of Tralee and earlier. It forms part of this year’s Tralee 800 Programme.

Conference speakers include those who have helped to unlock Tralee’s pre-history like county archaeologist, Dr. Michael Connolly, and those who have studied its turbulent medieval history like Dr. Paul MacCotter from UCC. Local historians, Helen O’Carroll and Vincent O’Mahony will speak about Tralee landowners and merchant princes and Tom Denny will present an illustrated lecture on his family The Dennys of Tralee,  which includes recently discovered photographs of Tralee dating from the 1860s.

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Members of the two families that dominated the history of Tralee – the Fitzgeralds and the Dennys – will also be in attendance. Town Planner, Victoria McCarthy will trace the physical development of Tralee and Tralee District Manager, Michael Scannell, looking to the future in the closing address in the Rose Hotel on Saturday afternoon.

The Conference is jointly organised by the Kerry Archaeological & Historical Society (KAHS) and Tralee Municipal District Council and supported by Kerry County Council.

The Mayor of Tralee, Cllr. Terry O’Brien, is looking forward to the weekend which should be of interest to locals and visitors alike, he said:  “Tralee is one of Ireland’s oldest towns with a very eventful history that needs to be uncovered and shared. It’s part of what we are and where we have come from. The pivotal role that Tralee played in Kerry, Munster and Irish history needs to be highlighted.  Equally appealing will be the development of Tralee and future plans for the town,” he said.

Tralee was founded by John FitzThomas Fitzgerald in 1216 and was capital of the Munster Geraldine territory that extended at one stage from Tralee to East Cork until the Desmond Wars of 1580. The Fitzgeralds were succeeded by the Dennys, English settlers, who dominated the history of the town for the next 350 years and retained its status as capital of County Kerry.

Ms. Maureen Hanafin, President, Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society, said that the society was pleased to be associated with the Tralee 800 Conference. “Our role is the collection, recording, study of the history and antiquities of County Kerry and the history of Tralee is very much part of this,” she said.  “While a considerable amount of research has been written down and presented on the different periods, it’s the collective, pulling it all together, that should make for a very fascinating conference.”

There is free admission to the opening session of the conference on Friday night in Siamsa Tíre but tickets are limited and need to be reserved in advance at the Siamsa Tíre Box Office.

There is a €10 admission fee to the lectures on Saturday in the Rose Hotel which may be booked at the Tralee Chamber Alliance Office, Denny Street or online at the www.kerryhistory.ie  website.

PHOTOS: Tralee Businesses Among Those Promoting Kerry At Tourism Showcase

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Kerry tourism trade took centre stage at the inaugural Connect16 - Ireland’s largest ever showcase for the meetings and events sector which was held in the RDS, Dublin on Wednesday (28th September). Fáilte Ireland were a title sponsor at the event and pictured attending the event were Mary Hartnett, Kerry Convention Bureau; D.B. O’Connor, Kerry Coaches; Rachel Walker, The Malton Hotel and Con O’Sullivan, Killarney Plaza. Picture by Shane O'Neill Photography.
Attending the inaugural Connect16 were Mary Hartnett, Kerry Convention Bureau; D.B. O’Connor, Kerry Coaches; Rachel Walker, The Malton Hotel and Con O’Sullivan, Killarney Plaza. Picture by Shane O’Neill Photography.

TRALEE businesses were among the many Kerry tourism interests at inaugural Connect16 – Ireland’s largest ever showcase for the meetings and events sector which was held in the RDS, Dublin on Wednesday.

As a title sponsor of Connect16, Fáilte Ireland used the opportunity of bringing 70 top international meeting planners, worth over €210 million annually to Ireland, into the country to highlight Ireland’s best visitor assets through a number of pre-event familiarisation trips and set up appointments to meet with the Kerry trade at Connect16.

The Rose Hotel, Ballygarry House Hotel and Siamsa Tire were just some of the Kerry businesses showing what the county has to offer.

Miriam Kennedy, Head of Business Tourism with Fáilte Ireland commented: “Fáilte Ireland is delighted to have been a headline sponsor for the inaugural Connect16 showcase which this week brought together the entire Meetings Incentives and Conferences industry, including a number of Kerry trade for the first time under one roof.

“I think it speaks volumes about the strength of infrastructure and resources which Ireland currently deploys in the business tourism sector that we can now confidently hold such a gathering. We will be working with all our partners in the sector to sustain this growth and deliver greater numbers into the regions in 2017 and beyond.” Scroll down for photos…

Kerry tourism trade took centre stage at the inaugural Connect16 - Ireland’s largest ever showcase for the meetings and events sector which was held in the RDS, Dublin on Wednesday (28th September). Fáilte Ireland were a title sponsor at the event and pictured attending the event were Rachel Nolan, Rachel's Irish Adventures Mayo with Mary Ferriter, Dingle Gin. Picture by Shane O'Neill Photography.
Attending the inaugural Connect16 event were Rachel Nolan, Rachel’s Irish Adventures Mayo with Mary Ferriter, Dingle Gin. Picture by Shane O’Neill Photography.
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Kerry tourism trade took centre stage at the inaugural Connect16 - Ireland’s largest ever showcase for the meetings and events sector which was held in the RDS, Dublin on Wednesday (28th September). Fáilte Ireland were a title sponsor at the event and pictured attending were Sheila King, The Sheen Falls; Becky Hargrove, Kerry Convention Bureau; Allan, O’Connor, Killarney Park Hotel; Eva Schmid, The Europe Hotel; and Toddy Doyle, Muckross Trad Farms. Picture by Shane O'Neill Photography.
Attending the inaugural Connect16 event were Sheila King, The Sheen Falls; Becky Hargrove, Kerry Convention Bureau; Allan, O’Connor, Killarney Park Hotel; Eva Schmid, The Europe Hotel; and Toddy Doyle, Muckross Trad Farms. Picture by Shane O’Neill Photography.
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Kerry tourism trade took centre stage at the inaugural Connect16 - Ireland’s largest ever showcase for the meetings and events sector which was held in the RDS, Dublin on Wednesday (28th September). Fáilte Ireland were a title sponsor at the event and pictured attending the event were Carmel Flynn, Parknasilla Resort; Majella Mangon, Lucy Hunt, Seas Synergy; Dumitru Anca, Romanian Embassy; Mary T McCarthy, Muckross Farm and Donie O'Sullivan, Killarney Stables. Picture by Shane O'Neill Photography.
Attending the inaugural Connect16 event were Carmel Flynn, Parknasilla Resort; Majella Mangon, Lucy Hunt, Seas Synergy; Dumitru Anca, Romanian Embassy; Mary T McCarthy, Muckross Farm and Donie O’Sullivan, Killarney Stables. Picture by Shane O’Neill Photography.

How The Award Was Won: What The Failte Ireland Judges Said About Tralee

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The town park came in for special praise from the Failte Ireland judges.

TRALEE was named the Best Large Tourism town in Ireland at the Fáilte Ireland Tourism Towns earlier today (see story here), so what impressed judges so much that we were awarded the honour?

Here’s the judges’ comments on the town and it makes for great reading…

• The impression and reality that this is a very special offering more than just a country town but a whole world of things to do.  Where the local people pull together for the greater good of the town and are very proud of their town and what it stands for.

• There are many beautiful buildings and shops, where the traditional fronts are very well maintained.

• The centre of the town looks well lots of colour, flowers, well maintained shop/business fronts, some old and new.

• The huge variety of parks in the centre of the town is very impressive, along with the boardwalks all well maintained. But most impressive was a small kiosk in the centre of the town manned by local people offering their time to offer local information to visitors in addition to the Tourist Office.

• It has the ability to cater for a variety of visitor needs and interests in a compact way in a very large town, all in easy reach. They have many unique products/things to do, offer and see within a stones’ throw of each other for all weather and needs.

• The town itself has culture, history, crafts, parks, Aqua parks, a Cineplex, Tennis courts, Museum’s, Siamsa Tire, a variety of activities, the Kerry Camino, accommodation, cafes, pubs, and eateries, extensive shopping all a stones’ throw from each other and beaches in abundance from 1 mile away.

• Tralee is not only famous for the Rose Of Tralee festival but its heritage, beauty, great accommodation and eateries and has many historical monuments.

• The town park is a great attraction and the local community are very proactive in focusing on visitors needs. A number of maps have been commissioned in conjunction with a local map expert with a keen interest in the area and huge local knowledge with details of the Kerry Camino, the Dingle Way, the town itself and the surrounding beaches, mountains and areas all outlining all local places of interest and  of course the Wild Atlantic Way.

VIDEO: Tourism Clips Of Tralee And Blennerville Back In The 1960s

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A screenshot from a Tralee tourism film from the 1960s.

WE haven’t seen these before.

Even though Tommy Collins uploaded these short videos (below) to his YouTube channel last year, it’s only in the last few days we’ve seen people posting the clips up on Facebook of Tralee and Blennerville in the 1960s.

Eamon Keane does the voiceover in the short clips giving a brief history of Tralee and all it has to offer, while he also recounts Blennerville’s past.

It’s worth a watch to see how the town has changed over the years.

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Great News As Tralee Is Shortlisted For Top Tourism Town Award

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Tralee is up for a Best Large Town award.

TRALEE is one of four towns shortlisted for the Best Large Town award in the upcoming 2015 Fáilte Ireland Tourism Towns Awards.

It’s fantastic news for Tralee and shows how much has been done locally to get the town to this level.

Tralee will face stiff competition from Cobh, Kilkenny and neighbours Killarney in the category, where the winner will be announced at a ceremony in The Morrison Hotel on Wednesday 25th November.

Two overall winners will ultimately share the accolade of Ireland’s top Tourism Town – for the Best Large Town and the Best Small Town.

Kenmare and Sneem are the other Kerry towns included in the top ten highly recommended tourism towns shortlist for the award at an announcement today at the National Tidy Towns Awards in the Helix, Dublin.

The Top Ten Highly Recommended Tourism Towns shortlisted for 2015 are:

 Best Small Town                                                     

Adare, Co Limerick

Ardmore, Co Waterford

Clonakilty, Co Cork

Kenmare, Co Kerry

Lismore, Co Waterford

Sneem, Co Kerry

Best Large Town

Cobh, Co. Cork

Killarney, Co Kerry

Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny

Tralee, Co Kerry

The Tourism Town Award, which is now in its fourth year, was specifically designed by Fáilte Ireland to encourage more Irish towns and villages to work together to enhance their appeal to tourists visiting their local area.

Each year, the 100 top scoring towns from the previous years’ Tidy Town Competition are deemed to be eligible and invited invited to apply for the Tourism Towns Award.

The shortlisted towns have already been subject to a series of unannounced inspections from a team of independent ‘secret shoppers’ who visited each location and assessed the quality of their visitor experience. The independent judges are now examining all aspects of each town’s appeal and will be deliberating over the coming weeks to decide which towns are Ireland’s ‘Best Large Tourism Town’ and ‘Best Small Tourism Town’.

Speaking today Fáilte Ireland’s Paddy Mathews, welcomed the announcement of the shortlist for 2015 –

“This award was designed by Fáilte Ireland and is all about recognising those Irish towns and villages where the local community goes the extra mile to enhance their appeal to tourists. Over the last few years we have been impressed with the interest in the awards and even more so with the effort local communities and businesses put into developing their towns’ visitor experience.

“We are now eagerly anticipating the culmination of the search for ‘Best Small Tourism Town’ and ‘Best Large Tourism Town’ at our award ceremony in November. That said, taking into account the great commitment to the traditionally warm Irish welcome we have witnessed in communities throughout the country, Tourism itself is the big winner and as a sector we are most fortunate that Irish people at large have a sense of pride and ownership in the manner we greet our visitors.”

Aqua Dome Launches New Website

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Rafal Napierala of Expose Design and Mags O’Sullivan of the Aqua Dome launching the new Aqua Dome website. Photo by Gavin O’Connor

THE Aqua Dome Tralee has launched its brand new website under the water of the Falling Rapids to coincide with its 21st birthday this Thursday.

The tourist attraction, which welcomed its 4,000,000th visitor earlier this year, has streamlined its online look with a view to attracting millions more water and fun lovers from all over Ireland.

The CEO of the Aqua Dome, Kieran Ruttledge, said: “In reaching the milestone of our 21st Birthday, the Aqua Dome has operated without a subsidy for over two decades, unlike many other similar aquatic centres throughout Ireland. We could not have achieved this without the support of our customers, staff and the vision of our Directors. The brand new website, created by Expose Design in Tralee will play a key role in the Aqua Dome’s continuing presence as the top tourist attraction and a major contributor to the local economy in Kerry for the next 21 years.”

Members of the public have been invited to join in the 21st Birthday celebrations at the Aqua Dome from Thursday to Sunday this week when a Family Ticket for two adults and three children will cost only €21 – a saving of €31.

Further information on the Aqua Dome’s 21st Birthday offers, memberships and packages are available from the new-look aquadome.ie

Canal Barge Set To Move On…But When?

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PREPARATIONS are being made for the barge moored by Blennerville bridge to leave the area within the next few months.

The barge has rested on the canal since 2007 where it had been proposed to be used as a restaurant, but due to the financial climate, plans had to be scrapped.

Kerry County Council and the barge owner, Joe Goodfellow, from Galway have been in contact since Christmas and both are anxious to move the boat away from Blennerville.

For this to happen there is still some work to be done on the rudder of the vessel before it can make the long trip back to Galway.

The owner is also waiting for a burst of good weather so that the ship can sail out on the high seas and up to Galway with the minimum of fuss.

Situated in one of the most photographed scenic spots around Tralee, the barge added character to the view, but up close it told a different story.

Due to its abandoned state, it has become a bit of a rust bucket and a possible environmental problem on the canal.

The wheelhouse, which is open, has bags of rubbish inside and some walkers along the canal have commented on the poor state it is in.

The back of the barge in Blennerville, has been showing up a lot of rust. Photo by Gavin O'Connor.
The back of the barge in Blennerville, has been showing up a lot of rust. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
The outside of the wheelhouse of the barge in Blennerville. Photo by Gavin O'Connor.
The outside of the wheelhouse of the barge in Blennerville. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
The beautiful view that surrounds the barge in Blennerville. Photo by Gavin O'Connor.
The beautiful view that surrounds the barge in Blennerville. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.

VIDEOS: Great Clips Show Beauty Of Tralee On Our Doorstep

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Ballyseedy Wood features in a new video from Tralee Active Travel.

THERE are great amenities on our doorstep that many people in town don’t know about.

But thanks to the people at Tralee Active Travel, you can watch two great new promo videos (below), uploaded in the past few days, for the Lee Walkway/Cycleway and Ballyseedy Wood which amply show how lucky we are to have these facilities available to us.

Kerry County Council developed the new Tralee Active Travel website, which went live earlier this month, to keep the public up to date with the progress of the Smarter Travel initiative.

The Smarter Travel Initiative  aims to to transform the town of Tralee into a Smarter and Active Travel Area, incorporating cycling, walking and public transport into our everyday lives, to school, college or work and reduce our dependency on car travel.

Scroll down to watch the two videos…

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Kerry Camino Gets Huge Boost As International Journalists Sample The Walk

 

Pictured at the launch of Irelandways.com at th Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre on Wednesday night were, from left; Grace O'Donnell, Kerry Camino; Roland Monsegu, Irelandsways.com; Frank Hartnett, Kerry County Council; Mayor of Tralee, Jim Finucane, Ingrid Boyle, Kerry Camino; Emmett Roche, Irelandways.com and Maria Golpe, Irelandways.com. Photo by Dermot Crean
Pictured at the launch of Irelandways.com at the Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre on Wednesday night were, from left; Grace O’Donnell, Kerry Camino; Roland Monsegu, Irelandsways.com; Frank Hartnett, Kerry County Council; Mayor of Tralee, Jim Finucane, Ingrid Boyle, Kerry Camino; Emmett Roche, Irelandways.com and Maria Golpe, Irelandways.com. Photo by Dermot Crean

THERE was a fantastic boost for a local tourism attraction this week as journalists from Ireland, the UK and the US sampled the delights of the Kerry Camino.

The Kerry Camino is described as a “walk in the footsteps of St. Brendan, the Navigator, as a walker or pilgrim, on this journey of contemplation and fun”.

It is held on the May Bank Holiday weekend and has grown in popularity every year as it takes in the beautiful scenery of the west Kerry peninsula, from Tralee to Dingle.

On Thursday a group of eight journalists were invited to take part in a leg of the walk from Camp to Inch and they had glorious weather to enjoy the spectacular scenery.

They also had a historical tour of Tralee on Wednesday guided by Johnnie Wall and Mike O’Donnell.

The journalists were from the Huffington Post, the Mail, Business and Finance, a video blogger and other media outlets in Ireland.

The group were brought to Kerry by Irelandways.com, a new website showcasing the many beautiful walkways in Ireland. They chose the beautiful surroundings of  the Tralee Wetlands to launch the website on Wednesday evening.

We asked Ingrid Boyle, a member of the Kerry Camino group, about how this came about.

“I suppose we were kind of copying the Camino de Santiago in Spain,” she said. “Thousands of people do that walk every year so I suppose we hoped they’d use our Camino as a warm-up. So I googled it and the website that kept coming up was Caminoways.com,” she said.

Ingrid started liking and sharing their posts on social media and the people who run the company took notice. They contacted Ingrid to find out that the Kerry Camino was about. By chance, Ingrid was in Dublin back in February and called into their offices.

Coincidentally, they were in the process of creating a new website based around Irish walkways and thought the Kerry Camino would tie in nicely with the launch and would be ideal to bring journalists down to see it.

“They are advertising our walk on their new website which will bring more people down. We feel it’s a fabulous walk and not enough people sample it,” said Ingrid.

Mayor of Tralee, Jim Finucane, said it was an exciting development for local tourism.

“It’s letting people explore what we have to offer. I believe these type of walking holidays are critical to the future. There’s a great health benefit to it and it allows people to relax and clear their thoughts in the open. We have the magnificent scenery from here to Dingle. They’re the ideal tourists – people who stay and explore and refer other people to the area,” said Mayor Finucane.

The group received huge support from Kerry County Council and Tralee Chamber Alliance who were hosting the journalists during their stay.

“We’re supporting the Camino in any way we can,” said Frank Hartnett of Kerry County Council. “We’ve arranged for the erection of new signage to guide people out along the way and also we intend to upgrade the walkway in places. It showcases Tralee, as well as the Wetlands here which is a wonderful facility,” said Mr Hartnett.

For more on the Kerry Camino click here and for Irelandways.com click here

 

 

The Wailing Wall: Can Anyone Bring Jeanie Back Home?

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johnnie wall 1Johnnie Wall says every effort should be made to bring the Jeanie Johnston back to Tralee… 

We have been told that tourism is the best way to create employment in rural areas like Kerry / Tralee.

The ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ is a new initiative by the tourist board, that’s what all those signs with the ‘wavy’ lines represent. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great idea, but a passing trade I feel.

It may bring tourists to ‘out of the way areas’ to see and get a feeling for  our wild landscape, however I cannot see that benefiting Tralee, high up or low down.

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The Jeanie Johnston.

We need something to hold visitors in our town.

Over the past 30 years, Tralee Town Council did everything in its power to do just that; Blennerville Windmill, Tralee Sports Centre, The Museum, Aqua Dome, Steam Train, Wet Lands, The Rose Garden, The Rose Wall and the beautiful sailing ship The Jeanie Johnston.

The reason I’m writing this is, according to last Sunday’s Irish Times, The Jeanie Johnston is leaking and needs to be placed in dry dock to be repaired on top of which the Dublin Docklands Development Authority will become defunct in the coming weeks and the ship will become the property of the Dublin City Council, who have no interest in acquiring something that’s going to cost them money.

To me this will be a disaster as the reason that its leaking is the fact that it has not been to sea for quite a long time and a ship has to be sailing for its timber to expand and contract  to prevent leakage.

I fear that this great ship will just rot if something is not done soon, either by the Kerry County Council or some other, Kerry-based, interested party.

This is an opportune time to bring it back to Kerry and have it sail on a regular basis. It is my opinion that this proposition could be made viable by using the vessel as a sail training ship, a touring ship, sailing around our magnificent coastline.

The cost would not be great as I believe a lot of sailing ship enthusiasts would want to play a part in its resurrection.

That, in itself, is something I think could be possible, however if this was not feasible, I would consider that it should be ‘laid up’ in ‘dry dock’ at Blennerville, where, in association with the Windmill it would serve as a focus of a ‘genealogy’ based tourism product, attracting more than a passing tourist trade to the area.

A static display of the Tralee – Dingle narrow gauge steam engine, No 5, should also be considered, either based in Blennerville or at the specially constructed platform in Tralee Bay Wetlands, either of which is guaranteed to enhance the local tourism product and certainly attract the ‘railway heads’ of which there are many.

Returning to the Jeanie Johnston, it is far preferable to have it ‘home’ than in the hands of people who, have no feel for, or attachment to, the ship and who only perceive it as a liability.

This magnificent sailing ship has sailed twice across the Atlantic and up and down the east coast of America and Canada, it is now time for it to come ‘home’.

Is there anybody out there, with vision, who is willing to do something beneficial for our town.

In the past, apart from the former Town Council, the Festival of Kerry franchise and the promoters of Aquadome, such an individual or group, with the required passion, drive and commitment to make Tralee a better place, by promoting tourism products, has been sadly lacking.

Banna Named Among Top Ten Beaches In Ireland On Tripadvisor

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A site we got used tolast year in the summer months. Photo by Dermot Crean.
Beautiful Banna Beach pictured last June. Photo by Dermot Crean.

IN news that will come as no surprise to Tralee people, Banna Strand has been named amongst the top ten beaches to visit in Ireland.

The beautiful strand, which came seventh in the ratings by TripAdvisor’s online reviewers, is amongst four Kerry beaches named in the prestigious list.

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The strand which offers stunning views of the Dingle Peninsula mountains to the south west, remains a firm favorite amongst locals for taking walks on the warm summer days.

Other Kerry beaches that featured on the list were Derrynane in Caherdaniel which placed second, Inch Beach which finished in the highly respectable third place and finally, Rossbeigh Beach which took home fifth place.

Inchydoney Beach was named the best beach in the country for the second year in a row.