Tralee Trio Raise €38,000 For Comfort For Chemo Kerry

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At the presentation of a cheque for €38,000 to Mary Fitzgerald (centre) and Mikey Sheehy (right) of Comfort For Chemo Kerry were, Daniel Bohan, Kieran O’Callaghan and Patrick O’Sullivan who completed a 24 hour challenge back in September. Photo by Dermot Crean

THREE Tralee men raised an incredible €38,000 for a local charity after taking on a gruelling 24 hour challenge on the Dingle Way back in September.

Kieran O’Callaghan, Patrick O’Sullivan and Daniel Bohan circumvented the Dingle Peninsula in a day by walking, kayaking, running, cycling, climbing, swimming and mountain biking on Saturday, September 4.

The results of their fundraising efforts culminated in the trio presenting a cheque to Mary Fitzgerald and Mikey Sheehy of the Comfort for Chemo Kerry charity foundation at the Rose Hotel on Friday evening.

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The challenge, now in its third year, was initiated by Kieran O’Callaghan who came up with the idea for the gruelling fundraiser following the loss of his beloved wife Fiona and his parents within a short time of each other.

Over the past few years €10,000  has been raised through the Dingle Way 24 hour Challenge but this year he was joined by Patrick and Daniel and set an ambitious target of €30,000, which they duly smashed.

Mary Fitzgerald and Mikey Sheehy expressed their gratitude for the lads’ efforts on behalf of Comfort For Chemo Kerry.

Mayor Asks Council To Buy Property To Improve Safety At Junction

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The Council will look into finding out who the owners are of the house (on the right of picture) at the High Street/Strand Street roundabout.

THE Mayor of Tralee has called on the Council to buy a house with the purpose of demolishing it to improve a dangerous junction.

At the meeting of Tralee Municipal District of Kerry County Council on Monday, Fianna Fáil Cllr. Johnnie Wall asked that the Council would “purchase the two-storey derelict house at the beginning of Chapel St./Basin road to widen the road and upgrade the roundabout in High St.”

He said this is a highly dangerous corner and needs urgent attention. Mayor Wall said it would make a huge difference to the area if the road could be widened.

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In reply, Council management said the property is not registered with Land Registry and the details of the owner are not available to the MD at present.

They said a funding source would be required to purchase the property and Tralee MD will endeavour to identify the detail of the owners to determine the status of the property.

Bumbleance Wants You To Get Your Stripy Jumper On For Fundraiser

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KERRY-BASED charity BUMBLEance wants you to #GetYourStripeOn and take part in their Stripy Jumper Day on Friday, November 26 to raise funds for those who need it most.

Head of Communications and Fundraising, Heather Rainey, says: “It’s simple! We want to spread awareness of our service and raise these vital funds in an easy and fun way.”

BUMBLEance provides safe and comfortable transportation for Ireland’s youngest patients as they travel between their homes and hospitals, hospices, treatment centre, and respite centres nationwide. The service is totally free for service users.

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In the past number of years, BUMBLEance have seen an unfortunate rise in the need for their service so funds are needed, hence the Stripy Jumper Day initiative.

“Why not #GetYourStripeOn at your school as an alternative for non-uniform day?” added Heather.  “On the 26th, hang out with your friends, your community group, family – whoever! – in stripes just like our BUMBLEance Bee! The money raised will go straight to keeping the BUMBLEance wheels turning and helping as many families as possible,” she said.

There will be many competitions taking place on their social media accounts during the build up to Stripy Jumper Day.

Once you sign up, via www.bumbleance.com, you can set a target. €400 will cover the cost of an Angel Trip, which means that you will be helping BUMBLEance bring a terminally ill child home one last time before they pass.  Registrations are open now.

Know Your Rights: Consumers Rights When Shopping

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Know Your Rights has been compiled by Citizens Information Kerry which provides a free and confidential service to the public…

It’s that time of year again when Christmas is fast approaching and shoppers are out in force.  Most purchases of goods and services go smoothly, but what happens when things go wrong.

Rest assured that when you buy a product or a service you have a number of rights under Irish and European Union (EU) legislation.

These laws aim to give you strong rights when you buy in a shop or online, make sure you get enough information to make a buying decision based on facts and make sure there are redress options available to you if things go wrong.

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By law, sellers or suppliers (known as ‘traders’) must treat you fairly, for example, by making sure products and services are safe and of a high standard.

Consumer Contracts

When you buy goods and services, you are making a contract with the seller.

As parties to the agreement, both you and the seller have certain legal rights and obligations.  Contracts can be made verbally, in writing, or by your conduct.

There are certain parts of a contract that businesses are free to set. However, these terms must not go against your consumer rights.

Consumer Rights

Irish and EU consumer laws only apply to transactions between a consumer and a trader. It does not apply when:

• You buy from a private individual who is not a trader (for example, someone who is selling their own car to you but who does not sell cars as a profession)
• You buy goods or services intended for use in your business (business-to-business transactions)
• You buy from a trader based outside the EU or European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein)

Sale of goods and supply of Services Act 1980

When you buy products, they must be ‘in conformity with the contract’. This means they must be:

• Of merchantable quality – this means of reasonable and acceptable standard, taking into account other factors such as durability and price
• Fit for the purpose you bought it for – they should work and do what they are reasonably expected to do
• As described – they should match any description given in an advert or other information provided by the seller at the time of sale

If the products you receive are not of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose or do not match the description you were given, you have a right to certain remedies.

A remedy could be a repair, replacement or a refund. Contracts for the supply of services are currently subject to much less statutory regulation than contracts for the sale of products.

When you make an agreement with a supplier of services, for example, a carpenter, a plumber or a dentist, the agreement may be written or oral or a bit of both.

In general, the terms of the agreement are what you agree with the supplier or trader.

Online shopping rights

When you buy online from an online trader in Ireland, or elsewhere in the EU, you have strong rights under the EU Consumer Rights Directive (CRD). These  include:

• The right to clear and accurate information
• The right to change your mind and cancel (some purchases are not included)
• The express right to refund for delayed or non-delivery
• Right to redress in case of faulty goods.

What is my ‘right to redress’ if things go wrong?

If you have a problem with something you have bought (for example, it is faulty or does not meet the description given), it is always the seller who must put things right. As a general rule, the seller must offer a repair or replacement. Alternatively, they can give you a refund.

If you are not satisfied with the quality of the products or services you should:

• Return the item to the seller (not the manufacturer)
• Act as soon as you can – a delay can indicate that you have accepted faulty products
• Don’t attempt to repair the item yourself or give it to anyone else to repair it
• Make sure you have proof of purchase, for example a receipt or credit card statement
• For services, keep all evidence of damage caused by poor work, for example take photos.

The success of your consumer complaint can depend on a combination of factors – consumer legislation, the trader’s willingness to resolve the issue, and the circumstances of the case itself.

If you have a question in relation to your consumer rights, please contact South Munster Citizens Information Service where a highly trained member of staff will be happy to provide you accurate and up-to-date information in an understandable and usable way so that you can make an informed decision.

For anyone needing information, advice or have an advocacy issue, you can call a member of the local Citizens Information team in Kerry on 0761 07 7860, they will be happy to assist and make an appointment if necessary. 

The offices are staffed from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm.  Alternatively you can email on tralee@citinfo.ie or log on to www.citizensinformation.ie for further information.

Finnegan On Films: Powerful Drama And A Classic Comedy To Enjoy This Weekend

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James Finnegan suggests a classic comedy from the 70s and a multi-award winning drama from the 80s for your viewing pleasure this weekend…

If you are looking for a family film to start the weekend, you can’t beat a bit of Shrek.

Shrek Forever After (Saturday 6.35pm RTE1) is the fourth instalment in this particular franchise.

Shrek is finding the responsibilities of domestic family bliss a bit of a struggle. He yearns for the days when he was a carefree and feared ogre rather than a celebrity.

He is tricked by Rumplestiltskin to sign a contract that sends him into a dark alternative world where no one, even Fiona, knows him.

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Staring the vocal talents of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews and John Cleese among others, there is something here for all ages.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Saturday 8.50pm RTE2) is the second of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, or, in old money, the eighth instalment of the Skywalker saga.

Ray (Daisy Ridley) is seeking the help of Luke Skywalker (the legendary Mark Hamill) to help the Resistance against the evil Kylo Ren and the First Order.

Meanwhile First Order forces are mounting an attack on what remains of the Resistance fleet, while Finn, Rose and droid BB-8 attempt to disengage the First Orders tracking device.

Written and directed by Rian Johnson and stars acting talent than spans the Saga including Adam Driver, John Boyega, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels and a posthumous performance by Carrie Fisher.

There is also the notable Supporting Role played by our own Skellig Michael, now a site of honour for Jedies galaxy wide, as well as UNESCO.

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Rain Man (Saturday 10.35pm TG4) is a multi award winning film that has both increased awareness but has also popularised an erroneous stereotype of certain autistic behaviour.

A rather brash and self centred young car dealer Charlie (Tom Cruise) has found out that his estranged father has died and left the bulk of his substantial estate to another elder son Raymond (Dustin Hoffman), whom Charlie did not know existed.

Left with only his father’s vintage car and rosebushes, Charlie and girl friend Susanna (Valeria Golino) head to the institution where Raymond lives.   In an attempt to get control of the estates money, Charlie abducts Raymond and travel across the country, during which significant life lessons are learnt.

Written and directed by Barry Levinson, this is one of the most notable films of the 1980s winning the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman.  It also is anchored by a notable performance by Tom Cruise.

Finally a classic Mel Brooks comedy, that probably could not be made today, Blazing Saddles (Saturday 11.35 RTE2).

A corrupt railway tycoon wants to route his train through Rock Ridge.

He sends his men to terrorise the town and arranges for an African-American Sheriff to be appointed, hoping that the racist townsfolk reject him and leave.

However, the Sheriff is more cunning than they expect and engages the help of legendary gunslinger ‘The Waco Kid’. Enjoy and stay safe.