KERRY FC has announced the signing of Leo Gaxha from English second-tier side Sheffield United ahead of the 2023 SSE Airtricity First Division campaign which kicks off next Friday evening with a home tie against Cobh Ramblers, kicking off at 19:45.
In a huge boost to the squad, Leo has made the decision to return to Kerry to line out for his home team in the side’s first season at senior League of Ireland level.
Gaxha grew up in the Kingdom and played for both St Brendan’s Park and Tralee Dynamos at schoolboy level.
Continued below…
.
Leo has previously signed for Kerry FC, playing at under 15 level for the side before making the move cross-channel when he signed for Sheffield United 6 years ago.
The 20-year-old forward lined out for the Blades Youth team and also played for the side’s Reserves team over the past 5 seasons, appearing in the FA Youth Cup.
Leo has also worn the international shirt for both Ireland and Albania, lining up with Ireland at under 16 and 17 levels while he wore the Albania shirt at under 18 level.
Speaking on his announcement, Leo Gaxha said; “I’m delighted to be back and to sign for Kerry Football Club. I’m absolutely ready to give it everything and to show people we’re not here just to participate.
“It’s an honour to be back in Kerry and I can’t wait to get goingnext Friday evening in front of a packed Mounthawk Park.”
First-Team Manager Billy Dennehy said; “Leo is another example of why Kerry Football Club should exist really. He is a young lad from Kerry who did very well to get a move to a big club in the UK, Sheffield United.
Obviously, for various reasons, Leo is at a stage in his career where he needs the next step and now with Kerry FC in place, that next step can be here at home where he can get back to playing football and an environment where he can show his abilities and his talent while living at home and a having a comfortable environment around him.
Leo has shown an unbelievable appetite to come in and be a part of the club and is a prime example for a lot of young players of what a good attitude can achieve. We are delighted to have him on board.”
KERRY FC has welcomed Rob Vasiu who has signed for the senior squad ahead of the 2023 SSE Airtricity First Division campaign which gets underway next Friday night against Cobh Ramblers in Mounthawk Park.
Rob, who is 19, plays in the Right Back position and graduates from the Kerry FC Academy where he played with the under-19s.
A former St Brendan’s Park player, Rob signed for Kerry FC six years ago where he has played Under 15, 17 and 19 League of Ireland football representing the Kingdom.
Continued below…
.
Speaking on his step up to Senior League of Ireland football, Rob said; “It’s a great honour to sign with the senior squad, getting the opportunity to represent Kerry in the League of Ireland is a dream I’ve had from a young age. I can’t wait to make the most of it and I’m looking forward to the season getting underway next weekend.”
First-Team Manager Billy Dennehy said; “Rob is another young player that has come through our academy system here at the club and worked under myself and the coaching staff for the last number of years.
“The development Rob has made over the last few years has been phenomenal and has all been down to his work rate and attitude and his willingness to improve every day.
“Although he is young in his career he is an example to a lot of other players in the academy on how to train, prepare to train and the effort you need to put into training every day.
“I’m delighted to give Rob this opportunity to be involved in this senior League of Ireland club. He has a lot of learning to do as a young player still so it will be interesting to see how he develops over the weeks ahead,” said Dennehy.
.Dermot Crowley, Cliona O’Regan and Kathleen Collins launch the Charity Table Quiz to take place on March 3. Photo by Dermot Crean
THERE’S a chance to test your general knowledge and raise money for a great cause at the table quiz in town next month.
Recovery Haven will benefit from the event at The Mall Tavern on Friday, March 3 where a great night is promised.
Kicking off at 8pm, tables of four are €40 and there will be loads of spot prizes donated by local businesses as well as a prize for the winning table. There’ll also be live music with Daithí O’Regan. Put the date in your diary!
.Suzan O’Gara, Édaein O’Connell, Mary O’Connell and Sean O’Connell at the ‘Puppy Love’ fundraising dance in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs For The Blind at The Meadowlands Hotel on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean
THREE years almost to the day since the last dance fundraiser, there was the best turnout yet for the ‘Puppy Love’ Valentine’s Dance in The Meadowlands.
The event organised by the Tralee branch of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind attracted people from all over town and far beyond for a night of music and dancing.
The highlight for most was the chance to meet the gorgeous puppies in training, other IGDB breeding dogs, ambassador dogs and working dogs.
Continued below…
.
There was live music by Nitelife and a raffle for great prizes to be won, including for two tickets to The Late Late Show with an overnight stay in a Dublin Hotel.
The Kerry Rose 2022, Édaein O’Connell also came along to show her support for the great cause.
“We’d like to thank everyone for coming here tonight, there’s a wonderful crowd here,” said Anne O’Riordan of the Tralee branch.
“We’d like to thank thank The Meadowlands, Tommo and Nitelife, everyone buying raffle tickets and contributing for what’s turning out to be a fantastic night,” added Anne.
With an annual cost of €5 million, it costs IGDB €53,000 to breed, train and care for one Guide Dog over its working life. 85% of the charity’s funds comes from fundraising.
All efforts to fundraise are vital in enabling their work in #ChangingLives of people who are vision impaired and the families of children with autism. Scroll down for photos…
Saibh Norris and Katy at the ‘Puppy Love’ fundraising dance in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs For The Blind at The Meadowlands Hotel on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Oisín Liston with Feena at the ‘Puppy Love’ fundraising dance in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs For The Blind at The Meadowlands Hotel on Friday. Photo by Dermot CreanJoan Ann Brosnan, Mairead O’Mahony, Gail Nealon and Judy Pheysey at the ‘Puppy Love’ fundraising dance in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs For The Blind at The Meadowlands Hotel on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean.Chris Quain, Celene Moloney, Catherine Finnerty and Paul Finnerty at the ‘Puppy Love’ fundraising dance in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs For The Blind at The Meadowlands Hotel on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean‘Nitelife’ playing at the ‘Puppy Love’ fundraising dance in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs For The Blind at The Meadowlands Hotel on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean.Standing; Johnny Prendergast and Joseph Glenwood. Seated; Tracy Cronin, Cathy Maunsell and Liam Hammod at the ‘Puppy Love’ fundraising dance in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs For The Blind at The Meadowlands Hotel on Friday. Photo by Dermot CreanNancy Powell, Joan Carter, Bernadette Nash and Cecelia Kelliher at the ‘Puppy Love’ fundraising dance in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs For The Blind at The Meadowlands Hotel on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean.Laura Lynch with Dara Ó Cinnéide and Hanson at the ‘Puppy Love’ fundraising dance in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs For The Blind at The Meadowlands Hotel on Friday. Photo by Dermot CreanCiara Buckley with Colin and Eric Buckley at the ‘Puppy Love’ fundraising dance in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs For The Blind at The Meadowlands Hotel on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean.Dolores Johnson, Eileen McCormack, Rose O’Keeffe and Fiona Griffin at the ‘Puppy Love’ fundraising dance in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs For The Blind at The Meadowlands Hotel on Friday. Photo by Dermot CreanEvelyn Murphy, Kathy Murphy and Ann O’Riordan at the ‘Puppy Love’ fundraising dance in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs For The Blind at The Meadowlands Hotel on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean..
Deirdre Vann Bourke, Information Manager with South Munster Citizens Information Service discusses hire purchase (HP) agreements…
A HP agreement is a credit agreement. You hire an item (for example, a car, laptop or television) and pay an agreed amount in monthly payments.
You do not own the item until you have made the final payment. Personal Contract Plans (PCPs) are a type of hire purchase agreement.
What you should know:
• Some HP agreements have a balloon payment at the end of the agreement which is normally higher than your usual monthly payments
• You do not legally own the item until after the final payment is made, but you do have full use of the item throughout the payment period
• You cannot legally sell the item until the agreement has been paid off
• If you do not keep up the repayments, the item can be seized
• You have the right to end the agreement at any time
Continued below…
.
You can take out a hire purchase agreement with a bank, building society or finance company. Hire purchase can also be arranged through a retailer.
If you take out a HP agreement with a retailer, you should know that the store or garage is not actually providing the loan.
It is acting as an agent for a finance company and will earn commission from the finance company for arranging the loan.
This is called being a credit intermediary and the agent must be authorised by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) to do this.
Hire purchase agreements usually last between 2 and 5 years. Most HP agreements last 3 years. You should read a hire purchase contract very carefully before committing yourself to any agreement.
Personal Contract Plans (PCPs)
This is a specific type of hire purchase agreement offered by car dealers as a way to pay for a car. In a PCP contract, you pay a deposit and continue to make regular instalments, usually over 3 years. There is usually a large lump sum payment at the end of the contract.
At the end of the contract you can either:
• Pay the final lump sum and keep the car, or
• Return the car to the seller (you can take out a new PCP arrangement on another car)
You do not own the car until the final payment is made. You must stick to certain restrictions on usage and maintenance, such as mileage limits and servicing obligations.
PCPs can seem very attractive because they usually have very low monthly repayments but they can be very complex compared to other types of car finance. It is important to understand all the terms and conditions before you sign up for a PCP.
Continued below…
.
Hire purchase costs
To calculate the real cost of a hire purchase agreement:
• Find the total hire purchase price
• Find the price of a cash purchase of the same item
• Deduct the cash price (2) from the total hire purchase price (1)
A garage offers two prices for the same car. The car will cost you €12,000 if you buy it outright with cash. Alternatively, the car will cost you €17,000 if you want to hire purchase the car:
• €17,000
• €12,000
• €17,000 – €12,000 = €5,000
In this example, the hire purchase cost is €5,000. That is, it will cost you €5,000 extra to hire the car for a period of time (and eventually to own it), rather than to buy it outright for cash.”
Different lenders have different hire purchase costs. Some will quote an APR (Annual Percentage Rate). This can help you to compare hire purchase costs. It may be misleading to compare a hire purchase APR with that of a normal bank or credit union loan. This is because you are paying for the hire of the goods. Unlike a loan, you do not own them until the last instalment of the HP agreement has been paid.
There is a maximum interest rate of 23% APR for hire purchase agreements since 16 May 2022.
Hire purchase charges and fees
Hire purchase agreements may also involve additional fees and charges. These fees and charges vary, but may include:
• Documentation fees
• Penalty fees for missed or late payments
• Interest surcharge for missed repayments – this means an additional amount of interest will be charged on the amount unpaid
• Completion fee for ownership of the goods to pass to you – sometimes you have to pay a balloon payment much higher than your usual monthly payments
• Repossession charges – you could be charged for repossession costs or for failure to take reasonable care
• Rescheduling charge – if your lender agrees to change the loan terms
Any balloon payment charged on a hire purchase loan has the effect of postponing part of the costs until after the loan. This means that in the earlier months and years, you are paying less off your loan than you would for a bank or a credit union loan. You have to pay the balloon payment to clear the loan and to become the legal owner.
Continued below…
.
What must be in a HP agreement contract?
A hire purchase agreement is drawn up and signed by you (the hirer) and on behalf of the owner (the finance company). If there is a retailer involved, for example, a garage, it also signs the agreement and supplies the items in question.
The hire purchase must include:
• The item covered under the agreement, for example, a car or computer.
• The cash price of the item.
• The hire purchase price. This is the total amount you will pay over the life of the loan. The hire purchase price is the monthly payment or instalment multiplied by the number of instalments which you have to make.
• The amount of each instalment you have to pay. Sometimes the final instalment is much larger than all the others (a balloon payment).
• The date you must pay each instalment.
• The names and addresses of all the parties to the agreement.
• A statement that you have the right to withdraw from the agreement within 10 days of receiving a copy of the agreement. This is known as a cooling off period. Often you are asked to give away this right by signing a waiver. You do not have to sign this waiver.
• A statement that you must tell the owner (finance company) of the locations of the item.
• The words “Hire Purchase Agreement” which must be stated clearly and in a prominent place on the agreement form.
• The fees, charges, and penalties that apply.
• The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) charged (for agreements made since 16 May 2022).
Unless all of these requirements are contained in the agreement, the agreement may not be legally enforceable.
Can I end a HP agreement?
You can end the agreement at any time by giving notice in writing to the owner of the goods (the finance company). This is a legal right under the Consumer Credit Act 1995. You should be aware that breaking a hire purchase contract before its normal end date usually involves penalties.
You have two options:
• Buy the item earlier than planned. You can own the item by paying the difference between the amount already paid and the total hire purchase price. There is usually a reduction on the overall amount due as you are paying the loan off earlier than planned. This reduction is calculated using a recognised formula for early loan repayments. However, the amount of any reduction is relatively small.
• Return the item to the owner and pay half the amount of the total hire purchase price (if the total of instalments already paid have not reached that amount). This is called the half-rule. You do not have to pay half the hire purchase price immediately. Ending an agreement using the half rule may not always be the best solution.
• For anyone needing information, advice or have an advocacy issue, you can call a member of the local Citizens Information team in Kerry on 0818 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.
A break from our normal reviews this week as our movie guy, James Finnegan, shares his favourite movies, guilty pleasures and much more…
What was the first film you watched?
I was brought to see The Sound of Music (1965) at the Dominion Tottenham Court Road around May 1968 and I have kept going since.
What’s your favourite film and why?
The Godfather (1972), the start of a trilogy of a simple family with anger management issues, going about their business with a wonderful cast, director and script.
Continued below…
.
What’s your favourite line or quote from a film?
There was a great Irish Actor, Patrick Magee, who appeared in films like Zulu, A Clockwork Orange and who won a Tony award on Broadway for Marat/Sade.
He told me he had just done a film where he had one line “On my day, it was King first, God second”.
About a year later, I was watching the scene in Chariots of Fire where Eric Liddell was in front of the British Olympic Committee for refusing to run on the Sabbath.
I suddenly heard Pat’s unique tone saying that wonderful line.
What’s your favourite movie scene?
In Superman the Movie (1978), Clark Kent sees Lois Lane’s hat on the pavement, looks up, runs into a revolving door, changes into Superman, flies up, catches Lois with one hand and a helicopter with the other and tells her “Statistically speaking, flying is still the safest way to travel”.
Continued below…
.
How do you choose which film to watch? By genre, director, star or cast?
I try not to prejudge films, so I can see them fresh and without expectations so I can be surprised
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure film to watch and why?
I love the Bank Holiday classic films of derring-do and baddies that can’t shoot straight such as The Magnificent Seven (1960) The Great Escape (1963) and Where Eagles Dare (1968) – and I don’t feel guilty at all.
What popular film do you just don’t rate and why?
Grease (1978). I like musicals and can suspend my belief as well as the next person, but it was just too much to believe these actors were High School students.
Who’s your favourite actor, actress and movie couple and why?
I admire all actors and actresses in all media, but my favourite movie couple are the brilliant Laurel and Hardy.
I have a particular fondness for ‘The Music Box’ (1932) where they are trying to deliver a piano up steps.
Continued below…
.
What was the worst film you ever saw?
Pokemon the Movie (1998) I should have noted the inherent threat in the title.
What was the last film you saw and would you recommend it?
The Banshees of Iniserin and would recommend it for the Acting, Cinematography and Music. Others seem to agree.
Have you any film connection or experience you would like to share?
My greatest film experience was working on The Lobster (2015) with the best of Irish and International talent in front and behind the camera.
James (seated second from left) in a scene from The Lobster.
That it won and received Oscar and BAFTA nominations was additional confirmation of the quality of the whole production – despite me!
Deirdre Vann Bourke, Information Manager with South Munster Citizens Information Service discusses hire purchase (HP) agreements…
A break from our normal reviews this week as our movie guy, James Finnegan, shares his favourite movies, guilty pleasures and much more…
The Godfather (1972), the start of a trilogy of a simple family with anger management issues, going about their business with a wonderful cast, director and script.
I love the Bank Holiday classic films of derring-do and baddies that can’t shoot straight such as The Magnificent Seven (1960) The Great Escape (1963) and Where Eagles Dare (1968) – and I don’t feel guilty at all.
Grease (1978). I like musicals and can suspend my belief as well as the next person, but it was just too much to believe these actors were High School students.