.Fireworks above the Ashe Memorial Hall on New Year’s Eve. Photo by Dermot Crean
EVERYONE is invited to the New Year’s Eve Street Party on Denny Street this Sunday evening.
Organised by Tralee Chamber, in partnership with Ballyseedy Garden Centre, the family celebration is hosted by Brian Hurley with the fun beginning from 6pm and the fireworks display at 7pm.
Kerry County Council will close Denny Street and a section of Ivy Terrace from its junction with Denny Street to the eastern entrance road to the Tesco Car Park from 4pm to 8pm There will be no parking on Denny Street from 8am on Sunday.
Continuing our review of 2023 we look back at some of the news we brought you in October…
• NED O’Shea Construction company lodged a planning application for a €70m, 235-home, Large Scale Residential Development (LRD) in Lisloose, Tralee.
Work at the 9.2-hectare Lisloose site is located off the Bracker O’Regan Road will create 200 direct construction jobs in the local community and with local suppliers the developer said.
The planning proposal included a mixture of dwelling types and sizes, including 2, 3 and 4-bedroom houses, and 1 and 2-bedroom apartments, with a view to creating sustainable homes in landscaped green areas. In addition, a childcare facility and a small commercial unit are proposed as well as space for 372 car spaces, and 349 cycle spaces.
Eileen Walsh.
• KERRY International Film Festival (KIFF) has announced actress Eileen Walsh as this year’s recipient of the Maureen O’Hara Award.
Eileen Walsh’s notable roles include The Van, The Last Bus Home, When Brendan Met Trudy, The Magdalene Sisters, Pure Mule, Eden, and Catastrophe, to name a few.
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• IT was announced that after the success of last year, Tralee Chamber in partnership with Kerry County Council were bringing back the Island Of Geese Festive Market as part of their 2023 Christmas programme.
The said the Festive Markets would run on Friday, December 8, Saturday, December 9 and on Sunday, December 10.
• RADIO Kerry had a fantastic time at the IMRO Radio awards at the Lyrath Hotel in Kilkenny tonight, winning four Gold, three Silver, one Bronze award.
One of the popular winners at the prestigious awards — regarded as the ‘Radio Oscars’ — was Tim Moynihan who won the Gold in the Sports Broadcaster of the Year Local Regional category.
• TRALEE won its 11th Tidy Towns Gold Medal in a row and in doing so upped their points tally significantly on last year.
They were awarded 366 points, up an impressive nineteen points on 2022’s total of 347. It was the fourth highest mark of all towns and villages in the county after Killarney, Kenmare and Listowel. Ireland’s Tidiest Large Town 2023 went to Killarney who achieved 375 points.
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• KINGDOM Pride in Kerry won the Community Organisation of the Year Award (Volunteer Staff) at the GALAS Awards.
From a longlist of 48 volunteer-run organisations, Kingdom Pride was shortlisted alongside Equality for Children, Na Gael Aeracha, and the Small Trans Library.
• A NEW residential development was given the go ahead at the site of the CBS Monastery at Castlecountess in Tralee.
Kerry County Council granted permission to the applicants Nailun Limited for the development, subject to 19 conditions.
The existing two-storey building — which is located adjacent to CBS The Green Secondary School — would be demolished to make way for the construction of 14 new housing units.
• A TRALEE woman was among the winners at the 16th Writers Guild of Ireland (WGI) Zebbie Awards. The awards celebrate the best of Irish writing for stage, screen and radio.
Katie McNeice won the Best Short Film Script award for ‘Lambing’ which she also directed. Katie, of Hardback Films, is a former winner of the Kerry Short Film Bursary of €10,000.
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• A NUMBER of rallies were held in Tralee and Killarney during October to show solidarity with the Palestinian people during the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
They were organised by the Kerry branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) — which campaigns for justice and works to support the rights of the Palestinian people.
• A SOLICITOR from Tralee was included in the prestigious Airline Economics 40 Under 40 Class of 2023.
Claire McDermott featured in the list in the leading and largest finance and leasing global publication for the aviation sector, which reaches industry professionals from lessors, investors, banks, airlines, law firms & MROs.
A daughter of Peter and Nora McDermott, Claire graduated with a Bachelor of Civil Law from National University of Ireland, Galway in 2007. Her primary education was at St Oliver’s National School Killarney before attending Balloonagh/Mercy Mounthawk Secondary School and Brookfield College, Tralee.
Know Your Rights has been compiled by Kerry Citizens Information Service which provides a free and confidential service to the public…
Decision making is an integral part of our lives. At different times we make important decisions about our finances, property, employment, accommodation, healthcare and social supports.
Overall, there are five different decision support arrangements for people who have challenges with their capacity and who may need support to make certain decisions. These arrangements are based on the different levels of support that a person requires to make a specific decision at a specific time.
The three types of support arrangements for people who currently, or may shortly, face challenges when making certain decisions are outlines as follows:
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1. Decision-making assistance agreements allow you to choose which decisions you need help with. It also gives your chosen person the legal recognition to help you to make those decisions for yourself.
Your decision-making assistant does not make decisions for you. Instead, they help you to make your own decisions.
The decision-making assistant can only help with decisions that are included in your decision-making assistance agreement.
This means they will be able to access relevant information and records for you if you have included this task in your agreement. Your decision-making assistant does not make a decision with or for you. They support you to make your own decisions.
2. Co-decision-making agreements allows you choose someone you know and trust as a co-decision-maker to make certain decisions jointly with you. These decisions could be about your personal care, property, or money matters.
After you register your co-decision-making agreement, your co-decision-maker can:
• Support you in coming to a decision together. For example, the co-decision-maker will try to explain complex information to you in clear and simple terms
• Help you to access relevant information and records, for example, contacting your bank or doctor
• Make certain decisions together with you, for example, decisions on your finances
• Make reasonable efforts to ensure any decision is implemented
Your co-decision-maker can only support you with decisions listed in your agreement. They cannot make a decision on your behalf without you – you must always be involved.
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3. Decision-making representation orders are made by the Circuit Court in situations where you are not able to make a decision for yourself, even with support from another person.
An application by you or someone who has a genuine interest in your welfare for an order must be made to the Court.
If the court agrees that you are not able to make certain decisions for yourself, it can appoint one or more decision-making representatives to make those decisions for you.
A decision-making representation order can be time-limited. It will also limit the powers of the decision-making representative as is appropriate.
The court will list all of the decisions that the decision-making representative can make. This may include decisions about property and money matters, as well as decisions about personal welfare.
When making a decision for you, your decision-making representative must:
• Make every effort to find out your past and present wishes about this specific decision, for example, getting the views of your friends, family and trusted advisors
• Help you to be involved in the decision-making as much as possible
There are two types of arrangements for people who wish to plan ahead for a time in the future when they might lose capacity:
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1. An Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) is a legal device that can be set up by a person (the donor) to allow another person (an attorney), to look after their financial or personal affairs, in the event that they no longer have the capacity to do so themselves.
An enduring power of attorney is just one of the legal arrangements you can make in the event you become incapacitated or unable to deal with your affairs.
The attorney’s role is to act on your behalf to make certain decisions if you are unable to in the future. An attorney does not need to be a lawyer.
EPAs do not cover decisions about medical treatment. You can make an Advance Healthcare Directive if you want to make decisions about the medical treatment you get in the event that you lose your capacity.
2. An Advance Healthcare Directive (AHD) is a written statement about the type of medical or surgical treatment you want or do not want, if in the future, you are unable to make these decisions.
An AHD is only used if you lose capacity and you can no longer communicate your wishes yourself. It lets your family, carers and healthcare professionals know your wishes about your medical and surgical treatment if you are unable to make or communicate those decisions yourself.
You can appoint someone you know and trust as your designated healthcare representative to ensure your advance healthcare directive is followed.
All decision support arrangements are registered with & regulated by the Decision Support Service. This is a service that promotes the rights and interests of people who may need support with decision-making. Further information is available at www.decisionsupporservice.ie or telephone (01) 2119750
• If you need further information about any of the issues raised here or you have other questions, you can drop-in to your local Citizens Information Service in Tralee, Killarney or Caherciveen – opening hours are listed on our website. You can also contact us by telephone or email:
Continuing our review of 2023 we look back at some of the news we brought you in September…
Katie Hannon
• RTE journalist Katie Hannon was selected as the 2023 Kerry Person of the Year while two Radio Kerry sports broadcasters were honoured by the Kerry Association in Dublin.
Ambrose O’Donovan and Tim Moynihan were selected to receive the Laochra Chiarraí award which recognises exemplary leadership in community activity in the county.
Both awards were presented at the Association’s annual Oíche Chiarraí in the Louis Fitzgerald hotel, Dublin in October.
• THERE were some very fancy cars on display at the FBD Insurance/Peevers Slye Cotter car park on Dan Spring Road for the second ‘Automobili Italia Tralee’.
Ferraris, Maseratis, Lamborghinis, Alfa Romeos, Fiats, Lancias and many more old and new cars rolled into the venue for the successful event which raises funds for the Irish Wheelchair Association.
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• IT was revealed that Kerry County Council have plans for developments at Blennerville Windmill.
They revealed they are progressing a design for extensive upgrading of the existing Blennerville Windmill Visitor Centre. The first phase of the development project proposes a new Bakery and Baking School which has received funding approval under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.
• A LOCAL councillor called for immediate maintenance work on the old O’Sullivan’s Bar building in Fenit.
Speaking at the Tralee Municipal District meeting of Kerry County Council on Monday, Sinn Féin Cllr Deirdre Ferris said the building was in such a state of neglect that it was in danger of collapse. She asked that something be done immediately in regard to maintenance.
Cllr Ferris said it was a building of historical importance to the area and local development groups should be consulted as to the future use of the building.
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• IT was revealed plans for the new plaza area at the bus and railway station in Tralee will reach the planning stage by the end of the first quarter of 2024.
The proposed plaza area to the front of Casement Station will involve a landmark re-invention of the space on the southern aspect of the Tralee Casement Train Station which will revitalise the Train and Bus Station and its environs.
The proposed redeveloped area will create a sustainable transport hub and a serviced termination/start point for the Tralee Fenit Greenway linking to the numerous proposed and existing safe cycling and walking routes throughout the Town.
• MINISTER for Education Norma Foley TD announcesd official project approval for a second multi-million euro building project for Mercy Mounthawk Secondary school, Tralee.
The new project brief caters for six classrooms dedicated for the provision of special education with five pastoral rooms; one home economics room; two graphics rooms; two science labs and a prep area; two art rooms with six project store rooms; two construction studies rooms and six engineering rooms.
• THE Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council decided he would not run for office in the next local elections due to be held in 2024.
Fine Gael’s Tralee Municipal District Cllr, Jim Finucane, originally from Tarbert, successfully ran for Tralee Town Council in 1986 and would spend the next 14 years in that local authority.
He took a break from politics for much of the Noughties but returned in 2009 when he was asked to run for the County Council and he has been reelected twice since then.
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• ASTELLAS Pharma Ireland announced it is to apply for planning permission for a €330 million facility at the Kerry Technology Park in Tralee.
When constructed, the new plant will provide investment for Tralee and bring 110 highly-specialized engineering, science and technology jobs to the county and the region. Around 600 people will be employed during the construction of the building.
• A LOTTO player in Kerry won the top prize of €1 million in a Lotto Plus 1 draw. The Kerry winner scooped their top prize after purchasing their ticket online at www.lottery.ie or through the National Lottery app.
The National Lottery confirmed that a notification to the user’s online account and a separate email had been sent to the lucky Kerry ticket holder.
• TRALEE Bay Wetlands Eco and Activity Park and Tralee Town Park were recognised once again with Green Flag awards.
They were among the 101 parks, gardens, grounds and wildlife sanctuaries around the country announced as Green Flag Award winners this year.
Tralee Bay Wetlands received 2023 Green Flag Award and Heritage Site Accreditation as well as the Overall Pollinator Award.
• NINE Kerry players received PwC GAA Football All-Star nominations with David Clifford among three nominees for Footballer of the Year.
All-Ireland football champions Dublin had 10 nominations among the list of 45 players spread across 13 counties – the largest representative breakdown since 2008.
Gardaí attended the scene of a single vehicle fatal road traffic collision that occurred at Aulaneduff, Abbeydorney, last night at approximately 9.15pm.
A male driver, aged in his 40s was fatally injured when the vehicle he was driving overturned on the road.
The body of the deceased remains at the scene. His body will be removed to the mortuary at University Hospital Kerry where a post mortem will take place in due course.
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A female passenger, aged in her 30s was also injured and removed from the scene by ambulance to University Hospital Kerry where she is being treated for her injuries which are believed to be non-life threatening.
The road at Aulaneduff, Abbeydorney is currently closed pending a technical examination of the scene by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators which will take place later this morning. Traffic diversions are in place.
Gardaí in Tralee Garda Station are appealing to anyone who may have information in relation to this collision to contact them.
Any road users who were in the area on Friday evening between 9pm and 9.30pm and who may have camera footage (including dash cam) is asked to make this available to investigating Gardaí.
Anyone with information in relation to this collision is asked to contact Tralee Garda Station on 066 710 2300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
Our movie guy, James Finnegan, recommends some films on the box that see out the year and welcome in the new one…
Let’s see what films will lead us gently from 2023 into the New Year
First up is that perennial favourite The Bridge on the River Kwai(Saturday 2.45 RTE1). This Oscar-winning Second World War drama telling the true life story of a British colonel in a Japanese POW camp who is ordered to build the aforementioned bridge over a river, forging a vital communications link.
While refusing at first, he eventually takes the project on becoming so obsessed that the Allies need to destroy it. Directed by David Lean, and starring Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, William Holden this is a powerful epic.
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Jennifer Hudson is well cast as the lead in Respect (Saturday 10pm RTE1), a biopic of the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.
Forest Whitaker stars as her father, Baptist Minister CL Franklin, who takes a personal interest in her contract with Columbia Records when none of her singles are hits.
Also starring Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Titus Burgess and Marc Maron, her career takes off when smooth talking Ted White becomes Aretha’s manager.
Classic comedy There’s Something about Mary(Saturday 10.20pm TG4) is the wonderfully over the top romantic comedy directed in the best possible taste (not!) by the Farrelly Brothers.
A lovestruck man sends a sleazy private detective to track down his high school sweetheart to rekindle their brief relationship. Unfortunately, he is not her only suitor. Starring Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon and Lee Evans, this is a Classic.
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Another fine comedy is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels(New Years Eve 1.10pm RTE1) where a professional conman is making a career of seducing and swindling wealthy women on the French Riviera.
However, when a brash American hustler arrives looking for a piece of the action, there is conflict and competition.
This is directed by Frank Oz and stars the wonderful Ying and Yang performances of Michael Caine and Steve Martin.
If you are on a cruise today, on New Year’s Eve, you might want to give The Poseidon Adventure (New Years Eve 3.25pm RTE1) a miss, as a luxury liner capsizes when struck by a freak wave, trapping an All Star cast (Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Shelley Winters and all) in a deadly trial of survival.
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Michael B Jordan Stars in Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse(New Years Day 9.30pm RTE1), a rather clumsy way of telling us that the creator of Jack Ryan is also involved in this expansion of that universe.
An elite Navy Seal, John Clark (Jordan) sets out to avenge his pregnant wife’s murder, only to uncover a larger international conspiracy.
Two comedies to end with, first Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (New Years Day 9.35 RTE2) starring Will Farrell as a chauvinistic 1970’s newsreader who feels threatened by the arrival of an ambitious female reporter (Christina Applegate).
The second is O Brother, Where Art Thou?(New Years Day 11pm TG4,) the wonderful Coen Brothers comedy, starring George Clooney and John Turturro.
Know Your Rights has been compiled by Kerry Citizens Information Service which provides a free and confidential service to the public…
• ASTELLAS Pharma Ireland announced it is to apply for planning permission for a €330 million facility at the Kerry Technology Park in Tralee.
Gardaí attended the scene of a single vehicle fatal road traffic collision that occurred at Aulaneduff, Abbeydorney, last night at approximately 9.15pm.
Our movie guy, James Finnegan, recommends some films on the box that see out the year and welcome in the new one…
While refusing at first, he eventually takes the project on becoming so obsessed that the Allies need to destroy it. Directed by David Lean, and starring Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, William Holden this is a powerful epic.
Jennifer Hudson is well cast as the lead in Respect (Saturday 10pm RTE1), a biopic of the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.
Classic comedy There’s Something about Mary (Saturday 10.20pm TG4) is the wonderfully over the top romantic comedy directed in the best possible taste (not!) by the Farrelly Brothers.
Another fine comedy is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (New Years Eve 1.10pm RTE1) where a professional conman is making a career of seducing and swindling wealthy women on the French Riviera.
If you are on a cruise today, on New Year’s Eve, you might want to give The Poseidon Adventure (New Years Eve 3.25pm RTE1) a miss, as a luxury liner capsizes when struck by a freak wave, trapping an All Star cast (Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Shelley Winters and all) in a deadly trial of survival.
Michael B Jordan Stars in Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse (New Years Day 9.30pm RTE1), a rather clumsy way of telling us that the creator of Jack Ryan is also involved in this expansion of that universe.
Two comedies to end with, first Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (New Years Day 9.35 RTE2) starring Will Farrell as a chauvinistic 1970’s newsreader who feels threatened by the arrival of an ambitious female reporter (Christina Applegate).
The second is O Brother, Where Art Thou? (New Years Day 11pm TG4,) the wonderful Coen Brothers comedy, starring George Clooney and John Turturro.