Kerry Today

Last evening the Kerry branch of the IFA organised a meeting in Foilmore, near Cahersiveen to discuss issues arising out of the South Kerry Greenway. There have been a number of controversies including the issue of compensation paid to property owners whose lands were acquired by compulsory purchase order (CPO). Sari Houlihan attended the meeting and spoke to chief executive of Kerry County Council Fearghal Reidy and to solicitor Brian Harrington who represents many of the affected landowners. She also interviewed Morgan Lyne who farms near Kells Station and to Christy McDonnell who has a farm near Foilmore. This package is funded by the News Reporting Scheme.

Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr Michael Foley was at a birthday party in King Charles’s honour in Dublin yesterday. The Fine Gael councillor who lives in Ballylongford, North Kerry has strong views on the controversy over Aughinish Alumina’s Russian links. The factory is one of the biggest employers in the West Limerick/North Kerry area.

Jerry spoke to Daragh Nolan of the Leinster Leader ahead of Kerry’s games against Kildare. Both matches will take place in St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge. At 3pm, the Kerry Ladies take on their Lilywhite counterparts in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Group 2 Round 2 game. At 5.30pm, the men of the Kingdom Kerry play Kildare in Round 2B of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. Kerry must win to stay in the championship. Both games will be broadcast live on Radio Kerry.

John Downing of the Irish Independent reviews the week in politics. Jerry got John’s response to leading GAA figures addressing the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage this week. The GAA’s strategy, insights and innovation manager Dr Peter Horgan outlined how housing policy is so important in addressing rural decline and the impact this is having on the GAA.

On Monday night, a man aged in his 30s was killed in a crash on the N21 between Abbeyfeale and Newcastle West close to the Limerick/Kerry border. Journalist Jimmy Woulfe has revealed that the deceased is believed to be an international criminal who is wanted for two murders in Scandinavia.

Can men who are violent and controlling towards their partners and children ever change? Jerry speaks to the head of MOVE – Men Overcoming Violence. The programme’s aim is to support the safety and wellbeing of women and their children who are experiencing, or have experienced violence/abuse in an intimate relationship. MOVE is a programme whereby men take responsibility for their violence and change their attitude and behaviour. Jerry spoke to MOVE’s CEO Dr Michelle Walsh. https://moveireland.ie/

At Tralee Circuit Court this week, a young woman who suffered life-changing injuries when she was crushed by the wheels of a van expressed forgiveness towards the driver responsible. Twenty-four-year-old Molly Hegarty gave her victim impact statement during the sentence hearing of Caimin Sheedy of Rusheen, Firies. Radio Kerry journalist Breda Forrest was in court.

Sports writer and Irish Times columnist, Dave Hannigan, who lives in Long Island, spoke to Jerry about how the World Cup is being viewed in America in a land where as a kid you have to pay huge amounts of money to play soccer.

The jury at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Limerick has been discharged, for what they were told were legal reasons around disclosure. Father-of-one Gerard Kennelly was found with fatal stab injuries at Knockanure outside Listowel, in the early hours of Monday, May 27th, 2024. The three accused are Kieran Brady, who is in his mid-30s, from Upper Athea, Co. Limerick, 24-year-old Abigail Lynch of Woodview Place, Tarbert, and 29-year-old Kane Hornyak, of Doon Road, Ballybunion. Jerry spoke to Kerryman journalist Sinéad Kelleher.

Kerry Writers’ Museum will welcome artists from throughout the world from June 11th to 14th for a four-day Celtic Arts festival. Jerry spoke to event organiser Stephen Rynne, and Maui artist Hamish Burgess.

Rioters took to the streets of Belfast last evening after a serious knife attack in the city on Monday night. 30-year-old Hadi Alodid has been remanded in custody, charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie. Mr Ogilvie has lost an eye and suffered other catastrophic injuries. The Sudanese man is also charged with possessing a bladed weapon, and making threats to kill an NHS worker on the same day. The attack has led to widespread violent scenes in Belfast. Families were forced to fleet their homes, and houses and vehicles were set on fire. Jerry spoke to SDLP Belfast City Councillor Séamas de Faoite.

A report by the Environmental Protection Agency has found that local authorities inspected 4,315 farms last year. Forty-three per cent of these were found to be non-compliant with the relevant regulations. Jerry spoke to Michael Martin who’s an EPA inspector.

The IFA is holding a public meeting in Foilmore tomorrow, Thursday the 11th, to discuss the South Kerry Greenway. The council executive, including the CEO Fearghal Reidy, are due to attend.

Jerry spoke to Kenmare independent councillor Dan McCarthy after it emerged Kerry County Council had investigated almost 200 complaints relating to overgrown hedges. Cllr McCarthy is also seeking an update from Uisce Éireann regarding Kenmare’s new wastewater treatment plant and access to water for new housing developments.

Jerry spoke to former Government Minister Shane Ross about his new book, titled "RTÉ: Saints, Scholars, and Scandals", which tells the story of the state broadcaster all the way back to the 1960s.

Jerry spoke to Social Democrats TD Sinead Gibney, who is visiting Kerry this week for a public meeting, about her party's motion in the Dáil this week calling for Ireland's game with Israel to be cancelled altogether.

New figures released from the Irish Road Safety Authority (RSA) to the Irish Road Haulage Association under FOI, reveal that there were 388,090 learner permit holders on Irish roads at the end of March 2026 - 6,219 more than at the same date in 2025 - one year ago. We now have more learner drivers in every county in Ireland, bar 4, since 2025, including here in Kerry. Jerry spoke to President of the Irish Road Haulage Association, Ger Hyland.

Miriam O’Sullivan had a fall last week while carrying glass to a charity shop in Killarney. Two residents of a nearby IPAS centre went out of their way to help her.

Kerry's double header with Kildare in the men's and ladies' football All-Ireland Championships on Saturday is now a sell-out. The game will not be televised, with live commentary available on Radio Kerry. Jerry spoke to Martin Leane, Kerry GAA Supporters Club PRO.

The Learning Waves Journalism Graduate Programme for 2026 is open for applications until this Friday, 12th June. Jerry spoke to Niamh O’Sullivan, Radio Kerry journalist and 2025 Learning Waves graduate, and Teresa Hanratty of Learning Waves.

Jerry spoke to Amy Forde, news editor, Irish Farmers’ Journal on the fall in the number of farmers in Kerry.

A major international gathering of undertakers took place in Kerry over the weekend. Jerry spoke to Graham Gleasure, of Gleasure Funeral Homes in Tralee and Listowel, who hosted the event, and are one of only two Irish funeral firms who are members of the American association, Selected Independent Funeral Homes.

Killarney has retained its place among Ireland’s cleanest towns in the latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey. Jerry spoke to Michael Gleeson, Killarney Looking Good Chairperson.

Yesterday marked the 30th anniversary of the killing of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe originally from Ballylongford. Jerry spoke to Jerry McCabe’s brother-in-law Pat Kearney, who’s originally from Castleisland. Pat married Jerry’s sister, Eileen. Jerry was Pat’s best man and Pat was Jerry’s best man.

Circus ringmistress and singer Marion Fossett has passed away aged 71. Jerry spoke to Mayor of Tralee, Labour councillor Terry O’Brien, about the Fossetts' long-standing link to Tralee.

Jerry spoke to Kathryn Courtney, Industrial Relations Executive with the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. The INMO has served a notice of industrial action on the HSE over proposed staffing levels at the Killarney Community Nursing Unit, which has yet to open.

On the first Friday of the month David O’Sullivan of DC Energy Solutions answers your home heating and energy conservation questions. The feature is sponsored by Boyles of Killorglin.

The National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) is calling on people in Kerry to sign a petition calling on the Government to introduce a legal ban on sulky horse activity on public roads.  The organisation says this is essential to ensure stronger protections for horses and the public. Jerry spoke to the NSPCA’s director of advocacy Conor Dowling.

Yesterday’s Fine Gael four MEPs issued a statement in which they expressed concern that the West Limerick refinery – a major employer in the region – might be fuelling Russia’s war in Ukraine. Reports suggested that alumina which is extracted from bauxite at the plant, is being exported to Russia, where it is eventually used to support Russia’s war cause; the company has denied this. Jerry spoke to one of the four MEPs, Kilcummin’s Sean Kelly.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has refused to register the new community nursing unit in Killarney. Jerry speaks to councillors Marie Moloney and Jackie Healy-Rae who are members of the regional health forum. Jerry also reads out a comment from a father who feels his daughter has not got a fair chance when it comes to getting picked for sports teams.

We’re being asked to take part in the Great Big All-Ireland Hedgehog Count. Jerry spoke to Elaine O’Riordan from the School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute at University of Galway.

Jerry spoke to Cllr Tommy Cahill to talk about Portmagee’s plans to commemorate its connection to one of the most seminal flights in history. Next year is the 100th anniversary of the first non-stop transatlantic flight from New York to Paris by Charles Lindbergh.

Kerry’s All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Round 2B meeting with Kildare will not be shown live on RTÉ television or GAA+. The reigning All-Ireland champions travel to Cedral St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge on Saturday, June 13th. Throw-in for the men’s game will be 5.30pm. Earlier, at 3pm, the Kerry Ladies face Kildare in Newbridge in the All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 2. The women’s game will be shown on TG4. Both games, of course, will be broadcast live on Radio Kerry. Jerry spoke to Kerry supporter Gerry Cournane who’s not happy about the men’s game being shown on TV.

In a bid to encourage more of us to move to electric vehicles, the government has announced a scheme whereby vehicle owners will be offered €8,500 EV grants under a new State scrappage plan. Jerry got the reaction of Tim Kelliher of Kellihers, Toyota in Tralee.

At 7 o’clock this evening in Dromid in the Inny Tavern, Senator Frances Black and Éamonn Meehan, who’s chair of Sadaka – the Ireland Palestine Alliance – will speak at a public meeting. Jerry spoke to Senator Black.

Yesterday, Tánaiste, Minister for Finance, and leader of Fine Gael Simon Harris was asked about Michael Healy-Rae. In April, the Kerry Independent TD resigned as a junior minister following the fuel protests; he also voted no confidence in the government. On Tuesday’s Kerry Today, he told Jerry that he’d been effectively forced into this position; he said his brother fellow TD Danny had dragged him overboard when he, Danny, had called on Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs to topple the Taoiseach and Tánaiste in April. Jerry got the views of Fine Gael councillor Teddy O’Sullivan Casey.

Every Wednesday, Tony gives his perspective on listeners' dilemmas. A listener sent in a letter about her who has become distant, barely contributes to the grocery bill and gives nothing towards other bills, and has left her feeling very lonely. If you’re affected you may contact https://www.samaritans.org/samaritans-ireland/

Last week, a buoy was found on Inch beach. It was once the lifebuoy for a vessel called the Jo-Dan. The Jo-Dan was owned by Mally Toms, a well-known fisherman, angler and businessman in Cornwall, who died four years ago. The discovery of the lifebuoy set in motion a series of fortuitous connections. Jerry spoke to Mally’s grandson, Joe Toms who lives in Guernsey, and to Saoirse and Morgan Lyne from Kells, who are deeply involved in efforts to unite Joe with his grandad’s lifebuoy.

Jerry spoke to Damien Hannigan of the Irish Deer Commission. 11% of reported cases where a vehicle was damaged but no one was injured, after hitting or swerving to avoid a deer, were in Kerry. The director of research at the Road Safety Authority Michael Rowland said seven years of Garda collision data had been assessed to determine the prevalence of deer-related collisions on our roads.

Yesterday afternoon, Kevin O’Connor, who operates Valentia Island Sea Sports, and Garret Guirey, a surfer from Renard, saved the lives of four children.

Jerry spoke to independent councillor from Tralee, Sam Locke about Michael Healy-Rae confirming to Jerry yesterday the split with his brother Danny. Cllr Locke is an ally of the Healy-Raes and has received the backing of the family’s political machine in previous elections. Mick Clifford, special correspondent with the Irish Examiner, has also analysed the significance of the rift. Michael Healy-Rae’s interview on Radio Kerry has made the national headlines.

Last month, film-maker Bertie Brosnan highlighted how a sign for the landmark near Tralee, which indicates the alleged grave of the mythical Queen Scotia had gone missing. Scotia’s grave is a rock feature located on the Short Mountain route between Tralee and Castlemaine . According to mythology, the site is the burial place of ancient Queen Scotia who died there in battle with Tuatha Dé Danann. Bertie is back to tell Jerry that a new sign has been installed.

Jerry spoke to Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, about the €11 million in funding for Valentia Transatlantic Cable (€6m) and Kerry FC (€5.2m) under the Department of Justices Immigrant Investor Programme.

Jerry spoke to Radio Kerry Gaelic football commentator Tim Moynihan about the Kerry seniors drawing Kildare away in round two of the All-Ireland Championship series. Tim and Jerry also reflect on the great achievement by Kerry under-20 footballers who are All-Ireland champions after defeating Tyrone.

Jerry spoke to former Minister of State, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, in his first in-depth interview since his dramatic resignation from Government. He told Jerry that “a fire was lit on this programme, Kerry Today, [when his brother fellow independent Danny Healy-Rae called for the removal of Mícheál Martin and Simon Harris on Kerry Today] and try as I might I couldn't put it out." This is Deputy Michael Healy-Rae’s explanation as to the events that led to his resignation as Minister of State and voting no confidence in the government.

Jerry spoke to Sergeant Fidelma O’Leary of Killarney Garda Station and to Heather O’Sullivan of John Ross Jewellers, Tralee. They want to reunite the ring and watch, discovered on a beach decades ago, with the rightful owners or their descendants.

Sharon O’Brien told Jerry how she was verbally abused by a  says she is blown away by the love and kindness she has received since being verbally attacked by a client. She runs a beauty salon, Sharon’s Beauty Room, in Killarney.

John Downing of the Irish Independent reviews the week in politics.

Tomorrow the Kerry senior hurlers meet Derry in the Christy Ring final at Croke Park. Radio Kerry hurling contributor Ronan ‘Pip’ Gilsenan gave his thoughts ahead of the game to Jerry