Kerry Today

Spanish nun Sister Valeriana García-Martín was working in Bogotá, Colombia when she opened a home for four abandoned infants with disabilities. The home became the Asociación Hogares Luz y Vida, which now cares for more than 145 children with disabilities and provides day care or education services for more than 850 children. Hogares Luz y Vida, which means Homes of Light and Life, has expanded to eight locations in Bogotá, which help children with and without disabilities. Sister Valeriana was in Killarney recently to thank staff and customers at Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre for fundraisers organised for Hogares Luz y Vida – The Light & Life Foundation. Sister Valerian and foundation member Colleen Morey, who spends some of the year in Kenmare, spoke to Jerry. For more: https://www.lightandlifefoundation.org/

Jerry spoke to John from Listowel, who had desperate trouble trying to get tickets for Bob Dylan’s concert in the Gleneagle Arena, Killarney in November.

Deputy Michael Cahill says he’s been told of the addition of two services from Killarney to Dublin Heuston, at 8.20 and 9.15am on Sunday. According to the Fianna Fáil TD there will be two additional services from Heuston Station to Tralee's Casement Station, at 8.10pm and 8.50pm, as well as one additional service to Killarney from Dublin at 7.50pm.

Seamus O’Sullivan Master Butchers is closing down after 35 years trading in Tralee. Jerry spoke to Seamus O’Sullivan.

The Kerry senior ladies lost to Meath in the All-Ireland semi-final in Glenisk O’Connor Park in Tullamore on Saturday evening. Jerry spoke to Radio Kerry Sports commentator and analyst Breda O’Shea.

The Diocese of Galway has confirmed that the remains of the late Bishop Dr Eamonn Casey have been moved from the cathedral crypt in Galway City. Eamonn Casey, who was also Bishop of Kerry, died in 2017. Last year a TV documentary revealed there were four allegations of child sexual abuse made against him. There were never any criminal charges brought against him. Gardaí said at the weekend that there would be no reopening of a criminal investigation. Jerry spoke to Fr. Patsy Lynch, parish priest Ballinskelligs and Prior, who was ordained by Bishop Casey. If you have been affected by anything you have heard, you may contact the Kerry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre on 1800 633 333.

Jerry spoke to the Tralee attraction’s CEO Kieran Ruttledge.

David Nelligan spoke to Bob Geldof ahead of his band The Boomtown Rats performing at the Revival festival in Listowel tomorrow evening, Saturday, July 19th.

Over 50 people are to lose their jobs at the company. Jerry spoke to Cathaoirleach of Killarney Municipal District, Cllr Martin Grady and to Labour councillor Marie Moloney. Later on, he also got the reaction of Johnny McGuire who’s co-president of Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce.

Former Kerry County Councillor and Killarney Town Councillor Seán Counihan has welcomed the Taoiseach’s statement that he hopes to re-establish town councils within three years. This form of local government was abolished by the Fine Gael Labour government in 2014.

The Valentia Lecture starts today with some keynote speakers such as historian Professor Jane Ohlmeyer of Trinity College Dublin, journalist Mick Clifford, Minister of State, Michael Healy-Rae and businessman Denis O Brien. Jerry spoke to Leonard Hobbs, chairperson of Valentia Transatlantic Cable Foundation.

The death of Máiréad Kearney-Shea – known as Máiréad Pheats Tom - occurred on Tuesday at her home in Springfield, Massachusetts. Her 103rd birthday would have been in December. She was the last of the Blasket-born community in the USA. Jerry spoke to Lorcán Ó Cinnéide, bainisteoir of Ionad an Bhlascaoid.

The Kerry under-16s are All-Ireland Ladies Football champions after defeating Mayo comprehensively by a score of 4-17 to 0-5 in Nenagh.

Jerry spoke to news correspondent with the Irish Farmers’ Journal, Noel Bardon.

Kerry great Kieran Donaghy has confirmed that after five years with Armagh management, he’s leaving the Orchard County. Jerry spoke to Paul Brennan, sports editor with The Kerryman.

Every Wednesday, Tony gives his perspective on listeners’ dilemmas.

Sinn Féin calls for financial support for endometriosis sufferers in Ireland as well as a state-of-the-art centre of excellence for endometriosis care. Doireann Barrett from Tralee, who lives with the condition, was in the Dáil yesterday when Sinn Féin put forward the motion.

Jerry spoke to Cllr Johnny Healy-Rae who had his hand crushed while he was working with a tractor. The independent councillor for the Kenmare Municipal District says his eight-year-old son Daniel freed his hand.

Fianna Fáil senator Paul Daly spoke to Jerry about his call for dog owners to have to take a theory test before they get a licence.

Jerry spoke to Fine Gael’s Neale Richmond who’s Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora.

Jerry spoke to Tom Daly, historian of An Garda Síochána, who wrote an article about David Tormey, who was a garda based in Beaufort in the early years of the new Irish state. He joined An Garda Síochána even though during the Civil War, he fought on the Anti-Treaty side.

Jerry spoke to Geraldine O’Rourke who’s acting chief operations officer of Clare Tourism Development, Clare County Council, about her county’s shuttle bus which connects various visitor attractions.

Jerry spoke to June O’Connell of Skellig Six18 Distillery which is based in Cahersiveen.

Jerry spoke to Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, who received information relating to sexual crimes in this country and with breakdowns of statistics for counties including Kerry.  If you have been affected by anything you heard in this interview, you may contact Kerry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre on 1800 633 333.

Short-term measures to protect against flooding in Listowel and nearby Killocrim, which were meant to begin in March, have not yet started. The matter was raised at the recent Listowel Municipal District meeting, where councillors expressed frustration at the time the works are taking. Over 100 people had to be evacuated from their homes when the River Feale burst its banks last November, in what was described as a once-in-a-150-year flooding event. Jerry spoke to Cllr Jimmy Moloney.

Patrick O’Reilly from Cromane was in UHK following a recent sudden and serious illness.

A volunteer group has come together in Ballybunion to help save the ringed plover, a wader whose numbers have declined. The species is classed as a bird of conservation concern. Jerry spoke to Dr Barry O’Donoghue of the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Seán Culhane who are members of the group.

Malachaí Mac Amhlaoibh is principal of Scoil Naomh Gobnait, Dún Chaoin and a member of community co-op, Comharchumann Dhún Chaoin. He spoke to Jerry about their frustrations at the delays in the Office of Public Works signing over a lease to land, so a playground could be built near the Blasket Centre/ Ionad an Bhlascaoid.

Jerry spoke to John O’Sullivan who’s the executive chairperson of Radio Kerry. He reflects on the past 35 years and looks forward to the station’s future, made possible by the great support from listeners and advertisers.

Jerry spoke to Roman Carton from Killarney who travelled home on the train from Heuston Station after the All-Ireland Semi-Final on Saturday evening.

On Saturday evening, Kerry took on Tyrone in Croke Park and emerged at the end, victorious with a place in the All-Ireland Final. Jerry spoke to Radio Kerry GAA commentator, Tim Moynihan.

The District Court has refused an application by Killorglin publicans for an exemption which would allow them remain open until 3am at Puck Fair next month. Jerry spoke to Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill.

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

Kerry-based director Mark McLoughlin has made a documentary which is being shown at the Galway Film Fleadh. Stolen Lives is being shown at the Town Hall Theatre in Galway this afternoon, Thursday, July 10th. The film tells the story of Sunny Jacobs, who tragically died in a house fire recently. She had campaigned for an end to the death penalty, having been on death row in America for 16 years, for killing two police officers. She was later freed and spent the rest of her life helping innocent prisoners released from long-term sentences to readjust to life outside the prison system by setting up the Sunny Centre with her late husband, Peter Pringle. He was one of the last people in this country to be sentenced to death in Ireland after he was found guilty of murdering two gardaí in 1980. His sentence was later quashed.

After almost six years in Tralee, Fr Amos Surungai Roto is leaving the parish of Our Lady and St Brendan’s and moving to Castletownbere where he will be the new parish priest.

A message in a bottle sent from Canada almost 13 years ago finally reached land this week, when it was found on a West Kerry beach. The letter was written by a couple called Brad and Anita; they put it into a bottle which they threw off the cliffs on Bell Island, Newfoundland. This week Kate Gay found the bottle, over 3,200km away, in Scraggane Bay on The Maharees. Kate along with Martha Farrell spoke to Jerry on Tuesday. Radio Kerry got in touch with the couple – now a husband and wife. Brad Squires spoke to Jerry.

Jerry spoke to Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae about the additional Kerry-Dublin trains announced for Saturday’s All-Ireland Semi-Final. Tickets sold out within minutes.

Jerry spoke to Fine Gael MEP for Ireland South, Kilcummin’s Sean Kelly who has decided that he won’t be seeking his party’s nomination for the Presidential election later this year.

Every Wednesday, Tony gives his perspective on listeners’ dilemmas.

That’s the belief of biology teacher Michael McGrath. Under the changes, there will be more marks for project work and fewer for exams. Michael McGrath, who’s a former member of the ASTI union’s executive, believes this will favour students from affluent families who can afford to pay for AI that’s very hard to detect.

As of this morning, there are still no extra trains available for this Saturday’s All-Ireland semi-final between Kerry and Tyrone. Jerry spoke to Cllr Niall ‘Botty’ O’Callaghan.

59-year-old Tony McNabb from Killarney recently settled a claim through mediation for a six-figure sum against the Bon Secours, Tralee over delays in the diagnosis o lung cancer. Sadly, Tony is facing a terminal prognosis. Jerry spoke to Tony and his wife Rose.

An announcement is due this month on a new round of funding for projects all over Ireland under the revised National Development Plan. One such project, which has been on the table for a long time without any progress, is a new courthouse for Tralee. The town's court facilities have long been acknowledged as inadequate, and the Courts Service plans to build a new courthouse at the Island of Geese. However, there are still calls for the Courts Service to use whatever funding may be allocated to refurbish and expand the current courthouse. An Post is due to vacate a nearby site in the coming weeks, and a survey undertaken by Radio Kerry has now found the majority of Tralee Municipal District councillors would prefer the current building be refurbished. In the meantime, while funding and a new court building are awaited, people in Tralee and Kerry with mobility needs have to make do with the interim solution of a powered chair at the back of the courthouse, to access justice. Mark Lynch brings us this report.

Jerry spoke to Fine Gael councillor Bobby O’Connell about his priorities as Cathaoirleach for the next year.

Kerry hotels are preparing for the Ryder Cup which takes place in Adare in 2027. Jerry spoke to Mary Mc Quinn, group business development manager, at The Ashe Hotel and Manor West, Tralee. Mary is also on the marketing subcommittee of the Kerry Tourism Industry Federation.

It took almost 13 years and over 2,000 miles for a message by a couple in Canada to reach its destination. In September 2012, Brad and Anita went on a day trip to Bell Island in Newfoundland; they wrote a message and put it in a bottle and despatched it into the Atlantic Ocean. The bottle was found by Kate Gay on Scraggane Bay, Maharees. Jerry spoke to Kay and another member of Creative Ireland Neart na Macharaí, Martha Farrell. The interview prompted Vera to get in touch with her own message in a bottle story.

Kerry Sinn Féin TD Pa Daly’s challenge to the presence of so-called ‘super junior ministers’ at cabinet meetings opened in the High Court yesterday. He says the practice, which has been in place since 1994, is unconstitutional. Jerry spoke to Frank Greaney, Newstalk and Today FM courts correspondent, who was at the High Court.