Kerry Today

This year’s Féile Thrá Lí begins tomorrow and runs until August 18th. Jerry spoke to organisers Mark Sullivan, manager of the Rose Hotel, and Eamon Cunningham, Tralee Municipal District officer with Kerry County Council.

Jerry spoke to Rosi Leonard, who is a data centre campaign lead and network development coordinator at Friends of the Earth Ireland.

Jerry spoke to Tony from Lixnaw, who spotted a fox doing some window shopping at Michael Guiney’s in Tralee this week.

Jerry spoke to Louise Overy, wildlife biology lecturer at MTU, about the blue shark that bit a fisherman after he caught the fish.

Jerry spoke to Julie Byrne from Listowel. Her husband, Brian, passed away a few months ago and she spoke about how they played the music and poetry that he loved at his funeral.

Jerry spoke to John Fogarty, GAA correspondent with the Irish Examiner, who broke this story.

Tommy Sugrue refereed the 1992 All-Ireland Senior Football Final which Donegal won for the first time. He paid tribute to James McHugh, who played on that Donegal team, who was killed in a car crash in Co Cavan.

Members of Kerry Comhaltas were among the talented performers who took part in this year’s Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann which was held in Belfast. Geraldine Guilfoyle is with Comhaltas; she and two of Kerry’s winners spoke to Jerry in the Killarney studio.

Tony Donnelly from Waterville has made an official complaint to Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Kerry County Council about the N70 Ring of Kerry at Murreigh, Waterville.

Jerry spoke to Sinn Féin TD for Kerry Pa Daly who obtained the figures.

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

Jerry spoke to Maureen Sweeney, head of operations, Ataxia Foundation Ireland, about the HSE Drugs Group's decision to recommend that the drug Skyclarys, for the rare, degenerative disease Friedreich's ataxia, should not be covered by the HSE.

Yesterday representatives from the HSE and community and voluntary organisations took part in a workshop to learn how to promote health and wellbeing through nature-based activities. The Greencare workshop was led by local group Transition Kerry at the community gardens developed by KASI, the Killarney Asylum Seekers’ Initiative in Ballycasheen. Sari Houlihan reports. Funded under the News Reporting Scheme.

ESB pensioner Michael Brosnan gave his reaction to the decision to increase the pay of the company’s CEO Paddy Hayes. Mr Hayes’s new approved salary is €410,000 – a yearly increase of 29%. Other semi-state CEOs have had pay increases approved by the Government.

Jerry spoke to Lorcan McDonnell, instructor on the night sky guide programme, Killorglin Campus, Kerry College, about this evening’s partial eclipse.

An inquest into the death of Eoin McCarthy from Dunmanway in the Killarney Forest Rally in February 2022 is continuing in Cork today. Jerry spoke to Bauer Media reporter, Jamie O’Hara, about the evidence given yesterday.

The Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland says the Government needs to keep the €100m fuel support scheme going and keep it within the sector. Jerry spoke to the association’s public relations officer Gary Culbert.

John Farrelly, CEO of the Mental Health Commission, spoke to Treasa Murphy about its public consultation – the closing date for which is August 21st.

Jerry spoke to Fine Gael TD John Clendennen about the asking prices for tickets being resold for Wednesday’s Man Utd v Leeds game at Croke Park. This is happening despite the ban on ticket touting.

There were two serious crashes in Kerry – yesterday morning at Aghatubrid, near Cahersiveen while the second took place in the afternoon at Moll’s Gap. A man in his 20s was brought to Cork University Hospital following the morning crash while as a result of the second collision, a man in his 60s was also taken to CUH. Jerry spoke to Leo Lieghio, vice president and PRO of the Irish Road Victims' Association.

Kerry County Council intends to stop publishing councillors' home addresses by default on one section of its website. This is in response to the harassment of some 80 female councillors nationwide – including Kerry representatives. Jerry spoke to Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council Cllr Mikey Sheehy and Cllr Fionnán Fitzgerald.

Comment line caller Liam Dennehy from Currow gave his views to Jerry.

Suspected crime boss Daniel Kinahan was extradited from Dubai to Ireland and appeared before the Special Criminal Court yesterday. Jerry spoke to John Hand, news and crime correspondent with The Irish Sun; he’s also co-author of Kinahan Assassins.

Jerry spoke to Dick Massey, a friend of the late Glen Hansard. The two became friends when they both acted in the 1991 film The Commitments. Dick has worked in the top echelons of music management – he’s been a tour manager for Billie Eilish and other stars.

The former Kerry and AFL footballer, who’s a tax partner with Orbitus professional services firm based in Tralee and Cork, gave his perspective to Jerry.

Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan is Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity. Today he is meeting officials at Killarney National Park were there was a wildfire last month. Yesterday, he announced almost €8m for a marine restoration project in the county. Jerry also asked him about the pay increase granted to the CEO of the ESB.

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.

Jerry spoke to Linda Weir, HIQA’s deputy director of health information and standards. The watchdog has published Ireland’s first national guidelines for artificial intelligence in the health and social care sectors.

Kerry County Council’s current approach to managing roadside Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) and other invasive species is a “failed policy” that “does not work”. That’s according to Kenmare Municipal District councillor Norma Moriarty of Fianna Fáil.

Fine Gael Ireland South MEP Sean Kelly says a new national play strategy for children is needed.

Jerry spoke to Dr. Kevin Murphy, professor emeritus at UL’s Department of Work & Employment Studies.

The death has taken place of former Supreme Court judge Hugh O’Flaherty. The Cahersiveen native was in his eighties. He was the nephew of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, who helped save the lives of thousands of Jews and Allied soldiers during World War II. Jerry spoke to Pat Mann, president of the Kerry Law Society, and Jerry O’Grady, chair of Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Society.

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

Brian Cooke is the director general of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, SIMI. Figures show there’s been a huge increase in the sale of electric vehicles.

Yesterday Jerry read a comment from Anne Murphy who described how her daughter Kelly Anne lives 53km from her home in Kenmare in a residential centre. Jerry spoke to Anne’s husband and Kelly Anne’s father, Mike Murphy.

A Part 8 planning application for the Killarney Strategic Links Project is expected to be submitted before the end of September. The A-B-C Killarney Link Road is a single carriageway relief road that would connect the Killarney bypass with Park Road. Jerry spoke to Cllr Niall Kelleher.

Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI), the national independent advocate to reduce alcohol harm, has called on the government to increase excise duties by at least 15%. Jerry spoke to Dr Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland.

Jerry spoke to Michael Murphy, demographics officer, Kerry GAA, and Rob Cass, co-founder of One Million Homes — an independent project tracking Ireland's housing shortfall, about Kerry’s house buying and building trends so far this year.

Ahead of the solar eclipse on August 12th, Kerry’s Iveragh Peninsula has been named as one of Europe’s best stargazing spots by French hospitality giant, Accor. Jerry spoke to Aoibheann Lambe co-owner of the Kerry Dark Sky Tourism and volunteer manager with the Kerry Dark Sky Reserve and archaeologist.

There are plans to build the State’s largest town consisting of 18,500 homes in Dunsink, Dublin. Jerry spoke to Dr Brendan O’Keeffe, human geographer and social scientist with a background in rural development.

The Kerry senior ladies’ team who were beaten by Galway by one point in the All-Ireland final were welcomed home last evening in Tralee. Jerry spoke to Radio Kerry commentator and analyst Breda O’Shea.

Kenmare is a tourist centre at peak capacity at the height of the season but water remains a major problem constraining development in the area. Despite €40 million in the last ten years why does the town still have a water shortage and what is being done to solve it? Jerry spoke to: - Patrick Hanley of the Kenmare Tourism Group - Kerry County Councillor Johnny Healy-Rae - Kerry County Councillor Teddy O'Sullivan-Casey - Lorraine Griffin of KCYS (Kerry Community Youth Service) Kenmare - Dermot Healy, principal of Pobalscoil Inbhear Scéine - Senator Mark Daly, Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann Funded by the News Reporting Scheme.

Dr Mark Ruddy is a volunteer emergency response medical doctor with CRITICAL. CRITICAL is a voluntary response organisation. The charity is urging motorists to take extra care this August Bank Holiday weekend.

The Garvey’s SuperValu Senior Hurling Championship Final takes place in Austin Stack Park, Tralee this Sunday at 2pm. Abbeydorney, seeking three-in-a-row, will take on St Brendan’s who’ve scored 14 goals in the championship. Radio Kerry will broadcast the game live and there’ll also be buildup and previews to the match. Jerry spoke to Radio Kerry hurling commentator Mike O’Halloran.

The Kerry College Killorglin Campus has been expanded recently, including opening of new Town Campus new and a broadened range of new progression programmes, including Youth Work, Outdoor Wellbeing, Nature Based Early Learning and Care, Biodiversity and the long-established outdoor education and training programmes. Jerry spoke to Aodhnait O'Carroll, Manager of Kerry College, Killorglin Campus.

Jerry spoke to Dan Kearney, Radio Kerry sports contributor and commentator about the Kerry ladies All Ireland Final this weekend!

Jerry spoke to Patrick O Donoghue, CEO of the Gleneagle Arena, about the passing of Glen Hansard.

The scheme is ‘under subscribed’ despite a €87m budget and nationwide protests calling for the supports. Jerry spoke to Bill O’Keeffe, IFA Farm Business chair.

Staffing shortages in the HSE National Ambulance Service (NAS) mean paramedics are travelling from over an hour away to work at the base in Kenmare. They are allowed to include their commute as part of their shift. Deputy Michael Healy Rae argues this means that ambulances are not available at certain times of the day.