Kerry Today

Monika Dukarska is an Irish Olympian and World Rowing Champion who recently graduated from MTU Kerry with a Doctorate of Philosophy by Research. On the balance of studying for her doctorate and sports, she says she took the scenic route to get there.

Irish Road Hauliers are warning of more transport companies going out of business following on from news that Fastway couriers’ parent company, Nuvion Group, went into receivership yesterday, putting 300 jobs on the line. President of the Irish Road Hauliers Association, Ger Hyland is laying the blame at the door of government policy.

Maurice Patton O’Connell is one of four survivors of industrial and reformatory schools, who have been on hunger strike for the last 40 days. The survivors met with the Taoiseach and Minister for Education on Wednesday.

Irish Examiner journalist Michael Moynihan follows up his book GAA Economics with a new book More than a Game – The GAA and Where It’s Going, with a look at the financial realities and the future of the organization that is a large part of parishes all over Ireland.

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

A celebration honouring Killorglin’s own cycling great, Gene Mangan, will begin tomorrow with Mass at 6:30pm in St. James’ Church followed by a reception at the Maine Valley Golf Club. John Mangan remembers Gene who won the Rás Tailteann in 1955 and who passed away earlier this year.

Jerry spoke to actor and proud Kerryman, Michael Fassbender, about the West End House School of Arts in Killarney which he founded. The school has recently appointed a new creative director Susan Goodwillie.

22-year-old Dylan Browne McMonagle is the new Irish champion jockey for flat racing – an extraordinary achievement for a very young man. But what makes it even more extraordinary is that 10 years ago, Dylan at the age of 12 featured in a short film about taking part in the Glenbeigh Races and his hopes and dreams. Jonny Madderson of JustSo company which made that film in 2015 spoke to Jerry.

Shane Phelan from Ballybunion is legal affairs editor with Mediahuis, the company that owns Independent newspapers. He spoke to Jerry about the High Court hearing yesterday relating to a shareholder oppression case against the Kerry Rose Festival Ltd. The case had been initiated by American businessman Dick Henggeler who died earlier this month.

Survivors of industrial and reformatory schools say they will continue their hunger strike outside Dáil Éireann. The four protestors, who range in age from 57 to 73, have been picketing outside Leinster House since September 21st. Maurice Patton O’Connell, Miriam Moriarty Owens and Mary Donovan were child inmates of Pembroke Alms Industrial School, Tralee and Mary Dunlevy Greene attended an industrial school in Limerick. Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae met with the protestors to discuss their demands for enhanced medical cards and contributory pensions.

On the last Tuesday of the month, solicitor Miriam McGillycuddy answers your legal questions. If you’ve a query for Miriam, email in confidence to kerrytoday@radiokerry.ie

Kerry County Councillors Tommy Cahill and Niall Kelleher spoke to Jerry about the fall-out from Fianna Fáil’s disastrous presidential election.

The Kerry TD is celebrating a very good Presidential election for Sinn Féin which along with other left and left-leaning parties backed Catherine Connolly.

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan of Fine Gael spoke to Jerry about his party’s dismal performance in the Presidential election.

Dingle GAA celebrated a historic win over Austin Stacks on Sunday to win the County Senior Football Championship for the first time since 1948. Tom MacDonnell has been out of Dingle for more than 50 years and has lived in Kilgarvan since the early 1970’s, but he is still Dingle through and through. His joy at his club winning was not even dampened by someone burning the Dingle flag he put out in Kilgarvan over the weekend.

Last night the new Garda Commissioner, Justin Kelly, issued a statement alleging the serious public disorder at the IPAs Centre at Citywest in Dublin is not a peaceful protest. Treasa is joined by the assistant general secretary of the Garda Representative Association (GRA), Garda Tara McManus. Garda McManus believes it’s time for tougher policing | Kerry Today with Treasa Murphy

Treasa spoke to the chief executive of An Coimisiún Toghcháin/The Electoral Commission, Art O’Leary. He answered your questions about tomorrow’s Presidential election. For more information, go to: https://www.electoralcommission.ie/what-you-need-to-vote/ | Kerry Today with Treasa Murphy

Castleisland’s Charlie Farrelly reached out to Treasa a few days ago when she wondered if there was still a social card scene in Kerry. He joined her on the line today to tell her all about the Kingdom’s, and particularly Sliabh Luachra’s, thriving cards scene, which games being held every night of the week | Kerry Today with Treasa Murphy

The CEO of Doras, John Lannon, joins Treasa to discuss violence incidents like those outside an IPAS centre at Citywest, Dublin this week. Doras is a non-profit, non-governmental, human rights organisation working to promote and protect the rights of refugees and migrants. Treasa wonders if and how these events can be prevented from occurring | Kerry Today with Treasa Murphy

Every Wednesday, Tony gives his perspective on listeners’ dilemmas | Kerry Today with Treasa Murphy

Rathmore Social Action Group (SAG) chairperson, Donal O'Keeffe, director, Anne Fitzgerald, and SAG youth group committee chairperson, Tommie O'Connor join Treasa to discuss this remarkable organisation which has changed the lives of so many | Kerry Today with Treasa Murphy

Treasa is joined by Dr. Rhonda McGovern, a postdoctoral researcher at Met Éireann's Citizen Science Data Rescue Project. She wants you to become a citizen scientist by taking part in an online data rescue project: "Irish Weather Rescue". For more: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/press-releases/met-%C3%A9ireann-opens-historic-weather-transcription-project-to-all/

An independent councillor for the Killarney Municcipal District, Brendan Cronin, brought a motion at Monday’s monthly Kerry county Council meeting. Cllr Cronin claimed delays opening the new Killarney Community Nursing Unit nursing unit are causing anguish to patients and their families alike. Speaking to Treasa, he alleged people are being sent out of Kerry for long term residential care to places like Cork, Limerick and Offaly. In a statement to Radio Kerry, HSE South West said they offer residential placements as close to home as possible, but that they can only offer placements in facilities with available capacity | Kerry Today with Treasa Murphy

A councillor from the Clondalkin local electoral area, Sinn Féin’s William Joseph Carey spoke to Treasa about the local reaction to the violent scenes at the Citywest IPAs Centre last night. She also caught up with the chief reporter at Bauer Media Group, Barry Whyte who was at the scene as the riot unfolded | Kerry Today with Treasa Murphy

Treasa spoke with John Murphy, the co-founder of Portmagee Whiskey, and Aoibheann Boyle, the Networking & Events Executive with Sustainable Tourism Network & Sustainable Business Network about tomorrow’s Sustainability in Action Networking Roadshow in Killarney Golf & Fishing Club. They discussed the 15% tariffs on whiskey from the EU to the USA, and controlling the controllables | Kerry Today with Treasa Murphy

Catherine Coffey O'Brien and her family have donated some of her mother’s possessions to the new Changing Ireland Gallery at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks. The state sent both Catherine and her mother to institutions where they suffered abuse. She spoke to Treasa about her believe that we must acknowledge and learn from our history so that we never repeat the mistakes of the past | Kerry Today with Treasa Murphy

The former Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Jim Finucane, has been made the honorary consul of Ukraine for the South West of Ireland. The honorary consul office will serve Kerry, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. There were numerous dignitaries in attendance at yesterday’s opening ceremony for the honorary consular office on Ashe Street, Tralee, including the Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland, Larysa Gerasko. Treasa was there | Kerry Today with Treasa Murphy

Yesterday, Fergus O’Connor, of The Village in Scartaglen, was found guilty of the murder of his brother, Paudie in June 2024. Kerryman journalist Sinead Kelleher joined Treasa in studio to discuss the tragic case | Kerry Today with Treasa Murphy

Convictions and sentencing have been handed out to rioters for their parts in the Dublin Riots on November 23rd 2023. Nicola Donnelly, courts correspondent for The Irish Daily Star/Irish Mirror, answers whether justice is being served two years on.

International Credit Union Day is celebrated on the third Thursday of October and has been running since 1948. The day is about reflecting on the movement’s history, promoting its achievements, recognizing hard work, sharing member experiences, and celebrating the good it does in communities. John O’Regan, Vice-Chairperson of Cara Credit Union and PRO of Kerry Credit Unions, Siobhán Donnelly, Head of Marketing at Cara Credit Union, Pat Sheehan, Director on the Board of the Irish League of Credit Unions, and Kerry Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Michael Quirke, join Jerry to mark the anniversary of the movement.

The worldwide head of the Dominican Order celebrated mass in Killacloghane Wood this weekend to mark the 372nd anniversary of the execution of a local Dominican priest. Castlemaine native and Prior of Tralee, Fr. Tadhg Moriarty, OP, was arrested while saying Mass in Killacloghane Wood, near Milltown in August 1653. He was later martyred by Cromwellian forces at Fair Hill in Killarney on October 15th 1653. Treasa is joined by Fr John and by the Prior of Holy Cross, Fr David McGovern.

Paul Brennan, sports editor The Kerryman, joined Treasa to discuss another jam-packed sporting weekend in the county.

The government has told councils to review speed limits in built-up areas with a view to lowering many to 30km/h within 18 months. Transport minister Darragh O’Brien has directed local authorities to review existing speed limits on roads in built-up and urban areas. Councils are to implement the lower speed limits, including the 30km/h speed limits, where they deem them appropriate, such as in cities and towns. Anne-Marie Fuller of the Green Party in Kerry spoke to Treasa as she believes this move would make travelling safer for cyclists.

Sinn Féin MEP for Ireland South which includes Kerry, Kathleen Funchion, talks to Treasa about the new 'Jennie's Law', which the cabinet is currently considering. She hopes the new domestic violence register will include those convicted of coercive control, and not just of physically violent crimes. Her former partner was jailed for coercive control. MEP Funchion also talks to Treasa about a claim made by former EU Commissioner Phil Hogan. She disagrees with him that Irish farmers have “nothing to fear” from the Mercosur deal, claiming his statement is out of touch and misleading.

Cllr. Jackie Healy-Rae joins Treasa Murphy to talk about why he wants Kerry County Council to amend its standing orders. Cllr. Healy-Rae wants any prospective candidate in future Presidential elections, who is seeking to make a presentation to the full Kerry County Council to win its nomination, to first secure the sponsorship of at least one elected member of the council. He argues that this would deter frivolous presidential candidates from seeking the council’s nomination.

Presidential Candidate Catherine Connolly joined Jerry as she continues her canvasing across the country. She visited Maddens Café in Tralee and Halla na Feothanaí, in Moorestown, Dingle.

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

A total of €2.3 million in funding has been allocated for the purchase of the former Pretty Polly site on Upper Park Road in Killarney. The funding, granted by Minister for Further Education James Lawless, has been allocated to the Kerry Education and Training Board to transform the site into a Tourism Sector Training College. Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill spoke to Jerry about the announcement and gave his thoughts on the Motion of Confidence vote, pushed early by the Government in the Dáil yesterday.

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

Ivan Hurley was involved in a collision with a deer in Farranfore on Friday night and saw more deer when passing by over the weekend. He gives his account of the incident and warns motorists that deer are everywhere in the county now, and to be careful.

Barry Kenny of Irish Rail, involved in works between Mallow and Cork, explains why the Mallow to Tralee rail line is not included on the programme of works.

Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has raised concerns on some aspects of Uisce Éireann’s spending, saying it sends the wrong message to small businesses who are paying water rates.

Ombudsman Ger Deering details the complaints received from Kerry, how listeners can make a complaint, and the 40-year history of the Office of the Ombudsman.

The First Home Scheme helps first-time buyers to purchase their home by offering equity shares of up to 30% which can be bought back in one lump sum or payment plans. However, in Kerry, there were just 5 applications in the past two years, totaling 13 since the Scheme was introduced in 2022. First Home Scheme CEO Michael Broderick met with the construction industry yesterday, and spoke with Jerry to find how to make more first-time buyers aware of and apply for the Scheme.

Kerry IFA chair Jason Fleming spoke to Jerry about supermarkets reducing their own brand milk.