New Community Scheme Proposed For Blennerville And Derrymore

Posted in Health/Lifestyle, Kerry News by Fergus Writes Things

The Blennerville and Derrymore CFR scheme is in the midst of being set up.

A NEW volunteer led Community First Responders (CFR) scheme is currently being proposed for the Blennerville and Derrymore areas with the aim of the potential new scheme to provide urgent basic medical care, prior to the arrival of the emergency services.

It is proposed that the new scheme will cover the area between Blennerville and Derrymore, including the townlands of Curragraigue, Tonevane, Annagh, Curraheen.

Volunteers who join the group will be trained in how to deal with various medical situations and who will then then provide the assistance in various situations.

The group is looking for anybody from these areas that might want to volunteer to join the service to get in contact with them through their Facebook page HERE or to email them at blennervillederrymore.cfr@gmail.com.

7Jan2016

One Judge Is Less Than Pleased With Conditions In Tralee Courthouse

Posted in Crime/Courts/Law, Local News, Tralee by Fergus Writes Things

Judge James O’ Connor is not impressed with some of the conditions on show in Tralee.

ONE JUDGE who is not happy with some of the conditions in Tralee’s courthouse on district court days is District Court Judge James O’Connor, who used his first sitting in 2016 to highlight some of his issues he has with the building.

An Irish Times report by Anne Lucey has reported that the Judge has lashed out at the ‘noise and filth’ seen in the Tralee Courthouse on district court days while also revealing that he finds it to be the most awkward court in both Kerry and Cork.

He goes on to state that court sittings are usually delayed during the Wednesday sittings due to the large amount of noise that emanates from the large hall where people are ‘smoking and yapping’ throughout the day.

With regards to what could be done to help solve the situation, Judge O’Connor proposed that the Gardaí already present at the court could be used to keep order both inside and outside the courthouse.

He said the Gardaí should ‘get them off the steps and out of the precincts of the court completely’.

Tralee Courthouse remains one of the few remaining courts in the country that has not received any refurbishment in recent years, with many council sessions and one Dáil question failing to reach any decision.

4Jan2016

VIDEO: Star Wars Crew And JJ Abrams Talk About Beauty Of Skellig Michael

Posted in International, Kerry News, Something Cool by Fergus Writes Things

JJ Abrams was blown away by the beauty of the island.

THE STAR WARS crew along with the films director JJ Abrams have been talking about the practicalities and logistics involved in shooting on Skellig Michael while all the time praising the inherent beauty of the location, in a new video uploaded by Discover Ireland.

The short two-minute clip features interviews with the production crew of the hit seventh installment in the saga and in which they talk about finding the location, their reactions to it and the difficulties of shooting on such a tricky location.

JJ Abrams expresses his shock and awe at the location, at first not able to believe that they were allowed to film on the island.

“I can’t believe they let us shoot there, I mean it was so beautiful”, he says.

“I remember when we all flew in, it was special,” says executive producer Tommy Harper.

Check out the full clip below, which features some absolutely wonderful shots of Skellig Michael.

3Jan2016

Star Wars May Not Be Returning To Kerry Anytime Soon

Posted in International, Kerry News by Fergus Writes Things

Skellig Michael plays an important role in the ‘Force Awakens’.

SKELLIG MICHAELS appearance in the latest Star Wars film is set to bring untold benefits to both Kerry and Ireland, but if recent reports are to be believed, our shores might have seen the last of the high profile filming crew for a while.

A report has surfaced today that suggests that the famous monastic settlement site has been recreated on a set in the Pinewood Studios in London, which if true, will spell an end to the local involvement in filming.

While this has not yet been officially confirmed by Disney, the Sunday Times reports that the ‘makingstarwars.net’ website has stated that for those involved in making the film, “filming at Skellig Michael was just too complicated for environmental reasons”.

We won’t know anything for sure until Disney or Lucasfilm choose to issue a statement, we can only wait and see.

What we can be sure of is with ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ grossing over $1 billion so far and with Skellig having a starring (and stunning) role in the story line, it’s certainly not a bad cameo role to have had at all.

Watch this space for further developments.

3Jan2016

Short Story: A Pumpkin Conversation

Posted in Personal, Something Cool by Fergus Writes Things

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A Pumpkin Conversation

“Oh it’s almost that time of year again! I am so excited! I really can’t wait!” shouted Gerald the Pumpkin excitedly as he bounced around Mr Framers big square pumpkin patch at the back of the house.

“Come on, really? You’ve been saying that exact phrase every day for the last 12 days, like I mean you actually haven’t changed a single word, it’s been the exact same! It’d honestly be a very impressive feat of determination if it wasn’t so damn irritating!” replied Alex the (other) Pumpkin crossly as he sat perched in his favourite spot in the patch trying to relax.

“Thank you! That means a lot.” said Gerald happily as he bounced up and over Alex’s grumpy head, much to the annoyance and grumbling of the rest of the sleeping pumpkins that were nestled into the garden.

“I wasn’t…I mean…that wasn’t a compliment to you, I’m annoyed at you!” Alex sighed resignedly, squishing himself even further down into the ground to avoid the errant flying dirt caused by the bouncing of his overtly cheerful neighbour.

“Me? Why are you annoyed with me? I’m only excited that it’s nearly Halloween and that we might get picked to be lanterns this year! I mean, can you imagine it…you and I as lanterns? We’d be the crème de la crème, sitting at the front of the house getting admired by all the kids in their COSTUMES!” he eagerly shouted the last word from his peak jump position.

“Look, every year we go through this same process and it never works out, what makes you think that this year is going to be any different?

“I can feel it my bones, yessir this is going to be my year, I know it, I know it, I know it, the hairs on the back of my head are whispering and telling me that this is my year, I’m going all the way to the top baby!” as he bounced his highest bounce of the day.

“We’re pumpkins! We don’t even have any bones or hair which means that the phrase you just said makes absolutely no sense! Look, we’ve got a pretty sweet deal here, nice garden, plenty of water, a bit of sun and some comfortable dirt to rest up on, I ain’t going anywhere!” said Alex with a harrumph and a sigh.

“Well, isn’t somebody a grumpkin pumpkin this morning! You know what you need right?” Gerald grinned

“Don’t say it, don’t do it or don’t sing it, whatever you’re thinking of doing, please, I’m trying to enjoy my Saturday, so just let me do that…” Alex pleaded

Insert moment of silence and a look between the two before…

“Bounce attack! Bounce Attack! Bounce Attack!” shouted Gerald the Pumpkin excitedly as he bounced in a circle around and around and around Alex, shouting these two words over and over again.

Soon the whole pumpkin patch was bouncing excitedly around Alex, who just harrumphed and sighed on his now trampled and ruined piece of dirt, it was always the same.

“Roll on Halloween” he muttered.

By Fergus Dennehy

2Jan2016

Tralee’s Ultan Dillane Gets Call Up Into Provisional Six Nations Squad

Posted in Sport, Tralee by Fergus Writes Things

Ultan currently plys his trade for Connacht.

ULTAN DILLANE, a former Tralee RFC player, has received a very belated Christmas present this year after he was called up to a provisional/extended Irish training squad for the Six Nations, set to take place in Carlton House tomorrow.

Ultan is still just 22 years old, but the 6’6 and powerfully built second rower has seen his career go from from strength to strength in recent years and has now made 16 appearances for Connacht.

Having no doubt learnt some of his valuable skills here in the Tralee club, his massive talent then saw him cherry picked by the Connacht Academy just over three years ago.

While we will have to wait and see what the immediate future holds for him with regards to the next Six Nations, we can certainly deduce right now that this is a player that we will be seeing plenty more of in the coming years.

Well done Ultan!

29Dec2015

PHOTO: An Irish Golfing Hero Stopped Off In Tralee On Sunday

Posted in Something Cool, Sport, Tralee by Fergus Writes Things

WGC Bridgestone Champion Shane Lowry was in Tralee on Sunday.

YOU CAN’T come across anyone more likable or well regarded in the Irish community than the golfing star who recently stopped off in a local pub here in Tralee.

Offalys Shane Lowry, who is currently sitting at 21st in the world golf rankings, was in town with his brother Alan and a few friends where they stopped off in The Castle Bar on Rock Street.

The 2009 Irish Open and 2015 WGC Bridgestone Invitational champion was seen by many enjoying the last few days of his time off before he pre-season practice begins anew in January.

Two staff members of the bar were able to snag a photo with Shane and his brother Alan, where they no doubt wished him well for the 2016 season.

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Alan and Shane Lowry pictured with Adrian and Gerard O’Sullivan of The Castle Bar. Photo Credit: The Castle Bar Facebook

28Dec2015

Two Great Tralee Running Events Are Up For Top Awards

Posted in National, Sport, Tralee by Fergus Writes Things

Danny O’Shea crossing the finish line of the Tralee 100k in August. Photo: Born To Run

TWO GREAT sporting events here in town have this week been nominated for the ‘2015 Running in Ireland Awards’ and now need the help of the public to secure the wins in their respective categories.

First off, the increasingly popular Tralee International Marathon, now entering its fourth year, has been nominated in the ‘Marathon of the Year’category, while the Tralee 100k Ultra Marathon has been put forward in the ‘Ultra Marathon of the Year’ category.

The nominations are a great recognition of the huge amount of work and preparations that go on behind the scenes, not just for the runners, but by the organisers, safety stewards and volunteers that help out on the day.

The events need your (the publics) help in securing votes so feel free to spread the word to as many people that you feel would be interested.

You can cast your vote for the two local events HERE.

22Dec2015

VIDEO: Father Of Tralee Student Reacts To Seeing Her Doppelgänger

Posted in Something Cool, Tralee by Fergus Writes Things

Michael was visibly shocked at how much the looked alike.

IN A follow up to our very popular story recently in which a young Tralee student met her almost identical twin through the ‘Twin Strangers’ website (see previous story here), a follow up video has now been uploaded by the site.

The new video shows the reaction of Tralee’s Shannon Lonergan’s father Michael as he sees his daughter and her Swedish doppelgänger, Sara, together for the first time.

We imagine that Michael genuinely struggled for a second or two to identify Shannon from the two, such is the extreme likeness between the two.

“I had to look, I really did. I was shocked, they do look an awful lot alike. I’m still getting over it,” he laughs in the video.

Watch Michael’s reaction video below, courtesy of Twin Strangers.