Helpful Tralee Community Facebook Group Hits Huge Milestone

Posted in Tralee by Fergus Writes Things

Ruth Falvey, creator of the page.

SOMETHING we all know but a lot of the time forget is that in life, it’s the little things that we can do for other people that count the most and which usually end up going the longest way with them.

Now of course implementing this helpful spirit so-to-speak into your daily life practice is certainly no easy task, but one local woman who is up to such a challenge is Tralee’s Ruth Falvey.

Ruth is the creator and administrator of the popular ‘Tralee Do You Know’ Facebook page (click here) which this past week celebrated a huge milestone in its short existence as it passed over 5,000 members for the first time.

Since its inception just over a year ago the page has fast become the ‘go to site’ for almost everything Tralee related.

Local people can go onto the page and post their query and they will usually get a quick, helpful and personal response.

This writer had the chance to speak to Ruth on Saturday and get her view on the popularity of the page:

“Well, the site is really just to inform people of events and recommended services in the Tralee area. I mean anyone can google businesses in Tralee but they cannot get the personal recommendations that you get on this page, it’s really all about connecting with the community,” she said.

So what does of the ever increasing popularity of the page?

“I really didn’t expect the level of interest but I am delighted that people have engaged with it so well and are helping people out by responding to their queries,” she continued

“I feel a great sense of community has been achieved with the success of this page and I know others feel the same from the feedback I’ve received,”

“I have to say my highlight of the page was when a local woman lost a sum of money in town [that was going to use] to pay her bills and the people on the page rallied together and through a ‘GoFundMe’ page helped raise back the money she had lost,” she finished.

The story in question saw Ruth and her ‘band of merry followers’ demonstrating the exact community spirit that she was hoping for when she set up the page.

“It was fantastic, just being able to see all these people popping in with all the little donations,” Ruth said at the time.

(That story was covered by this writer during my stint at TraleeToday.ie and can be read over on their site HERE)

“With the positive media coverage this page has had. I really hope that more and more people join and expand the community spirit!,” said Ruth of what the future of the page might hold.

Some people might cringe and say that it’s ‘just a Facebook page’ and they’re right, it is just a little page full of small queries, but sometimes, just sometimes, it’s the little things that really do count.

Just look at these testimonies:

The page is a great help to those in town.

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.

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.

22Dec2015

Status Yellow Wind Warning Issued For Kerry

Posted in Kerry News, Tralee, Weather by Fergus Writes Things

Met Eireann have issued a wind warning for Kerry.

IN news that you’d certainly not want to hear in these (last few shopping) days leading up to Christmas, Met Eireann have issued a ‘Status Yellow Wind Warning’ for Kerry for Wednesday, December 23rd.

The warning will be in place from 1pm tomorrow until approximately midnight on Wednesday.

The statement on their website reads that:

“Southerly winds of mean speeds of 60 to 65km/h gusting 100 to 110km/h are expected Wednesday evening and early Wednesday night.”

This warning has been issued to a number of areas including Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Leitrim, Roscommon, Cork, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford.

18Dec2015

PHOTOS: Tralee Is Looking Well In The Run Up To Christmas

Posted in Christmas, Tralee by Fergus Writes Things

IT’S HARD to believe that it’s only a week until Christmas Day, 2015 has (in this writers humble opinion) just flown by.

With the festive spirit well and truly imbued in all of us, we took a trip around town in the early hours of yesterday evening and captured what we think are some truly beautiful images of Tralee, all lit up.

While many among us will have been out and about in the evenings and soaked up the wonderful atmosphere around the town, spare a thought for those amongst us who can’t make it back this year and might need a little taste of home.

These photos are for those guys (and everyone else of course) to enjoy…

Christy is in fine festive company as the big day approaches. Photo by Fergus Dennehy.

The Square was silent and beautiful late last evening. Photo by Fergus Dennehy.

Looking well, again. Photo by Fergus Dennehy.

The rest of the Square certainly scrubs up well also. Photo by Fergus Dennehy.

The blue on the Christmas tree is just something we had to share. Photo by Fergus Dennehy.

The Mall is certainly getting into the festive spirit. Photo by Fergus Dennehy.

There’s a real ‘winter feel’ about the decorations on Denny Street. Photo by Fergus Dennehy.

Again, from a different angle, they really stand out as a highlight of the decorations. Photo by Fergus Dennehy.

The intersection at the Mall is wonderfully bright. Photo by Fergus Dennehy.

Castle Street is looking well. Photo by Fergus Dennehy

Ashe Street is tranquility personified here in this festive picture. Photo by Fergus Dennehy.

These trees on Denny Street are a wonderful addition to the Christmas decorations. Photo by Fergus Dennehy.

The Kerry County Museum is all lit up for Christmas. Photo by Fergus Dennehy.

Finally, Denny Street in all its festive majesty. Photo by Fergus Dennehy.

17Dec2015

PHOTO: Tralee Sign Answers One Of Our Most Asked Questions

Posted in Something Cool, Tralee by Fergus Writes Things

LET’S face it, while we all love that bit of fun and craic’ on our nights out, there still comes a time when we just need to take that bit of time to ourselves and just just sit in our little bubble.

With this in mind, one of the most frequently asked questions when one enters any establishment is to inquire about the WiFi situation and true to this, one restaurant’s sign here in Tralee has preempted this question by assuring would-be customers of what they can expect inside.

Check it out below…