A credit to their schools and community – is how Jill Hannon described the contribution of Transition Year students to the overall success of Thursday night’s Fashion Capital of Kerry Show at nana Bea’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop: Pictured are: Alison Jones, Ballymacelligott; Dylan O’Donoghue, Brosna; Leanne McEnery, Firies and Jack Flynn, Cordal. The students are from St. Joseph’s Presentation Girls’ Secondary School and St. Patrick’s Boys’ Secondary School. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Show MC, Orlagh Winters (left) relaxing before the show with, Lisa Martin, Tralee at the Castleisland Fashion Capital of Kerry show at Nana Bea’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop on Thursday night. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Jill Hannon, Hannon’s Castleisland (left) and show MC Orlagh Winters at the Castleisland Fashion Capital of Kerry show at Nana Bea’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop on Thursday night. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Maria Galvin, Galvins Optometrists (left) and Norma Reidy of Shine Hair Salon pictured at the Castleisland Fashion Capital of Kerry show at Nana Bea’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop on Thursday night. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Welcoming Magic from Thomas O’Shea, Listowel and Bríd Mills, Castleisland at Nana Bea’s Resturant and Coffee Shop for the Fashion Capital of Kerry Fashion Show on Thursday night . ©Photograph John Reidy
Nana Bea’s host, Rosaleen Higgins (centre) with Geraldine Canty (left) and Marie Thompson of Divas & Dudes at the Castleisland Fashion Capital of Kerry show on Thursday night. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Locals: Katie Brosnan pictured with her mom, Maura at the Castleisland Fashion Capital of Kerry show at Nana Bea’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop on Thursday night. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Locals: Teresa Curtin (left) and Noreen Shanahan pictured at the Castleisland Fashion Capital of Kerry show at Nana Bea’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop on Thursday night. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Margaret Brick, Connect Kerry (centre) pictured with: Olivia Wall (left) and Lisa Martin, Tralee at the Castleisland Fashion Capital of Kerry show at Nana Bea’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop on Thursday night. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Norma Nolan-Moran, Castleisland (left) and Claire Smith, Tralee pictured at the Castleisland Fashion Capital of Kerry show at Nana Bea’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop on Thursday night. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Local sisters: Brita Galwey (left) and Gretta O’Connell at the Castleisland Fashion Capital of Kerry show at Nana Bea’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop on Thursday night. ©Photograph: John Reidy
A warm atmosphere created for the Castleisland Fashion Capital of Kerry show at Nana Bea’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop on Thursday night. ©Photograph: John Reidy
The McAuliffe sisters from left: Mary Teresa, Ann Marie, Noreen and Patricia pictured at the Castleisland Fashion Capital of Kerry show at Nana Bea’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop on Thursday night. ©Photograph: John Reidy
At the couple of meetings held to date in the process of setting up Castleisland’s Chamber Alliance, the ‘Ladies Group’ has been passingly referred to and held up as one which has blazed a trail and put the town’s fashion industry up there where it belongs.
The aspirations and the references all point to the Castleisland Fashion Capital of Kerry group which was set up here only a couple of years ago.
They reached another high point on Thursday night at Nana Bea’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop with their all-out fashion show. And, like the rearing of the child – it took the community effort to do so.
Positive Feedback
“We’re delighted with the positive feedback from the show. It was just that everything fell into place for us on the night,” said group spokesperson Jill Hannon.
“Nana Bea’s was just such an ideal venue and people loved the atmosphere which they had created there and they haven’t stopped talking about the delightful food which was served on platters right throughout the night – not to mention the wine.
“We were greeted with the wonderful singing of Bríd Mills and Thomas O’Shea on guitar and vocals and it seemed to set the tone for the night.
Witty, Wonderful Winters
“Orlagh Winters did such a witty, wonderful and thoroughly professional job as MC and kept the night lively, mischievous and surprising. Orla Diffily’s Upfront Model Management brought its usual professional standards to the show. Our local models were just great and the clothes were of a kind you’d see on the catwalks of London.
“We had a team of Transition Year students from St. Patrick’s College and St. Joseph’s Presentation Secondary who were a credit to their schools and to the youth of the area. They sold tickets, helped with the serving of food and they stayed on late and got involved with the cleaning up afterwards.
Red Carpet
“Of course it’s great when an event like this comes together so well but it’s even better when you have the goodwill of the locality behind you. Mary O’Connor from the nearby Castleisland Carpets gave us the red carpet – for example. Noeleen Tangney and others came in with spot-prizes and that’s the kind of local co-operation which made it the night it was.
“And there was a turn for the publicans of the area too as the show finished at 10pm and most people were out for the night anyway and they headed off to the pubs locally to polish off a wonderful night,” said Jill.
