In 2015 a Saturday night Fáilte Isteach programme on RTÉ Radio 1 was an historic final broadcast for its presenter, Donncha Ó Dúlaing. The veteran broadcaster, who died on September 4th., had marked 50 years in broadcasting just before that last, major milestone for his many loyal fans and listeners throughout Ireland and the…
This is the most genuine ‘asking for a friend’ request you’ll ever find anywhere. Because the label on one of the donkey’s heads reads ‘Castleisland’ the image was forwarded to me in the hope that we can name the boys. We know the names of the donkeys. It is most likely that the photograph is…
The final act of Castleisland Racquetball Club was played out recently, when Tommy Martin presented the closing bank balance of the club account to Pieta House. “I had very mixed emotions about it all,” said Tommy. “It was sad to come to the realisation that it was time to wind the club up. While those…
He’s a man of many parts – and you’ll see the point of the pun as we go on. For Joe Martin retired from his job in the parts department of Divanes Castleisland this week on the 60th anniversary of the day he started there as a teenager in 1958. Joe is also a dedicated…
Crowds from throughout the county are complimenting some great theatre all this week at the Kerry Drama Festival at Castleisland’s Ivy Leaf Art Centre. The nine-night long event got off to a flying start on Friday evening as festival director, Jerome Stack with adjudicator, Brendan Murray and guest Kevin O’Shea took to the stage. Three…
Jerome Stack has been the director of the Kerry Drama Festival for the past 30 years. He’s been in the position since the revival of the festival in 1988 after it had lapsed in 1971. There’s no one in a better position than Jerome to realise how privileged local audiences have been with so many…
Ceremonies have been held in several centres throughout the country in recent weeks in recognition of the contribution of the Defence Forces to the State in this special year of commemorations of the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising. These events also aim to acknowledge the service the Defence Forces have provided to the State…
Joe and Sheila Martin, St. Stephens’ Park, Castleisland, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with their children, daughters in law and grandchildren recently in Ballygarry House Hotel & Spa, Tralee. “We had a really lovely day, with fun and laughter and happy memories.”, said Sheila. Joe was in full agreement saying “I always treasure days like this, spent…
The late Paidí Ó Sé did it – as did his successor, Jack O’Connor and so it fell to Eamonn Fitzmaurice, as Kerry Senior Football team manger, to fulfil the role of VW Brand Ambassador. Mid afternoon on Friday the genial Lixnaw man dropped into Divane’s Killarney Road base to collect his new, 2015 VW…
A Castleisland father and son will play leading roles in an innovative, historical roadshow which is coming to Killarney on Saturday morning. Joe and Tommy Martin will play Eamonn De Valera and Michael Collins respectively. Both men, and indeed the Martin family in general, have travelled widely through the war-time sites of Ireland and Europe…
