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 The Dingle News archive: July - 201031 July 2010Opening of new Dingle Hospital could take 'months' according to Minister's Office
A statement has been released from the Minister for Health's office regarding the delay in opening Dingle's new community hospital, indicating that registration with HIQA, which would cleat the way for a new opening date, could take months to approve. The statement was made by Health Minister Mary Harney's office in response to a query by local Councillor Brendan Griffin who sought clarification on the matter. Following media reports during the week that the new Dingle Hospital was to open on Tuesday, July 27th, the bombshell was dropped that the opening was to be postponed yet again. The reason given for the postponement was that the new hospital would not be formally registered with the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) in time - an obligation as part of the regulations relating to residential care for older people. The announcement sparked anger locally as arrangements had already been made to transfer patients; medical supplies, equipment and files had already been transferred from St. Elizabeth's in advance of the proposed opening on July 27th. According to the statement from the Minister's office: "the Health Act, 2007 provides for the independent registration and inspection of all nursing homes. Since 1 July, 2009 all nursing homes, public and private, are registered under the Health Act, 2007 (Registration of Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2009 by the Chief Inspector. The Chief Inspector grants registration to new applicants under section 50 of the Health Act 2007 if she is satisfied they meet the requirements set out under the Act. This new system of registration and inspection is to underpin quality and safety for residents in nursing homes. The HSE has informed the Department that the new residential centre at Dingle is currently undergoing the registration process. This takes a number of months to complete and involves inspections by HIQA inspectors." Local Councillors Brendan Griffin and Seamus Cosai Fitzgerald have both stated that this situation is unacceptable as the new hospital is far superior to the old hospital in every way and that patients in Dingle will now be subject to a lengthy wait if the Minister fails to prioritise HIQA's approval processs. Questions have also been raised as to why the Minister's office and the HSE failed to set the HIQA registration process in motion months ago, before announcing that the hospital would be opened on July 27th. 31 July 2010Kerry 'Down' and out of this year's championship race; Dublin in as the mighty Tyrone faulters
County Kerry is on a major 'downer' this afternoon as Down rocked the Kingdom today in Croke Park, beating them 1-16 to 1-10 win the SFC Championship quarter-final clash. Weakened by the absense of tough men Tomás Ó Sé and Paul Galvin, Kerry crashed out of this year championship to a superior Down side whose drive ensured their pass through to the Semi-Finals, where they will face either Kildare or Meath. In another shock result, Dublin also overcame Tyrone in the second of this quarter final double bill today, beating the Ulster champions by 1-15 to 0-13 to reach the GAA Football Championship semi-finals. Down displayed passion throughout their assault on Kerry and in Martin Clarke they had a player of vision and creativity who played an immense role in this massive victory. Clarke controlled the game for long stretches, contributing to many of his side's scores and posting a 0-04 tally himself. Down, now with five wins from five Championship meetings with Kerry, never showed any fear of their opponents, who looked disjointed and lacking in leadership. Down stunned the Sam Maguire Cup holders with a goal after just 52 seconds. Mícheál Quirke was caught in possession, Paul McComiskey slipped the ball quickly to Mark Poland, and the centre-forward gave Brendan Kealy no chance with a rasping drive. The Mourne men maintained that dazzling offensive, adding points through Benny Coulter, Ambrose Rogers (a '45) and McComiskey to lead a shell-shocked Kerry side by 1-03 to 00-00 after just 10 minutes. Bryan Sheehan eventually got Kerry's first score in the 14th minute, and they steadied the ship, winning breaking ball around midfield to set up three further scoring chances which Colm Cooper executed. And they had the ball in the net in the 23rd minute when Cooper and Donnacha Walsh combined to send Killian Young in to blast past Brendan McVeigh. Walsh, however, was penalised by referee Joe McQuillan for an illegal hand-pass. Down went 17 minutes without scoring, but with Clarke orchestrating things, they played their way back into the game and banged over four points, two each from Clarke and Poland. And former Aussie Rules star Clarke inspired his colleagues by drifting back to make a superb interception as Walsh tried to release Cooper. Down led by 1-07 to 0-04 at the break. Kieran Donaghy moved to midfield for the second half with Declan O'Sullivan, but Down pair Ambrose Rogers and Kalum King continued to dominate in that sector. Cooper and Sheehan pulled back points for Kerry as they cut the deficit to four, but they had a let-off when Down had a McComiskey goal disallowed. The Kingdom were reduced to 14 men in the 45th minute when Donnacha Walsh picked up a second yellow card, but nevertheless crafted a couple of goal chances, only to see Brendan McVeigh pull off two stunning saves from Donaghy. Down grew in confidence once more, and a volley of superb points from Benny Coulter and Ronan Murtagh saw them kill the game off. Kerry pulled back a late goal when David Moran netted a penalty after Donaghy had been fouled. Additional reporting & photography: RTÉ Sport: www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/0731/kerry_down.html 30 July 2010Alabama 3 to rock the Hillgrove this Friday
Beo Binn, a new musical and artistic collective based in Dingle are delighted to present Alabama 3 who will perform an acoustic and unplugged set in the Hillgrove this Friday July 30th. Alabama 3 achieved global success as their offering ‘Woke Up this Morning’ became a sensation as the theme tune of cult TV series The Sopranos. A deal with Geffen followed and Alabama 3 have been touring ever since, enjoying a cult following of their own performing around the world including a 2010 appearance at Glastonbury (pictured left). Alabama 3, in full on urban gangster mode, will be accompanied by live visuals and graffiti artwork exhibition. Street artists will be at work spraying live on boards on-site in an urban styled art festival. Support on the night will be provided by Bluefoot and the Sock Parade with local Ben Farr (The Big Payback) spinning tunes until late. Street artists are coming from Tralee, Killarney and Cork to hang artwork in the space with specially comissioned projected visuals. Look out for RTM Krew spraying live on the street and breakdancing; spraying up logos, vans, backyards and canvases for anyone who wants to comission them so get in touch at beobinn@gmail.com. For tickets for this gig contact 066-9151131 or visit www.hillgrovedingle.com. For more information on BEO BINN check out http://beobinn.wordpress.com 30 July 2010Kerry up for Down challenge tomorrow
Reigning All-Ireland champions Kerry will face Down in the SFC qualifiers in Croke Park this Saturday at 2pm. Tyrone will meet Dublin in the quarter-finals afterwards while Connacht champions Roscommon have been handed a daunting tie with beaten Munster finalists Cork on Sunday. The Rebels laboured to an extra-time win over Limerick but will go into the last-eight tie as big favourites. Meath, conquerors of Dublin and, controversially, Louth in Leinster, face a resurgent Kildare on Sunday afternoon. The Lilywhites have recovered well from an early provincial exit. All four matches are likely to take place next weekend, with the GAA set to confirm the times and venues being announced early next week. The teams emerging from the qualifiers will enter the Semi-Finals in the following order: winners of Meath/Kildare face Kerry/Down and winners of Tyrone/Dublin to face Roscommon/Cork. (report: RTÉ Sport). 29 July 2010Dingle's Conor O'Donnell named as new the editor of the Irish Daily Mail
A Dingle man is to become the new editor of national newspaper The Irish Daily Mail. Conor O'Donnell (36) is to replace Paul Fields as editor of the newspaper this September. The son of retired Garda Sergeant Mossie O'Donnell has worked for the company since 2008. A keen GAA footballer in his day, Conor graduated from Griffith College before working with the Kerryman and the Irish Examiner. His appointment adds to the Dingle Peninsula's growing profile when it comes to writers, journalists and those involved in the national media. Dingle man Declan Malone is the editor of the Kerryman newspaper; other working journalists in the area include Michelle Crean (Castlegregory), a photo-journalist with Kerry's Eye, Sharon Ní Chonchúir (Baile na nGall) a freelance journalist with the Irish Examiner, Ted Creedon (Kerryman, Marine Times and Radio Kerry) and Marian O'Flaherty (online editor DingleNews.com, Kerryman, RTE 2fm, Ireland's Own, Foinse etc). Former footballer Dara Ó Cinnéide is a TV journalist with TG4, RTÉ and Raidió na Gaeltachta, along with writing for a number of publications. Seán Mac an tSíthigh is a news-reporter with TG4 also. Former Kerry footballers Dara Ó Sé and Páidí Ó Sé have columns with national newspapers. Kilquane's Dáithí Ó Sé, who has worked with TG4 and RTÉ, is now one of Ireland's leading TV personalities and will present the live global broadcast of the 2010 Rose of Tralee selection this August. Fellow Kilquane native Sineád Ní Churnáin is a children's TV presenter with RTÉ while Siún Nic Gearailt is one of RTÉ News' leading news anchors. This is only the tip of the iceberg; the number of those involved in the media, along with authors, poets, publishers and photographers on the Dingle Peninsula really is too vast a number to pin down. 27 July 2010Féile na Bealtaine launch summer concert schedule in Dún Chaoin
Dingle Peninsula Arts' Festival Féile na Bealtaine will host a series of summer concerts in Ionad an Bhlascaoid, Dún Chaoin, beginning tonight (Tuesday July 27th). The first event hosted will be an evening of traditional and classical music featuring Siona Loughane on Violin (from the UREUK sympnohy orchestra, NY), Peadair Ó Fionnáin on Clarinet, Jane Hughes on Cello and local singer Eilibhín Ní Bheaglaoich. A series of subsequent events will take place every Tuesday night over the next four weeks. Admission is €10 and all are welcome to attend. For more information contact 066-9156444. For more information on Féile na Bealtaine visit their website www.feilenabealtaine.ie. 25 July 2010Sinead O'Connor marries West Kerry 'local' Steve Cooney
Internationally renowned singer Sinead O'Connor has married musician Steve Cooney it was announced on her website today. Steve Cooney is intrinsically tied to music and culture in Dingle and West Kerry having gigged locally with Seamus Begley for many years in Corca Dhuibhne. Their double act, 'Cooney & Begley' were considered among Ireland's premier trad acts and in West Kerry he is considered a local. Irish-Australian Steve Cooney was a member of Sinead O'Connor's band for the last four years as a guitar player. He has also been a member of Stockton's Wing. Sinead O'Connor has been married twice before. Her first marriage was to writer John Reynolds and her second was to journalist Nick Sommerland. She is considered to be one of Ireland's top musical artists gaining global recognition with songs such as Nothing Compares 2U in a career spanning three decades. 24 July 2010Opening date of Dingle Hospital postponed yet again
Following media reports during the week that the new Dingle Hospital was to open on Tuesday, July 27th, the HSE have dropped the bombshell that the opening is to be postponed yet again. 23 July 2010Lifetime Achievement award to be bestowed on Mícheál Ó Sé
The winners of the 2009 McNamee Awards have been confirmed by the GAA, among the announcements is the bestowing of a lifetime achievement award on West Kerry's Mícheál Ó Sé. The GAA National Communication and Media Awards, named after the late Pádraig McNamee, are presented annually in recognition of outstanding contributions made by individuals and Association units in the area of media and communications. The awards will be presented by Uachtarán Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, Criostóir Ó Cuana, at a function in Croke Park on Saturday next, July 24. Mícheál Ó Sé is one of Ireland's premier sports commentators. He came to prominence with the founding of Raidió na Gaeltachta in 1972 and in the intervening years his commentaries on that station and on RTÉ TV have become legendary, especially to Gaeilgeoirí, within and outside the Gaeltacht. Mícheál was born in Ard na Caithne in West Kerry and after attending Scoil Náisiúnta Bhaile an Fheirtéaraigh went as a boarder to St. Brendan's College Killarney, where he was a classmate of another Kerry and Irish legend, Moss Keane. His footballing prowess was evident at an early stage and he made the college senior team in his second year. Subsequently he played with the Kerry Minors and made his senior debut in 1968, winning a National League Medal. He was also on the Kerry teams that won the League in 1972 and 1973. He played left half back on the Kerry teams that won the Sam Maguire in 1969 and again in 1970. He played Sigerson Cup football with UCD and also played for Maynooth College. From the time he first kicked a football , Mícheál Ó Sé was involved in Corca Dhuibhne teams and with West Kerry. He has coached many underage teams for his club An Ghaeltacht and was involved in the senior team that reached the All Ireland Club Final in 2004. Among those who have benefited from his tutelage are Darragh, Tomás and Marc Ó Sé, Dara Ó Cinnéide and Aodán Mac Gearailt. He was appointed Ceannaire of Raidió na Gaeltachta in 1980 and was instrumental in increasing the stations sports coverage. On returning home to Kerry he presented the magazine programme "An Saol ó Dheas". He is a scholar of Irish folklore and all things pertaining to our native language and culture. But he will likely be best remembered for his superlative commentaries and command of his native tongue. He lives in Ceann Trá with his wife Jacqueline and family. Report: RTÉ.ie, do leagan Ghaeilge teár go: www.rte.ie/rnag/gradamsaoilmichealose2010.html 22 July 2010Local artists bring Dingle boat-yard site to life
A Dingle roadside has taken on new life as the art work of several local artists now adorn the timber wall of the old boat yard close to Dingle Pier. Earlier this year, Kerry County Council invited artists to submit, in artistic form, their views and ideas of life relative to Dingle Town and West Kerry Gaeltacht. 35 miniature drawings were submitted portraying life and social activity in West Kerry and of that eight artists were successful. The paintings, based on local themes have been erected on the timber fence of the old boatyard site, they are of exceptional quality and have been well erected. "They illustrate extremely well some of the activities of everyday life in West Kerry and our wonderful scenery" said local Councillor Seamus Cosai Fitzgerlad. "Football, Fishing, Music, Dingle Races, Blasket Islands, Boat making, Scenery...there are some wonderful depictions. The paintings are in a very prominent position and will enhance Strand Street, and hopefully will be enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. Well done to the artists for the pride that they have taken in doing this work and to Kerry County Council for their support and financial contribution and in the erection of these 8 paintings" he said. Pictured: the artists whose work was chosen to appear in the Dingle Boat-Yard exhibition with KCC officials at the recent unveiling. (pic: Domimick Walsh). |
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