The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
A LOOK BACK AT THE YEAR THAT WAS IN VALENTIA
HAPPY New Year to all readers of this page, and as this is the first edition of the Islandman news for 2017, it is fitting to reminisce and look back at some of the events and happenings of the year that was 2016.
January
The death at the age of 92 occurred in Our Lady of Fatima Nursing Home, Tralee, of Fr. Denis Costelloe, originally of Main St., Castleisland, and the former P.P. of Valentia Island.
January was one of shock for the people of Waterville, Iveragh and further afield, with the news of the very sudden death at the age of 59 of Lawrence Curran of Spunkane, Waterville, who was very prominent in the GAA and community affairs of the area. The family and friends of Patrick O’Driscoll of The Demesne, New Road, Portmagee were saddened to learn of his sudden death at the age 65, which took place at his residence.The death, after a very short illness, occurred of Mary O’Driscoll (nee Lyne of West Lower Tennis).
January also saw the appointment of the new Valentia Young Islanders team manager, 43-year-old John Daly. His nominated selectors were the London born and reared John Cooper and Michael ’’Pampas’’ Cahill. Brothers Brendan and Paul O’Sullivan of Bally hearney made their first appearance with the Kerry senior footballers playing against Clare in Killarney in a McGrath encounter
February
The annual Caherdaniel-Sneem-Caherdaniel cycle to the memory of the late Ita Corridan of Caherdaniel took place with proceeds accruing to the Marymount Hospice of Cork
The death occurred in the Valentia Community Hospital of Mary Murphy (nee O’Connell) of Corobeg.
The Valentia Island Development Company(VIDCO) announced the appointment of Elaine Ni Mhurchú as Island Development Programme Manager. Miss Ni Mhurchú is a native of Nad in North Cork. The Kerry Co.Council Local Enterprise Awards saw the top prize being won by Murphy Marine Services of Valentia, under the management of Fionán Murphy. First runner-up was Annascaul Black Pudding, second was Ballyhar Foods and third runner up was Sean Rush Dental of Monavalley, Tralee.
The untimely death occurred of the former Kerry footballer Den Joe Crowley.
The skies over Iveragh were deemed by astrology experts to be one of the best areas in the world for the purpose of the study and general viewing of the stars.
The death occurred at the age of 26 of chef Tony Cleere of the Royal Hotel
February 16th was deemed by Met Éireann as the wettest day on record in Kerry in 34 years with 43.6mm of rain recorded at Valentia Observatory.
March
After 45 years of service, local mechanic Robert Nolan of Knightstown hangs up his spanners..
Tim O’Driscoll of The Farm, Farranreigh, celebrates his sixtieth birthday at the Royal Hotel. The Valentia Historical and Heritage Centre opens for the season and unveils the new exhibition commemorating the involvement of the Ring brothers of Knightstown in the Rising.
At a luncheon in the Conrad Hotel, Dublin,Cathal Cusack of Westmeath and residing in Faranreigh, receives the ACCA acountant of the year award from ACCA Ireland Chairman Fergus Condon.
Valentia Young Islanders footballers win their opening Co. League Division four encounter by defeating Moyvane on a score of 2-11 to 1-6.
April
Gemma Linnane of Knightstown celebrated her sixtieth birthday in the Royal Hotel.
Bill Healy of Corobeag passes away at the age of 65.
The Ring brothers and their cousin Rosalie Rice of Kenmare are commemorated in the anniversary year of 1916 with a Valentia Slate Monument erected to them near the Cable Terrace.The occasion drew a huge attendance.
May
Marie Curran of Reenglass passes away at the age of 58 in the Bons Secours Hospital, Cork
June
The Valentia GAA club in association with the Spa GAA club organise a cycle from Valentia to Spa to raise funds for Spa native and footballer Anthony Morris, suffering from Lyme disease. He is currently receiving treatment in Washington.
The death at the age of 88 occurs of Tim Burton of Upper Tennis.
Tony Walsh of Knightstown passes away aged 94. Jim Shean of East London and Corobeag passes away aged 63.
Steve and Aisling Sheehan in association with Steve’s brother Anthony take over the running of the Ring Lyne of Chapeltown.
July
Derarca Goldie and her daughter Karen open their house as a B and B premises in Chapeltown,, named Danu House.
The annual Ring of Kerry Cycle took place with Valentia people and those from a wider area cycling for the benefit of the Kerry Branch of the Irish Kidney Association.
Áine Cusack celebrates her fiftieth birthday in Boston’s Bar. Alan Egan is crowned King Scallop.
From Wednesday July 13 to Sunday July 17 the Cable Station’s 150th anniversary celebrations took place.
The Centenary Mass celebrations of the church of the Immaculate Conception took place. On a memorable occasion, the Bishop of Kerry Raymond Browne attended in association with officiating priests, Fr Larry Kelly (PP Cahirsiveeen) Fr Gerard Finucane( PP Waterville), Fr Pat Sugrue of Dromid, Fr Padraig Keogh of Rockchapel and Fr Denis Lynch of Valentia. . Sean Curran of Chapeltown was 53. Brendan O’Keeffe of Portmagee village passed away aged 83
Evelyn O’Leary (nee Smith of Farranreigh) passes away aged 98.
August
The Valentia Young Islanders Race Night took place at a gala occasion in the Royal Hotel.
South Kerry defeat Dingle in the Count Under 21 football final held in Tralee. Andy Quigley of Valentia was a substitute.
John Patrick Lott Murphy was 50 and Diarmaid Ring of Knightstown celebrated his ninetieth birthday.
Micheál Lyne retired as the Manager of the Valentia Industries factory of the Cable Terrace. His retirement was marked by a gala in the Royal Hotel.
The Young Islanders are defeated away by Scartaglin, which relegated them back to Division five.
The church of St Michael the Archangel of Dungegan, Ballinskelligs celebrated 200 years in existence. Phil Coulter was the guest of honour at church celebrations.
Michael Reardon of the Pound in Portmagee passed away aged 80 and the untimely death of Jimmy Moriarty of Bridge Street Cahirsiveen also occurred.
Traditional musician Seamus Begley performed in the Ring Lyne for the Valentia Chamber Festival.
The marriage took place in Mayo of Martin Falvey of Chapeltown to Noreen Lynott of Mayo and London.
September
Joan Doyle of Dublin and Valentia passed away aged 81. Kathleen Corless, originally of Cooil East passed away in St Anne’s Hospital, Cahirsiveen.The death also occurred of John Kelly of the Point’s Cross.
Alan Lyne of Coromore and Collette Long of Cork married in Killarney.
The Valentia Young Islanders were defeated in the Novice championship away to Tousist, on a day of wind and rain. The score stood at 1-13 to 2-6.
Joe and Kathleen Houlihan of Knightstown celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Áine Coakley and Ger McGillycuddy of Killarney married in the church of the Immaculate Conception ,Knightstown, with the reception afterwards in the Royal Hotel.
October
The death occurred of Fiona O’Reilly of Knightstown.
The Valentia Island Car ferry ended it’s season and announced that 3 million euro would be needed to replace the existing one in 2018.
The Kells to Valentia RNLI cycle took place for the 20th year, and £100,000 was raised in that time.
The heavy rainfall of Monday and Tuesday, October 3 and 4 was the highest ever recorded by the Valentia Observatory over a 24 hour period since records began 150 years ago.
Noreen Cassidy (nee Mawe) of Knightstown and Dublin celebrated her 100th birthday. Valentia’s Fr Denis Lynch was 90.
Mary Coughlan (nee Lynch) of Gortgower passed away aged 90 in England. Baby Éanna Coffey of Knightstown passed away. Mick and Rosaleen O’Connell retire from fundraising activities for Tig an Oileáin, the Valentia home for people with special needs.
The marriage in Fossa took place of Emer O’Sullivan, West Lower Tennis to Dermot O’Sullivan, Tuosist.
November
John Joe Shanahan of Farranreigh was 70 and Noreen Cooper of Farnanes,Cork, and wife of the late John Cooper of Valentia, was 90. Diarmaid O’Connell of Glanleam was 40.
Waterville defeated Valentia by a score of 2-10 to 1-6 in a first round South Kerry championship encounter in Chapeltown.
John Corcoran of Ardcost passed away aged 77. Fr Patrick Galvin of Castlecove and the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of South Africa passed away in Pretoria.
Maurice Fitzgerald becomes a Kerry senior football team selector.
December
St Marys of Cahirsiveen defeated Skellig Rangers, Portmagee, in the South Kerry senior football championship final. Austin Constable of St Marys as a result wins his tenth championship medal, equalling the record of Pat O’Connor of Valentia and the late Seamus O’Connor of Cahirsiveen.
Anna Egan of Aghatubrid hands over the management of the Iveragh Charity Shop to the Valentia Community Hospital.
The death occurred of Maureen Orpen (nee Griffin) of Knightstown).
Deirdre Lyne becomes the first female chairperson of the Valentia Young Islanders and also the first among South Kerry Divisional Board clubs.