Thanks to the hardworking and winning team at The Kerryman...
AS this supplement is about recognising and appreciating the huge effort made by local businesses and their staff throughout the county in recent months, it would be remiss of me to let the opportunity pass without complementing the outstanding work carried out by our team at The Kerryman.
Week after week, and in very difficult circumstances, our staff have worked tirelessly from home. To think they have produced some of the best stories and news coverage of the pandemic while sitting at their kitchen tables and in spare rooms, often surrounded by the twin challenge of looking after family, has been a remarkable achievement.
With the vast majority of businesses closed, the cancellation of sporting, festivals and social events, our news and sports teams are able to source quality stories and produce excellent examples of local journalism. This, I feel, has been a huge source of comfort to readers at a time when they want to know what is happening in their community concerning the pandemic.
The same is also true of our brilliant photographers, who were at the frontline of the pandemic from the very start taking remarkable pictures of life under lockdown in Kerry that will continue to tell the story of COVID-19 for many years to come.
Likewise, our sales and advertising team have worked extremely hard keeping that all important channel of communication open between advertising local businesses and our readership. They have operated in a very difficult and changing
THESE are truly extraordinary times. Our way of life is being tested both at a personal level and at business level. Employment and sustaining jobs is one of our biggest challenges. Like all great tests in life, we will overcome this by innovation, imagination and the will to help others in our communities.
Tralee, as a town, has seen many changes but our resilience as a people is never in doubt. We need an atmosphere of mutual support for business with our local shops and businesses. economic environment, and equally deserve huge credit for the way they have adapted.
And yet, here we are over 10-weeks into lockdown, and The Kerryman team continue to produce a quality local newspaper with quality features, quality pictures and first class quality journalism. This is why I feel we are a winning team here at The Kerryman and I thank all our staff for their hard work and ongoing effort.
Siobhán Murphy, General Manager of The Kerryman.
They are part of our community and our active support will sustain them and their employees into the future. These businesses are all known to us and never before has it been so important in a practical way to acknowledge their contribution to our town.
Local shops and businesses offer us a unique service and access to people who care. We must also acknowledge artisan food producers, craft people and famous markets. All our efforts will ensure vibrancy in our communities and sustain us as a town and county.
Thinking local, making conscious decisions to buy and spend local, will be a huge vote of confidence in our town and will encourage all to sustain our efforts until this challenge is met. So please make this effort to shop and spend locally and instil in our great town the confidence to strive forward and to overcome.
Cllr. Jim Finucane, Mayor of Tralee.