The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Keelin takes helm at Kerry Association
KEELIN Kissane from Lisselton is the new Chairperson of the Kerry Association in Dublin, after outgoing Chairperson Leesha Duffy handed over the reigns at the association’s recent AGM at Wynn’s Hotel.
It brought an end to Ms Duffy’s three-year term as Chairperson, and Ms Kissane will now serve at the helm, a development she described as a ‘great honour’.
“This association has been going for over 60 years now, so it has clearly stood the test of time, and it was a very proud moment to be named as Chairperson of an association that has clearly been very successful and obviously means a huge amount to the Kerry community here in Dublin,” Ms Kissane said.
“I’ve only been involved for five years, so it’s a great honour. I served as Vice-Chairperson for the last three years under Leesha, who is from Dromid, so we’ve swapped South Kerry for North Kerry,” she joked.
Meanwhile, the Association presented a cheque of €5,100 to the 2017 Kerry Person of the Year, Ted Moynihan.
The prestigious title was bestowed upon Mr Moynihan — who is head of the KHF Fundraising Committee — in January, after more than 25 years of work on behalf of the KHF group. The money presented on the night was raised by the raffle at the Association’s recent gala dinner, and will of course be welcomed by KHF, whose 15bed inpatient unit at University Hospital Kerry (UHK) is set to open later this year.
The Kerry Association in Dublin was founded in 1951. Over the decades, the group has developed to provide an outlet to Kerry people living in the capital, organising meetings, lectures, outings and social functions for its members.
Ms Kissane explained to The Kerryman that the association’s door is always open to new members, and if anyone is interested in obtaining or renewing membership can do so by visiting the Association’s website at www.kerryassociation.ie.
“There’s always something on,” Ms Kissane said. “Next week we’ll be going to the Gaiety to see John B Keane’s ‘The Chastitute’, and there’s always something like that for the Kerry community in Dublin to get involved with.”