Up, up and away for Lawrence at 40
The sky’s the limit for Lawrence Kelly, Ardaneanig, Killarney, who marked the big Four-O last Saturday night with a spectactular helicopter trip over the lakes and mountains before literally dropping into Darby O’Gills for a mega party.
Family Friend and Neighbour Dermot Healy fulfilled a promise made to Lawrence last year when he landed in the garden of the Kelly home on Saturday evening and whisked Lawrence and his two brothers, Eamonn and John, into the blue sky.
On Lawrence’s instructions from the front seat, Dermot headed out over Headford for starters.
After viewing the Killarney scenery from a height that very few people get to appreciate it from, Lawrence and his brothers were deposited by Dermot beside Darbys where a cheering crowd was waiting.
A very popular person with a winning personality, the birthday boy could have filled the hall with his friends alone but he had a head start on the guest numbers by virtue of the fact that he is third youngest of 19 children.
Lawrence is a son of Nora and the late Johnny Kelly, a wonderful character whose memory is still very much cherished in his locality. He is a nephew of the late Eamon Kelly, renowned seanchai and actor.
His brothers and sisters at the party were Eamonn, Kinsale, John, Killarney, Brian, Rathmore, Seamus, Killarney, Tim, Killarney, Joan, Barraduff, Breda, Dublin, Nuala, Milltown, Elizabeth, Headford, Sheila, Carlow, Kathleen, Thurles, Laura, Offally, Eileen, Black Valley, Margaret, Tralee Road, Noreen, Killarney, Mary, Dublin, and Patricia, Dublin. Bernadette was unable to make the party but sent best wishes from her home in England.
Lots of Lawrence’s friends from the Old Monastery on Port Road turned out to wish him well as did his neighbours.
Lawrence gave a heartfelt speech thanking everyone for coming before he took to the dance floor for the night. Singing Jarvey Ger Healy made sure everyone had a lively night.
As part of his birthday celebrations, Lawrence is taking to the skies again in September when he flies out to Lourdes with the Kerry Diocesan Pilgrimage.
Friends of Johnny will never forget
The ‘Friends of Johnny’ Committee, set up to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society, was officially launched by Sean Kelly and Pat O’Shea in the Cube Bar last Friday night.
On a dark evening last February, the committee was founded aptly enough in the Tatler Jack where the late Johnny ‘Jug’ Murphy had worked. Johnny had grown up just a street away in College Street where his family owned the former Jug of Punch Bar.
It was the untimely death of Johnny from a brain tumour at the age of 30 on January 31st last that inspired his friends to support the Irish Cancer Society
and, in doing so, mark his passing in a way that would benefit others.
Four of his good friends, Neil Kelders, Eamonn Foley, Donal Casey and Martin Driver, will run the New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 2nd.
Others involved in the series of fundraising events, which will run over seven months, include Sandra Brosnan, Johanne Brosnan, David Looney, John Lynch, Colm Griffin and Edmond O’Sullivan.
Johnny’s brother, Dermot, and his sister-in-law, Josie, were among those who attended the launch on Friday night.
Later on, about 400 people attended a fund-raising disco which was held in the Crypt and which is expected to raise about €5,000 to kick-start the fund-raising.
The next event will be a Race Night in Mustang Sally’s on Friday, June 13th.
The committee thanks the Cube and the Crypt for hosting last Friday night’s events, Sean Kelly and Pat O’Shea for launching the drive, James Murphy for the logo and Sean Clifford for designing the website, www.johnny4cancer.com.
More info from the site or from Neil Kelders on 086-3239969.
Goodbye, Mr Pyne
For years, I have been writing about the Killarney Community College annual awards at one remove but, last Friday, I attended the awards for the first time in the Dromhall Hotel.
At any function, the majority of speeches will flow over your head but, at the awards, one point in particular made by principal Fiona O’Brien lodged in a crevice in my brain.
Her reflection on the community spirit alive in the school registered with me not just because of the eloquence and conviction with which she spoke but because there was a clearly discernible sense of comradeship between the students.
If the expression still has currency, you could say there was a ‘good vibe’.
It was there in the applause, in a clap on the back as a student passed a table and in the expressions and body language of the team award winners.
It’s good to know that the spirit which marked the ‘old tech’ in New Street travelled with the school to the New Road.
A word now for the community college’s near neighbours, the Presentation Monastery Primary School.
A class of 25 of the boys made their First Holy Communion at the Cathedral on Saturday. There were greetings in English, Irish, Polish and Lithuanian at the start of the Mass which was celebrated by Canon Pat Horgan.
The utter simplicity of the readings and the prayers, the involvement of all the pupils right through and the warm manner of Canon Horgan made it a really lovely ceremony.
At the end of the Mass, Class Teacher Catherine Barry told the congregation that it was the very last official function of Principal Derry Pyne, who is taking early retirement.
Her words of praise for Derry’s contribution to the school were endorsed by a ringing round of applause.
‘Slainte an Bhradan. Go maire tu i bhfad’ (The health of the salmon to you. That you may live long) was Catherine’s final wish for her colleague.
SCENE AND HEARD
Wedding Bells: Congrats to Niall Moriarty, son of Neilus and Anne, Brookside, Gortacollopa, Fossa, and Roisin Lucey, daughter of Michael and Eileen, Mallow, who were married at the Church of the Resurrection, Mallow, on Saturday and held their wedding reception at the Castlerosse Hotel.
Niall works in the mapping office of Kerry County Council at Killarney Town Hall. Roisin manages a food company in Mallow. The couple, who met while students at the IT in Tralee, are honeymooning in the US.
Congrats to Caitríona O’Shea, daughter of Tony and Cait, Lahard Upper, Beaufort, and Damian Booth, son of Mary Booth, Castleblaney, County Monaghan, who were married at the Sacred Heart Church, Milltown, on Saturday and held their wedding reception at the Dromhall Hotel.
The couple are honeymooning in Nice and will live in Castleblaney.
ROYAL HEARTBEAT: HeartBeat, the support group for heart patients and their carers, is having a Coffee Morning at the Royal Hotel on Tuesday, May 20th, at 10.30am. ‘Do come along and see what we are about,’ is the invitation. Admission, €5.
ARTS WEEK: The first ever KDYS Youth Arts Week for teenagers aged between 13 years and 16 years will take place this summer so read on if you want a creative summer experience.
Activities include unicycling, mosaic art, drama, juggling, drumming, heavy metal bellydancing, world music, crafts and games.
The Youth Arts Week runs from Monday, June 30th, to Friday, July 4th, in KDYS Youth Centre. The cost is €60 for the week, and the times are 12pm until 5pm. There are only 15 places available so book soon by contacting Ruti Lachs at KDYS 064-31748.
MURPHY CUP: Last Tuesday, May 6th, the Peig Murphy Cup and Murphy Cup Final took place in Murphy’s Bar. In the Peig Murphy Cup Final, Kieran Breen played Matt Lacey. Both players threw excellent darts with Mat Lacey getting the better end by winning 3 – 0. Matt Lacey is the second player to win both cups.
In the Murphy Cup Final, Con Cremin played Leonard Fitzgerald, In a dramatic game, both players threw outstanding darts with Leonard Fitzgerald winning in his first Murphy’s Cup Final, 4 – 2.
It was and exciting night for everyone and a big crowd attended. Murphy’s Bar would like to thank everyone who took part in the competition.
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