What happened in Kerry this week
Kerry Rose Caoimhe Lynch sparkled in a silver gown under the spotlight on night two of the RTÉ live shows, broadcast from the Dome at the Kerry Sports Academy in Tralee.
A Tralee garda has been honoured at a special awards ceremony that recognises the invaluable contribution made by members of the emergency services. Garda Patricia Fitzpatrick took home the top prize at the Ireland Blue Light Awards in the Contribution to Diversity category.
The 1994 winning Rose of Tralee, Muirne Hurley, returned to Tralee this week - 32 years after she was crowned - to share her personal story of overcoming cancer, the loss of her sister and finding a new direction in life.
Open-water swimmer Elaine Burrows Dillane has made history again - battling through darkness, injury and powerful currents to become the only woman in the world to complete the three swims in the Open Water Triple Crown.
Joe McGill, founder and owner of McGill’s Brewery in Waterville, is celebrating national success this week after two of the brewery’s flagship beers claimed honours at the World Beer Awards.
Not to be confused with Puck Fair - storyteller and goat-herd Seán O’Laoghaire this week crowned a South Kerry Queen of the Goats.
Queen of the Goats is a small, distinctive festival created and hosted by O’Laoghaire in Portmagee.
LISTRY CYCLIST John O’Donoghue has completed a gruelling 3,166km circuit of Ireland - and raised about €15,000 for St Francis Special School in Beaufort. The 61-year-old father of two arrived home to a hero’s welcome last Tuesday, none the worst for his punishing feat, not even too saddle sore.
Read the full story in Kerry’s Eye Digital Edition.
Rose Caoilfhinn wins our hearts!
Newly-crowned Rose of Tralee Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh is unapologetically herself - and wants other women to know that it’s okay to ‘drop the mask’.
The 25-year-old was named the 2026 International Rose of Tralee during Tuesday night’s live television show at the Kerry Sports Academy at MTU, with the announcement made by Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas shortly before 11.30pm.
Caoilfhinn, the second Westmeath Rose to take the title - was presented with her sash after winning over the judges - and the hearts of the public.
Read the full story in Kerry’s Eye Digital Edition.
Agonising wait after earthquake tragedy
A Colombian priest who spends summer in Tralee was thousands of miles from home when a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck last week - leaving him facing an agonising wait for news of his family.
Fr Fabio-Alexis Sánchez OP, who has visited Holy Cross Dominican Church in Tralee every summer for the past three years, was having lunch in Kerry when he received a message from a friend asking if his family were safe.
The magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia at around 7.30am local time on August 10.
The powerful earthquake caused widespread destruction across western Colombia, including in Cali and Sevilla, where Fr Fabio’s parents, brother, uncles, aunts, cousins and two grandmothers live.
Read the full story in Kerry’s Eye Digital Edition.
Muirne urges courage to begin again
The 1994 winning Rose of Tralee, Muirne Hurley, returned to Tralee this week - 32 years after she was crowned - to share her personal story of overcoming cancer, the loss of her sister and finding a new direction in life.
The Limerick native was invited to speak at a breakfast meeting in Tralee in association with Network Ireland Kerry, Kerry Innovation Centre, Kerry Mental Health Association and The Rose Hotel.
‘The Courage to Begin Again’ was the theme for her talk, recalling the many times in her life when she had to start over.
Read the full story in Kerry’s Eye Digital Edition.
Elaine makes swimming history
Open-water swimmer Elaine Burrows Dillane has made history again - battling through darkness, injury and powerful currents to become the only woman in the world to complete the three swims in the Open Water Triple Crown.
The Tralee woman completed the gruelling 32.5km Catalina Channel crossing in California in 16 hours, 14 minutes and eight seconds, spending more than 16 hours in the water.
The epic swim from Santa Catalina Island to the California coast took place earlier this month.
Read the full story in Kerry’s Eye Digital Edition.
Kerry mussels in on Mayo breeding
TWENTY FRESHWATER pearl mussels from Kerry have been relocated to the Marine Institute’s research facility in County Mayo as part of a major conservation effort to save the critically endangered species.
The mussels were airlifted from their native Owenmore River on the Dingle Peninsula in July, which is located in the Mount Brandon SAC (Special Area of Conservation) and is part of Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara Ciarraí, and relocated to the Marine Institute facility in Furnace.
Here they joined freshwater pearl mussels taken from the Newport River in Mayo, the Owenea River in Donegal and the Owenriff River in Galway in a special conservation breeding programme.
Read the full story in Kerry’s Eye Digital Edition.
Cheers - local brews are world class!
Joe McGill, founder and owner of McGill’s Brewery in Waterville, is celebrating national success this week after two of the brewery’s flagship beers claimed honours at the World Beer Awards.
The brewery’s ‘An Coireán’ Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout Batch 2 was crowned bestWood Aged Beer in Ireland and received a gold medal– the third time one of the brewery’s barrel-aged series has won this national title.
Meanwhile, their ‘Puffin Island’ Imperial Stout earned a prestigious Silver Medal.
Read the full story in Kerry’s Eye Digital Edition.
