Father ‘overwhelmed' by support for talented GAA-loving son in critical condition
The teenager was involved in a serious accident at Fenit at the weekend
The father of Luke Silles (18) said he is grateful for the public support since his son was seriously injured in an accident at Fenit on Saturday that has left him in a critical condition.
A sixth-year pupil at CBS The Green, Luke was enjoying the fine weather with friends close to Fenit Pier when an accident resulted in him having to be removed from the water unconscious.
The National Ambulance Service and Valentia Coast Guard immediately rushed to the scene where CPR and First Aid was administered before Luke was taken to University Hospital Kerry (UHK) where he remains critical.
UHK in Tralee.
News in 90 Seconds - May 22nd
In a statement to The Kerryman, Tony Silles said his family is 'overwhelmed' at the support, prayers and thoughtfulness that is extended to Luke in the days since the accident.
'The amount of well-wishes that have come back through Luke's friends, CBS The Green, and beyond, has been overwhelming for us. We are extremely grateful for this,' Tony said.
'Luke is an extremely positive, thoughtful, outgoing child, boy, and young man. Everywhere Luke has gone he has touched a spark in people so that one would remember meeting him and encountering him. For now, the family ask for your prayers and support at this difficult time. We thank each and every person for doing so. We are deeply grateful for it,' Tony said.
CBS The Green said its school community is holding Luke 'close in our hearts' and thinking of him every day.
'We extend all our strength, love, and prayers your way. To Luke's family and close friends — we are with you,' they said.
'Your courage, love, and resilience inspire us. You are surrounded by a school that cares deeply and stands ready to support in any way we can.'
Management at CBS The Green also said Luke is a valued part of the school family, while the 'gentleness and kindness' of Luke's personality is also mentioned.
'His good humour and bright spirit leave a mark on everyone he meets. We know he's drawing on that same strength now, and we look forward to the day we see his smile in our school community again. Until then, we remain united in hope, in prayer, and in friendship.'
Luke is a pupil of teacher and Fianna Fáil Councillor Fionnán Fitzgerald. The Ballymacelligott-based representative said his thoughts and prayers are with Luke and his family in these difficult days.
'Luke is a very well-liked student and a very popular and highly regarded GAA person. There would hardly be a club grounds in Kerry that the Silles family would not have played in, or have been in, at some stage over the years,' said Cllr Fitzgerald.
'I pray every strength to them, and to Luke's many friends in school, Ballymacelligott, and beyond. He is a great student and I have been graced to have him in my classroom. Your friends everywhere, neighbours and community in Ballymac, are thinking of you and your family at this time. Wishing you and yours well,' Cllr Fitzgerald added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
Carlow entrepreneur Illann Power among latest tax defaulters list with bill of €781,000
Mr Power has been hit with a penalty of €781,061 'relating to a non-declaration of income tax' according to the tax defaulters list for the first quarter of this year. This was the lone case of a court determined penalty, which is handed down in cases 'where there is no agreement to a penalty, or a person fails to agree an agreed penalty'. Mr Power, with an address in Ballyconnell in Tullow, Co Carlow, had previously faced charges including forgery and reckless filing of company information. Details of 19 cases settled outside of court were published by Revenue on Tuesday, with the settlements in these cases totalling €6.2m. The list included Co Clare-based health and safety consultants, a Co Cavan medical practitioner and three landlords. The largest settlement was paid by Lifetime Brands Europe Limited, a household goods wholesaler with an address at The Hub, Nobel Way, Birmingham in the UK. The company had been subject to a Level 2 Risk Review for the non-declaration of Vat. The settlement paid by the company totalled €1,115,755, made up of €777,606 in tax, €104,868 in interest and €233,281 in penalties. It has since been paid in full. A total of €74,862.50 in court imposed fines was handed down across 51 cases. I&L Biosystems Ireland Limited, a laboratory equipment supplier based in Unit D6, North City Business Park, North Road, Finglas in Dublin, paid the next largest settlement of €761,677. This was made up of €529,264 in tax, €60,634 in interest and €161,779 in penalties, and has also been paid in full. Dublin 2 property development company SSC Property ICAV, with an address on Earlsfort Terrace, was found to have an under declaration of €490,926 in Vat. The total owed by the company came to more than €648,301 with the addition of penalties and interest. There were three unpaid settlements as of March 31, including €334,393 that remained unpaid by Co Limerick used car dealer Gannon Auto Limited, based at Elm Court in Ballyneety. €267,476 owed by Cavan landlord Kieran McMorrow, with an address at Apartment 2, The Plaza, College Street, also remained unpaid as of March 31. €150,371 owed by Oluwa's Medical Limited, a medical staff provider with an address at 14 Elm Road in Fota Rock, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, remained unpaid at the end of the quarter.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Unregistered Dublin food biz shut down for operating out of shed shared with car workshop divided by ‘fabric curtain'
AN UNREGISTERED food business was busted operating in a shed building alongside a car workshop. Heyba's Kitchen, based at Shed A3 Bremore Farm, Flemington Lane, Bremore, Balbriggan, Co Inspectors discovered the food firm was operating on one side of the shed with a working car workshop on the other side - and were only separated by a head high fabric curtain. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland today revealed it has moved to shut down the Balbriggan-based kitchen. An inspection report said: 'The shed building was divided in two by a head high fabric curtain where the other half of the shed was a working car workshop.' The FSAI confirmed Heyba's Kitchen had not even been registered by a competent authority. Read more in Money During an on-site inspection, they found there were 'significant gaps' on the floor, wall and roof areas between the two spaces. And the FSAI slammed Heyba's Kitchen over a string of poor food hygiene practices and pest control failings. The inspection report rapped: 'Adequate procedures were not in place to control pests. 'There were significant gaps at wall/floor junctions and at wall/roof junctions. Most read in The Irish Sun 'Rodent droppings were evident in the garage, under the sink, beside food packaging and under shelving where food equipment was stored. 'The lack of adequate pest control procedures, proofing and cleaning to control pests may result in a risk of pest activity and food contamination. Food Safety Alert: Canned Tuna Recall Under Scrutiny 'Evidence of pest activity in a food premises poses a significant risk to foods, food contact surfaces, and food contact materials becoming contaminated with pathogenic bacteria and foreign matter such as pest faeces.' Outlining a raft of hygiene concerns, inspectors told how they found rodent droppings, dead insects, dirt and dust in food handling areas. 'RODENT DROPPINGS' The FSAI report said: 'The premises and equipment were not clean and maintained in good repair and condition and posed a risk of contamination. 'Rodent droppings, dead insects, dirt and dust was evident in the food handling areas, food packaging and equipment used. 'There were no wash basins available or designated for hand washing.' Other areas of food safety legislation contravention included the lack of facilities for cleaning utensils. The report said: 'Adequate facilities were not provided for the cleaning, disinfecting and storage of working utensils. 'Utensils were being washed outside in the open with a garden hose and left sitting on a wooden pallet.' PORK PROBLEM And issuing the closure order, the FSAI also flagged up temperature control failings for food. They said: 'A bag of pork sitting on a chest freezer at room temperature had a product temperature of 8.1°C. 'Tubs of cooked pork sitting at room temperature had a product temperature at 40.6°C. 'Trays of cooked chicken sitting at room temperature had a product temperature of 34.1°C 'A bowl of raita sitting at room temperature had a product temperature of 18.8°C.' 'IMMEDIATE DANGER' The FSAI said businesses are served with closure orders when it is decided there is or is likely to be 'a grave and immediate danger to public health at or in the premises'. Five closure orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998, during the month of May, while five closure orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive, FSAI, warned that every food business must be registered with a competent authority and that all food businesses have a legal obligation to ensure the food they sell is safe to eat. Dempsey said: 'The high number of Enforcement Orders in May is disappointing, especially as the type of non-compliances, such as unclean premises and pest infestations, are all preventable where the business has a food safety management system in place and staff are properly trained. 'Additionally, while the vast majority of food businesses comply with their legal requirement to register their business prior to operating, unfortunately, some choose to operate without the knowledge or supervision of the competent authorities, potentially exposing consumers to unsafe or fraudulent food. These businesses will be pursued using the legal powers available to us. 'The FSAI website has a wealth of free information for any food business to access if they need help. We also have a free Learning Portal to assist in building compliance by food businesses and it includes eLearning modules, webinars, short videos, and explanatory materials covering a broad range of relevant food safety topics.' 1 An food business was closed for operating in a shed building alongside a car workshop Credit: Getty Images - Getty
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
Dublin food business operating out of car workshop among closure orders issued by FSAI in May
Businesses are served with closure orders when it is decided there is or is likely to be 'a grave and immediate danger to public health at or in the premises'. A food business based in Dublin was hit with a closure order when it was found to be operating unregistered, in a shed building where the other half of the shed was a 'working car workshop'. The report on Heyba's Kitchen in Balbriggan read: 'The shed building was divided in two by a head high fabric curtain where the other half of the shed was a working car workshop.' The Balbriggan-based business was also found to lack proper pest controls. 'Rodent dropping were evident in the garage, under the sink, beside food packaging and under shelving where food equipment was stored.' There were also 'dead insects, dirt and dust' found in food handling areas, food packaging and equipment on the premises. Houda Foods in the Ballinlough Business Park, Co Roscommon, was handed a closure order when it was found that 'adequate procedures were not in place to control pests'. "Mouse droppings were visible on the floor in the warehouse where food is stored.' Haperty Limited, based on St Margaret's Road in Finglas, was served a closure order when inspectors noted raw fish and chicken stored at temperatures between 14 and 19C 'for an unknown period of time'. Other businesses served with closure orders by the FSAI included Spice Village and Indian Kebab House in Tarbert, Co Kerry and the Stop 'n' Shop Convenience Store on Tullow Street in Co Carlow. Separately, five closure orders were issued under European Union legislation on: Five prohibition orders was also issued by the FSAI in May. Prohibition orders are issued on 'particular product, class, batch, or item of food' when This included a prohibition order on a 'homemade Mexican Chorizo' product made in an unauthorised kitchen in East Wall in Dublin. 'The information you applied to "El Huastecan Homemade Mexican Chorizo" was misleading,' the order read. 'You wrongly applied the identification mark of an approved establishment located in Munster, to "El Huastecan Homemade Mexican Chorizo" which you made in the domestic kitchen of an apartment in East Wall, Dublin 3.' The products also lacked mandatory information on allergens and directions for usage such as instruction on cooking and storage. FSAI chief executive Greg Dempsey said the 'high number' of orders issued in May 'is disappointing', particularly in the case of preventable issues like unclean premises and pest infestations. 'Additionally, while the vast majority of food businesses comply with their legal requirement to register their business prior to operating, unfortunately, some choose to operate without the knowledge or supervision of the competent authorities, potentially exposing consumers to unsafe or fraudulent food,' he said. 'These businesses will be pursued using the legal powers available to us. The FSAI website has a wealth of free information for any food business to access if they need help. 'We also have a free Learning Portal to assist in building compliance by food businesses and it includes eLearning modules, webinars, short videos, and explanatory materials covering a broad range of relevant food safety topics.'
