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Irish Independent

From the Kerry archives, June 30, 2000: A Sonny Knowles riot, King Puck statue & farewell to Mercy Sisters

A near riot breaks out at Sonny Knowles concert Sonnuy Knowles fans are still recovering from the shock of the near riot which broke out in the John Mitchel's clubhouse on Saturday night and which led to seven people being hospitalised. Fights broke out at the end of the concert while a local performer was on stage. Eye witnesses said that a group of young people, both men and women, suddenly turned on each other and began throwing bottles, ash trays and anything else they could find. Gardaí made one arrest on the night but witnesses said there was a core group of at least 15 people directly involved in the fighting. The incident, which occurred after Sonny Knowles had left the stage, was particularly shocking for the large number of middle aged, and elderly people who had expected an enjoyable night out. John Mitchels Chairman Denis Boyle said the club was sorry for anyone who was upset on the night. But he said the night was a success up to the point when fighting broke out. "The night was a success as far as we are concerned and we are going to be holding other nights for people in the locality. There are people who are prisoners in their own homes, so our price structure was right for them with £3 tickets,' Mr Boyle said. "We looked after people. We got taxis for them and we drove older people home and they were delighted. They didn't know what happened as it was only later on," the added. One woman in her fifties, who was caught up in the middle of the fighting with her friends, said it was the most 'terrifying experience that I have ever had.' "A large group of people just started fighting at the end of the concert, a disaster at the end of a lovely evening. It could have been a lot worse because of the age group alone. The majority of people were from 40 years old to 80 years old. For people of that age to be trampled is just not on,' she said. "My friend got a belt of an ashtray. Her her was pulled and her face was burned by the ashes. Another friend got hit by a bottle when she was coming out of the toilet and had to go to the hospital,' she said. The eyewitness said she was too scared to leave the building, even when the fight died down, in case she came across the aggressors. "There should have been more security, without a doubt, in such a packed hall,' she said. "At the moment, I am frightened to go out and I don't I will ever put my foot in John Mitchel's again,' she said. Killorglin to cast King Puck in bronze for millennium Killorglin's annual Puck Fair – which attracts huge numbers of tourists to the town every year – is to be greatly enhanced with the erection of a £32,000 bronze sculpture of King Puck in the town. The Killorglin Millennium committee applied to the government for funding for the statue under the national millennium project. But when the submission was not successful, the committee decided to go ahead with the plans to erect the bronze statue, which is one and a half times the size of a real goat. Valentia Island native Alan Ryan Hall – famous for his statues of Charlie Chaplin, and Charles, de Gaulle in, other areas of South Kerry – has been commissioned to sculpt the statue. According to Jacinta Browne, chairperson of the committee overseeing the project, the sculpture is expected to begin construction in the autumn. "Located as it is on the Ring of Kerry, this win be an emblem for the town when it is done. But it will take a lot of work and a lot of fundraising will have to be carried out," she said. Wonderful plans have been assembled .and the statue will be located on a huge boulder in front of the town which has made him King," she added. Ms Browne said that the idea was borne out of local people's views and aspirations for the town for the millennium year. A group was set up with the idea of coming up with a suitable project for the town and the result is the statue of King Puck. "We have an enthusiastic group of people behind us," Ms Browne said, "but we need a lot of money for the project. We have some promises of money and some has been collected to date but there has been no government money allocated so there is a lot to be collected still." She appealed to people to assist in the funding of what will be a landmark project for the town. She added that the visual impact of the sculpture will be stunning with the river, bridge and town as a backdrop, the McGillycuddy Reeks to the south and the Sliabh Mish mountains to the north of it. "As the sculpture stands at the gateway to South Kerry, it will enhance not only Killorglin, but the rest of the region as a place to be seen and explored," she said. The first main part of the fundraising will take place on August 4 at the Fishery restaurant when a Lord Mayor will be elected for the town. Three local men – Paudie Cronin, Brendan Moriarty and Kevin Goggin – will compete for the honour. A number of other fundraising events have been organised including the Flag Day, which will take place over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Puck Fair itself which runs from August 10 12 will incorporate a number of fundraising events, all which aim to come up with the money for the unique project for Killorglin. Last Mercy Sister Says Farewell An important chapter in the history of Ballybunion was brought to a close this week when the last Mercy Sister attached to St Joseph's primary school, Sister Maire NI Dhúbhda, said farewell to her former pupils and teaching colleagues. The Mercy Sisters have been associated with teaching the young people of Ballybunion both in St Joseph's primary school and secondary school since 1888, but the nuns announced last year that due to falling vocations, they would be closing their Ballybunion convent. Castlegregory born Sr Maire, who was principal of St Joseph's for eight years, was the last link between the Mercy Order and the school and as she told The Kerryman, it was a very emotional day for her. "The nuns have been gone from Ballybunion since last August and now that I have resigned as principal, the last link has been severed. But I would like to think that the Mercy ethos in the school lives on," she said. "Obviously it's a sad day but I have some lovely memories to keep me going. I always found it a very friendly school and I settled in here very quickly and made a lot of memories over the years.' The convent building at the rear of the school has been sold, but the school itself will remain open, with 130 pupils. Joan Lyons, the first lay teacher who was appointed at the school in 1967 has been appointed principal.