Latest news with #TraleeDynamos
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Kerry soccer club set to improve long-term playing facilities for members
Contracts between the club and Tralee-based company PST Sports were recently signed paving the way for a new all-weather pitch at its club grounds. It's taken over three years of hard work and organisation just getting to this point. Such a facility will enable players train and host multiple games throughout the winter months. The overall cost of a state-of-the art Astro pitch is expected to top €500,000. The club applied for Sports Capital Funding and received €100,000 – 50 per cent of what it applied for. Club members have been phenomenal in supporting various fundraising activities and training fees that have helped raise money for the project. The financial balance of the pitch will be paid for through a combination of future loans and fundraising. Given that Tralee Dynamos cater for adults and children including a new academy that accommodates over 100 girls, the club is disappointed not to have received more in the way of grant assistance for its facilities. By the time interest loans are repaid the new all-weather pitch will be 70 per cent member funded. 'It's great news for the club. We're targeting a finish date of the middle of September. There has been a big push over the last few months to try and have it done before the start of next winter,' said club treasurer, Fergal O'Shea. The club plays through the winter and usually by mid-season its two grass pitches are unplayable. This is due to a combination of weather and four or five teams playing on the same surface within days. With the club active mostly at evenings and weekends, an opportunity exists for community organisations to use the facility by day. Tralee Dynamos has a longstanding relationship with Kerry Parents & Friends Association. 'We contacted them and said they can have free access to it during the day. It is a great organisation and this would be an acknowledgment of the work they do. Hopefully, this is a relationship that can be built on with better club house upgrades in the future. This is something we will be actively pursuing,' said Fergal. 'But having an all-weather facility gives us flexibility. We can train every night of the week if we want and have four or five matches on a Saturday without having to consider its impact on the pitch. This is huge for us. "A big call out must go to our members who over the last three years paid their contributions through training fees. This put a lot of trust in us to deliver. A huge thanks to them. It's great for them to be able to see this is finally happening,' he said.
Irish Post
25-05-2025
- Irish Post
'A shining light': Tributes paid to teen who died in Co. Kerry swimming tragedy
TRIBUTES have been paid to a teenager who died after an accident while swimming in Co. Kerry last week. Luke Silles, 18, was rushed to hospital following the incident at Fenit Pier on Saturday, May 17. He had been in a critical condition since then but sadly passed away at University Hospital Kerry on Friday. His death follows the recent passing of seven-year-old Alan Singh in Co. Sligo and teenagers Emmanuel Familola and Matt Sibanda in Co. Donegal, who all died after getting into difficulty in the sea. In a statement, CBS The Green in Tralee paid tribute to their Leaving Cert student. "Luke was a shining light in our school community — a kind-hearted, thoughtful, and gentle young person who brought warmth and positivity to those around him," it read. "His presence in our classrooms, on our corridors, and among his peers left a lasting impression. "He had a quiet strength and a generous spirit that touched the lives of so many. "Luke will be missed deeply by his friends, his classmates, and all the staff here at CBS The Green. "His absence leaves a space that cannot be filled, and we will remember him with great affection and sorrow." It added: "At CBS The Green, we are more than a school — we are a family. And today, we grieve together as one. "We will honour Luke's memory with compassion, unity, and love." 'Sun set in a black cloud' Luke's former school also paid tribute, saying he was 'deeply loved by peers and staff alike'. "Luke was more than just a student — he was a bright light in our school community," read a statement from O'Brennan National School in Tralee. "Whether through his warm smile, kindness to others, or quiet determination, Luke left a mark that will never be forgotten. "We remember him not just for academic achievements or participation in school life, but for the person he was — compassionate, full of mischief, and deeply loved by peers and staff alike." The teenager's sports clubs have expressed their sorrow at his passing. "The sun set in a black cloud last evening as our community mourned the loss of our beloved Luke Silles," said Ballymacelligott GAA. "Luke was sporting, witty, smart and roguish. He was called early by our creator at just 18 years of age. "His family and our club have been denied a great man." Football club Tralee Dynamos said that Luke had graduated from the club's academy ranks at the age of nine and 'went on to represent our club at all age groups with great pride and distinction'. "An honest and unassuming young teenager, Luke forged strong and close relationships with all those around him," they added.
