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Headford Ambush Commemoration postponed due to COVID

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The commemoration events planned to mark the 100th anniversary of the
Headford Ambush have been postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The Ambush on British troops at Headford, near Glenflesk, was
carried out on March 21, 1921, by 33 members of the Kerry IRA No. 2
Brigade Flying Column. It was the largest ambush in Kerry during the
War of Independence.

"It's very unfortunate we can't go ahead with the actual centenary
commemoration," said Chairman of the Commemoration Committee, Derry Healy.

"This is something that we've been looking forward to for many years,
given its significance in Irish history, but public health must come
first and hopefully we'll do it all properly in March 2022.

“These men are gone, but they're not forgotten. Beidh lá eile againn.”

13 died in the Headford Ambush – eight British soldiers, two IRA
volunteers (Dan Allman and Jimmy Baily) and three cattle dealers.

A three-year-old girl was badly wounded in both legs when a bullet
passed through her father's leg as he sought to shelter her.

The attack, led by Dan Allman and Tom McEllistrim, targeted a
detachment of British troops due to return by train from Kenmare to
Tralee.

Allman, along with Jimmy Baily, died in the attack. McEllistrim went
on to be a Fianna Fáil TD.

The ambush ended when the Mallow-Tralee train arrived; it had
inadvertently brought British reinforcements, and the IRA withdrew
from the vicinity of the station.

The Headford Ambush was one of the largest engagements of the whole
conflict and was certainly the largest engagement between British
forces and the IRA to take place in Kerry during the War of
Independence.

Last October, the Government gave €10,000 to the local commemoration
committee in Headford to help renovate the existing monument, erected
in 1971, which had fallen into disrepair.

Extensive work has also been done to landscape the whole monument site
which is located about 300 yards from where the actual ambush took
place.

For the first time, the names of all those who fought in the Ambush
will be recorded at the site.

However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, all aspects of the
commemoration involving the gathering of people are postponed until
next year.

 

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Chamber pays tribute to late Dick Henggeler

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has expressed condolences following the death of Dick Henggeler, the well-known owner of The Rose Hotel in Tralee. Mr Henggeler passed away peacefully at […]

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Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has expressed condolences following the death of Dick Henggeler, the well-known owner of The Rose Hotel in Tralee.

Mr Henggeler passed away peacefully at his home in Baltimore, USA surrounded by his Aghadoe-born wife Eibhlin (née Moriarty), their son Franz, and other family members.
Dick and Eibhlin purchased The Rose Hotel in 2015 in tribute to their late daughter Dorothy, who represented Washington DC in the 2011 Rose of Tralee Festival.
The Chamber said Mr Henggeler would be remembered for his warmth, good nature and positive approach, as well as for being a forward-thinking and knowledgeable businessman.
“He knew how to run a good hotel and that was and still is very obvious at The Rose Hotel, which is a great success story,” the Chamber said.
It added that continuity of ownership will remain in place, with Eibhlin, Franz, daughter-in-law Amber, and grandchildren Conrad and Rowan continuing to honour Dick’s legacy and vision for the hotel.
“Dick took enormous personal pride in Tralee and all of Kerry and he was always available to generously support any community initiative or endeavour undertaken in Killarney,” the Chamber said.
“He will be greatly missed by all that knew him but he leaves a wonderful legacy.”

He will repose at O’Shea’s Funeral Home, Killarney, on Friday (October 17), from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. The funeral will arrive at St Mary’s Cathedral on Saturday morning at 10:00am for Requiem Mass at 10:30am, with burial afterwards in Aghadoe Cemetery. The Requiem Mass will be live streamed at https://www.churchservices.tv/killarneycathedral.

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Beaufort Film Night returns with French drama-comedy

Beaufort Film Night will return on Friday (October 17) at Cullina National School, with a screening of the French drama-comedy The Marching Band. The film tells the story of Thibaut, […]

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Beaufort Film Night will return on Friday (October 17) at Cullina National School, with a screening of the French drama-comedy The Marching Band.

The film tells the story of Thibaut, a successful conductor recently diagnosed with leukaemia. A search for a bone marrow donor reveals that he was adopted and has a brother, Jimmy, a cafeteria worker.
The two meet, discover a shared love of music, and form a strong bond through an unexpected collaboration with Jimmy’s workplace band.
The Marching Band (French title En Fanfare) will screen at 8.30pm. Admission is €7, cash only, and will cover the motion picture licence fee.
The film has a 12A rating and is in French with English subtitles.
Beaufort Film Night is a non-profit community group that screens cultural English and international films that usually do not receive general release in Kerry.
The event is supported by Kerry County Council Arts Office and Access Cinema. Cullina National School is providing the venue.
Further details are available on Beaufort Film Night’s Facebook page @BeaufortFilmNight.

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