Two from the Kerryman

In case you missed these;

By DÓNAL NOLAN

Wednesday November 02 2011

NORTH Kerry was a dream posting according to a Cork native garda sergeant on his recent retirement.

Sergeant Mike Sheehy told The Kerryman that the people of North Kerry and his colleagues on the force in the region made life a pleasure for the best part of his 33 years on the job there.

A native of Tullylease outside Kanturk, Sgt Sheehy was delighted when first posted to the Listowel area all those years ago. "I was thrilled as I wasn't a million miles from home and I had always loved Listowel and North Kerry with the races and Ballybunion growing up.

"A brother of mine was posted to Hackball's Cross in Louth, where he still serves, and he said he was making up for me getting so close to home!" Compared with his brother's posting, North Kerry made it much easier for community-style policing.

"It was far from a holiday camp but you'd think we were working in different countries, particularly through the worst of the 80s troubles. I was much more engaged in community and social work here and I loved building up a relationship with the people of the area.

"99 per cent of work was social based, it is only a very small percentage of people who cause the problems. That being said, the job was like a magnified version of life. You would go from tragedy to good fun with all the gradings of life in between."

The highlight of his career, however, was of a more personal nature. "I was diagnosed with cancer about eight years ago and my doctors recommended I give up the job. But the people of North Kerry and my colleagues really helped me cope with it. They were amazing and it's only when you're in trouble you realise how lucky you are in that sense."

His Cork blood however made for very conflicting times in recent years when Kerry footballer Tom O'sullivan came to be posted with him in Moyvane. "It has become even more conflicting as a Cork man as I went to the All-ireland this year to support Tom. He is an absolute gent and he'll have to look after Moyvane on his own now as I'm irreplacable as I said to him!"

Sgt Sheehy's retirement was marked by the Moyvane community with a night in his honour recently and his colleagues are organising a night in the Listowel Arms for November 11 next.

- DÓNAL NOLAN

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Network generates € 250k of business

           

By MARISA REIDY

Wednesday November 09 2011

A NORTH Kerry business network has generated close to a quarter of a million euro in business for its 20 local members since its formation just eight months ago.

The Listowel Excel Business Network, a branch of the renowned Business Network International franchise, announced details of its impressive performance at a showcase event in Listowel on Monday night.

The group, which was formed in March, is made up of 20 businesses from Listowel and north Kerry, all of whom actively promote and refer each other for work. Group member Brian Scanlon explained that the aim of the Listowel Excel Business Network is to generate business for each other in what is a very tough economic climate.

"It's based on the premise of referring work to each other within the group and pass on possible leads that will generate work," Mr Scanlon explained. "We then record all those referrals and by doing that we can gauge how successful we have been. Since we got together in March, we have generated €250,000 worth of business which is quite good given that we only formed eight months ago.

Mr Scanlon explained that the range of businesses within the group is far reaching, and currently features such services as a printer, accountant, solicitors firm, physiotherapist, builder, financial advisor, graphic designer, web development company and refuse collection company to name some.

"The group is open to any type of business but there is a vetting process as we are very mindful that our members are reputable, quality business people," he said. "It is also restricted to one person per profession to avoid any conflict of interest."

Anyone interested in joining the group can come along to their weekly meetings at the Listowel Arms Hotel each Tuesday morning at 7am or contact Brian on 087 2396085.