Football Memorial Unveiled In Tralee


Minister John O’Donoghue, T.D., and Mayor of Kerry, Cllr. Ted Fitzgerald jointly unveil the new Kerry Football Memorial in Tralee.

The Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism, Mr. John O’Donoghue, T.D., and the Mayor of Kerry Cllr. Ted Fitzgerald have today (May 14) unveiled Ireland’s largest sports sculpture celebrating the Kerry Gaelic Football tradition. The 5 metre high bronze sculpture by Co. Mayo based sculptor Mark Rhode is sited on a raised mound in the centre of the Clashlehane Roundabout on the N21 entrance to Tralee. It depicts four 2.1m (7’) high figures in the aerial pose of high fielding synonymous with Kerry football.

The Memorial has been on the drawing board since 1992, according to acting Kerry County Manager Tom Curran, but has now become a reality with the support of the National Roads Authority, Kerry County Council and Tralee Town Council under the Percent for Art Scheme. It cost €250,000.

The legendary Mick O’Connell displays the art of the foot pass to Sean Murphy, Minister John O’Donoghue and Mayor Ted Fitzgerald at the unveiling of the new Kerry Football Memorial in Tralee on May 14.

The unveiling took place in brilliant sunshine and in the presence of some of Kerry’s famous sons including the great Mick O’Connell, Sean Murphy, Ogie Moran, Seanie Walsh, Páidí Ó Sé, Darragh Ó Sé and the 2006 Footballer of the Year, Kieran Donaghy. The Kerry County Board was represented by its Chairman, Sean Walsh.

“The new memorial celebrates not just the Kerry greats but every man woman and child who takes pride in the Kerry football tradition”, according to Mayor of Kerry, Cllr. Ted Fitzgerald from Tralee who proposed that the memorial be erected.