Changes in Kerry...when did these happen...

Was in Clonkeen during the week and the thought struck me, that's a village that's almost fallen off the map since it was bypassed.

And it got me thinking, or more correctly trying to remember what the county was like before major infrastructural changes. Like...anyone remember when the County Council meant a building at the end of Denny Street, or going anywhere via Killarney meant a journey through the town centre, or a night out in Tralee meant Spirals?

So when did these happen?

Killarney bypass opened?
Killarney Mission Road open?
Clonkeen bypass completed? I'm thinking 95 or 96.
Kerry Co Co move to Rathass?
Spirals close?

uck51js9zml2yt

Had to look up clonkeen. The bypass didn't bypass much !

Radio5

Julie Weak Stepparent wrote: »

Had to look up clonkeen. The bypass didn't bypass much !

To be fair it was never a village, just the Church and School. The epidemic of forestry in the locality in the 1990's did more damage than the new road which was badly needed. It's a pity they didn't do the Kenmare junction properly while they were at it, it's still a hazard and TII have no plans to improve it.

On the other questions the only one I can think of offhand is Killarney Bypass, I'd say 1988 or early 89. I remember my mom being in hospital in 1989 and we were saying that it was great to be able to bypass Killarney en route to Tralee Hospital.

Ciarrai76

I can’t actually remember when Spirals nightclub closed!?

I do remember the ads on the radio though! ‘see your face in the place’
And ladies night was on Wednesday night I Think, all ladies were free in! I wasn’t a fan of Spirals though, more of a Horans regular. Same with Fabric, didn’t like it.

Davidth88

Killarney bypass opened?

Not sure it was there in 1991 my first visit IIRC, the road from where Dalys is towards Cork was hugely improved in the mid 90s , the turn off towards Woodlawn/Whitebridge was deadly before then.

Killarney Mission Road open?

That was when the owner of Killarney House died, the story was they were going to allow that road earlier but the 3 lakes hotel built another storey ( the old hotel ) and they threw a wobbly and stopped it

Clonkeen bypass completed? I'm thinking 95 or 96.

Jeez I had to look that up ...... forgotten about that place

ongarboy

I think Spirals like Horan's died a slow death so that when it eventually closed down, no one noticed because no one had been attending for years. I went to Australia for a year in 1999 and something tells me it was open when I left but was closed when I came back in 2000?

I have vague memories of trips to Cork as a child where we used to have to drive through Killarney from Tralee and it was a pain. I'd say it was the 80s when the Killarney bypass was built but maybe it was more recent.

Sorry, I don't think I ever heard of Clonkeen before you mentioned it so not on my radar of amazing changes in Kerry!! :-)

Speaking of bypasses, Castleisland is gradually being erased from my memory as I don't think I've been there once since the bypass opened and I drive from Dublin to Tralee fairly frequently. I wonder has business been affected by the elimination of all that passing traffic or maybe enhanced as it's a more pleasant environment? Like Adare, I don't think I ever stopped in these congested towns if I was on a long distance journey as all you want to do is get home asap so I never understand the outcry from businesses for the death of their businesses when bypasses of their towns are proposed.

Radio5

Kerry Co Co move to Rathass?


The 'new' hospital (now UHK) finally opened in 1983/4 I think and St Catherine's was empty for a while before KCC took it over. I remember stories doing the rounds of security guards patrolling the vacant building and hearing wailing and crying at night, echoes of the long and sometimes v. sad history of the place.

cyning

I’m 33 and spirals closed before I was going out but all the teen discos I went to were there, so I’m thinking 2001/2. Fabric opened the Sat before my leaving started so 2004 I think...

According to Wikipedia KCC moved to Rathass in 1989!

Quackster

Having worked on the Clonkeen bypass, I can confirm it was '98!

On the Killarney bypass, I'm too young to remember(!) but I've an old town plan to hand dated 1990 and the bypass is on it.

E mac

Spirals was one of those places...it was open plan could cater for large numbers looked the part as nightclubs go...and yet never really popped was always a bit flat craic wise.

newman10

E mac wrote: »

Spirals was one of those places...it was open plan could cater for large numbers looked the part as nightclubs go...and yet never really popped was always a bit flat craic wise.

Do any of ye remember the Disco in the Hotel Europe, downstairs under what is now the restaurant, ye better ask the parents

RevBlueJeans

Deleted User wrote: »

Kerry Co Co move to Rathass?

exactly 30 years ago.

RevBlueJeans

Deleted User wrote: »

Killarney Mission Road open?

Mission Rd (Inner relief rd) was constructed in 1999 and officially opened in 2000.

Quackster

RevBlueJeans wrote: »

Mission Rd (Inner relief rd) was constructed in 1999 and officially opened in 2000.

That was the section from Beech Road to Muckross Road. The section from the Cathedral to Beech Road was constructed several years earlier.

RevBlueJeans

RevBlueJeans wrote: »

Mission Rd (Inner relief rd) was constructed in 1999 and officially opened in 2000.

I remember thinking what a waste of money, it'd never see traffic. I think about that now whenever I inch forward in traffic going towards the Kenmare Place end.

ongarboy wrote: »

Speaking of bypasses, Castleisland is gradually being erased from my memory as I don't think I've been there once since the bypass opened and I drive from Dublin to Tralee fairly frequently.

Same here. Have gone there once or twice alright but not nearly as much as before.

That's why I started the thread. Funny how things change, we get used to the change...and then we can't remember what it was like before or when it happened.

Another area that has changed, the section of John Joe Sheehy road where John Mitchel's used to be.

Remember when UHK opened, my Dad broke his leg in 1987 and spent a week in there and we thought lifts in Kerry were such a novelty!

manoverboards

There was a lift in St Catherines.

The general was topped out in 1980, pints and fags in a hospital, those were the days !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBaBRsrw8Ec

Deleted User wrote: »

Remember when UHK opened, my Dad broke his leg in 1987 and spent a week in there and we thought lifts in Kerry were such a novelty!

Radio5

manoverboards wrote: »

There was a lift in St Catherines.

The general was topped out in 1980, pints and fags in a hospital, those were the days !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBaBRsrw8Ec

Was there not a row over the cost of the windows in the General? They went over budget apparently. Heard that from someone who worked on the building. Also there was supposed to be 2nd main entrance door, at the rear of the present building, with a small public car park there also. It would have made certain areas of the hospital way more accessible. But that was scrapped and one main entrance was all that was included with all the walking that it now entails :rolleyes:.

manoverboards

manoverboards wrote: »

There was a lift in St Catherines.

The general was topped out in 1980, pints and fags in a hospital, those were the days !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBaBRsrw8Ec

The nurse getting kissed around 9.25 who jumps out of the way!

Great video, thanks.