Issue 96. Can one man do six jobs?

TEACHER, POSTMAN, POLITICIAN, BUS DRIVER

February 27, 2026

Good Afternoon and Welcome,

To issue No.96. Late again…

South Kerry by the numbers

  • 1: House available to rent in South Kerry & it’s not cheap

  • 1: Pub available to rent, which would be cheaper

  • 55: Properties for sale, newest to the market is this which is up for auction on the 12th.

First, a word from this week’s sponsor

This marble tower is one of those toys children can’t resist. They pop a marble on top and watch it race, spin, and whirl its way down, building excitement with every turn until it finishes with a cheerful chime.

It encourages focus, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills, all through hands-on, active play. Kids love the speed, the movement, and the satisfying sound at the end, and they’ll want to send the marbles down again and again.

It’s The Signs of South Kerry 🎺🎺🎺

A tip of the hat to Elizabeth for sending this one in. Where is it?

Congratulations to last week’s winners

  • Val

  • Noreen K 

  • Pádraig MacDaibhéid 

  • Mary McGillycuddy

  • Pádraig O’Suilleabhain

Well done to all of you for correctly identifying that I had, of course, been trespassing at the old hotel on Reenroe. Particularly delightful to see Reenroe regular Pat make his debut in the winners’ circle.

Auntie Agnes’ Angle

Dear Reader,

Happy Friday …

Over the last few weeks, I have written about possible ways of increasing your daily energy or improving your mood so you feel more content. 

Another important element to this review is to explore what may be draining your energy. Are there things you do daily or weekly that absolutely suck the life out of you? 

Leave you feeling wrecked and resentful. Do you really need to do these things? Could you do something different or get someone else to do it?

This can be things that you do but also you can be drained by some people with whom you meet regularly, including family & friends. 

What would it be like to limit contact with said person? Or not meet them when your resources are low? 

This thread can also lead into your financial health, are there subscriptions and silly small payments draining your bank account or weekly budget? 

We are in charge of our own energy in all fields. It might be helpful to do something different, weeding out of energy drainers ( in all forms) to make room for fun, nourishing things. 

Feels like Spring is in the air !!.

Thanks Agnes. It does feel like spring, doesn’t it?

The Oracle Cartoon

This week, Tim has seemingly taken umbrage at his lack of magnet, so let’s have a throwback to the very first Oracle cartoon. September 2024

Some man our Tim. Isn’t he?

Kerry’s TD’s the most enterprising in the Dail

You may have seen mention this week that we now have a total of 35 landlords in the Dail, wich works out roughly to 1 in 5 TD's are now supplementing their annual €117,113 salaries with rental income. That stat pales in comparison when we look closer to home, where 100% of our TDs are either landlords or owners of land or property that isn't their principal residence. Is it not heartwarming to think we’ve elected such capable individuals that all of them are able to maintain second jobs?

Only the nosiest of us would want to see a full list of everything our TDs are busying themselves with apart from their occupation, isn’t that right?

Michael Cahill

Occupations: Public Representative (TD); Kerry County Council; Farming (Rossbeigh and Droum, Glenbeigh)

Properties (5):

  • Family home/B&B — Rossbeigh, Glenbeigh (spouse 100% shareholder, Beighwatch Guesthouse Ltd; supplying accommodation to Dept. of Children and Dept. of Justice; planning for 3 glamping pods)

  • Farmland — Rossbeigh, Glenbeigh

  • Farmland — Droum, Glenbeigh

  • Vacant premises — Rossbeigh, Glenbeigh (under contract for disposal)

  • Vacant premises — 35 New Street, Killarney (planning granted for change of use to office/constituency office, work commenced)

Travel: Flights and accommodation to Taipei — paid for by the Taiwanese Government

Contracts: Supply of accommodation via Beighwatch Guesthouse Ltd (spouse) to Dept. of Children and Dept. of Justice.

I feel Mr Cahill does deserve additional commendation for naming a guesthouse in Glenbeigh, ‘Beighwatch’, exquisite work.

Pa Daly

Occupations: Solicitor, 23 Rock Street, Tralee

Properties (2):

  • Solicitors office — 23 Rock Street, Tralee

  • Let property — 24 Rock Street, Tralee

Contracts: ARP payment, Dept. Social Protection

Norma Foley

Occupations: Secondary School Teacher, Presentation Secondary School, Tralee (currently on career break since Feb. 2020)

Properties (2):

  • Family home — Ballyard, Tralee

  • Apartment (50% ownership, family use Jan–Jun / residential letting Jul–Dec) — Apt. 38, Highfield Court, Rathgar, Dublin 6

Other: Constituency office at Staughton's Row, Tralee — owned by her mother

In fairness, Norma has always struck me as the cautious type, but would it not be safe to assume that having been a government minister for getting on 6 years, she might not be returning to teach in Tralee?

Danny Healy-Rae

Occupations: Public Representative, Publican, Farmer, Bus Hire — Main St., Kilgarvan

Shares: Kerry Group plc, Tralee

Properties (2):

  • Farmland — approx. 91 acres.

  • House — Ardtully, Kilgarvan

Contracts: Bus Éireann

Michael Healy-Rae

Occupations: Postmaster; Politician; Farmer; Service Station Owner; Plant Hire; Owner of Rental Properties.

Shares: New York Times Co.

Directorships:

  • Roughty Plant Hire Ltd., Kilgarvan — plant hire

  • Black Cap & Co. Ltd., Kilgarvan — service station, shop & post office

  • Michael Healy-Rae Properties Ltd. — maintenance and repairs of properties

  • Roughty Properties Ltd., Kilgarvan — management of rental properties

Properties (28 total):

Houses for letting: 14

  • Kilgarvan: 3 (2 farm houses + Top of Cross)

  • Killarney: 4 (Bridgefield, Kilmurry/Kenmare, Castlelough/Muckross, Clonkeen)

  • Castleisland: 2 (both Pound Road)

  • Tralee: 3 (Castle Street, 14 Ballymullen, Barraduff)

  • Kenmare: 1 (Kilmurry)

  • Kilgarvan: 1 (Teach Mhuire, Sunville)

Apartments/Rooms/Student Accommodation for letting: 4

  • Kilgarvan: 1 (Sunville apartments)

  • Killarney: 1 (The Courtyard)

  • Tralee: 1 (15 Ballymullen — rooms)

  • Limerick: 1 (Grove Island — student accommodation)

B&B / Guesthouses: 3

  • All Tralee, Oakpark (listed as three separate entries)

Private house: 1

  • Sandymount, Kilgarvan

Farmland: 2

  • 4 acres, Kilgarvan

  • 100 acres farmland & forestry, Kilgarvan

Forestry: 1

  • 42 acres, Coologues, Kilgarvan

Commercial: 2

  • Service station & yard, Kilgarvan

  • Rented commercial unit, Rock Street, Tralee

Retail/Store annex: 1

  • Rear of store, Kilgarvan

Vacant premises: 1

  • Shannera, Beaufort

Contracts:

  • Supply of accommodation (Roughty Properties Ltd.) to Dept. of Children — for Ukrainian refugees

  • Rental Accommodation Scheme (ML Healy-Rae) — Kerry County Council

  • Housing Assistance Payment (ML Healy-Rae) — Kerry County Council

One man. Six jobs. 28 rental properties. If we’ve learned anything today, it’s that all of us should be heading out tomorrow to buy a flat cap.

Everything Else

  • Fancy yourself as a bit of a choral gem? Well, get in the choir

  • Men’s singles darts at The Shebeen Saturday, more here

  • The Beachcove, Waterville, will be back open from the 4th March.

  • The schedule is out for the Dark Sky Festival, more here

  • Clean Waterville beach with Sea Synergy on Tuesday 10-12.

  • Celebrate Molly* Coffey’s life in song on the 7th March, more here

  • Line dancing in Frank’s Bar on Saturday, more here

*Thanks for the correction Aine

Thanks

Imagine he has 6 jobs and I can’t even get an email out on a Friday morning.

Thanks again to Tim & Agnes.

Magnets, magnets, they call it magnets, you’ll eventually get one, it will fill you with gladness.

Good luck, be well.

Dave