There's bitter, tragic irony in the dozens of social media messages warning young people away from the club field.

Kerry chairman Patrick O’Sullivan has welcomed the €300,000 in sports capital funding to assist the development of a centre of excellence but revealed further assistance will be sought in line with recent Government funding of Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Tears flowed for infants and parents parting at the classroom door for the first time, but they are not the only ones marking new beginnings this week.

THE best friend of the teenager killed in a sledding accident in Cork at the weekend attended her funeral Mass in a wheelchair yesterday.

SHE was looking forward to her first teenage disco this weekend, had just got tickets to see Rihanna in concert next year and was being tipped to play international ladies’ soccer for Ireland.