TFI Local Link Kerry recently spoke with Paddy Kennedy Senior of Kennedy Coaches. Paddy operates the Route 275a Dingle – Dunquin & Dingle – Ballydavid on behalf of TFI Local Link Kerry. He kindly gave of some of his free time to answer a number of questions as part of our TFI Local Link Kerry Operator Q&A Series.

1. From your own experience, what does Local Link Kerry mean to your passengers?

They see Local Link as providers of essential services for people living in rural and isolated villages, and provides a life-line to those that would like to travel to the bigger towns. This is the only way of getting around for many people, and therefore they have become dependant on the service.

2. Funniest Moment or Wittiest comment you have experienced or heard coming from a passenger?

A woman came into the bus one day and there was laughter on the bus as usual, to which she said “there is always great craic on the bus, but definitely not the drugs!!”

3. If you were stuck on a bus, who would you like it to be with & why?

I’ve driven hundreds of celebrities over the years : Hozier, George Ezra, Amy Winehouse, Sinead O’Connor, Dermot Kennedy, Kris Kamara, Harry Redknapp, Robert Plant from the band Led Zeppelin just to name a few.

But the one person I would love to have one more trip with would be Bert Hughes aged 92,who sadly passed away last week and used to travel with me every week on the Local Link Service.

Bert first came to Dingle in 1967 to work on the Film Ryan’s Daughter.   He was constantly in good humour, always smiling and telling jokes, and will be sadly missed.

4. If you could relocate your route to anywhere else in the world, where would it be and why?

I honestly wouldn’t change my route to anywhere else in the world, because I get to see some beautiful scenery that you would never tire of !

Each day I get to see the Blasket Islands, Brandon Mountain, Ventry Harbour and the Sleeping Giant, the scenery really does speak for itself.

5. Best advice you have heard from a Passenger?

‘A shut mouth catches no flies!!’

Thanks to Paddy and all at Kennedy Coaches for participating in the third of our Q&A series with our operators. More to follow…