News
KBN to celebrate women in all spheres
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On International Women’s Day, KBN invites you to celebrate the achievements of women in all spheres of life. This year’s theme, Cultural Transformation, sets out to remind us that gender equality, inclusion and diversity remains a significant challenge, one that is hindering potential competitiveness, growth and prosperity. A lot of efforts and progress have been registered at regional, national and international levels towards achieving empowering women and elevating them politically, economically, socially, and culturally. In Kerry we look forward to a bright future with even more women in higher-wage jobs throughout high-growth sectors.
Our event, Cultural Transformation is comprised of a morning session of thought-provoking presentations held by inspirational women who are leaders in their field, followed by lunch in a dynamic networking environment.
One such leader is Orla Coughlan. Orla is member of the leadership team of 30% Club Ireland whose focus has become synonymous with building gender balance on boards. The 30% Club is working towards having women in 30% of key leadership positions by 2030. The club does not believe mandatory quotas are the right approach. Instead, it supports a voluntary approach in order to realise meaningful, sustainable change.
The event is open to all and not only highlighted by strong keynote speakers in the domains of women in business but also women changing the world in other spheres. Joanne O’Riordan, who will place emphasis on the need for inclusion, is a woman who spearheaded a campaign against cuts to disability which led to her appearance on RTÉ’s Late Late Show. Joanne is one of seven people suffering from a rare disease known as Tetra-amelia syndrome. The Irish Times described her TV appearance as "one of the guests on the show in recent years who has made the most impact on viewers". In 2012 Joanne received a standing ovation for her address to the United Nations on the use of technology, where she challenged those present to build a robot for her to use. Later her brother made a film on her life titled “No Limbs No Limits”.
Other speakers include Tammy Darcy, founder of the Shona Project. Shona has devoted her energies into ensuring that women and girls must have the tools they need to succeed. Sinéad Devlin from Belfast will cover the controversial topic of “Unconscious Bias”. The session investigates the unconscious feelings we have towards other people. Sinéad believes that unconscious feelings can play a strong part in influencing our judgement of certain people and groups, away from being balanced or even-handed in many different areas of life.
The morning aptly kicks off with Lisa Fingleton. Lisa is the Project Coordinator of Moving On, a new employment project for women in Kerry who wish to return to work. The project supports women through training, work experience and direct links with employers. Lisa has over 20 years experience in promoting equality and inclusion across all sectors.
MC for the event is Fiona Stack, General Manager of Kerry Radio and Fiona will also chair the panel discussion, which will allow delegates to engage with our guest speakers.
The event will be held in The Brehon Hotel in Killarney and starts at 9.30am with refreshments on arrival. Organisers and promoters of KBN say they are working diligently to encourage women to enter and succeed in the workforce while addressing the many barriers women still face in achieving economic success, including those that impede women’s access to capital, markets, and networking opportunities. Tickets for the event cost between €10 and €25 are available online at kbnwomensday.eventbrite.ie
Killarney Racecourse to host first professional festive pantomime
A classic fairytale is set to receive a distinct Kerry makeover this festive season as Killarney Racecourse hosts the town’s first professional pantomime, Cinderella.
Running across 12 performances over four weekends in November and December, the production weaves iconic local landmarks directly into the story. In this festive adaptation, Cinderella dreams of escaping her chores inside Ross Castle before receiving news of a royal ball hosted at Muckross House. Her journey is guided by Molls, a fairy godmother arriving from beyond the Gap of Dunloe, while the adventure takes audiences straight through the enchanted woods of Killarney National Park.
Directed by Lily MacMonagle of The MACademy Performing Arts and choreographed by Katrina Galvin of Sparrow Dance Academy, the production features a cast of local talent bringing the story to life.
Speaking about the upcoming debut production, Karl McCay, General Manager of Killarney Racecourse, expressed his excitement for the launch.
“We are thrilled to announce our first-ever Christmas Show at Killarney Racecourse. Killarney already sets the standard for festive celebrations with its magical parades, Santa’s grotto, Christmas markets, and Killarney on Ice. We are delighted to build on this tradition with our debut production of Cinderella. Directed by Lily MacMonagle and featuring a wonderfully talented local cast, we can’t wait to welcome you to this exciting new holiday experience.”
Director Lily MacMonagle emphasised the broad appeal of the festive show for families across the region.
“We are so delighted to bring the first professional panto to Killarney for families to enjoy this Christmas. The team and cast involved are incredible, and we cannot wait to sprinkle Christmas panto magic all over Killarney and Kerry this year. The laughs are like no other – it’s made for your child and your granny, with a joke and a dance for everyone. On a personal note, it’s fantastic to offer a pre-Christmas show where families can come together and really get into the festive spirit.”
Tickets go on sale today (Friday, October 9), at 9am via the Killarney Racecourse website, priced at €17 for children, €20 for adults, and €66 for a family ticket.
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