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Some Killarney residents should watch their gardens like hawks

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A “compelling” case is being made for the intensive use of lands within walking distance of Killarney town for housing. Close to 700 residential units will be needed, according to the draft Killarney Municipal District Plan for the next six years.

For Killarney town, so compelling is the case in the well-put-together, suspiciously cohesive, logically built-up and well-written plan, one wonders if one smells a CPO - a Compulsory Purchase Order?

For instance, we are told up front that the zoning strategy is to “build up critical mass” in the towns and villages of the Killarney area.

We are told that Killarney is the only town to have enjoyed significant growth, going from 13,760 in 2011 to 15,312 in 2016. Although the growth can’t be properly measured because of changes in census boundaries, we are told in another section.

We are told that Killarney has “unique” requirements as a tourist town and that this places significant pressure on local accommodation, in terms of provision and cost.

“In addition to the absence of affordable accommodation, the town requires significant numbers of seasonal workers, which creates extra pressure in terms of the high numbers seeking local accommodation and high rental costs,” it is stated.

The figure of 685 units is mentioned in the context of Killarney’s unique status of being the town with the oldest average age in the nation, thanks, we are told, to all the retirees who move here.

Significant areas of available and serviced land are not being released onto the market, and the proposal now is for almost 70 hectares south of the bypass and north of the Flesk to be zoned for housing. Next to nothing is to be allowed beyond this until houses have gone up in that area.

But the real meat, I suspect, is in the statement that as much as 30 per cent of the new housing will beon “infill or brownfield sites” within the town.

(By the way, there is a lovely howler on page 52, under the section “Housing Land Requirement”, where it states that “a principal tenant” of the approach is a sequential approach to zoning of residential lands, extending outwards from the centre. Nice one!)

But the part that interests me most is this:

“The Local Authority shall facilitate the redevelopment of all backland, infill, vacant and derelict sites throughout the town. It will encourage the construction of well-designed, high-density apartments or residential units subject to achieving a high quality of living accommodation for incoming residents, adequate provision of amenity space and refuse storage.”

Then there is the rather cheeky step of corralling the back gardens of the old houses in New Street, with accompanying map. And statements that New Street is to be” regenerated”.

In this context too, the Mission Road and Beech Road car park will be developed for housing and commercial, it is envisaged.

Green Lane and Pound Lane are other areas where there is plenty of  “underutilised rear residential gardens”. Sunnyhill, too, gets a mention in the unused land context.

The “sizeable” gardens in New Street would be developed as “a cohesive unit”, it is envisaged. This is, of course, language for a “new New Street” into the area south and adjoining Beech Road car park.

One thing interests me: with the plans for higher density within the town walls, as it were, what sort of heights are we really talking about? Heights like the Plaza? The Cathedral? The Beech Road apartments? The question of height provokes headaches in Killarney and there are real concerns about infill development. So any kind of gung-ho approach as appears in the new town plan about filling in here, there and everywhere on the basis of great need, warrants very careful scrutiny, it seems to me.

Already a situation is developing where Kerry County Council have opened an enforcement file on the two-storey mews building underway at the back of the West End, one of the town’s oldest buildings. New Street residents complained that windows are going in at the eastern side where they should not go in in the apartment development and will overlook their gardens and privacy and deprive them of light.  A warning letter has been issued from the council to the applicants.

And let's face it, this town has not distinguished itself in the development allowed in many of the old lanes.

Back to the draft plan. In the middle of it all, the horseshoe bat gets prime mention in the plan. I can’t understand the horseshoe bat’s import… and have to digress a bit here again. The lesser horseshoe bat gets a whole page to himself. I blinked a bit here. Is this about the jarvey horses and my bad eyesight? No, the lesser horsehoe bat.

Actually, he is actually in good condition we are told. Great! However, he could be disturbed by artificial lighting. Okay! Right!

On a morning where deer - also protected - are hopping in front of motorists and taking up car parking spaces in Beech Road, I would have thought they deserved a mention in a draft plan for their impact on the town, if only to protect humans?

But away from the deer and the bats. If I were a resident of Green and Pound Lanes and Lower New Street, and maybe Sunnyhill, I would be watching my little back garden roost like the proverbial hawk.

Submissions can be made until June 15.

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A Celebration of Culture, Community and Talent at St Brigid’s Presentation

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St Brigid’s Presentation Secondary School was alive with music, song and celebration at their recent Trad Night 2026, a wonderful evening that showcased the rich cultural talent within their school and wider community.This special event was a joint fundraiser organised by their Gaelbhratach committee, promoting the Irish language and culture; their Yellow Flag committee, celebrating diversity and inclusion; and their dedicated Music Department. The night reflected the spirit of unity in the school, bringing together students from all year groups in a vibrant celebration of heritage through music, storytelling and dance. The programme featured an impressive lineup of performances including the brush dance, junior and senior set dancers representing local clubs such as Kilcummin and Spa, and a spectacular performance from Irish dancing World Champion Caoimhe O’Halloran. Thri junior and senior traditional groups performed beautifully, alongside the hugely talented Glenflesk Ballad Group, multiple All-Ireland award winners, who brought the audience to their feet. The evening was made all the more special with the generous sponsorship of tea and traditional brack from O’Sullivan’s Bakery, which was warmly enjoyed by all in attendance. The night concluded with a memorable performance from Deputy Principal, Liam McGill, who entertained the audience on guitar and vocals, accompanied by well-known local music teacher Rosie Healy and Aine McCann. St Brigid’s are immensely proud of all students who performed and contributed to making the night such a resounding success. Trad Night 2026 highlighted the extraordinary talent within the school and the strong sense of community that defines St Brigid’s Presentation.

A Celebration of Culture, Community and Talent at St Brigid’s Presentation

St Brigid’s Presentation Secondary School was alive with music, song and celebration at their recent Trad Night 2026, a wonderful evening that showcased the rich cultural talent within their school and wider community.This special event was a joint fundraiser organised by their Gaelbhratach committee, promoting the Irish language and culture; their Yellow Flag committee, celebrating diversity and inclusion; and their dedicated Music Department. The night reflected the spirit of unity in the school, bringing together students from all year groups in a vibrant celebration of heritage through music, storytelling and dance. The programme featured an impressive lineup of performances including the brush dance, junior and senior set dancers representing local clubs such as Kilcummin and Spa, and a spectacular performance from Irish dancing World Champion Caoimhe O’Halloran. Thri junior and senior traditional groups performed beautifully, alongside the hugely talented Glenflesk Ballad Group, multiple All-Ireland award winners, who brought the audience to their feet. The evening was made all the more special with the generous sponsorship of tea and traditional brack from O’Sullivan’s Bakery, which was warmly enjoyed by all in attendance. The night concluded with a memorable performance from Deputy Principal, Liam McGill, who entertained the audience on guitar and vocals, accompanied by well-known local music teacher Rosie Healy and Aine McCann. St Brigid’s are immensely proud of all students who performed and contributed to making the night such a resounding success. Trad Night 2026 highlighted the extraordinary talent within the school and the strong sense of community that defines St Brigid’s Presentation.

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European title for Killarney handball star

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By Con Dennehy

Killarney handball star Owen Brosnan answered Ireland’s call at the weekend with a breathtaking display at the European One Wall Tour in London.

Currow native and Spa Killarney Handballer, Brosnan took on the best players in England, Wales, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, France and Israel and thanks to a superb display returned back to Kerry with a European gold medal following his phenomenal success in the Men’s C Plate competition.
Played at the Westway Sports Complex in London, more than 150 players took part in the competition on six indoor courts with Brosnan and his Killarney team colleague Tim Cronin playing 15 games over the two days. Following earlier round victories, Brosnan was paired with Tim Cronin in a Kerry dominated semifinal clash. This was an exciting high-octane game with both players producing a classic display of handball. Aces were hard fought with just one point separating both players at the end of a pulsating game. Brosnan advanced to the final on a 21-20 scoreline. “I was thrilled with my semifinal game. It was a hard-fought contest with all the training at the Spa GAA Hall helping me edge out a win. We train together and know each other strengths and weaknesses which added to the excitement of the occasion. We both teamed up in the Men’s B Plate Doubles competition reaching the semifinal where we were defeated by Matt Flapan and Gleb Spiridon, a USA/Israel combination,” said Owen.
Brosnan produced a superb display of fast paced handball in the Men’s C Plate final where his opponent was the highly fancied Josh Thomas from Wales. Using the court to his full advantage, the Killarney player produced a brilliant all-round performance to record a 21-18 victory and in the process his first major title.
“Naturally, I was delighted with the success. Both Tim and I started the sport by accident over 12 months ago when we attended an Open Family Day at Spa GAA Club. Brendan O’Donoghue, one of the founders of Spa Killarney Handball Club, was giving a demonstration of handball and invited us to try it out. We both enjoyed the experience and have been playing ever since. We are looking forward to the various domestic competitions over the coming months and really enjoy the training and fun element to the sport in the club.”

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