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Annual Ricky Kelly tournament to benefit Ian 

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Busy times for Deerpark Pitch & Putt Club who will follow up hosting the 2018 National Inter-County Pitch & Putt Championships with the staging of their annual Ricky Kelly Memorial Tournament a week later. This year’s competition will take place in aid of the Ian O’Connell Trust in conjunction with Spa GAA Club.

Ian’s story has touched the club as much as it has many others both near and far and the club is delighted to give the proceeds of this year’s event to Ian to aid him with the living of his life into the future. Inaugurated in 1991, the event has been held in Ricky’s memory since 1992 and this will be the 27th staging of the popular competition.

The event will take place on the weekend of September 15/16 and the club is throwing it open this year to both members and non-members of the PPUI in an effort to raise as many funds as possible for the Trust. The event is kindly sponsored once more by the Tatler Jack Bar and the cost of entry is €90 per adult team with an U-16 section for the first time with a fee of €30 per team.

Play is scheduled to begin on Friday afternoon September 14 with players this year allowed to play on multiple teams if they so wish. Prizes will also be awarded for the best local sports club team (non PPUI members) as well as a number of other different categories as the club extends a big invite to former and current members, keen golfers, sharks, scrubbers and complete beginners to support this year’s event.

The presentation of prizes will take place on Sunday evening at the club with an evening barbeque and entertainment. For further information on this year’s event and to pre-book tee-times, contact the club on 087 9488516 in advance.

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Concerns over future of St Mary of the Angels

Two Kerry TDs have voiced concerns over the future of St Mary of the Angels and St Francis Special School in Beaufort, highlighting the urgent need for respite services for […]

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Two Kerry TDs have voiced concerns over the future of St Mary of the Angels and St Francis Special School in Beaufort, highlighting the urgent need for respite services for children and adults with profound disabilities and special needs.

The campus, set on lands generously donated by the Doyle family, offers 30 acres of grounds, existing buildings, and services, making it a valuable asset for the provision of respite care in Kerry. TD Michael Cahill emphasized that the Doyle family’s wishes should be respected, and that the grounds should be made accessible immediately.
“The special needs community in Kerry has a major respite crisis and families don’t have time to wait. Families need help — they are not asking for full-time residential care but respite care, a break, a helping hand,” Deputy Cahill said.
He added that a bespoke approach is needed to meet the individual needs of children attending St Francis Special School. “Many of the children in the county with profound needs need a safe haven where they can roam the grounds freely, and St Mary of the Angels offers this.”
Deputy Cahill has accompanied several Ministers to the Beaufort campus to highlight its value to Disability Health Service providers. A working group has been formed including St John of Gods, the HSE, representatives of residents at St Mary of the Angels, and St Francis Special School, to explore options for maintaining and expanding respite services.
“Parents are worn out and at the end of their tether. This needs to be dealt with expeditiously, in an environment of cooperation between the relevant Government Departments of Health, Disability, and Education. We need to get this across the line urgently and put it permanently in place,” he said.
Deputy Cahill pointed to the current shortfall of respite services in Kerry. “As of now, Cunamh Iveragh respite in Cahersiveen is only open Friday to Sunday, running at half capacity — two adults per night instead of four. The issue is staffing, and the HSE will not release funding to open full-time. The Beaufort campus is available and should be utilised as parents are crying out for overnight respite. Cooperation and compassion could see this done quickly.”
TD Danny Healy Rae echoed these concerns during a Dáil speech this week. “We are still short of respite beds on the southern side of the constituency. Families caring for people with disabilities just want a break, but there is nowhere available locally. Places are being offered only in Tipperary or Meath for those needing new residential care. It makes no sense. St Mary of the Angels in Beaufort has 40 or 50 acres of grounds that could be expanded, with facilities already in place such as swimming pools. It could be developed as a model for the rest of the country.”
Both TDs are urging the Government and the HSE to take immediate action to utilise the Beaufort campus for respite care, in line with the intentions of the Doyle family and the needs of Kerry families.

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Cardiac Response Unit’s ‘Restart a Heart’ training event

Killarney Cardiac Response Unit (KCRU) is set to run a range of events as part of the global initiative Restart A Heart, which aims to increase awareness and actual rates […]

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Killarney Cardiac Response Unit (KCRU) is set to run a range of events as part of the global initiative Restart A Heart, which aims to increase awareness and actual rates of bystander CPR worldwide.

The main event, titled RAH 2025, invites the public to learn life-saving skills and the basic steps in the chain of survival. This will take place on Saturday, October 18, at the Killarney Outlet Centre.
Members of the public are encouraged to join KCRU at the centre between 10:00 am and 5pm.
Key feature of the day will be the CPR Competition, offering “fantastic prizes to be won.”
For further information, visit www.killarneycru.ie/rah25

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