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Birthday party raises €5,700 for Jack and Jill Foundation

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7 years ago

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THIRD BIRTHDAY: Alexis O'Mahony with her parents Steve and Teresa at her third birthday party and fundraiser for the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation in The Dromhall Hotel, Killarney, on Friday last. Picture: Eamonn Keogh

A third birthday party for Alexis O’Mahony on Good Friday raised €5,700 for the Jack and Jill Foundation - but more important raised awareness for the charity, according to her father Stephen.

Alexis suffers from Pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency, a condition that affects her ability to breakdown food to fuel the body, and results in side effects that include Cerebral Palsy and epilepsy.

The party in the Dromhall Hotel doubled as a fundraiser for the charity, which provides a nurse for up to 40 hours for Alexis each month.

The funds raised will go directly towards paying for nurses so other children in Ireland can enjoy the same level of care as Alexis, her father Stephen explained to the Killarney Advertiser this week.

“We raised €5,700, and when you do the breakdown that will pay for 16 hours of care for children like Alexis,” Stephen from Woodlawn said. “We got a lot of media attention on this, so more importantly we raised awareness for the Jack and Jill Foundation.

A lot of people would be able to tell you about the Temple Street Children’s Hospital but not so many people are aware of Jack and Jill.”

Children and adults enjoyed fun activities like face painting, balloon models, yoga, provided by Nave Yoga, baked treats, supplied by The Porterhouse, an Easter egg hunt and a cheerleading demonstration by Killarney Scorchers Cheerleading Club.

Members of the Killarney Fire Brigade made a surprise appearance and gave the children a guided tour of a fire engine.

“I was delighted the fire brigade could make it for a while,” added Stephen. “They are very busy this time of the year with gorse fires so a big thank you to them.”

 

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Sinn Féin to host public meeting on cost of living at Killarney Heights Hotel

Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm. […]

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8 hours ago

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25 May 2026

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Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm.

The Donegal TD will be joined by Kerry TD Pa Daly to discuss the economic pressures facing local households and the policy changes needed to provide financial relief. The main focus of the evening will center on the barriers preventing local people from buying their own homes, alongside broader costs of living challenges.
Speaking exclusively to the Killarney Advertiser ahead of his visit, Deputy Doherty said workers and families across Kerry are being squeezed from every direction by rising weekly shops, high energy bills, increasing insurance premiums, and substantial housing costs.
“Young people are losing hope that they will ever own a home in the county where they were raised,” Deputy Doherty said. “And while all of this is happening, the government is sitting on billions in budget surpluses while telling struggling families to wait. It is simply not good enough.”
The Sinn Féin finance spokesperson highlighted specific regional factors making the crisis acute in County Kerry, particularly regarding home heating costs.
“Almost 59% of homes in Kerry rely on home heating oil, which is nearly double the state average of 34%,” he said. “That means families across the county are far more exposed to soaring fuel costs than households in many other parts of the state. Yet the government withdrew supports that were helping households keep the lights on and heat their homes.”
Deputy Doherty noted that the housing situation in Kerry has moved beyond a social issue and is now impacting the local economy and communities. He pointed to figures showing average rents in the county have reached €1,493 per month, with exceptionally low market availability.
“At the time of writing, there were only 27 properties available online to rent across the entire county. Only 19 were below €2,000 a month and just five were available for less than €1,500. A county the size of Kerry, and only five rental properties affordable to someone on an ordinary income,” he said.
He also raised concerns for first-time buyers, noting that average house prices in Kerry have climbed to €296,000, representing an increase of €33,500 in a single year.
During the meeting, the Sinn Féin representatives will outline their party’s alternative proposals. These include a state-led program of affordable home building, a ban on excessive rent increases, enhanced protections for renters, and immediate energy credits and tax relief for workers.
“The resources exist to do this,” Deputy Doherty added. “The government’s own figures show billions in surplus funds available to the state. The issue is not a lack of money. The issue is political choice.”
The meeting is open to all members of the public, and a discussion session will follow the main presentations.

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National Park hosts weekend Bioblitz for National Biodiversity Week

Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment. Today, Friday, […]

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25 May 2026

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Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment.

Today, Friday, May 22, marks the UN International Day for Biological Diversity, and a series of free events will run across the park until the national celebration concludes this Sunday, May 24.
The highlight of the weekend is the Killarney National Park Bioblitz. This event brings families, nature lovers, and community volunteers together to find, identify, and record as many different plant and animal species as possible across the park’s diverse habitats over the next three days.
Christopher O’Sullivan, Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, encouraged locals and visitors alike to utiliSe the final days of the festival to experience the area’s unique wildlife, referencing Killarney’s native habitats as key areas the state is working to protect.
Niall Ó Donnchú, Director General of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), noted that the week is designed to remind people that native plants, woodlands, and rivers are vital systems that make life possible. OrganiSers are encouraging anyone in the locality to head out to Killarney National Park before Sunday evening to participate in the species count and support local conservation efforts.

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