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Pres girls enjoy 40 year reunion

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7 years ago

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FOUR DECADES OF MEMORIES: The 1979 St Brigid’s Secondary School studens held their 40th school reunion celebrations at the International Hotel on Friday last. Front row: Mary G O'Sullivan, Ann MacMonagle, Abina Cremin, Irene O'Leary, Breda Murrell. Middle row: Sheila Fogarty, Breda Sugrue, Teresa Ashe and Mary Crowley. Back row from left are: Eileen Foley, Marion O'Halloran, Kay Murphy, Marie Murphy, Margaret Fitzgerald, Kathleen O'Brien, Martina Riordan, Kathleen O'Connor and Sheila Riordan. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

By Sean Moriarty

They came from as far away as Boston to celebrate 40 years since they completed the Leaving Certificate at St Brigid’s Secondary School.

Four classes of 1979 were reunited at the International Hotel on Saturday night.

The gathering was organised by Ann McMongale-Mangan who works in the HR department of the well-known town centre hotel.

The group meet as often as they can - this was their fifth official reunion since they left school - but it was extra special this time around as they were celebrating the four decades since they walked through the school gates for the final times.

Abina Cremin O’Sullivan came home from Boston to be with her former classmates.

“It was extra special this year,” organiser Ann told the Killarney Advertiser. “We created a Facebook group a few years ago and it makes it very easy to stay in touch. The hotel really pulled out all the stops as it was our 40th anniversary.”

The evening started with a meal in Hannigan’s Restaurant before the group enjoyed a sing-song in the bar afterwards.

“Not everyone could make the meal,” added Ann. “There was great craic in the bar afterwards. Martina Riordan’s daughter Rachel was playing a gig elsewhere in town and came afterwards to entertain us with her guitar.”

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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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20 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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21 hours ago

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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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