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Rena does it again with wonderful Cathedral crib

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By Sean Moriarty

 

It is one of the most loved Christmas favourites in Killarney for the past 46 years - St Mary’s Cathedral Christmas Crib – and once again it hasn’t disappointed.

 

A team of hard working volunteers come together every year to make it happen with the incredible, almost life-like display, admired by locals and visitors from across the country.

 

The artist behind the nativity scene in the cathedral, Rena Kennelly, has been creating magic for 46 years and hopes “health and god willing” she will make the half century in 2024.

 

The religious display wows every Christmas, but like everything else in life, Rena and other people behind the construction of the crib are finding it harder to deliver it each year without breaking some new rule or other.

 

This year the crib’s floor will be mostly made from wood mulch instead of the traditional moss. In years gone by Rena and her supporters would gather moss in the National Park to use as floor material in the crib.

 

However, since the discovery of rare spiders in the park, as reported in the Killarney Advertiser last month, certain areas of the park are now out of bounds for the moss gatherers.

 

“Since the creepy-crawlies are protected species we are not allowed take moss from anywhere near Muckross, the boatmen collect it from way further up the lakes now,” Rena told the Killarney Advertiser.

 

The boatmen are just a number of people she refers to as “her team” – people from all walks of Killarney life that work together to deliver one of most loved Christmas favourites in Killarney.

 

People like local builder Martin Walsh and local character Andrew Joy, better known for playing Santa Claus in the recent Christmas In Killarney events, are a great source of help to Rena.

 

“The lads do all the hard work now and I just turn up and tell them where to put things,” she explained. “Fr Gearoid told me this year that I would have to go for the 50 now. It was great fun in the beginning and I have a great team now.”

 

 

 

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CCTV Scheme for Killarney still on the long finger

The long-promised public CCTV system for Killarney remains stalled, with no start date in sight, despite funding being approved earlier this year. At Monday’s meeting of Kerry County Council, Councillor […]

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The long-promised public CCTV system for Killarney remains stalled, with no start date in sight, despite funding being approved earlier this year.

At Monday’s meeting of Kerry County Council, Councillor Tom Barry (Listowel Municipal District) raised the issue again, seeking clarity on when the long-awaited Killarney CCTV project will finally begin.
Cllr Barry, who is monitoring the Killarney project closely as a model for rolling out similar systems elsewhere in the county, asked the council to arrange a meeting between An Garda Síochána and the council’s Data Protection Officer to progress the matter.
He said that only through direct engagement could the necessary Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) be completed and the project finally move forward.
However, the official response from the council offered little reassurance or any sense of urgency.
The reply stated:
“There has been considerable engagement between all stakeholders in relation to CCTV and, in particular, the preparation of a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) for the Killarney Town Centre CCTV scheme. The final approval to that DPIA is awaited, and Kerry County Council will continue to work with partners to reiterate the importance of this.”
No commencement date, project timeline, or installation schedule was provided.
In July of this year, funding was formally approved for the long-promised Killarney. CCTV scheme.
At that time, Kerry County Council confirmed that the Killarney project could proceed as soon as An Garda Síochána provided final sign-off.
However, three months later, there has been no visible progress on the ground, no update from Garda Headquarters, and no indication of when approval might be granted.
The CCTV initiative, which has been discussed at multiple council meetings over several years, is designed to enhance public safety, deter antisocial behaviour, and assist gardaí in investigating crimes in busy areas such as Killarney’s town centre and nightlife zones.
The absence of CCTV in the town centre has been a long-standing frustration for both councillors and business owners, particularly given Killarney’s status as one of the country’s busiest tourist towns.

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Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra welcomes All-Ireland winners

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Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra in Rathmore was buzzing with excitement last Friday as former students Shane Ryan and Paul Murphy returned to the school with the Sam Maguire Cup.

The two All-Ireland football champions spoke to students and staff about the importance of perseverance, motivation, goal setting, and teamwork.

They also reflected on the strong friendships formed during their school days in Rathmore.

Both players encouraged students to appreciate the support of parents, coaches, and teachers who help guide them along the way.

They shared light-hearted stories and spoke about the pride they felt lifting Sam Maguire earlier this year.


They finished by saying they hope to return to Croke Park next season and bring Sam home to Kerry again.

The visit ended with warm applause and a proud Sliabh Luachra welcome for the local heroes

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