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Family overwhelmed by community support

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By Sean Moriarty

 

The wife of a Firies GAA player who lost his leg in a work-related accident has described the support their family has received from the local community as “outstanding” and “overwhelming”.

 

A fundraising drive to help Seamus O’Brien, a former a Firies Gaelic footballer, has raised  over  €20,000.

 

The 49-year-old suffered the injury while working on a construction site in County Cork in February 2018. His left leg was amputated in November last year after undergoing seven unsuccessful operations.

 

Since his accident, the self-employed carpenter, who is a father of four teenagers, has been unable to work.

 

That’s left his wife Ruth, a nurse, as the family’s only wage-earner, and placed additional stress on their finances.

 

In a bid to help, Firies GAA teamed up with his former London GAA Club, the Kingdom Kerry Gaels and his wife’s Seneschalstown Club in County Meath to raise money to pay for three prosthetic legs, to enable Seamus to walk again.

 

“It is overwhelming, we did not expect this kind of support,” Ruth told the Killarney Advertiser this week. “The community spirit, in London, Kerry and Meath, has been outstanding. His former club in London initiated the fundraising and they shared it out to his clubs at home.”

 

Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and adjustments to the family’s house will incur even further costs.

 

Seamus is currently recovering at home but must attend weekly out-patient clinics in Cork and Dublin hospitals. He travels by train adding a further financial burden to the family.

To donate to the Kingdom Kerry Gaels’ page go to:

www.gofundme.com/f/seamus-obrien-support 

 

 

 

 

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New Streetscapes murals launched at College Square

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A colourful collaboration between the Kerry Local Creative Youth Partnership (LCYP) and the Architecture Kerry Festival at Kerry County Council launched yesterday evening at College Square.

Titled Streetscapes, the open-air public art installation officially opened at 5pm on Thursday, accompanied by a performance from the Killarney Youth Drumming Band THUMP! under the guidance of Urs Wenk from Drum Dance Ireland.


The public art project features a series of wall murals depicting Killarney through the eyes of local children, exploring freedom, play, and potential future evolutions of the townscape.

The artworks reimagine Killarney’s iconic landmarks and streets, blending youthful imagination and curiosity.


Supported under the Creative Ireland Programme, the installation is mounted on the gable wall of Reen’s Life Pharmacy in College Square, where it will remain on public display until March 2027.


Speaking at the launch, Daniel O’Shea, Youth Development Officer at Kerry ETB, stated: “Streetscapes is a wonderful celebration of how children see things. Their creativity brings new perspectives to the townscape, and we are proud to support their ideas and their art through this public artwork.”


Deirdre Enright, Co-Ordinator of the Local Creative Youth Partnership at Kerry ETB, acknowledged the community support behind the initiative: “We are very grateful to Reen’s Life Pharmacy who have shared their built space with us. Huge credit is due to the artistic team from Me+The Moon whose dedication to creativity and to children’s art shine through in this work.”


The project forms part of the annual Architecture Kerry Festival and receives funding through Creative Ireland and the Department of Education and Youth via Kerry ETB and Kerry County Council.


Victoria McCarthy, Festival Organiser and Architectural Conservation Officer at Kerry County Council, welcomed the continued inter-agency project: “It’s always a great event for Architecture Kerry and we are so pleased with this collaboration between public sector organisations. It remains a key feature of the Architecture Kerry programme.”
See next week’s Killarney Advertiser for full photographic coverage of the event.

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Dr Crokes stalwarts enjoy lake cruise

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Dr Crokes stalwarts enjoy lake cruise

Dr Crokes stalwarts enjoy lake cruise

Dr Crokes GAA Club hosted a special day out for its senior members on Monday, this week, taking a group aged between 70 and 90 on a cruise across the Lakes of Killarney.

Organised by the Dr Crokes Healthy Club committee under its Crokes Cruisers initiative, the event was held to recognise the lifetime contribution made by long-standing members who continue to support club activities behind the scenes.
The group travelled on two vessels, including An Cathal, an open boat operated by local brothers Tony and Mike Fleming. Built to preserve the traditional Killarney lake boat style, it is the only purpose-built, fully accessible boat on the lakes, allowing members with mobility issues and wheelchair users to safely join the two-hour trip.
Following the lake tour, the party gathered on shore for coffee and refreshments provided by Derric McMahon and Harry Clifton of the Ross Castle Garden Cafe.
The initiative forms part of the club’s ongoing community work as a Gold Award winner in the GAA Healthy Club programme.

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