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Kerry farmers behind plan to save Air Ambulance

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By Sean Moriarty

 

 

Kerry farmers have backed a plan to keep the Irish Community Rapid Response(ICRR) Air Ambulance in the sky.

 

The Millstreet, County Cork-based service could be grounded unless over €330,000 is found immediately to fund the charity service.

 

Since its launch in July 2019 the service has flown in 250 missions but, without any sort of Government support, it needs public funds to pay pilot wages, fuel and to cover other costs including its requirement to pay VAT to Revenue on all purchases.

 

Earlier this month the charity put out an urgent plea for funds to keep the service operating.

Last week, the charity raised €61,848 of a €400,000 target it set for a two-week GoFundMe campaign.

 

As a result the service was cut from seven to five days to ensure it could carry on for another six weeks, during which time it said it would try and come up with more money.

 

Farmers in Kerry are being asked to donate €20 each to help run the service.

 

The idea was first mooted at a directors’ meeting of Kerry Co-Op farmers in Tralee last week and since that meeting it has gathered momentum and could be expanded Munster-wide.

 

Firies-based dairy farmer Tom Murphy is a member of the 23-strong Kerry Co-Op farmers board and he was first to put the idea to his colleagues.

 

“We have arranged a meeting with the Air Ambulance team in Tralee on February 6 where we are going to discuss a three-year plan with them,” Mr Murphy told the Killarney Advertiser. “After that meeting we hope to come up with a plan to get all of the farmers in Kerry and Munster behind it.”

 

There are around 3,300 members in the co-op and this does not include dairy farmers who supply other creameries or non-dairy farmers.

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Irish feature film set for Killarney cinema debut

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A new feature film, created by Irish writer and director Liam O Mochain, is set for release in Killarney next Friday, November 7.

Mr O Mochain said he is delighted to bring ABODE to a Killarney audience following its sold out world premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh and a screening at the recent IndieCork film festival.

ABODE is a feature film with five stories connected by the theme of home and what it means to the different characters in the film.

It shows that home has an importance and a different meaning for everyone.

In ABODE, everyone wants to belong somewhere. The film was shot over a three-year period and finished in early 2025.

O Mochain says that the stories are a mix of drama and comedy, inspired by true stories, events or incidents.

It is set on the theme of home which is very relevant today.

Ryan Lincoln, Sophie Vavessuer, and Liam O Mochain are among the cast.

ABODE is O Mochain’s fourth feature film. His 2017 feature film ‘Lost & Found’ screened at festivals around the world from the Galway Film Fleadh to the Austin Film Festival

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Local pharmacies restock Lions ‘Message in a Bottle’

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Killarney pharmacies are restocked with ‘Message in a Bottle’, an initiative by Killarney Lions Club.

It is a small plastic container, available free of charge, with an information form which people can fill out with their basic medical details for use by Paramedics, Gardaí, Fire-fighters and first responders in an emergency.

Once the information form is complete, the bottle should be placed in the fridge.

Self-adhesive green cross labels should be put on the front door of the home and on the fridge so that first responders know its there.

Bottles are available at the following pharmacies: Allcare (New St.), Boots (Deerpark), CarePlus+ (Park Rd.), Kennelly’s (Reeks and New St.), Reens Life (Plunkett St.), O’Sullivan’s (New St.), Sewell’s (New St.), Sheahan’s (Main St.), Trants (Park Rd.) and Aherns Farranfore.

Jason Higgins, President of Killarney Lions Club, said that the initiative has been very well received to date as hundreds of people are already using the bottles.

He said: “We just want to make sure everyone who wants a bottle can get one, so the support from the pharmacies is fantastic and if it helps even just one person to get the help they need more quickly and effectively, it is well worth it.”

More information about the Message in a Bottle initiative can be found on the Lions Ireland website: https://lionsclubs.ie/service/message-in-a-bottle/

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