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Emotional first meeting for local granny

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6 years ago

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FIRST MEETING: Bridie McGrath meeting her new granddaughter Chloe for the first time through the window due to physical distancing restrictions as Chloe's big brother Joshua looks on.

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By Michelle Crean

Their emotional first meeting was one which will go down in the family’s history book as one Killarney grandmother met her newborn granddaughter for the very first time through a glass window yesterday (Thursday).

Bridie McGrath from Ardshanavooley, is thrilled with the latest edition to the McGrath family – but it was also a surreal moment which she’ll never forget – as they had no physical contact due to the current COVID-19 restrictions.

Baby Chloe McGrath was born at 12.30pm on Saturday last to proud parents Maxine and John McGrath in Cork University Hospital.

However, due to the new restrictions over the pandemic, Bridie’s son John, who works in Liebherr, was only allowed be near his wife as the birth drew closer, and had to wait until Monday to see her and his child again when taking them home. Restrictions meant that big brother Joshua (4) saw his little sister for the first time in the car.

“When we landed at 2.30am on Friday night they only let Maxine in with her bags and I had to go wait in the car for a call,” John from Pinewood Estate told the Killarney Advertiser. “I was left in at 4am and Chloe was born at 12.30pm the next day.”

Maxine said that it was worrying being inside the hospital with the escalating health crisis.

“It was very lonely, but the nurses were very good to be fair. I was in a room with two other beds but they were empty. I was left to my own devices really. They are washing their hands constantly. It was hard for John, he had no time to bond with her as he had to wait to see her again on Monday.”

Bridie added that it was wonderful to see Joshua next to his baby sister for the first time, but wished it could have been face to face.

"It was beautiful to see her. What can you do? It's just safer to do it this way."

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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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1 day 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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1 day 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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