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Events lined up for Kerry’s Mental Health and Well-being Fest

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LAUNCH: Pictured at the launch of Kerry's Mental Health and Well-being Fest is Cllr Patrick Connor-Scarteen, Cathaoirleach, Kerry County Council with from left: Geraldine O'Sullivan (Kerry Volunteer Centre), Deirdre Hegarty (Healthy Ireland Coordinator, KCC), Donagh Hennebry (Resource Officer - Suicide Prevention, HSE), Pat O'Brien (Kerry Mental Health Association), Caoimhe Keogan (Jigsaw Kerry), and Lorraine Bowler (NEWKD). Photo: Pauline Dennigan

By Michelle Crean

Promoting good mental health this October is the aim and it's never been more important than ever with the year that's in it.

 

Between October 10 and 17, Kerry's Mental Health and Well-being Fest has planned a week-long programme of events - but it will be a bit different to previous years due to the current restrictions.

Organisers are planning a number of events outdoors and online which will coincide with World Mental Health Day on October 10.

Since it was inaugurated in 2018 hundreds of people have attended Kerry’s Mental Health and Well-being Fest each year.

An interagency committee, which is supported by Cork-Kerry HSE and Kerry County Council, have organised a range of events including well-being workshops, Forest Therapy, seminars, walks, coffee mornings, meditation and mindfulness, activity sessions, workplace workshops, self-care workshops, Zumba and yoga classes and more.

Launching the programme of events this week, the Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr Patrick Connor-Scarteen, explained that he is hugely aware of the mental health and well-being impact that this pandemic has had on people across the county.

"It is very important, this year especially, that the Mental Health and Well-being Fest is held to highlight the mental health services and supports that are available to people across the county. While observing the public health guidelines, the Fest offers an opportunity to connect with people and engage in activities that support people’s overall health and well-being," he said.

Donagh Hennebry, Resource Officer for Suicide Prevention, Cork-Kerry Community Healthcare with the HSE, added that the programme of events has come together with the support of all the local statutory agencies working together with the very positive input of community and voluntary groups all over Kerry.

"This year the Cork and Kerry Fests will be held simultaneously in an effort to further highlight the support for mental health and well-being across the region and extend the reach of the message of the Five Ways to Wellbeing."

The Five Ways to Well-being are:

* Connect – with the people around you at home, work, school, and in your local community.

* Take Notice – Savour the moment whether you are walking, eating, or talking. Be aware of the world around you and what you’re feeling.

* Be Active – Step outside. Go for a walk, cycle, garden or dance. Discover a physical activity that suits your lifestyle.

* Give – Do something nice for a friend or a stranger. Thank someone. Volunteer. Join a community group.

* Keep Learning – Try something new, rediscover an old interest. Take on new responsibilities. Fix a bike. Learn how to cook your favourite meal.

Full details of the programme of events are now available on the Healthy Kerry and Kerry County Council websites www.healthykerry.ie.

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Five local postmen retire with 185 years service

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Five local postmen retire with 185 years service

RETIREMENT NIGHT: Pictured at the retirement party held at Killarney Racecourse on Saturday, October 3, celebrating a combined 185 years of service with An Post, are Connie Brady, James Foley, Terry Potts, Pat Cronin, and D.J. Cahill.


Five well-known local postmen celebrated their retirement at a special function held at Killarney Racecourse on Saturday night, October 3.


The event brought together current and former An Post colleagues to mark the combined total of 185 years of service delivered across Killarney and surrounding areas.
Delivery Services Manager Terry Potts retired after 43 years with An Post. He began his career in Dublin, where he worked for 10 years, before moving to Killarney in 1993 for a further 33 years.
Pat Cronin completed an impressive 51 years of service between Killarney and Farranfore, spending 44 of those years delivering post on the Farranfore route.
James Foley served 35 years with An Post, delivering on routes across Killorglin throughout his entire career.
D.J. Cahill marked 32 years of service based out of Killarney post office, delivering mail across Killarney town, Killorglin, Kilcummin, and Headford.
Connie Brady retired following 24 years with the postal service, spending 17 years in Killarney town before completing his service in Killorglin.
The celebration offered local postal staff an opportunity to gather and catch up ahead of the busy Christmas rush.

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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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