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Friary to sell Trócaire’s Christmas ‘Gifts of Love’

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CHARITY SALES: Ann Marie O'Leary and Fr Eamonn O'Driscoll of the Friary office which will sell Trócaire’s Christmas ‘Gifts of Love’ this festive season. Photo: Sean Moriarty

 

By Sean Moriarty

 

Killarney’s Franciscan Friary is the only local outlet to offer Trócaire’s Christmas ‘Gifts of Love’ this year. The development agency sells a range of Christmas gifts which allows the charity to provide families in the developing world with clean water, essential tools, livestock and help with education.

There are 17 Trócaire gifts to choose from, such as chicks, beehives and solar lamps, ranging in price from €5 to €1,000.

Due to restrictions The Franciscan Friary office now offers a telephone and email service for Mass Cards and this service will be expanded to include the sale of Trócaire gift packs.

“Christmas is a time of giving and we are delighted to offer this service to the people of Kerry,” Fr Eamonn O’Driscoll told the Killarney Advertiser.

The Dubliner, who joined the Killarney Friary this summer, can trace his family roots to Valentia Island.

Between 1985 and 1991 he spent five years on a mission in Zimbabwe.

“I have seen first-hand the work of Trócaire,” said Fr Eamonn, who celebrated his 69th birthday on Wednesday.

PRIVATE PRAYER

The Friary will remain open for private prayer between 7.30am and 7pm each day and the Friars also broadcast a daily Mass at 10am via its Facebook page.

“The Killarney community have been very good to us and this is our way of giving back to them,” recently appointed Guardian Fr Eamonn added.

While the parish office remains closed, staff will be on hand between 10am and 4.30pm each day to answer queries and process Mass offerings.

The office can be contacted on 064 66 31066 or killarney@franciscans.ie.

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Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

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O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

Muckross co-driver Noel O’Sullivan is set for a busy season as he returns to the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) while also preparing for a record-breaking attempt on home soil.

O’Sullivan and driver Callum Devine have signed with the Swedish team JC Raceteknik for a full campaign focused on asphalt events. Their season begins this week at the Andalusia Rally – Sierra Morena in Spain. O’Sullivan remains the only Killarney-based co-driver competing at this level for a full season.
He brings significant international experience to the team, having previously worked with WRC driver Jon Armstrong during his early European outings. O’Sullivan and Devine recently proved their pace against top European crews with a fifth-place finish at the 2024 Rali Ceredigion in Wales.
Devine said:
“I’m really looking forward to coming back to the ERC. It’s always great for a driver to compete against Europe’s best on some iconic events. We’ve had great success back home in Ireland over the past few seasons, winning two Irish Tarmac Rally Championships, and we feel now is the right time to come back and take on some ERC events. Starting with Rally Sierra Morena, I’m delighted to be joining JC Raceteknik. I know they are a very professional team with a wealth of experience, and I’m looking forward to working closely with them.”
The European schedule will not interfere with O’Sullivan’s local plans. Following the rally in Spain, the pair will return to Kerry for the Rally of the Lakes over the May Bank Holiday weekend. They are aiming for a fifth consecutive victory in Killarney as they look to move back into the lead of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
The move to the European stage follows a successful week for O’Sullivan, who was recently named the International Motorsport winner at the Kerry Sports Star Awards.

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Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June

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Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June


A new heritage motoring event, the Killarney Classic Tour, has been confirmed for June 26–27, 2026. The two-day tour is designed to celebrate the iconic rally stages of Kerry and the Beara Peninsula.


Headquartered at the Gleneagle Hotel, the event is non-competitive and open to a wide range of vintage and historic cars. Organisers are placing a particular focus on period-correct rally cars and recreations that reflect the history of the Circuit of Ireland, the Circuit of Munster, and the early years of the Rally of the Lakes.
The tour is the work of two well-known figures in Irish rallying, Mike Marshall and Micheal O’Mahoney. Marshall, a founding member of the Rally of the Lakes and Clerk of the Course for over 20 years, has designed a route that allows drivers to experience famous stages like Moll’s Gap at a relaxed pace. O’Mahoney, a long-term supporter of the sport through Rentokil and a historic car owner himself, joins Marshall in the venture.

Co-Founder O’Mahoney said:
“This event is about bringing people back together – the cars, the stories, and the friendships that have always been part of rallying. It’s a chance to step away from competition and simply enjoy these roads.”



The Saturday itinerary includes a lunch stop in Castletownbere before the field returns to Killarney for a gala dinner at the Gleneagle Hotel. The evening will feature guest speakers and a focus on the shared history of the sport.
“This event is about bringing people back together — the cars, the stories, and the friendships,” added Micheal O’Mahoney.
Registrations are now open at www.KillarneyClassicTour.ie.

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