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Anger at lack of Council progress on Áras Phádraig site

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By Sean Moriarty

Kerry County Council will present a briefing on the plan for the Áras Phádraig building on the Lewis Road early next year. The Council’s executive is currently completing a cost-benefit analysis on the site.

February will mark the fourth anniversary of a public consultation into the future of the site. The Franciscan Order donated the site to the people of Killarney in 2009 and nearly 12 years on local councillors are getting increasingly frustrated at a lack of progress.

Over a year ago, Council officials promised that they would present a development plan for the town centre site and so far nothing has been done.
Killarney Mayor Brendan Cronin called the Council to task at Monday’s ordinary meeting between elected councillors and the executive in Tralee.

“Will Kerry County Council give a date for the presentation of detailed proposals to utilise this unique location?” he asked the meeting.

The Council cited several official reasons for the delay including the potential to include the Áras Phádraig in the town’s development plan which is currently under consideration and need to get approval from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform before money can be spent on the site.

Following the 2017 public consultation, Kerry County Council made several proposals for the site, including the provision of a theatre, community space, an office for Kerry Parents and Friends and car parking.

“This development requires a financial and economic appraisal of the developed options including a Cost-Benefit Analysis to determine that the overall development will be financially viable and will deliver an economic return in the area,” a Council official told the meeting.

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Joey Sheehan wins historic sixth Dr Crokes Captain’s Prize

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Accomplished golfer Joey Sheehan scooped the Dr Crokes GAA Club Golf Society Captain’s Prize for the sixth time following the outing at The Killeen Course at Killarney Golf Club on Friday.

Society Captain Niall Botty O’Callaghan and his mother Eileen O’Callaghan hosted the prizegiving function in The Failte Hotel, where Joey was presented with a painting of the fourth hole at Killeen by local artist and Dr Crokes member Paul Downey.


Joey Sheehan won his first Dr Crokes Captain’s prize back in 1997, which was the start of an historic four-in-a-row.

He collected his fifth Captain’s prize in 2006 before adding his sixth with the 2026 title last Friday.

Over the years, he has also won two Dr Crokes Presidents prizes, numerous other society outings, and the Eddie Barry Memorial Cup three times as player of the year.


The prize giving function in The Failte featured speeches from society officer Brendan Keogh, Captain Niall Botty O’Callaghan, and overall winner Joey Sheehan.

During the speeches, a number of recently deceased local people and others from recent years associated with the Dr Crokes Golf Society were remembered.

Among those fondly remembered were Brian O’Regan, John O’Mahony, Ewan MacIndoe, Gerry Collins, Paudie O’Callaghan, Malachy Walsh, and Seani McCarthy.


The Dr Crokes Captains Prize was once again sponsored by Mike Buckley of Kerry Coaches. Following overall winner Joey Sheehan, the full list of prize winners included John Lynch in second, Finian Moran in third, and Liam Hartnett in fourth. Sean Brosnan took fifth place, followed by Maurice O’Donoghue in sixth, John O’Leary in seventh, Paudie Sheahan in eighth, Colm Galvin in ninth, and Eamonn Fitzgerald in tenth.

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Discussion on Irish-American literary voices

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The second series of talks for the new ‘Summer in Killarney’ festival took place at Killarney House in Killarney National Park, focusing on the lives and work of literary figures F. Scott Fitzgerald and Mary Lavin.

The event, titled ‘The Great Irish-American Voices of F. Scott Fitzgerald & Mary Lavin’, featured presentations by authors Gráinne Hurley, writer of Gratefully and Affectionately: Mary Lavin and The New Yorker, and Killarney native Patrick O’Sullivan Greene, author of Gatsby: Death of an Irishman.

Following their presentations, both authors joined Irish Times journalist Ronan McGreevy for a panel conversation exploring the impact of both writers on American literature.

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