News
Killarney man ahead of Queen in London vaccine roll-out
VACCINE: London-based Killarney man Jerry Cronin said he was honoured to receive the Coronavirus vaccine a day before Queen Elizabeth.
EXCLUSIVE
By Sean Moriarty
Well-known London-based Killarney man Jerry Cronin said he was honoured to receive the Coronavirus vaccine a day before Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip.
Jerry, who is best known for playing George Washington during the annual 4th of July Festival in Killarney, received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Friday last, while the royal family were vaccinated the following day.
The Aghadoe man, who is based in the Kensington area of the city, received his vaccination at the nearby St Charles Hospital.
He suffers from undisclosed underlying medical conditions and his doctor recommended he was placed further up the vaccine waiting list.
That was on Monday last week and five days later he was vaccinated.
However, he will have to wait three months for the second dose as a shortage of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the UK has resulted in an extension of the times between each injection.
“It was well organised, they had 24 booths set up in what looked like an unused restaurant and I was the youngest fellow there at 76,” he told the Killarney Advertiser. “It was a bit congested for my liking but I was in and out in no time, I just had to wait 15 minutes in case I had a reaction.”
He added that he was not overly-worried that the time between each dose has been extended.
“Imagine two people in the one house that needed the vaccine, you have a choice; one person gets two doses in three weeks and the other has to wait months, or they both get a shot each,” he explained. “I heard afterwards that the Queen said if the vaccine is good enough for Jerry Cronin, then it must be good enough for herself!”
Lochanna Beo’s mapping highlights water quality concerns
Local environmental action group Lochanna Beo has released mapping data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to draw attention to deteriorating water quality across Killarney and the broader Laune Catchment.
The EPA map uses a colour-coded system to rate water quality status from 2019 to 2024: blue indicates high status, green indicates good, yellow represents moderate, brown denotes poor, and red signifies bad status.
The figures indicate significant ecological pressure on local lakes and rivers compared to neighbouring areas across County Kerry.
Formed during the summer of 2026, Lochanna Beo aims to bring together residents, business owners, agricultural operators, and public bodies to address the key factors affecting the regional aquatic ecosystem.
The community initiative is seeking direct engagement with relevant statutory authorities to implement practical restoration measures and protect the long-term health of Killarney’s water bodies.
Former Killarney Cycling Club rider Stefan Caulfield-Dreier has secured a professional contract with leading Dutch-based outfit Azerion-Villa Valkenburg.
The 23-year-old Beaufort native began his cycling career with Killarney Cycling Club in the under-12 age category. He demonstrated strong potential during his youth career, culminating in a victory at the Under-16 National Time-Trial Championship in 2019.
After progressing through the junior ranks, Caulfield-Dreier began racing on the Continent with a Dutch squad upon entering senior competition. He claimed Senior National Track titles in both the Points and Madison events in 2023 and 2024, and went on to represent Ireland at international track events in the Netherlands and Switzerland across 2024 and 2025.
Announcing the signing, team management at Azerion-Villa Valkenburg highlighted Caulfield-Dreier as a specialist in classics and time trials who excels in demanding race conditions.
Killarney Cycling Club Chairman Kevin Murphy welcomed the announcement, praising the former member’s dedication.
“Stefan has shown enormous persistence and resilience, and we are delighted that he has been recognized and rewarded with this big step-up in his career,” Murphy said.
Caulfield-Dreier’s father, Heiko, runs Killorglin-based firm Aqua Design and has been a long-standing supporter of Killarney Cycling Club.
Stefan Caulfield-Dreier signs professional cycling contract
Former Killarney Cycling Club rider Stefan Caulfield-Dreier has secured a professional contract with leading Dutch-based outfit Azerion-Villa Valkenburg.
The 23-year-old Beaufort native began his cycling career with Killarney Cycling Club in the under-12 age category. He demonstrated strong potential during his youth career, culminating in a victory at the Under-16 National Time-Trial Championship in 2019.
After progressing through the junior ranks, Caulfield-Dreier began racing on the Continent with a Dutch squad upon entering senior competition. He claimed Senior National Track titles in both the Points and Madison events in 2023 and 2024, and went on to represent Ireland at international track events in the Netherlands and Switzerland across 2024 and 2025.
Announcing the signing, team management at Azerion-Villa Valkenburg highlighted Caulfield-Dreier as a specialist in classics and time trials who excels in demanding race conditions.
Killarney Cycling Club Chairman Kevin Murphy welcomed the announcement, praising the former member’s dedication.
“Stefan has shown enormous persistence and resilience, and we are delighted that he has been recognized and rewarded with this big step-up in his career,” Murphy said.
Caulfield-Dreier’s father, Heiko, runs Killorglin-based firm Aqua Design and has been a long-standing supporter of Killarney Cycling Club.
Former Killarney Cycling Club rider Stefan Caulfield-Dreier has secured a professional contract with leading Dutch-based outfit Azerion-Villa Valkenburg.
The 23-year-old Beaufort native began his cycling career with Killarney Cycling Club in the under-12 age category. He demonstrated strong potential during his youth career, culminating in a victory at the Under-16 National Time-Trial Championship in 2019.
After progressing through the junior ranks, Caulfield-Dreier began racing on the Continent with a Dutch squad upon entering senior competition. He claimed Senior National Track titles in both the Points and Madison events in 2023 and 2024, and went on to represent Ireland at international track events in the Netherlands and Switzerland across 2024 and 2025.
Announcing the signing, team management at Azerion-Villa Valkenburg highlighted Caulfield-Dreier as a specialist in classics and time trials who excels in demanding race conditions.
Killarney Cycling Club Chairman Kevin Murphy welcomed the announcement, praising the former member’s dedication.
“Stefan has shown enormous persistence and resilience, and we are delighted that he has been recognized and rewarded with this big step-up in his career,” Murphy said.
Caulfield-Dreier’s father, Heiko, runs Killorglin-based firm Aqua Design and has been a long-standing supporter of Killarney Cycling Club.
Lochanna Beo’s mapping highlights water quality concerns
Lochanna Beo’s mapping highlights water quality concerns Local environmental action group Lochanna Beo has released mapping data from the Environmental...
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