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138-year-old handcrafted furniture returns to Killarney

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A PIECE OF HISTORY: James Flynn pictured with the rare 138-year-old piece of handcrafted furniture which he brought back to Killarney from Boston.

 

By Sean Moriarty

A rare piece of handcrafted furniture, that dates from just after the famine era, has made its way home to Killarney thanks to the efforts of a local woodworking enthusiast.

James Flynn is a former ESB district supervisor for South Kerry. Since his retirement he has devoted his time to tracing the history of Killarney’s Arbutus Furniture Industry and restores pieces that he finds in online auctions all over the world.

In October he discovered a games table for sale in Boston. He bought the beautiful handcrafted item which was only delivered to Killarney late last month.

While he was waiting for the table to arrive he traced the history of his new found purchase. He discovered it was made in a workshop where Reidy’s Bar now stands on Main St. It was made by a local craftsman by the name of James Coakley in 1882 or 1883.

Mr Flynn was able to source an original sales brochure from one of the Boston World Fairs.

The table was listed for sale in the brochure which said it was made by Coakley, further authenticating his new purchase.

The Arbutus Tree, sometimes called the Killarney Strawberry Tree, is more prevalent in Killarney National Park than any other region in the country.

There was huge furniture manufacturing industry in Killarney and particularly in the Gap of Dunloe area between the 1820s up to the close of the industry in 1953.

The American Exhibition of the Products, Arts and Manufactures of Foreign Nations was held in Boston in 1883 and 1884.

“I'm big into the craftsmen of Killarney town and every chance I get I highlight the skills that they had. There are three just like it on display in Muckross House,” he told the Killarney Advertiser. “It is a beautiful piece of work but what I am really trying to highlight is the great work that Killarney’s Arbutus craftsmen did. They exported stuff all over the world in the height of the famine. Up to 60 or 70 people were employed in this industry and they competed with some of the best furniture makers in the world. James Coakley of 4 Main Street manufactured the table and he took it to the foreign exhibition with other stuff in 1883.”

Last week Mr Flynn decided to bring the handcrafted piece of furniture back to its correct home and, without telling anyone, put the item on display outside Reidys. He attracted a great deal of local attention from a safe distance.

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Contactless payments launched on Local Link services

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Passengers using TFI Local Link Kerry services in Killarney and across the county can now pay for their journeys using contactless card payments.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) confirmed the rollout this week, allowing commuters to simply tap their debit card, credit card, or mobile devices, such as Apple Pay and Google Pa, when boarding.

The move is designed to offer more convenience for those using high-frequency rural and regional routes.

In Killarney, the new payment option will be available on the TFI Anseo town services, which have seen a significant increase in passenger numbers since their introduction.

The contactless system is currently available for single journey fares, while those using daily or weekly passes can continue to use the Leap website or the TFI Leap Top Up App.
Alan O’Connell, General Manager of TFI Local Link Kerry, welcomed the modernisation of the fleet.

“The introduction of contactless payments is another welcome step forward for public transport in Kerry,” he said. “It complements other major projects in the county, including the expansion of TFI Local Link services and the delivery of TFI Anseo in Killarney, which is proving to be another great initiative.”

While the new technology offers a modern alternative, traditional payment methods are not being phased out. Cash payments, TFI Leap cards, and Free Travel Cards all remains fully valid across the network.

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How will our Kerry TDs vote tomorrow?

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Tomorrow, Sinn Féin will be tabling a motion of no confidence against the Government after the protests that took place nationwide during the week.

Earlier today we asked our readers how would they vote in a no confidence motion against the Government?

Most of our readers said they would vote no confidence, while some said, yes they do have confidence in the Government.

One reader said: “Vote confidence. The only proper leadership over the last few days came from government. Courage came when needed despite how unpopular it looked in the moment. By contrast, opposition politicians wanted the country to burn to suit themselves”.

Another reader stated: “No confidence. Shambolic and heavy handed handling of protests this past week”.

However, some people didn’t have any confidence in either side with a reader saying: “No confidence in the no confidence! Different wings of the same bird! We need a complete overhaul of the political system”.

We asked the question to our 5 Kerry TDs before lunch-time today, asking them what their vote will be tomorrow.

We received one reply from Sinn Féin’s Kerry TD Pa Daly.

He will be voting no confidence in the Government tomorrow along with his party.

Other media outlets are reporting that Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae is undecided at the moment.

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