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Celebrating ‘Irish Echo’ 40 Under 40 with strong Killarney Roots.

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Celebrating ‘Irish Echo’ 40 Under 40 with strong Killarney Roots.

A New York woman with strong Killarney connections has been named as one of the ‘Irish Echo’ newspaper’s ‘40 under 40’people to watch in 2021

Maura Whelan Spiegel from Pearl River, New York, the daughter of Kathleen Kelly Whelan, and granddaughter of Maureen Moriarty Kelly (RIP) from Countess Road, Killarney and New York was honoured with an Irish Echo 40 Under 40 Award.

The award honours the up-and-coming leaders of Irish America across the country who work in a variety of fields and occupations.

The hugely popular event is a celebration of Irish and Irish Americans who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields of work before reaching the age of forty.

Professionally, Maura is the Manager of Project Management and Portfolio Services at Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP, a Law 100 legal firm. As an Information Technology specialist, she has a keen understanding of how to translate technology into value for a variety of companies – from international legal and financial institutions to small, innovative start-ups. Civically, Maura is the President of Mill Pond Reserve Inc, a 500-acre preserve of undeveloped woodlands in Pennsylvania.

"I developed my love of the outdoors and of conservation from exploring and hiking in the National Park in Killarney," said Maura. "There I witnessed the result of protecting wildlife and promoting biodiversity, and I knew I wanted to play my part in preserving nature for future generations."

She is married to Kurt Spiegel and has two daughters, Maeve and Niamh.

A graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science, Maura was a performer and business manager of the university’s award-winning Acapella group, called the Rusty Pipes. Under her leadership, the group recorded four CD's. When she was younger, Maura played the fiddle and competed twice in the Fleadh Cheoil. Her goal is to install an appreciation of her Irish heritage in her daughters by continuing the tradition of regular trips to Kerry, and to Waterford where her father, Pat Whelan is from. "Growing up we travelled yearly to Ireland to visit family and it always felt like home away from home for me," said Maura. "I can't wait for us all to travel to Killarney again soon.

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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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