News
Aishling takes a ‘Dip a Day’ for Pieta House fundraiser
By Sean Moriarty
A Mid-Kerry woman, who is aiming to swim every day for a year, will include Dundag Beach in her ‘Dip A Day’ fundraiser for Pieta House.
Aishling Clifford started sea swimming on August 6 last year at Rossbeigh. During the 5km restrictions she was unable to get to her local beach so she started swimming in Caragh Lake instead.
When inter-county restrictions were lifted she was able to broaden her horizons and since last August has swam in either a lake or the sea every day. So far she has clocked up 47 different swimming locations across the entire country.
As she nears her one year anniversary of her ‘Dip a Day’ challenge, she has decided to raise funds for Pieta House over the 40 days leading in to the anniversary.
Her best friend Stephanie O’Sullivan died tragically 10 years ago and Aishling wanted to remember her while raising funds for the national suicide awareness charity.
“When we were growing up there was no help for mental health sufferers, we knew nothing about it,” she told the Killarney Advertiser. “A lot of people are suffering because of lockdown.”
She will swim at Dundag Bay near Muckross House on July 17 as part of the fundraiser and is calling on all local swimmers to join her at 9.30am on the day.
“Before lockdown, you would not find me near the water,” she told the Killarney Advertiser. “Caragh Lake became my second home. It was very cold in February and March. Rossbeigh is like a sauna after swimming in the lakes.”
Donations to 'Dip a Day’ can be made via: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/aishling-clifford.
Church seeks creative Christmas trees for festival
The Methodist Church in Killarney is inviting local schools, community groups, businesses, and individuals to create and submit decorated Christmas trees for an upcoming festive event on Countess Road.
The Christmas Tree Festival will take place at the church from December 4 to December 6.
Organiser Revd Alison Gallagher explained that the initiative aims to build on the success of the church’s Summer Fête, which raised several thousand euro for church funds and designated charity ADAPT Kerry.
Revd Gallagher previously directed a similar festival in Inishowen, County Donegal, which featured more than 50 unique tree entries from local schools, daycare centres, supermarkets, jewellers, and local services.
Revd Gallagher said: “In August, we had a very successful Summer Fête, and hundreds of people attended. That event raised several thousand euro for the church and our designated charity, ADAPT Kerry. We are now hoping to build on that success with this forthcoming festival, which will hopefully showcase the creativity and talent that exists in the town and surrounding area.”
Anyone interested in submitting a tree for the display can contact Revd Gallagher on 087 263 2906 or by email at alison.gallagher@irishmethodist.org.
€6,000 Scrooge Giveaway!
Six lucky audience members will each walk away with €1,000 as the Gleneagle Arena welcomes an extraordinary international production to Kerry this New Year.
Fancy starting 2027 with an extra €1,000 in your pocket? That’s exactly what’s on offer when the spectacular Scrooge: Cirque Extravaganza arrives at Killarney’s Gleneagle Arena from January 1 to 3.
In an extraordinary twist, one lucky audience member at every performance will win €1,000 in cash, drawn live on stage as part of the show. With six performances scheduled, an incredible €6,000 will be given away over three days!
Every ticket holder is automatically entered into the Lucky Seat draw, adding another reason to book what promises to be one of Kerry’s biggest family entertainment highlights of the festive season.
And what a show the Gleneagle Arena is bringing to Killarney!
Forget everything you know about traditional Christmas theatre. This breathtaking production transforms Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol into a dazzling spectacle of flying acrobats, fire breathers, gravity-defying circus performers, spectacular costumes, music and comedy.
Fresh from a successful 2025 season at ICC Wales, the production features an international cast of circus stars and West End performers, including former Cirque du Soleil artist Harvey Donnelly.
Critics have praised its spectacular staging, with Wales Online describing the production as “the Christmas show for people who think Christmas shows aren’t for them.”
Produced by Jon Conway, whose credits include Elf The Musical, the show also features a special connection to Dickens himself. His great-great-grandson, Gerald Dickens, has been involved as a consultant, helping preserve the magic of the original story.
Securing this major international production is another fantastic addition to the Gleneagle Arena’s entertainment calendar, giving Kerry families and visitors the opportunity to experience world-class theatrical entertainment without travelling to Dublin or abroad.
With tickets starting at €27.70, it’s an ideal Christmas gift and a spectacular way to welcome the New Year.
Scrooge: Cirque Extravaganza runs from January 1st to 3rd, 2027, at Gleneagle Arena, Killarney.
Book your tickets now through Ticketmaster.ie or gleneaglearena.ie.
Church seeks creative Christmas trees for festival
Church seeks creative Christmas trees for festival The Methodist Church in Killarney is inviting local schools, community groups, businesses, and...
€6,000 Scrooge Giveaway!
€6,000 Scrooge Giveaway! Six lucky audience members will each walk away with €1,000 as the Gleneagle Arena welcomes an extraordinary...
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