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Kenny exceeds expectations in Tokyo

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PROUD: Proud parents Mary and Noel Kenny at home in Firies on Thursday morning

SUPPORT: David Kenny's sisters Laura Sarah and Rebecca with their parents Mary and Noel ahead of Thursday's race

Kenny exceeds expectations in Tokyo

By Sean Moriarty

A week ago Noel Kenny said he would be delighted if his son David finished in the 53rd in the 20km Olympic Race Walk.

The 22-year-old, from Rusheen, Firies made his Olympic debut yesterday.

Ahead of his competition he was ranked 54th in the world and his proud father, Noel, a well-known local postman, would have been over the moon if he made up just one place on the world rankings.

David exceeded all expectations and finished 29th overall and completed the course in a time of 1 hour 26 minutes 54 seconds in very warm and humid conditions and in temperatures of over 32 degrees.

Athletics Ireland Race Walk Team manager Ray Flynn, a former racer said: “Conditions were just brutal.”

A total of 57 athletes started the race and five failed to make the finish.

Italy’s Massimo Stano won gold in 1 hour 21 minutes 05 seconds ahead of a Japanese silver and bronze for Koki Ikeda (hour 21 minutes 14 seconds) and current world number one Toshikazo Yamanishi (1 hour 21 minutes 28seconds).

“I was a bit too careful in my predictions,” said Noel, “We are all very proud of him.”

The Kenny family watched the race live on Eurosport at 830am Thursday morning and were in direct contact with David immediately after the race.

“He was in an ice bath, cooling down when I spoke to him, he was in great spirits,” added Noel.

Farranfore Maine Valley AC also paid tribute to their star member. David was introduced to race walking by club members Mike O’Connor and Jerome Crowley, both former national frontrunners in the discipline.

“The whole club is very proud of David and his performance,” Mike told the Killarney Advertiser.

“He was the seventh youngest in the field. Only one walker  set a personal best out of the 52 finishers – that will tell you how difficulty it was. He is only 22 and nowhere near his peak. We are very thankful to the whole community for the support they have given David over the last few weeks.”

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Céilí Mór will send ‘em home sweatin’

It will be a case of all around the house but mind the dresser at a traditional Céilí Mór which will be one of the real entertainment highlights of this […]

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It will be a case of all around the house but mind the dresser at a traditional Céilí Mór which will be one of the real entertainment highlights of this year’s St Patrick’s Festival in Killarney.

It will take place on the eve of the big feast day in the Killarney Great Southern and there will be a wonderful party atmosphere guaranteed on the night.
Providing the tunes will be the very highly regarded Uí Bhriaín Céilí Band and they promise to send everybody home sweating after what will be a memorable night for locals and visitors.
The March 16 céilí will commence at 9.00pm and continue right through until midnight and the admission for a wonderful night of pure Irish trad is just €10.00.
Bookings can be made on the festival website or patrons can pay at the door on the night.

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St Brendan’s student Aodhagan O’Sullivan crowned CPR champion

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Aodhagan O’Sullivan, a student at St Brendan’s College, Killarney, has been named the 2026 School CPR Challenge Champion.

The prestigious award was presented on Thursday, 26 February, during a large-scale event at the Gleneagle Hotel, where approximately 300 students from post-primary schools across the county gathered to compete for the title of “who can compress the best.”


Now in its fourth year, the event is organised by the Killarney Cardiac Response Unit (KCRU) Community First Responders.

The KCRU is a volunteer-led group that provides vital emergency response services to Killarney, Beaufort, Killorglin, Firies, Rathmore, and Kenmare.

The challenge focused on “Quality CPR” (QCPR), combining a high-stakes competition with practical life-saving training and the chance for students to engage directly with local emergency and community services.


The competition utilised advanced QCPR technology to measure the depth and rate of compressions, ensuring that students aren’t just learning the motions, but are performing life-saving techniques to a clinical standard.

Beyond the competitive element, the day served as an educational hub, highlighting the “chain of survival” and the importance of immediate bystander intervention in the event of a cardiac arrest.


The 2026 challenge was made possible through the support of the Vodafone Foundation, The Gleneagle Hotel, and First Aid Systems Ltd, alongside a variety of local sponsors. Organisers praised the enthusiasm of the 300 participants, noting that such events are essential for building a “heart-safe” community and equipping the next generation with the skills to save a life.

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