News
Rare Padre Pio relic to go on display in Friary
By Sean Moriarty
A rare relic of Padre Pio - owned by a Kilcummin man - will go on display at the Franciscan Friary during the annual St Padre Pio Triduum this week.
PADRE PIO: Michael O'Connor will display his 'First Class Relic' of Padre Pio at the annual St Padre Pio Triduum next week. Fr Eamonn O'Driscoll will lead the three-day devotion. Photo: Grigoriy Geniyevskiy
PADRE PIO: Michael O'Connor will display his 'First Class Relic' of Padre Pio at the annual St Padre Pio Triduum next week. Fr Eamonn O'Driscoll will lead the three-day devotion. Photo: Grigoriy Geniyevskiy
The three-day Triduum to the modern-day saint will take place from September 21 to 23 and will be led by Fr. Eamonn O’Driscoll, OFM.
There will be daily masses at 10am and 7pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week.
The ‘First Class Relic’ - a bandage with the Saint’s blood on it - will go on display at the Friary for each of the two daily Masses over the three days.
The relic is owned by Kilcummin man Michael O’Connor who has been devoted to Padre Pio after he claims the saint appeared to him at his home in 2010.
Following the appearance, Michael decided to visit San Giovanni Rotondo, the Saint’s home from July 1916 until his death in 1968.
During one of his many visits, which included asking a local wood-carver to make a life-size solid-oak statue of the saint, he got to know many of the priests in the town.
They presented him with the bandage in February 2011 and this is the relic that will go on display.
“I have taken it on display in Galway, Mayo, many parishes all over the country,” Michael told the Killarney Advertiser.
“It has been to Kilcummin and here at the Friary too before. I have met many people who have told me they have been cured by it, that all their pains were gone, but this is the work of Padre Pio and Jesus and I am just the channel.”
Fr Eamonn is looking forward to welcoming parishioners back to the Friary after months of restrictions. The church will remain at 50 percent capacity during the two daily Masses. In June the Friary was forced to run six Masses a day on the Feast of St Anthony.
“There is a lot of devotion to Padre Pio here in Ireland. He is in living memory for some people,” he told the Killarney Advertiser. “It is a ‘First Class Relic’ and to see it public is unusual.”
TFI Anseo demand-responsive transport pilot extended
The National Transport Authority (NTA) and TFI Local Link Kerry have announced an extension of the TFI Anseo pilot service in Killarney following a successful first year of operation.
Funded through the Climate Action Fund as part of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan, the demand-responsive bus service has supported over 82,000 passenger journeys since launching on August 11, 2025. The extension will allow the service to continue operating while a final evaluation report is compiled for December 2026.
The pilot allows passengers to book flexible trips for work, healthcare appointments, shopping, and social visits across the Killarney area.
Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien welcomed the extension, stating:
“I am very pleased to see the TFI Anseo pilot service being extended following its highly successful first year. The sheer number of passenger journeys recorded shows that the local community have embraced this innovative service, which truly puts the passenger at the heart of the journey. Extending the pilot allows us to continue learning how to provide practical transport solutions that encourage sustainable and inclusive travel.”
Minister of State with responsibility for Rural Transport, Jerry Buttimer, noted that local feedback from business owners and residents demonstrates a strong vote of confidence in demand-responsive transport for rural communities.
NTA CEO Anne Shaw confirmed the pilot has operated within budget while providing key insights into future rural public transport. Over the autumn months, the NTA will conduct customer satisfaction surveys to gather further feedback from local passengers.
RTÉ News appoints new Cork and Kerry reporter
RTÉ News has announced that Barry Gallagher will take up the role of regional news journalist for Cork, Kerry, and the wider Southern region starting this August.
Gallagher will work alongside RTÉ News’ Southern Editor Paschal Sheehy, reporting across television, radio, online, and social media platforms. He succeeds veteran broadcaster Jennie O’Sullivan, who retired in May following a 25-year reporting career with RTÉ in the region.
Gallagher joined RTÉ in 2023 as a presenter for news2day before moving on to report across flagship programs, including the Six One News, Nine O’Clock News, and Morning Ireland. His coverage has spanned major national stories, including the 2024 Olympic Games, All-Ireland Hurling Finals, and Storm Chandra.
Originally from Gartan, County Donegal, Gallagher studied journalism at D
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