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Future Kerry railway plans revealed

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By Sean Moriarty

Elected members of Kerry County Council have led calls for Iarnród Éireann’s timetable to fall into line with airline schedule at Kerry Airport.

On Monday of this week Barry Kenny of Iarnród Éireann gave a presentation to elected members of the council.

During the meeting he outlined some of the railway company’s plans and ambitions from now until 2027.

These include an increase in frequency on the Tralee to Mallow line.

It is hoped to have one train an hour operating on the line at peak times and two-hourly off-peak.

In a perfect world, the rail station at Farranfore would be placed across the road from the airport and not a 1km walk away but such a move is not likely to happen.

Cllr Norma Moriarty, of the Kenmare Municipal District explained how she was on trip to Yorkshire a few years ago.

“I flew from Kerry to Manchester and was able to get a connecting train to Yorkshire without ever leaving the airport building,” she said. “The people I was visiting were very surprised to hear me talk about this so much – it is normal to them.”

Under the Strategy 2027 plan Killarney rail station will get repainted and new signs will be put in place during 2022.

Additional parking spaces will be created at Farranfore Railway station and this lead to calls for a similar expansion at Rathmore.

“A lot of people from South Kerry use Rathmore railway station,” said local councillor Niall Kelleher. “They drive up from Kenmare and cut across by Glenflesk.”

Mr Kenny said he would take the Rathmore comments back to the Iarnród Éireann engineer in charge of parking strategy.

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Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

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O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

Muckross co-driver Noel O’Sullivan is set for a busy season as he returns to the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) while also preparing for a record-breaking attempt on home soil.

O’Sullivan and driver Callum Devine have signed with the Swedish team JC Raceteknik for a full campaign focused on asphalt events. Their season begins this week at the Andalusia Rally – Sierra Morena in Spain. O’Sullivan remains the only Killarney-based co-driver competing at this level for a full season.
He brings significant international experience to the team, having previously worked with WRC driver Jon Armstrong during his early European outings. O’Sullivan and Devine recently proved their pace against top European crews with a fifth-place finish at the 2024 Rali Ceredigion in Wales.
Devine said:
“I’m really looking forward to coming back to the ERC. It’s always great for a driver to compete against Europe’s best on some iconic events. We’ve had great success back home in Ireland over the past few seasons, winning two Irish Tarmac Rally Championships, and we feel now is the right time to come back and take on some ERC events. Starting with Rally Sierra Morena, I’m delighted to be joining JC Raceteknik. I know they are a very professional team with a wealth of experience, and I’m looking forward to working closely with them.”
The European schedule will not interfere with O’Sullivan’s local plans. Following the rally in Spain, the pair will return to Kerry for the Rally of the Lakes over the May Bank Holiday weekend. They are aiming for a fifth consecutive victory in Killarney as they look to move back into the lead of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
The move to the European stage follows a successful week for O’Sullivan, who was recently named the International Motorsport winner at the Kerry Sports Star Awards.

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Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June

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Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June


A new heritage motoring event, the Killarney Classic Tour, has been confirmed for June 26–27, 2026. The two-day tour is designed to celebrate the iconic rally stages of Kerry and the Beara Peninsula.


Headquartered at the Gleneagle Hotel, the event is non-competitive and open to a wide range of vintage and historic cars. Organisers are placing a particular focus on period-correct rally cars and recreations that reflect the history of the Circuit of Ireland, the Circuit of Munster, and the early years of the Rally of the Lakes.
The tour is the work of two well-known figures in Irish rallying, Mike Marshall and Micheal O’Mahoney. Marshall, a founding member of the Rally of the Lakes and Clerk of the Course for over 20 years, has designed a route that allows drivers to experience famous stages like Moll’s Gap at a relaxed pace. O’Mahoney, a long-term supporter of the sport through Rentokil and a historic car owner himself, joins Marshall in the venture.

Co-Founder O’Mahoney said:
“This event is about bringing people back together – the cars, the stories, and the friendships that have always been part of rallying. It’s a chance to step away from competition and simply enjoy these roads.”



The Saturday itinerary includes a lunch stop in Castletownbere before the field returns to Killarney for a gala dinner at the Gleneagle Hotel. The evening will feature guest speakers and a focus on the shared history of the sport.
“This event is about bringing people back together — the cars, the stories, and the friendships,” added Micheal O’Mahoney.
Registrations are now open at www.KillarneyClassicTour.ie.

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