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Price of Irish and international stamps to rise

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The price of a basic national and international stamp is set to rise next month.

According to An Post today (Tuesday), the new stamp prices reflect sharp transport, fuel and energy cost inflation and the true cost of maintaining a nationwide postal service with steadily falling traditional letter volumes.

The changes will occur on Tuesday, March 1. The standard national letter stamp will increase to €1.25 (currently €1.10) while the standard international stamp will be €2.20 (currently €2).

These levels are well below the current average European tariffs for high quality, letter delivery services. The average price of a comparable national stamp across the principal EU14 (+ UK) countries is now €1.58, while the comparable worldwide tariff is €2.27.

10-stamp booklets

Conscious of the impact on personal customers and SMEs who are regular mailers, there will be no increase in the price of 10-stamp booklets priced €11 (a 15c discount per stamp). SMEs can also avail of the €1.10 stamp price through the An Post Advantage Card with increased discount of 12% on larger stamp packs and 34% discount on parcel postage will be available to all SMEs to year-end.

International air freight prices have increased by up to 360% in the pandemic; transport cost inflation is running at 18% and electricity, gas and fuel costs are up 27% year on year (CSO-Dec 2021).

“While these increases are essential to cover rising costs, and ensure service continuity on a par with the very best in Europe, we will mitigate the impact on SMEs by increasing discounts available to them, while freezing the price of 10-stamp booklet for consumers and offering regular price promotions,” David McRedmond, CEO of An Post, said.

All existing stamps with ‘N’ (National) and ‘W’ (Worldwide) denominations remain valid and fully useable after the new prices come into effect. Also on March 1, tariffs for parcels to EU countries are being reduced in line with improved routing options. Letter, packet and parcel price zones are being revised for different parts of Europe, maintaining prices at the lowest possible rates, while reflecting the cost of transporting Irish mail to these countries, he added.

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Musical Society announces ‘Sister Act’ as 2027 production

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Killarney Musical Society has announced that its 2027 musical production will be the comedy Sister Act.

The show will run at the Gleneagle Arena from Tuesday, March 2nd to Thursday, March 4th, 2027.

Based on the film, the musical tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier, a nightclub singer placed in protective custody in a convent after witnessing a crime. While there, she helps transform the parish choir.


Society Chairperson Derek O’Leary expressed excitement about the selection. “It is a show that combines humour, heart, spectacular music and an inspiring story, making it a perfect fit for Killarney Musical Society and our audiences,”

O’Leary said. He also confirmed that award-winning director Oliver Hurley and musical director Jimmy Brockie will return for the production.


The society, which draws performers, musicians, and backstage volunteers from across Kerry and neighbouring counties, will release details regarding auditions and production updates in the coming months.

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Killarney retains top ten position in national litter rankings

Killarney has maintained its position in the top ten of the latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey, securing 9th place out of 40 towns and cities surveyed nationwide. The […]

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Killarney has maintained its position in the top ten of the latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey, securing 9th place out of 40 towns and cities surveyed nationwide. The town was officially deemed to be ‘Cleaner than European Norms’.

The accompanying report by An Taisce praised Killarney for delivering a solid performance, noting that there were no heavily littered sites found within the town boundaries.
Several local areas received top marks for maintenance and presentation. Main Street was highlighted as exceptionally well-presented, while Park Road, Muckross Road, and the Knockreer Playground and environs were also singled out for praise. The report noted that the playground area was in very good order across all elements.
However, the inspectors did highlight some areas for improvement. The JYSK site showed slight progress compared to the previous survey but remained classified as moderately littered. The report warned that care must be taken to prevent the location from deteriorating further.
On a national level, IBAL representative Conor Horgan noted that entering the peak tourist season, the country has fewer littered areas than at any time in the past 25 years.
Despite the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), the survey highlighted a national rise in specific waste items. Plastic bottles were found in 19% of all surveyed sites across the country, and drinks cans were present in 22%. The prevalence of coffee cups also reached its highest level since 2023, alongside an increase in cigarette butt litter.

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