News
MTU to lead new €1m Low Carbon Roadmap project
A new collaborative project aimed at developing a low carbon roadmap for Ireland’s bioeconomy, will be led by Munster Technological University (MTU) with Teagasc, NUI Galway and the Central Statistics Office of Ireland.
INFORMBIO, funded through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s Competitive Research Call, will develop a first Foresight Analysis for Ireland’s bioeconomy, aimed at understanding the available bioresources and value chains which can best contribute to Ireland’s 2050 climate neutrality target.
INFORMBIO is one of 24 successful projects from 131 applications funded to a total of €20.1 million under the Dept. of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine’s 2021 research call.
“Given the enormous potential of Ireland’s land and marine biological resources, the circular bioeconomy has emerged as one of the key opportunity areas to decarbonize primary sectors, and the economy as a whole, in a cost-competitive manner," Project Coordinator James Gaffey, co-director of the Circular Bioeconomy Research Group at Shannon ABC in MTU, said.
"By integrating bioresource and residue modelling, value-chain analysis, techno-economic assessment, life-cycle assessment, and climate scenario modelling, INFORMBIO, for the first time, attempts to quantify and model the potential of a circular bioeconomy to contribute to Ireland’s climate and sustainability targets.”
David Styles, NUI Galway, will lead on life cycle assessment of priority bio-based value chains co-developed with expert stakeholders.
The INFORMBIO project will also position Ireland as a front-runner among EU member states, by developing a prototype national bioeconomy monitoring system, enabling Ireland to track the development and progress of the bioeconomy against key bioeconomy indicators.
Réamonn Fealy, working with Teagasc colleagues Maeve Henchion and Jesko Zimmermann in AFBSA, will lead on the design of a prototype monitoring system to benchmark Ireland’s bioeconomy.
The project is funded through the Dept. of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine’s Competitive Research Call, with a budget of €996,429.91 and will run until February 2026.
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...
Local hospitality nominated for Good Food Ireland awards
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