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Month-long homecoming festival launched By Sean Moriarty

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A month long festival, aimed at bringing Kerry people who live abroad, back home, has been launched in London.

A joint initiative between Fáilte Ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Global Irish Festival Series aims to encourage diaspora to return home to visit Ireland and will provide funding and support, through Local Authorities, for events that tap into international diaspora networks.

The Kerry version of the Global Irish Festival Series will be known as An Turas Mor – The Big Journey – and will run for the entire month of October this year.

Details were revealed at a special function in the Irish embassy in London on Wednesday evening.

The event was attended by new County Mayor John Francis Flynn, Moira Morell, CEO Kerry County Council and John Griffin, Kerry County Council’s Tourism Officer.

London-based Killarney people at the launch included Tara Cronin and Noel O’Sullivan.

Patrick O’Leary of the Kerry Tourism Industry Federation also attended the launch.

Events in the pipeline include clan gatherings for people who bare the surnames: O’Sullivan, McCarthy, Fitzgerald and O’Connor. They will be honoured with a series of dinner dances over the four weekends in the month of October.

“We are putting together a series of cultural, sporting and business events throughout the whole month of October to encourage Kerry people to come back to their roots,” Mr Griffin told the Killarney Advertiser.

Mayor Flynn said the month-long celebration will be like a re-union.

“So many people, families and friends were unable to travel over the last two years, this will be one of the biggest re-unions ever seen in Kerry.”

Other plans include a special function to reunite as many former winners of the Kerry London Person of the Year.

Noel O’Sullivan, from Ballaugh, the current president of the All Britain GAA Council, is a former winner.

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All eyes down as St Oliver’s hosts bumper bingo fundraiser

It will be All Eyes Down as the saying goes on October 23 as St Oliver’s Primary School hosts a bumper Bingo Fundraiser night. The event, which is being held […]

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It will be All Eyes Down as the saying goes on October 23 as St Oliver’s Primary School hosts a bumper Bingo Fundraiser night.

The event, which is being held to raise additional funds for the school’s Special Classes, will take place in the Killarney Racecourse in the Celtic Steps venue.

According to Colm Ó Súilleabháin, Principal of St Oliver’s, the idea for the fundraiser was the brainchild of Denise Hendey, a parent of one of the children in the Special Classes who approached the school wanting to assist with raising much-needed funds for the classes. “She has been utterly amazing with the amount of work and organisation she has put into this event, sourcing an incredible number of fantastic prizes for the raffle and spot prizes for the bingo winners” he said.
Continuing he said “We are so appreciative of the incredible support we have received from all the businesses who have sponsored some amazing prizes and made very generous donations in support of the event.”

St. Oliver’s has eight separate Special Classes, home to 62 children. All monies raised on the night will go towards purchasing additional resources for the classes.

The event will commence at 7pm with doors opening at 6pm. So be sure to come along to what is promised to be a fun-filled night with numerous opportunities to win some amazing prizes and hopefully if there is a ‘knock on the door’ or a ‘bang on the drum’ it will be on your bingo card!

Bingo books (€10) and raffle tickets (€5) are available to buy from the school office and will be available on the night. All welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

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Milltown plan to preserve history in community project 

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The Milltown History and Heritage Society has announced plans for an oral history archive for the community.

It is hoped that the collection and preservation of stories and folklore will be a valuable resource for future generations.

Oral history expert and historian Dr Tomás Mac Conmara will speak in Milltown in support of the launch.

Dr Mac Conmara, who is an award-winning oral historian, lecturer and author, will speak at the Muintir na Tíre Hall in Milltown at 8pm on Friday, October 24 and will introduce the fundamentals for the collection of oral history.

The presentation is free of charge and is supported by funding from the Creative Communities Grant Scheme 2025.

Attendees will be introduced to the practical skills required in interviewing, recording and documenting local heritage.

Stewart Stephans of the Milltown History and Heritage Society said they are excited to have Tomás to set them on the right path towards the development of the archive.

He said: “The collection and retention of oral history needs to be approached properly, drawing on the right advice and maintaining high standards, so we are pleased to be getting the input of such a renowned expert.” The event is open to anyone who would like to attend.

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