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Still no action on Finnegan’s Cross accident black spot

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Safety enhancement work at a notoriously dangerous junction have yet to progress despite repeated calls from elected councillors and an on-going spate of accidents there.

The latest temporary solution is to paint high visibility yellow lines on the approach roads to Finnegan's Cross in an effort to cut down on the number of accidents at the junction.

At a recent Killarney Municipal District meeting Cllr Brendan Cronin called for “a table top” surface at the junction to slow traffic down while they are waiting for the funding to undertake agreed improvement works.

This proposal was not approved by a Council engineer.

“Finnegan's Cross is located on the junction of two Local Primary Roads in a rural area, which has a speed limit of 80kph. As per the Traffic Management Guidelines published by the Department of Transport and the Design Manual for Urban Street Roads and Streets, it not recommended to provide a table top surface or ramps on roads outside of an urban area with speed limits greater than 50kph,” the engineer said.

However, the engineer confirmed that yellow lines will be installed while the Council awaits funding.

“At the request of the Department of Transport, Kerry County Council submitted a Preliminary Appraisal Report for Finnegan's Cross highlighting the associated issues and accident history. On foot of this, Kerry County Council expect to receive the required funding through the Specific Improvement Grant Allocation in 2023. This funding will be announced in January 2023," he added.

This will be the third year in a row that funding has been allocated to the junction. Unused funds go back in to the pot for the following year.

Cllr. Maura Healy-Rae pushed the Council to apply for emergency funding to carry out the necessary safety improvement works at the same junction.

A Council official replied: “Kerry County Council was successful in obtaining funding via the Low Cost Safety Improvement Works grant allocation in 2022 however, the expected cost of the works exceeded the allocation.”

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Céilí Mór will send ‘em home sweatin’

It will be a case of all around the house but mind the dresser at a traditional Céilí Mór which will be one of the real entertainment highlights of this […]

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It will be a case of all around the house but mind the dresser at a traditional Céilí Mór which will be one of the real entertainment highlights of this year’s St Patrick’s Festival in Killarney.

It will take place on the eve of the big feast day in the Killarney Great Southern and there will be a wonderful party atmosphere guaranteed on the night.
Providing the tunes will be the very highly regarded Uí Bhriaín Céilí Band and they promise to send everybody home sweating after what will be a memorable night for locals and visitors.
The March 16 céilí will commence at 9.00pm and continue right through until midnight and the admission for a wonderful night of pure Irish trad is just €10.00.
Bookings can be made on the festival website or patrons can pay at the door on the night.

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St Brendan’s student Aodhagan O’Sullivan crowned CPR champion

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Aodhagan O’Sullivan, a student at St Brendan’s College, Killarney, has been named the 2026 School CPR Challenge Champion.

The prestigious award was presented on Thursday, 26 February, during a large-scale event at the Gleneagle Hotel, where approximately 300 students from post-primary schools across the county gathered to compete for the title of “who can compress the best.”


Now in its fourth year, the event is organised by the Killarney Cardiac Response Unit (KCRU) Community First Responders.

The KCRU is a volunteer-led group that provides vital emergency response services to Killarney, Beaufort, Killorglin, Firies, Rathmore, and Kenmare.

The challenge focused on “Quality CPR” (QCPR), combining a high-stakes competition with practical life-saving training and the chance for students to engage directly with local emergency and community services.


The competition utilised advanced QCPR technology to measure the depth and rate of compressions, ensuring that students aren’t just learning the motions, but are performing life-saving techniques to a clinical standard.

Beyond the competitive element, the day served as an educational hub, highlighting the “chain of survival” and the importance of immediate bystander intervention in the event of a cardiac arrest.


The 2026 challenge was made possible through the support of the Vodafone Foundation, The Gleneagle Hotel, and First Aid Systems Ltd, alongside a variety of local sponsors. Organisers praised the enthusiasm of the 300 participants, noting that such events are essential for building a “heart-safe” community and equipping the next generation with the skills to save a life.

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