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Fossa woman wins classic Toyota in fundraising raffle

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By Sean Moriarty

The family of a Fossa woman who won a classic car in a raffle said the win was “totally unexpected".

WINNING TICKET: Jordan Lee is watched by Brendan Fuller as he pulls out the winning tickets.

WINNERS: Alan and Meabh Swarbuck accept the Toyota Starlet on behalf of Meabh's mother Mary Terry. Photo: Sean Moriarty

CLUB: Killarney Valley Classic and Vintage Club members and supporters at Kellihers Garage in Tralee. Photo: Sean Moriarty

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PRIZE: Alan and Meabh Swarbuck accept the Toyota Starlet on behalf of Meabh's mother Mary Terry. Photo: Sean Moriarty

CROWD:Some of the large crowd that attended Thursday night's raffle. Photo: Sean Moriarty

TOP SELLER: Thresa Looney of the Irish Kidney Association with Brenda Houlihan Tralee who sold 145 ticket for the draw: Photo: Sean Moriarty

Killarney Valley Classic and Vintage Club drew the winning tickets for its annual raffle on Thursday evening (November 24) at Kelliher’s Garage in Tralee.

The top prize was a 40-year-old Toyota Starlet that was lovingly restored by the members of club earlier this year.

Members sold tickets over the past six months to support four local charities which included the Irish Kidney Association Kerry Branch, Killarney Valley Athletic Club, Recovery Haven and Cuan Mhuire.

The winning ticket was drawn by Radio Kerry DJ Brendan Fuller and Toyota brand ambassador Jordan Lee.

Mary Terry from Fossa was the lucky winner of the car but she was not present at the draw.

However, members of the club contacted her family and her daughter Meabh, son-in-law Alan and her two grandsons Finian and Keelan made their way from Fossa to Tralee just in time for the tail end of the celebrations.

“This is a big surprise, it is totally unexpected,” said her daughter Meabh Swarbuck.

“We gave mam a ring on the way over, she is unsure what to do with the car. She is 77 and still driving.”

Her two sons are members of Killarney Valley Athletic Club, one of the beneficiaries of the raffle and the winning ticket was sold by athletic club members Breeda Stack who has sold the winning ticket on three of the last four times the vintage club has run a fundraising raffle.

Killarney Valley Classic and Vintage Club chairman, James Looney, thanked everyone who has supported this and other restoration raffles over the years.

“This is the fourth time that the top prize has not left the county,” he told the large crowd gathered in Kelliher’s Toyota showroom in Tralee.

Entertainment was provide by Killarney School Of Music and refreshments from Kathleen, Mags and Sylvia of Ross Cafe Killarney.

“Huge thanks go to Brendan Fuller as our Master of Ceremony and we were also honoured to have Paralympian Jordan Lee help us draw out the winning tickets on the night,” said club secretary Rich O’Donoghue.

“A huge thank you again to our many sponsors and supporters who made the restoration possible.”

The other lucky winners on the night were:

2nd prize €1,000 cash - Lauren McGilloway

3rd prize €500 voucher - O'Callaghan Coaches, Ken Manley

4th prize €250 voucher - Castleisland Tyre Centre Brendan O’Reilly

5th prize €150 voucher - Garret's Restaurant Killarney, Mary O'Shea

6th prize 30 bags of turf - Tommy Drumm

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Adventure runner completes all Dublin streets

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Adventure runner completes all Dublin streets


Killarney native Seanie Clifford has completed an extraordinary 25-day endurance challenge that saw him run all 4,400 named streets in Dublin while sleeping rough on the city’s pavements every night.



The local athlete completed his final stretch in the capital on Saturday, August 29, after covering a total distance of 2,000 kilometres. Running under the project banner 4400 Streets & Nowhere to Go, Clifford undertook the gruelling schedule to raise vital funds for Focus Ireland, Liberty Soup Run, and Dublin Homeless Awareness.

To mirror the reality faced by thousands of individuals across the country, the Killarney man spent 25 consecutive nights sleeping out on the very streets he ran during the day. Averaging close to 80 kilometres every 24 hours, he navigated heavy traffic, intense asphalt heat, and constant route adjustments alongside his partner and sole support crew member, Alicja.

Reflecting on the experience, Clifford praised the overwhelming backing he received from members of the public throughout the capital. He stated that he went into the challenge with extreme positivity and was rewarded with extraordinary kindness from people across Dublin, with residents from Ballymun to Donnybrook coming out to offer support.

Local support carries



By the midpoint of the challenge, physical exhaustion presented severe hurdles. However, local running clubs and individuals joined Clifford on various sections of the daily routes to assist his progress.

On Day 12, runners from Artane Beaumont Running Club and local supporters joined him on the road, allowing him to complete his daily 80-kilometre target ahead of schedule as community support carried him through the toughest miles.

The final stage of the run coincided with the release of official monthly figures from the Department of Housing, which recorded a record 17,527 people living in emergency accommodation across the country, including 5,659 children.

During the closing days of the project, Clifford was invited into Leinster House to meet with TDs and discuss the conditions he witnessed while sleeping on the streets. He stressed throughout the campaign that while his temporary homelessness would end with a return home to Kerry, thousands of families across Ireland remain without permanent shelter.


Triple Crown completed



Following his arrival at the final street, members of the national ultra-running community confirmed that Clifford had achieved what is widely regarded as the Triple Crown of Irish Endurance.

A former student of St Oliver’s Primary School and St Brendan’s College in Killarney, Clifford first set a national record in 2024 by running all 275 Irish mountains over 600 metres in 21 days. In 2025, he ran the entire 2,700-kilometre length of the Wild Atlantic Way from Malin Head to Kinsale in under 30 days.

Despite his previous mountain and coastal records, Clifford described the urban street challenge through Dublin as his most difficult undertaking to date.

Clifford, who now organises trail running retreats and uses endurance projects to highlight mental health and social issues, finished his final street run on Saturday afternoon to complete the historic trilogy of Irish endurance challenges.

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Kerry Stars volunteer appreciation night

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Kerry Stars volunteer appreciation night


Kerry Stars Special Olympics Sports Club hosted a volunteer appreciation night at the International Hotel on Monday, August 31, ahead of the upcoming sports season.


The event brought together both new and long-standing volunteers to celebrate their contribution to the club, which provides sporting opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities across the region.
Run entirely by volunteers, the club relies on helpers who dedicate an hour each week from September through May. The gathering provided a chance to recognise their effort following a successful summer where four Kerry Stars athletes secured a haul of gold, silver, and bronze medals at the Special Olympics Ireland Summer Games in June.
The club caters to both competitive athletes and members who participate primarily for the social aspect and inclusion. With the new season resuming in mid-September, Kerry Stars is inviting new volunteers and athletes to join its weekly training schedule.
Weekly sessions take place at various local venues, including Monday athletics at Spa GAA from 6pm to 7pm, Wednesday basketball at Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre from 7pm to 8pm, and Thursday soccer at the same location from 7pm to 8pm. The club also runs therapeutic horse riding and swimming programs in Killarney and Tralee, both of which currently operate waiting lists.
Anyone interested in getting involved as a volunteer or athlete can contact the club directly at kerrystars63@gmail.com.

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