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The magic of ABBA comes to Rathmore!

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Excitement is at fever pitch in Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra this week as the final rehearsals are underway ahead to the much-anticipated school musical.

Saoirse Casey (playing Donna) with members of the cast and chorus rehearsing for ‘Thank You for the Music – The Musical' in Rathmore next week.

CAST: Students Treasa Cremin Aoife Murphy Ava Twomey Ali Doyle Saoirse Casey Ciara Hughes Lainey Harty Tommy O'Connor Sean O'Keeffe Setanta O'Callaghan Mollie Herlihy Fionnán O'Donoghue ready for ‘Thank You for the Music – The Musical' which takes place at Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra next week.

Ali Doyle (playing Sophie) with members of the cast and chorus at rehearsals this week.

‘Thank You for the Music – The Musical' takes place in the school's gym on Tuesday next (March 14) and Wednesday (March 15) at 7.30pm.

Preparations have been underway since September when the auditions took place and the lead cast and chorus members have been busy rehearsing since October.

This is a whole school event with cast and chorus members coming from First to Sixth Year groups under the stewardship of director Rebecca Stryker, who teaches music in the school.

Behind the scenes, Transition Year students have played vital roles both on and off stage. Those who are not performing are involved in set design, programme design, advertising, ticket sales, hair and make-up, ushering and helping backstage, supported by teachers of all subject departments.

"The entire school and local community are looking forward to this fabulous show which will showcase the wonderful talent in our students," said principal, Denis Kerins.

‘Thank You for the Music’ is an ABBA inspired musical, set on the little Greek island of Kalakari where Sophie dreams of a perfect wedding - one which includes her father giving her away.

The problem is that Sophie (played by Ali Doyle) doesn’t know who he is! Her mother Donna (played by Saoirse Casey), refuses to discuss the past, so Sophie sneaks a peek into her mother’s ancient diary, to discover three possible fathers: Sam, Bill, and Harry (played by Sean O’Keefe, Setanta O’Callaghan and Mollie Herlihy).

Sophie secretly invites all three to the wedding, convinced that she’ll know her father when she sees him. But when all three turn up, it may not be as clear as she thought!

Tickets are selling fast so make sure to get yours as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Anyone wishing to book or purchase tickets can contact the school office on 064 7758135 or call in between 9am and 3.30pm, Tuesday to Thursday. Prices are €15 for adults and €10 for students/children/senior citizens. "Looking forward to seeing you all there."

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Concerns over future of St Mary of the Angels

Two Kerry TDs have voiced concerns over the future of St Mary of the Angels and St Francis Special School in Beaufort, highlighting the urgent need for respite services for […]

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Two Kerry TDs have voiced concerns over the future of St Mary of the Angels and St Francis Special School in Beaufort, highlighting the urgent need for respite services for children and adults with profound disabilities and special needs.

The campus, set on lands generously donated by the Doyle family, offers 30 acres of grounds, existing buildings, and services, making it a valuable asset for the provision of respite care in Kerry. TD Michael Cahill emphasized that the Doyle family’s wishes should be respected, and that the grounds should be made accessible immediately.
“The special needs community in Kerry has a major respite crisis and families don’t have time to wait. Families need help — they are not asking for full-time residential care but respite care, a break, a helping hand,” Deputy Cahill said.
He added that a bespoke approach is needed to meet the individual needs of children attending St Francis Special School. “Many of the children in the county with profound needs need a safe haven where they can roam the grounds freely, and St Mary of the Angels offers this.”
Deputy Cahill has accompanied several Ministers to the Beaufort campus to highlight its value to Disability Health Service providers. A working group has been formed including St John of Gods, the HSE, representatives of residents at St Mary of the Angels, and St Francis Special School, to explore options for maintaining and expanding respite services.
“Parents are worn out and at the end of their tether. This needs to be dealt with expeditiously, in an environment of cooperation between the relevant Government Departments of Health, Disability, and Education. We need to get this across the line urgently and put it permanently in place,” he said.
Deputy Cahill pointed to the current shortfall of respite services in Kerry. “As of now, Cunamh Iveragh respite in Cahersiveen is only open Friday to Sunday, running at half capacity — two adults per night instead of four. The issue is staffing, and the HSE will not release funding to open full-time. The Beaufort campus is available and should be utilised as parents are crying out for overnight respite. Cooperation and compassion could see this done quickly.”
TD Danny Healy Rae echoed these concerns during a Dáil speech this week. “We are still short of respite beds on the southern side of the constituency. Families caring for people with disabilities just want a break, but there is nowhere available locally. Places are being offered only in Tipperary or Meath for those needing new residential care. It makes no sense. St Mary of the Angels in Beaufort has 40 or 50 acres of grounds that could be expanded, with facilities already in place such as swimming pools. It could be developed as a model for the rest of the country.”
Both TDs are urging the Government and the HSE to take immediate action to utilise the Beaufort campus for respite care, in line with the intentions of the Doyle family and the needs of Kerry families.

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Cardiac Response Unit’s ‘Restart a Heart’ training event

Killarney Cardiac Response Unit (KCRU) is set to run a range of events as part of the global initiative Restart A Heart, which aims to increase awareness and actual rates […]

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Killarney Cardiac Response Unit (KCRU) is set to run a range of events as part of the global initiative Restart A Heart, which aims to increase awareness and actual rates of bystander CPR worldwide.

The main event, titled RAH 2025, invites the public to learn life-saving skills and the basic steps in the chain of survival. This will take place on Saturday, October 18, at the Killarney Outlet Centre.
Members of the public are encouraged to join KCRU at the centre between 10:00 am and 5pm.
Key feature of the day will be the CPR Competition, offering “fantastic prizes to be won.”
For further information, visit www.killarneycru.ie/rah25

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