News
New venture for Ulster Bank’s Justin Healy
On February 19, 2021, when Ulster Bank announced they were withdrawing from Ireland and effectively shutting down, it came as a shock to everyone, not least the staff.
Killarney local Justin Healy was the branch manager in UB Killarney for nearly 15 years, ably assisted by his branch staff but also his Financial Planning Manager, Mike Doolan, who was in situ for 14 years.
It came as a shock, but Justin was quickly thinking about next his steps “My first thought was my brilliant staff, and that they would lose their jobs, and then to our fantastic customers, who were loyal over the years and with whom we had built up great relationships with, and how this was going to cause hassle for them, which was not their doing. Then of course, I started to think, what about me, what do I do next?”
It was then that Justin spoke to Mike and threw out the idea of maybe taking a leap of faith and instead of going into another similar PAYE job, to go it alone and look at setting up an independent brokerage.
As Justin says, the idea of being independent was what was the big motivating factor: “to be able to give customers unbiased, independent access to the various companies and products, be it Mortgages, Life companies, Investment or pension providers, was the carrot and with a little advice here and there we decided to go for it.”
One person Justin and Mike sought counsel from was John Healy, Justin’s brother, of Healy Insurances.
As Mike says: “There is great tradition from John and Justin’s late father, Jimmy, who started the Healy Insurance business at 11 New Street, and with John taking that forward to new heights, it was a natural fit for us to set up at 11 New Street and we are delighted to be here.?'
John, owner of Healy Insurances, says “We are delighted to be involved in this new venture. Justin and Mikes principles and ethos perfectly align with ours at Healy Insurances. It is a great asset to add another financial service to 11 New Street and we wish them every success. “
Healy Doolan Financial are now open for business.
KWD Recycling shortlisted for national environmental awards
Killarney-based KWD Recycling has been announced as a finalist in the 2026 Repak Resource Awards, securing a spot on the national shortlist for environmental achievement.
The local waste management company has been nominated in the Best Recovery Operator Innovation category, sponsored by DNV, for its state-of-the-art residual waste recovery system.
The Killarney facility utilizes optical sorting, screening, and mechanical processing to extract recyclable plastics and organic material from municipal waste. In its first year of operation, the technology recovered more than 10 per cent of plastic packaging from residual waste for recycling and diverted almost 50 per cent of organic material toward composting.
KWD Recycling will compete alongside Dublin operators Panda and Thorntons Recycling for the category title.
Repak CEO Zoe Kavanagh commended the Kerry firm for demonstrating environmental leadership and bringing local ambition to the national awards.
Category winners will be announced at a black-tie ceremony at the Mansion House in Dublin on Friday, October 23, where each winner will also compete for the Overall Repak Resource Award.
Local businesses have a strong track record at the national event, with Killarney town venue The Killarney Park and The Ross previously taking home the overall title in 2023.
Drivers warned as deer rutting season begins
Motorists in Killarney are being urged to exercise extreme caution as the annual deer rutting season gets underway, causing animals to stray far beyond their usual habitats inside Killarney National Park.
The autumn mating season sees deer becoming highly active and unpredictable, leading to increased sightings and collisions on local roads outside traditional park boundaries.
Two separate incidents highlighted the growing hazard on local routes this week. A reader contacted the Killarney Advertiser to warn drivers after spotting a deer roaming near Tiernaboul towards the school on Sunday afternoon around 7.30pm.
Later that same night, in the early hours of Monday morning, a local driver collided with a deer near Kerry Airport around 1am while returning home from an event.
Despite attempting evasive action, the motorist struck the animal, which died at the scene and temporarily blocked the road before local Gardaí were alerted to clear the obstruction.
The driver sustained substantial vehicle damage, requiring repairs to the bumper, headlamp, and internal components, leaving her facing significant garage costs and time off the road.
Gardaí and road safety advocates advise motorists travelLing during early morning and late evening and remain vigilant along tree-lined routes.
KWD Recycling shortlisted for national environmental awards
KWD Recycling shortlisted for national environmental awards Killarney-based KWD Recycling has been announced as a finalist in the 2026 Repak...
Drivers warned as deer rutting season begins
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