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Rás Mumhan rolls into town this weekend

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Killarney will host a stage start in the Dornan Rás Mumhan which takes place over the Easter weekend.

The cycle race, one of the biggest in the country, runs from Good Friday until Easter Monday.

The race will see the very best of Ireland’s cyclists take to the start, as well as several teams from the UK, all looking to challenge themselves in what is becoming one of Ireland’s premium stage races.

Building on the success of the last two years, this year's edition retains the same routes for stages 2, 3 and 4 as the 2023 edition with a new structure on the opening day, comprising of Stage 1A, s Team Time Trial (TTT) and Stage 1B road stage from Castleisland to Knocknagoshel.

The TTT will present a new challenge to riders as they will need to work together in the 8km TT to secure their standings in the General classification going into the 4 road stages.

Killarney Cycling Club once again hosts the Saturday stage. The neutral rollout leaves from St. Oliver’s National School just before 10am before travelling through the town centre via Main St and High St with the official Race Start in Fossa.

The first challenge of the day will see the riders take on the iconic Ballaghisheen Pass, where descending speeds last year surpassed 100 km/h!

The stage finishes in Sneem.

Sunday will repeat last year’s newly introduced stage by Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club taking on some of Cork and Kerry’s most challenging and rugged terrain, finishing at the well-known Kerry Man’s Table on the historical Butter Road.

Road Racing on Easter Monday means only one thing in many cycling households around Kerry and the legendary Killorglin town circuit will once again bring the test to the riders of the 2024 Dornan Rás Mumhan as they take on the unforgiving high speed laps through the town centre, concluding the 2024 edition of the Dornan Rás Mumhan.

Killarney CC have entered two teams this year both a Senior team and a U23 team.

The local riders include Shane Spellman, Frank Doherty, Pierce Curtin, Milo Donaldson, Luke Costello, Mark McGlynn and Ewan Buckley.

“We feel we have a nice mix of youth and experience in both teams,” said Doherty, a former motorcycle racer.

“We have secured three exciting guest riders in Finn Roumen, Nathan Mullen and Arminas Meskauskas. We would like to thank all of our sponsors who have helped get us to this point. We look forward to getting everyone’s business out there on our amazing new kit.”

Sponsors are : KWD, Killarney Credit union, Kaynes Bar and Brasserie, Leane’s Kitchens and bedrooms, REC Renewable Energy Centre, Aqua Design, HP Nutrition, O’Sullivan cycles, Spellman Profit Partners and BG Motors who provided a team car for the weekend.

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Sinn Féin to host public meeting on cost of living at Killarney Heights Hotel

Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm. […]

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Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm.

The Donegal TD will be joined by Kerry TD Pa Daly to discuss the economic pressures facing local households and the policy changes needed to provide financial relief. The main focus of the evening will center on the barriers preventing local people from buying their own homes, alongside broader costs of living challenges.
Speaking exclusively to the Killarney Advertiser ahead of his visit, Deputy Doherty said workers and families across Kerry are being squeezed from every direction by rising weekly shops, high energy bills, increasing insurance premiums, and substantial housing costs.
“Young people are losing hope that they will ever own a home in the county where they were raised,” Deputy Doherty said. “And while all of this is happening, the government is sitting on billions in budget surpluses while telling struggling families to wait. It is simply not good enough.”
The Sinn Féin finance spokesperson highlighted specific regional factors making the crisis acute in County Kerry, particularly regarding home heating costs.
“Almost 59% of homes in Kerry rely on home heating oil, which is nearly double the state average of 34%,” he said. “That means families across the county are far more exposed to soaring fuel costs than households in many other parts of the state. Yet the government withdrew supports that were helping households keep the lights on and heat their homes.”
Deputy Doherty noted that the housing situation in Kerry has moved beyond a social issue and is now impacting the local economy and communities. He pointed to figures showing average rents in the county have reached €1,493 per month, with exceptionally low market availability.
“At the time of writing, there were only 27 properties available online to rent across the entire county. Only 19 were below €2,000 a month and just five were available for less than €1,500. A county the size of Kerry, and only five rental properties affordable to someone on an ordinary income,” he said.
He also raised concerns for first-time buyers, noting that average house prices in Kerry have climbed to €296,000, representing an increase of €33,500 in a single year.
During the meeting, the Sinn Féin representatives will outline their party’s alternative proposals. These include a state-led program of affordable home building, a ban on excessive rent increases, enhanced protections for renters, and immediate energy credits and tax relief for workers.
“The resources exist to do this,” Deputy Doherty added. “The government’s own figures show billions in surplus funds available to the state. The issue is not a lack of money. The issue is political choice.”
The meeting is open to all members of the public, and a discussion session will follow the main presentations.

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National Park hosts weekend Bioblitz for National Biodiversity Week

Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment. Today, Friday, […]

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Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment.

Today, Friday, May 22, marks the UN International Day for Biological Diversity, and a series of free events will run across the park until the national celebration concludes this Sunday, May 24.
The highlight of the weekend is the Killarney National Park Bioblitz. This event brings families, nature lovers, and community volunteers together to find, identify, and record as many different plant and animal species as possible across the park’s diverse habitats over the next three days.
Christopher O’Sullivan, Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, encouraged locals and visitors alike to utiliSe the final days of the festival to experience the area’s unique wildlife, referencing Killarney’s native habitats as key areas the state is working to protect.
Niall Ó Donnchú, Director General of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), noted that the week is designed to remind people that native plants, woodlands, and rivers are vital systems that make life possible. OrganiSers are encouraging anyone in the locality to head out to Killarney National Park before Sunday evening to participate in the species count and support local conservation efforts.

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