In the absence of an official Darkness into Light walk in Killarney this year, members of Fossa Rowing Club marked the occasion on the water to raise funds and awareness for Pieta House.

Rowers launched their boats into the lakes in the early hours of Saturday morning, joining thousands of people across the country in the annual event for the suicide awareness charity.

The event concluded as the sun rose over the lakes, continuing the tradition of the charity fundraiser which provides vital support services for those affected by suicide and self-harm.

While he was a notable absence from the recent Rally of the Lakes, local driver Colin O’Donoghue is set to make up for lost time by contesting two of the biggest Ford Escort Mk2 events of the summer.

His campaign begins this weekend at the Seven Oaks Hotel Carlow Stages Rally, the third round of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship.

The rally hosts the long-running Ford Escort Mk2 Challenge, where O’Donoghue is the only Kerry driver in the field.

This is his first outing since he won the modified section of the Killarney Historic Rally last November.

He will be up against several top Escort drivers, including the current champion Mk2 Challenge, Frank Kelly.

The event serves as a warm-up for O’Donoghue’s planned trip to Belgium later this year. He will compete in the Escort Rally Special in Chimay in September, an event he won in 2021.

Other local competitors are also heading to Carlow. Killarney co-driver Ger Conway is back with Welsh driver Meirion Evans in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.

The pair last competed together when they finished second overall at both the Donegal International and the Rally of the Lakes last year.

In the modified classes, several Killarney and District Motor Club navigators are on the entry list.

John McCarthy from Currow is pairing up with Meath’s Peter Wilson in a Ford Escort at car 48.

At car 78, Sean Nolan joins Tipperary’s Jason O’Brien for the first time. Niall Myers also travels to Carlow following a successful weekend at the Manx National last weekend, where he took a class podium alongside Gary Healy in a Honda Civic.