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Firies locals fundraise for All Weather pitch

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By Michelle Crean

Firies locals in need of an All Weather Pitch to help serve the community are appealing for support to help fund it.

Construction of the long awaited All Weather Pitch at Firies National School has finally commenced and so far, just over €17,000 has been raised of their €30,000 goal.

The plan is for construction to be finished in time for the school's reopening in September so that the youngsters, as well the rest of the community can enjoy its use.

Firies Sports Facility, a community based sport and recreation facility, offers an inclusive programme of sport to all ages and ability levels and includes a collaboration with Firies NS, Farranfore Maine Valley Athletic Club and Kerry Parents and Friends to encourage enjoyment, maximise participation and help people achieve their personal best.

The state-of-the-art pitch will measure 60m x 40m and will contain a high density prefabricated shock pad system, surrounded by rebound fencing. A 1.8m concrete footpath will hug the perimeter of the pitch, and floodlights will be installed to ensure the facility can be used in the evenings. Retractable goal posts will also be included. There's also plans to install a cabin with two wheelchair accessible toilets and a storage area for sports equipment.

The school's principal, Claire Doyle, has said that the children are “so excited” and are looking forward to “not playing in the mud”, and “not having games cancelled due to conditions”, once the new facility is up and running.

“It has been difficult to support physical education with our current sports facilities,” she told the Killarney Advertiser.
“I would appeal to the community, past pupils, at home and abroad, to support to buy into this project which will be there for many generations to come as a vital community resource.”

Before heading in to the summer break the children themselves worked hard to begin the fundraising efforts by taking on water games, hula hoop challenges, team games and more.

BENEFIT

Many clubs and community groups in Firies and beyond will benefit hugely, regardless of age, social disadvantages, gender or disability, as every person will be able to access Firies Sports Facility.

"This facility will not only benefit people’s physical health but also their emotional and psychological well-being. Firies NS endeavours to be a very active school and we have a very extensive physical education programme that includes athletics, football, hurling, basketball, rugby, soccer, yoga, dance, orienteering, gymnastics and swimming to mention a few. Unfortunately, our school field is water logged for many months during the school year and many of the activities that we endeavour to have our children participate in are cancelled. As a result our children are disappointed and not in a position to receive the basic physical activity that they are entitled to," she said.

"We are sincerely grateful for all donations received to date. However, we still need help in order to make this dream a reality. We hope to reach our goal with the help of our fantastic community, those near and far, who may be in a position to donate."

To donate, search GoFundMe: 'Firies Sports Facility All Weather Pitch'.

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Con O’Leary: Killarney loses a vibrant and popular personality

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the […]

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Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the early hours of Sunday.

Con was a vibrant and popular personality in Killarney where he operated The Laurels on Main Street, a thriving bar and restaurant, which he inherited following the passing of his father, Thado.
The business organisation said from a social perspective, The Laurels became the beating heart of the town and it was a landmark at the Market Cross in the same way as Clery’s clock was in the capital city.
Chamber said Con’s passing really marks the end of an era as he was one of a golden age of inspirational local business people who developed and built Killarney, through hard work, bravery and great commercial flair, and helped create the wonderful tourist attraction and holiday destination it is today.
“Con was very proud of Killarney and he played a very active part in progressing the town at many levels.
“He was a man that was never short of great ideas and his contribution to the business life of the town and as a director of Killarney Race Company was immense,” Chamber said.
“He was ahead of his time in many respects with the introduction by what became known as “the singing lounge” many years ago and The Laurels always led by example through its successes in the annual Killarney Looking Good competition”.
The business representative organisation noted that the O’Leary family has always been very supporting of the town and Con’s daughter, Kate, was a very dynamic Chamber President and is still a very valued member of the executive.
Chamber expressed deep sympathy to Con’s wife, Anne, children Kate, Niall, Tara and Lorna, sons-in-law, grandchildren, sisters, relatives and friends as well as the dedicated staff in The Laurels, past and present, who Con always had great time for and a great rapport with.

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All Roads Lead To Kerry For National Road Safety Conference

Kerry County Council is to host a two-day road safety conference at the INEC Killarney on May 28 and 29. The ‘Safer Roads’ road safety conference is an inter-agency event […]

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Kerry County Council is to host a two-day road safety conference at the INEC Killarney on May 28 and 29.

The ‘Safer Roads’ road safety conference is an inter-agency event focused on improving road safety, reducing traffic-related incidents, and sharing knowledge and best practices for safer road use. It encompasses various strategies and efforts across multiple domains, including road design, engineering, enforcement, forensic collision investigation, technology, education, collision trends, occupational driving, cycling and scooting, e-mobility, active & sustainable travel and on-road events.

In addition to this, AI, Virtual Reality and Driver Simulation will play a significant role at the conference, in improving safety by predicting and preventing accidents, optimizing traffic, and aiding the development of autonomous vehicles.

This ‘Safer Roads’ conference is a non-public event where road safety professionals, speakers and service providers from across Ireland, other EU countries and the UK will attend, including transportation experts, government and local authority officials, roads policing and vehicle inspection agencies, road safety advocates, educators and promoters, collision responders, cycling bodies and community safety networks.

Kerry County Council’s Road Safety Officer Declan Keogh said:
“Road safety has evolved over the years to a much broader scope, in terms of e-mobility, sustainability, technology and engineering for instance. It’s not just about the road or the vehicle anymore, but also about how technology, human behaviour, enforcement, and education intersect to reduce risks and prevent collisions. The ‘Safer Roads’ conference will involve and include every branch of the road safety tree, right across the board, and in doing so, we aim to increase road safety awareness, improve road user behaviour and decrease the collisions and carnage we see on our roads every day,”

The two-day conference also provides an opportunity for exhibitors to attend, and interested state bodies, businesses and service providers are invited to exhibit at the event to showcase their products and services and engage with delegates and officials at the conference.

Further information about the conference and how to register or exhibit can be found here. https://www.kerrycoco.ie/safer-roads-road-safety-conference/

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