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Summertime is Fleadh time

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Summer for many parents is a time when they bring their children to the various Fleadhanna at County, Provincial and All-Ireland Level.

The main attraction for a child when attending a Fleadh is not about winning the competition, but the opportunity to showcase their talents in public. To a large extent the buzz of attending a Fleadh, is about meeting old friends in new places and making new friends. There is no doubt the pandemic has interrupted the best laid plans for the holding Fleadh Cheoil Chiarraí in Milltown in 2020 and 2021, but hopefully, it will be back in 2022.

However, regardless of the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 restrictions, doing nothing is just not an option for the hard working officers and volunteers in Kerry Comhaltas Ceolteoirí Eireann. They still managed to put together an impressive programme of events to mark what would traditionally be the Fleadh weekend in Kerry on the third weekend in June.

Firstly, they organised an art competition amongst the national schools which attracted a high level and standard of entries from throughout the county. Congratulations to Amy Mangan of Loughfouder National School (Knocknagoshel) who won the U9 competition, and Kate O'Neill of Scoil Nuachabháil (Ballymacelligot), who was successful in the U12 competition. There was an U15 category in art also and the winner was Cathal Fitzgerald, Scoil Eoin, Balluamhnach, Trá Lí.

Secondly, members and non-members were asked to submit a history project about a local musician or tradition in their area. Once again the standard of entries that were received was just fantastic and the organising team had great difficulty in arriving at their decisions. On this occasion the winners were Sean Fleming of Kilcummin in the U12 section with his project on the famous Sliabh Luachra accordion player Johnny O’Leary. The winner in the U15 competition was Maebh O'Leary of Ballyhar with her project on her grandfather, the late Denis McMahon, who was renowned in musical circles as 'The Man with the Hat'.

Thirdly, Kerry CCE put together a family concert which was aired on YouTube on the Saturday night of the Fleadh weekend. A number of families from throughout the county entertained everybody with their music, song and dance without having to leave home. The concert is still available to see on the Kerry CCE Facebook page and is well worth a look.

And if all that wasn’t enough to keep people busy and entertained, FleadhFest Chiarraí was also launched to the public on the week of June 17 to 21 to coincide with the annual Fleadh Cheoil Chiarraí. It is a series of five specially produced programmes which showcase our musicians, singers, dancers, poets, storytellers, sporting heroes, an Ghaeilge, our cultural centres and our archive footage to a global audience. These programmes are available to view now on our Kerry Comhaltas YouTube channel, Kerrycomhaltas Facebook page and Kerrycomhaltas.ie.

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Rotary Club’s Wine & Art Night raises €25,000

The Killarney Rotary Club’s annual Wine & Art Night, held before Christmas, was another resounding success, raising a grand total of €25,000 for local community projects. President Ciara Irwin Foley […]

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The Killarney Rotary Club’s annual Wine & Art Night, held before Christmas, was another resounding success, raising a grand total of €25,000 for local community projects.

President Ciara Irwin Foley expressed the club’s delight with the amount raised, thanking club members and everyone who contributed to this impressive sum. She highlighted that this popular annual event directly supports vital local initiatives such as schools, clubs, and charities in the Killarney area.

Ms. Irwin Foley extended particular thanks to the event’s long-standing key sponsors: Daly’s SuperValu, Killarney Brewing & Distilling Co, and Killarney Credit Union, acknowledging their crucial and consistent support over the years. The team at The Great Southern Killarney was also thanked for ensuring the smooth running of the event. Appreciation was also given to the businesses that sponsored door prizes and competitions, including The Rose Hotel, M.D. O’Shea’s, CRL, and The Lake Hotel, as well as to Mike Neeson for providing entertainment.

The Wine & Art Night provides a valuable platform for local artists and craftspeople, with up to fifty showcasing their work. Some artists have been involved since the event’s inception, making it a wonderful networking opportunity. There is always significant interest from artists to participate in this worthwhile cause, with a percentage of their sales donated on the night. Many also generously donate their artwork for the auction, where 100% of the proceeds go directly to the beneficiary fund.

The beneficiaries themselves play an active role by selling tickets for the event in advance, using this as a key fundraising method for their own projects. The schools, clubs, organisations, and charities involved put in tremendous effort, and it is always inspiring to hear how the funds raised have positively impacted them. For example, the Hospice sells their Christmas cards at the event, and the Irish Pilgrimage Trust sells raffle tickets to help bring local people to Lourdes at Easter.

Organising the Wine & Art Night is a significant undertaking for the Killarney Rotary Club, with extensive preparations happening well in advance. Many individuals contribute their time and effort, with numerous volunteers ensuring everything runs smoothly on the night. It is this collective effort that makes the event such a success.

The €25,000 raised this year has been distributed to the following deserving beneficiaries: Faha N.S., Fossa N.S., Gaelscoil Faithleann, Knockanes N.S., Loreto N.S., Loughquittane N.S., St. Brendan’s (Sem), Hospice, Irish Pilgrimage Trust, Kerry Stars Club, Killarney Athletic, and Killarney Valley AC.
The Killarney Rotary Club is already looking forward to hosting their next Wine & Art Night at the end of November.

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Kerry Jobs Fair to connects job seekers and employers

Job seekers and employers in Kerry will have a chance to meet at the Kerry Jobs Fair 2025 on May 20, at the Rose Hotel in Tralee. Over 30 companies […]

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Job seekers and employers in Kerry will have a chance to meet at the Kerry Jobs Fair 2025 on May 20, at the Rose Hotel in Tralee.

Over 30 companies from the county will be there, offering hundreds of job openings across different sectors.
The free event is organised by NEWKD Local Development Company, in partnership with The Rose Hotel and Tralee Chamber Alliance. Anyone interested can attend by registering on the day.
People looking for work can explore opportunities in areas like office administration, IT, accounting, finance, hospitality, manufacturing, food production, and retail.
The event aims to link job seekers and employers with useful information and support related to employment.
Alongside employer stands, there will be a careers clinic offering help with CV writing, interview skills, and information on training and career development.
There will also be workshops for both employees and employers about employing people who are not Irish citizens.
Robert Carey, NEWKD SICAP Programme Manager, said that bringing together many employers, services, and speakers will give job seekers a great chance to talk directly to potential employers, join workshops on career progression, and learn about employment schemes like Tús, CE, and WPEP. He added that employers will get to meet job seekers face-to-face and get information on employing people from abroad, which is important for business growth.
Efforts are being made to help Ukrainian refugees and those seeking international protection attend the fair, with information provided beforehand and interpreters available on the day. NEWKD, as part of the Kerry Community Response Forum, highlights that employment is key for refugees integrating into the community.
During the event, employers can learn about the specifics of employing migrants, get answers to common questions, and raise any concerns. A workshop for employers will be led by Frank O`Boyle from the Irish Refugee Council.
In addition to the job fair, there will be information sessions for all visitors on topics such as CV preparation (led by Sean Connell, HR at NEWKD), interview skills (presented by Lydia Oboryna from the Open Door Initiative), employment law for migrants, accessing the labour market for those with temporary protection, and entrepreneurship workshops on starting a business and finding funding.
The Newkd Kerry Jobs Fair 2025 is supported by the Rose Hotel and the Tralee Chamber Alliance, with funding from the SICAP programme, which is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC).

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