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Kevin conquers the world’s coldest and toughest race!

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By Sean Moriarty

Killarney man Kevin Leahy - who took on the ultimate challenge - has today (Wednesday) reached the finish line of the world’s coldest and toughest race.

DOCUMENTARY: Killarney firm Grandview Media was there to capture the historic moment. Photo: Adrian McCarthy

Kevin crossed the line at the Yukon Arctic Ultra Marathon in Canada - where temperatures can dip as low as -50°C - in first place in his class and second place overall.

Kevin completed the course at lunchtime today – around 6am Canadian time, in a time of five days, 19 hours and 15 minutes.

Rival Jessie Gladish finished almost six hours ahead but the Canadian was on a bicycle. Kevin was on foot meaning he was the first athlete to complete the gruelling race under his own steam.

Third placed is a race between Stephan Huss of Germany and Daniel Benhammou who were over 180 miles away from the finish by the time Kevin crossed the line.

A second Kerry man, Aodh O Currain from the Dingle Peninsula, is currently in fifth place.

Throughout the 500km race Kevin had to be fully self-sufficient and dragged a sled weighing between 25kg and 30kg with all his cooking essentials, tent and spare clothes on board.

Some of the final section of the 500kms had to bypassed as there was too much ice on the bank of the River Yukon. Competitors were originally expected to walk or run on the frozen river but the excess ice on its banks meant there was no available escape route should they hit trouble.

Kevin’s progress was followed by local digital production company Grandview Media.

The Pawn Office Lane-based company is run by director and producer Adrian McCarthy and he is making a documentary on Kevin’s adventure.

“Kevin hasn't slept for around 27 hours and he isn’t talking too much to be honest,” Adrian told the Killarney Advertiser from the Whitehorse finish.

“Still, it's class that an Irish man is the first foot racer over the line.”

Kevin has no intention of resting on his laurels. In just a few weeks he is off to Swedish Lapland where he will tackle a second 500km race.

The Lapland Arctic Ultra, billed as a race “through Europe’s last wilderness”, takes place between March 6-16 in Överkalix, Sweden. The Swedish town is about 160km west of the Finnish town of Rovaniemi, the official home of Santa Claus in Lapland.

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Jessie Buckley to perform live on RTE this Friday 22nd September

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This Culture Night, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh will present an hour-long live music and arts programme from Dún Lúiche in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht at 7pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.  

Actress and singer Jessie Buckley has been added to the list of stellar musicians who will perform with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra on the night. Jessie will perform a special rendition of a Sinéad O’Connor song in tribute to the late artist. 

Jessie commented: “I am very honoured to return to Culture Night 2023 to remember Sinéad O Connor with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Sinéad was such a huge influence on so many women in Ireland and across the world, her courage, her mind, her politics and her intense beauty and soul. She was a warrior to humanity. I remember hearing her for the first time and feeling her uncompromising need to connect and affect. Recognising what couldn’t be said and speaking it out loud. I am so grateful for all her fire and all her love. It is such a privilege to return to Ireland for RTÉ Culture Night in Donegal to sing a song of gratitude for Sinéad and her family and friends.” 

Other artists performing with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra include The Murder Capital, R&B singer and 2FM Rising star Aby Coulibaly and Irish-based Ukrainian musician Olesya Zdorovetska.  

Friday 22nd September, 7pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player 

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N22 Killarney to Faranfore road further delayed

The revealing of the preferred route corridor for the construction of the new Killarney to Farranfore road has been delayed – again. Four potential routes for the N22 Farranfore-Killarney project […]

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The revealing of the preferred route corridor for the construction of the new Killarney to Farranfore road has been delayed – again.

Four potential routes for the N22 Farranfore-Killarney project were identified and were put out to public consultation in May 2021. These have now been whittled down to just one.

It was previously promised that the preferred route would be published late last year.

This dragged on in to the Spring and there is still no sigh of the preferred route being revealed.

A recent Kerry County Council meeting a council official explained that there are further funding requirements to allow the council complete various reports and investigations required before the road can move to its next phase.

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