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World Rally Champion Kalle  Rovanperä made a special appearance at Kelliher’s Toyota Garage

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Double FIA World Rally Champion Kalle Rovanperä made a special appearance at Kelliher’s Toyota Garage in Tralee on Wednesday, ahead of his participation in the Killarney Towers Hotel Killarney Historic Rally.

Earlier this week TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team confirmed its driver line-up for the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship.
 
Rovanperä will return to a full-time campaign with the team, following a partial 2024 season, when they secured four wins from seven starts for the Japanese manufacture.
Wednesday’s visit to the Tralee dealership was his first public appearance since Monday’s announcement by the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team.
 
During his part-time season, Rovanperä broadened his motorsport experience, competing in various events, including the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux.
 
Rovanperä took four wins from seven starts in this year’s World Rally Championship and contributed to Toyota’s fourth Manufacturer’s World title in a row.
 
For the Killarney Historic Rally, he will take the wheel of a Toyota Starlet loaned by leading Irish national rally driver Jason Black.
 
The deal was pulled together by former WRC co-driver, Killarney man, Paul Nagle and current WRC co-driver, Tyrone man Aaron Johnston who navigates for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team’s Takamoto Katsuta.
 
Kelliher’s Toyota, the long-standing Toyota dealership in Kerry is one of Rovanperä’s sponsors for the Killarney Historic Rally.
 
 The Tralee-based dealership offers a wide range of new Toyota vehicles, a diverse selection of used cars, and comprehensive aftersales services, including an award-winning body shop.
 
Managing Director Tim Kelliher said:
“We were thrilled to host Kalle ahead of the rally. Their presence here is a huge boost for the event and for rally fans in Kerry. It’s an honour to showcase our Toyota dealership to one the sport’s biggest stars.”
 Other guests attending Wednesday’s included Kelliher’s Toyota brand ambassadors Paralympian Jordan Lee and Kerry footballer Paudie Clifford.
 Rally fans will have another chance to meet the Finnish duo during a special meet-and-greet session in Killarney on Friday evening as part of the rally’s festivities.
The double World Rally Champions will attend an autograph signing session at Scruffy’s Nite  Club on College St (note change of venue) at 6.15 pm on Friday.
To meet the Finnish duo, fans will need to purchase an official RallyPak, which includes a poster of the Flying Finns
The meet and greet session takes place ahead of the ceremonial start at 7 pm where the top 20 Historic and Modified cars and the top local crews will attend the pre-event celebration outside the Plaza Hotel.

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Chamber pays tribute to late Dick Henggeler

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has expressed condolences following the death of Dick Henggeler, the well-known owner of The Rose Hotel in Tralee. Mr Henggeler passed away peacefully at […]

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Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has expressed condolences following the death of Dick Henggeler, the well-known owner of The Rose Hotel in Tralee.

Mr Henggeler passed away peacefully at his home in Baltimore, USA surrounded by his Aghadoe-born wife Eibhlin (née Moriarty), their son Franz, and other family members.
Dick and Eibhlin purchased The Rose Hotel in 2015 in tribute to their late daughter Dorothy, who represented Washington DC in the 2011 Rose of Tralee Festival.
The Chamber said Mr Henggeler would be remembered for his warmth, good nature and positive approach, as well as for being a forward-thinking and knowledgeable businessman.
“He knew how to run a good hotel and that was and still is very obvious at The Rose Hotel, which is a great success story,” the Chamber said.
It added that continuity of ownership will remain in place, with Eibhlin, Franz, daughter-in-law Amber, and grandchildren Conrad and Rowan continuing to honour Dick’s legacy and vision for the hotel.
“Dick took enormous personal pride in Tralee and all of Kerry and he was always available to generously support any community initiative or endeavour undertaken in Killarney,” the Chamber said.
“He will be greatly missed by all that knew him but he leaves a wonderful legacy.”

He will repose at O’Shea’s Funeral Home, Killarney, on Friday (October 17), from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. The funeral will arrive at St Mary’s Cathedral on Saturday morning at 10:00am for Requiem Mass at 10:30am, with burial afterwards in Aghadoe Cemetery. The Requiem Mass will be live streamed at https://www.churchservices.tv/killarneycathedral.

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Beaufort Film Night returns with French drama-comedy

Beaufort Film Night will return on Friday (October 17) at Cullina National School, with a screening of the French drama-comedy The Marching Band. The film tells the story of Thibaut, […]

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Beaufort Film Night will return on Friday (October 17) at Cullina National School, with a screening of the French drama-comedy The Marching Band.

The film tells the story of Thibaut, a successful conductor recently diagnosed with leukaemia. A search for a bone marrow donor reveals that he was adopted and has a brother, Jimmy, a cafeteria worker.
The two meet, discover a shared love of music, and form a strong bond through an unexpected collaboration with Jimmy’s workplace band.
The Marching Band (French title En Fanfare) will screen at 8.30pm. Admission is €7, cash only, and will cover the motion picture licence fee.
The film has a 12A rating and is in French with English subtitles.
Beaufort Film Night is a non-profit community group that screens cultural English and international films that usually do not receive general release in Kerry.
The event is supported by Kerry County Council Arts Office and Access Cinema. Cullina National School is providing the venue.
Further details are available on Beaufort Film Night’s Facebook page @BeaufortFilmNight.

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