Ambulance personnel in Killarney took part in a 12-hour strike on Tuesday, with a picket line established on the Killarney bypass from 8 am to 8 pm.

The Mayor of Killarney, Councillor Martin Grady, joined the frontline workers on the picket line to voice his support for their industrial action.

He described the ambulance personnel as a vital frontline service that is currently overstretched.

“Our ambulance personnel do fantastic work, and their efforts should never go unrecognised,” Mayor Grady said. “This is the very least of support they deserve from the community and from public representatives.

The government needs to dialogue with the union and come to an agreement sooner rather than later.”

The Mayor highlighted the critical role responders play in providing emergency care across the six ambulance bases in Kerry, often working in difficult circumstances.

He noted that the community owes a “huge debt of gratitude” to the crews for their commitment.

As the Killarney Advertiser went to press on Thursday night, negotiations were ongoing.

However, representatives for the workers have not ruled out further strike action if a resolution is not reached.

A significant project to commemorate Eugene O’Sullivan, the man instrumental in the creation of Fitzgerald Stadium, has received the backing of local councillors.

At a recent meeting of the Killarney Municipal District, a delegation from the Fitzgerald Stadium Committee, led by Chairman Der Brosnan, called for official support to restore the memory of the former politician and GAA star.

Mr O’Sullivan, who served as Chairman of the Killarney UDC, was a powerhouse in early 20th-century sport, captaining Dr Crokes to a senior county title in 1901 and representing Kerry for several seasons.

His political career was equally eventful, including a brief stint as a Westminster MP in 1910.

However, his most enduring contribution to the town was leading the committee that successfully delivered Fitzgerald Stadium in 1936.

The push for a formal memorial comes after it was discovered that Mr O’Sullivan’s final resting place at Muckross Abbey has become almost unidentifiable. Mr Brosnan described how the tomb had been covered with concrete by the OPW for safety reasons following a structural collapse.

“It is a poor reflection on us that a man who contributed so much to the fabric of Killarney and Kerry is left in such a condition,” Mr Brosnan told the meeting. “He was the true architect of the stadium project.”

Dr Crokes club and Kerry GAA have indicated they are prepared to assist with funding for the memorial, ensuring that the legacy of a man described as a “driving force” for the town is finally given its due recognition.