News
Angry protest over National Park deer cull
PROTEST: Ted Cronin of the Party for Animal Welfare with a group of protesters outside Killarney National Park on Wednesday morning.
By Sean Moriarty
The Party for Animal Welfare - who staged a protest at the gates of Killarney National Park early Wednesday morning - is calling for a contraceptive style approach to reduce the deer herd in Killarney.
The group, who were out at 7.30am and left just after 9am, were raising concerns over the current deer cull taking place in the Park.
The cull, which is approved and managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS), has been taking place once a week for the last two weeks. Next Wednesday (March 11) has been set aside for the final day of the annual cull and the Park will be closed between 6.30am and 11.30am.
Latest figures show that there were 120 deer culled during the 2017-18 season and that 272 were culled last year.
Animal rights activist and recent General Election hopeful Ted Cronin led Wednesday’s protest.
He says there are other ways of controlling the deer population.
“Shooting deer is the easy way out, there are other methods,” the party’s deputy leader told the Killarney Advertiser. “The contraceptive method is used a lot in America, animals could be transported to different parts of the country too and while a journey in a horsebox would be stressful for the deer it is still better than killing them.”
Killarney enjoys a love-hate relationship with Ireland’s oldest animal.
Deer are an important part of the tourist experience but growing numbers have led to calls for culls as deer frequently wander into the town centre and they have been blamed for several road traffic accidents – some fatal – in recent years.
“Imagine a telling a tourist that the deer they were looking at yesterday have now been shot dead - they would not want to come back to Killarney,” added Cronin. “If there are only 10 deer left in the Park, they can jump out in front of a car at any time too.”
Cronin claims Wednesday’s cull was cut short after a member of the protest group entered the National Park, and the park rangers were unable to locate that person so had to stop the shooting for safety reasons.
However, this was denied by the NPWS.
“The cull was neither called off nor interrupted by protest. The cull was completed in full. No people were in the Park during the cull. We would stress that culling is a regular management operational activity of the Park. It would have been an incredibly reckless and irresponsible action had any protestors trespassed during the cull, which had been clearly signed and advertised in the interests of public safety,” said a statement issued to the Killarney Advertiser.
There is a reason Killarney is so tidy
By Eamonn Fitzgerald
Killarney won the overall national award as Ireland’s Tidiest town in 2011 and, since then, has consistently won gold medals and several category titles. In 2023, Killarney was Ireland’s Tidiest Large Town.
The 2024 overall winner was Ballincollig on 386 marks, followed by Killarney on 384. We need a two-pointer, so let’s all pull together for that orange flag, as the judges are on the circuit for the 2026 awards.
Winning an All-Ireland title takes a lot of planning, commitment, dedication, and continuous work. That was needed to win the Sam Maguire in 2025. Now the race is on for Sam’s return. Killarney would also cherish winning the overall Tidiest Town in Ireland.
It is a huge challenge for Killarney with so many visitors swelling the resident population of 14,351. Recently, there was Bike Fest, two big games at Fitzgerald Stadium- the Munster football final, with an attendance of close to 33,000, and the Donegal game, which attracted over 22,000. If even 50 % of the people dropped one piece of litter, a wrapping, paper coffee cup, or plastic water bottle, the accumulated litter would be enormous. It is my custom to walk around Killarney, especially on the morning after a big event, but by 10.00 am on Monday mornings, the town is spic and span. All litter disappeared overnight. Magic?
No. Noel O’Leary had his Killarney Town Council staff working from dawn, complemented by Mick Gleeson’s volunteers from Killarney Looking Good. Such cooperation between the statutory body and volunteers is very rare indeed. We should not take it for granted but appreciate this cooperative effort to maintain Killarney as the Town we love so well, just like Phil Coulter appreciates his native Derry. Let us all row in, bring home your own litter or use the bins provided, and if you see a stray piece of litter, put it in the nearest bin. Teams win All-Irelands, not individuals. Let’s all do our bit: it will make a difference. Ní neart go cur le chéile.
HIQA registration delays opening of new hospital
Confusion surrounds the opening date of the new 130-bed Killarney Community Nursing Unit, with a Dáil debate revealing that a previous end-of-June opening target is now dependent on resolving outstanding registration issues with the health watchdog, HIQA.
Speaking in the Dáil this week, Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae criticised the ongoing delays, stating that Kerry TDs were assured by local HSE management on May 29 that the facility would open before the end of June. However, county councillors at a HSE SouthWest Forum were informed a week later that this target would not be met.
“Who is calling the shots? Is it the HSE at national level? Is it the Minister?” Deputy Healy-Rae asked. “The lights have been on in the building since before Christmas and it was cleared to go. We are begging for this on our knees.”
He highlighted that the delay impacts 30 planned dementia-specific beds, as well as broader plans for a minor injuries unit and a primary care centre at the St Columbanus’s site.
Responding on behalf of the government, Deputy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor maintained that the HSE still expects the unit to open before the end of June, but confirmed the timeline depends entirely on HIQA registration.
“The HSE is engaging with HIQA regarding a small number of outstanding issues,” she said. “Once HIQA registration is granted, the HSE will set a date and move forward with the transfer of residents.”
Deputy Healy-Rae countered that the response was identical to information provided by the government a month ago. He questioned why staffing agreements and HIQA certifications were not finalised sooner, given the building was structurally completed last December.
INMO serves notice of industrial action
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has served notice of industrial action on HSE South West over proposed staffing levels at the new facility.
The union stated that its members are deeply dissatisfied with the proposed rosters, which they claim fall short of the staffing required to deliver safe care on day and night duties.
INMO Industrial Relations Executive Kathryn Courtney said there is a significant staffing gap compared to similar facilities, leaving members with no choice but to take action.
There is a reason Killarney is so tidy
There is a reason Killarney is so tidy By Eamonn Fitzgerald Killarney won the overall national award as Ireland’s Tidiest...
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