Connect with us

News

Brothers receive national Garda award for lifesaving actions

Published

on

Two Killarney brothers who helped save their sibling’s life earlier this year have now received national recognition, following their success in the Kerry Garda Youth Awards in September.

Conor and Gary O’Sullivan, from Whitebridge Manor, were presented with a National Garda Youth Achievement Award at a ceremony in the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise, at the weekend. The event was hosted by broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan.
The award recognises their actions on April 6, when their older brother Seán Óg collapsed suddenly at home from an undiagnosed genetic heart condition. The brothers, along with their father Seán, responded immediately and began CPR. Their efforts kept Seán Óg alive until emergency services arrived.
Doctors later confirmed that several members of the family carried Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). Conor, Gary, their mother and Seán Óg have since had implantable defibrillators fitted.
The incident prompted significant media attention at the time and the brothers began actively encouraging people to learn CPR. They also started promoting awareness of defibrillators and how quickly they can make a difference in a life-threatening emergency.
Since then, they have led a community effort to install a public defibrillator at the entrance to Whitebridge Manor, beside the main Cork Road. They have carried out fundraising for Killarney First Responders, Brú Columbanus and the Michael Lenihan Heartsafe Campaign.
Their aunt, Anne Holland, nominated them for the Kerry Garda Youth Awards earlier this year, noting that the family “experienced a very traumatic health setback” but that the brothers “stepped up” and turned their experience into a positive effort to help others.

Advertisement

News

Musical Society announces ‘Sister Act’ as 2027 production

Published

on

By

Killarney Musical Society has announced that its 2027 musical production will be the comedy Sister Act.

The show will run at the Gleneagle Arena from Tuesday, March 2nd to Thursday, March 4th, 2027.

Based on the film, the musical tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier, a nightclub singer placed in protective custody in a convent after witnessing a crime. While there, she helps transform the parish choir.


Society Chairperson Derek O’Leary expressed excitement about the selection. “It is a show that combines humour, heart, spectacular music and an inspiring story, making it a perfect fit for Killarney Musical Society and our audiences,”

O’Leary said. He also confirmed that award-winning director Oliver Hurley and musical director Jimmy Brockie will return for the production.


The society, which draws performers, musicians, and backstage volunteers from across Kerry and neighbouring counties, will release details regarding auditions and production updates in the coming months.

Attachments

Continue Reading

News

Killarney retains top ten position in national litter rankings

Killarney has maintained its position in the top ten of the latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey, securing 9th place out of 40 towns and cities surveyed nationwide. The […]

Published

on

Killarney has maintained its position in the top ten of the latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey, securing 9th place out of 40 towns and cities surveyed nationwide. The town was officially deemed to be ‘Cleaner than European Norms’.

The accompanying report by An Taisce praised Killarney for delivering a solid performance, noting that there were no heavily littered sites found within the town boundaries.
Several local areas received top marks for maintenance and presentation. Main Street was highlighted as exceptionally well-presented, while Park Road, Muckross Road, and the Knockreer Playground and environs were also singled out for praise. The report noted that the playground area was in very good order across all elements.
However, the inspectors did highlight some areas for improvement. The JYSK site showed slight progress compared to the previous survey but remained classified as moderately littered. The report warned that care must be taken to prevent the location from deteriorating further.
On a national level, IBAL representative Conor Horgan noted that entering the peak tourist season, the country has fewer littered areas than at any time in the past 25 years.
Despite the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), the survey highlighted a national rise in specific waste items. Plastic bottles were found in 19% of all surveyed sites across the country, and drinks cans were present in 22%. The prevalence of coffee cups also reached its highest level since 2023, alongside an increase in cigarette butt litter.

Continue Reading

Last News

Sport