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Businesses devastated at Level 3 announcement

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DISAPPOINTED: John C O'Shea, pictured with his mother Joan and Seamus 'Sham' Courtney, is disappointed with the Level 3 restrictions. Photo: Michelle Crean

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By Michelle Crean

 

Multiple Killarney businesses say they are devastated this week to close their doors just weeks after reopening to the public.

Monday night's Government announcement that the country had to move into Level 3 restrictions to try to bring the COVID virus numbers down might just be the final straw for some businesses who are already struggling after a difficult lockdown.

Many local hotels, pubs and restaurants had no choice but to either close or switch to a take away service with some having the difficult choice of putting staff back on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) as they navigate the next three weeks uncertain that they will be allowed to reopen if COVID cases aren't brought under control.

Jack C's on High Street only reopened its doors two weeks ago. After making many safety changes to ensure social distancing could be properly adhered to, owner John C had to offer his regular customers their drinks outdoors.

However, he is lucky to have access to a laneway where a limited amount of customers can enjoy a drink.

"We were open two weeks and two days," John C O'Shea from Jack C's said.

"We didn't know it was coming."

He said that it is disheartening to once again to be in such a situation.

"It's a bit sad around the streets and all the hotels are gone."

He said they waited all summer to reopen but couldn't because of the Government's regulations.

"We've been ready to reopen our doors all summer but because of the idiotic €9 substantial meal rules we couldn't. We have the laneway and the awnings have been up for two to three years. We have a wind breaker as well to cut the wind. 15 is all we can accommodate."

For Emer Corridan, General Manager in the Cahernane House Hotel, who shut their doors this week, she said it's another blow to businesses.

"We are just devastated. We closed the hotel Wednesday morning after breakfast so for Cahernane this means going from having enough level of business to keep 35 staff employed each week to only having a skeleton staff at the hotel for security. I hope there are measures in the budget to help both the business and also staff who have suffered another layoff."

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Five local postmen retire with 185 years service

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Five local postmen retire with 185 years service

RETIREMENT NIGHT: Pictured at the retirement party held at Killarney Racecourse on Saturday, October 3, celebrating a combined 185 years of service with An Post, are Connie Brady, James Foley, Terry Potts, Pat Cronin, and D.J. Cahill.


Five well-known local postmen celebrated their retirement at a special function held at Killarney Racecourse on Saturday night, October 3.


The event brought together current and former An Post colleagues to mark the combined total of 185 years of service delivered across Killarney and surrounding areas.
Delivery Services Manager Terry Potts retired after 43 years with An Post. He began his career in Dublin, where he worked for 10 years, before moving to Killarney in 1993 for a further 33 years.
Pat Cronin completed an impressive 51 years of service between Killarney and Farranfore, spending 44 of those years delivering post on the Farranfore route.
James Foley served 35 years with An Post, delivering on routes across Killorglin throughout his entire career.
D.J. Cahill marked 32 years of service based out of Killarney post office, delivering mail across Killarney town, Killorglin, Kilcummin, and Headford.
Connie Brady retired following 24 years with the postal service, spending 17 years in Killarney town before completing his service in Killorglin.
The celebration offered local postal staff an opportunity to gather and catch up ahead of the busy Christmas rush.

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New Streetscapes murals launched at College Square

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A colourful collaboration between the Kerry Local Creative Youth Partnership (LCYP) and the Architecture Kerry Festival at Kerry County Council launched yesterday evening at College Square.

Titled Streetscapes, the open-air public art installation officially opened at 5pm on Thursday, accompanied by a performance from the Killarney Youth Drumming Band THUMP! under the guidance of Urs Wenk from Drum Dance Ireland.


The public art project features a series of wall murals depicting Killarney through the eyes of local children, exploring freedom, play, and potential future evolutions of the townscape.

The artworks reimagine Killarney’s iconic landmarks and streets, blending youthful imagination and curiosity.


Supported under the Creative Ireland Programme, the installation is mounted on the gable wall of Reen’s Life Pharmacy in College Square, where it will remain on public display until March 2027.


Speaking at the launch, Daniel O’Shea, Youth Development Officer at Kerry ETB, stated: “Streetscapes is a wonderful celebration of how children see things. Their creativity brings new perspectives to the townscape, and we are proud to support their ideas and their art through this public artwork.”


Deirdre Enright, Co-Ordinator of the Local Creative Youth Partnership at Kerry ETB, acknowledged the community support behind the initiative: “We are very grateful to Reen’s Life Pharmacy who have shared their built space with us. Huge credit is due to the artistic team from Me+The Moon whose dedication to creativity and to children’s art shine through in this work.”


The project forms part of the annual Architecture Kerry Festival and receives funding through Creative Ireland and the Department of Education and Youth via Kerry ETB and Kerry County Council.


Victoria McCarthy, Festival Organiser and Architectural Conservation Officer at Kerry County Council, welcomed the continued inter-agency project: “It’s always a great event for Architecture Kerry and we are so pleased with this collaboration between public sector organisations. It remains a key feature of the Architecture Kerry programme.”
See next week’s Killarney Advertiser for full photographic coverage of the event.

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