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Chocolatier wins top county enterprise award

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BEST CHOCOLATE: Benoit Lorge, Lorge Chocolatier from Bonane, Kenmare is this year's winner of the Kerry County Enterprise Award for 2020. Photo: Domnick Walsh

A chocolate business from Bonane, Kenmare is this year’s winner of the Kerry County Enterprise Award for 2020, the Kerry County Council Local Enterprise Office has announced.

Benoit Lorge, Lorge Chocolatier took the top prize of €2,500 and will now represent Local Enterprise Office Kerry at the 22nd National Enterprise Awards in the Mansion House in Dublin in May.

Lorge manufactures hand-made chocolates and confectionery, operates a chocolate and pastry cookery school and runs adult, children and family chocolate workshop activities. The awards were held at County Buildings, Tralee on Thursday last (March 5).

Another winner on the day was Emily Brick, Athena Analytics who won an award worth €1,000 as a finalist in the competition. Athena Analytics is based in Tralee and offers a suite of analytics tools for the education sector.

Lorge Chocolatier will now be competing against 30 other finalists from every local authority area for a share of the €40,000 prize fund as national judging gets underway in April. Categories this year include ‘Best Export Business’, ‘Future Focus’ and ‘Innovation’, in addition to eight regional awards.

The Kerry County Enterprise Awards took place as part of a very successful Local Enterprise Week programme of events. There were over 300 events taking place across the country, run by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices from March 2 to 6.

“For the last two decades, the National Enterprise Awards have celebrated homegrown success stories from every corner of Ireland, putting their achievements into the national spotlight,” Head of Local Enterprise Office Kerry, Tomás Hayes, said. “And at the 2020 National Enterprise Awards, we are delighted to be represented by Lorge Chocolatier, yet another rural success story. The judges were particularly impressed by their ongoing commitment and innovation in their craft, their business strategy and ongoing job creation potential combined with their market success. We wish them continued success with their job creation/company expansion plans.”

Other high-profile events that took place during the Enterprise Week included Brexit Advice Clinics, Digital Marketing Clinics, LEAN Information Seminars and ‘Start Your Own Business Courses’ in Listowel and Cahersiveen.

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Major extension plans at St Oliver’s National School

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Major extension plans at St Oliver’s National School


St Oliver’s National School in Ballycasheen is set to undergo a significant expansion following confirmation that the Department of Education has granted approval for the project to proceed to construction.


The building project, funded under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme, will deliver a substantial extension to the existing school facilities. The development includes the provision of three new mainstream classrooms, seven Special Education Teaching (SET) rooms, and three Special Educational Needs (SEN) bases.
The expansion is designed to meet the growing educational needs of the Killarney area while enhancing the school’s capacity to provide inclusive support for all students.
Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill welcomed the progress, noting that the inclusion of dedicated SET and SEN spaces is vital for a modern learning environment.
“I am delighted to see this project at St Oliver’s National School progressing to the construction stage,” he said. “This is a very significant development that will greatly enhance the school’s capacity. I want to commend the school management, the Principal Colm Ó Suilleabháin, the staff, parents, and Board of Management for their continued engagement and dedication in advancing this project.”

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Killarney for Palestine raises €4,500 at ‘Taste of Palestine’ event

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The Killarney Palestinian and wider Arabic community gathered recently to celebrate the end of Ramadan with an Eid event that raised €4,500 for humanitarian aid.


Held at Noelle’s Cafe in Old Market Lane, the ‘Taste of Palestine’ afternoon saw crowds fill the lane in bright sunshine. Attendees were served a range of traditional Palestinian dishes, including falafel, musakhan rolls, maqluba, hummus, and chocolate-covered dates.
A spokesperson for Killarney for Palestine highlighted the cultural significance of the event, stating that food represents a centuries-old connection to the land, identity, and memory. They noted that it is vital to reclaim and preserve the true origins of these traditional dishes.
The organisers expressed their gratitude to Noelle Crosbie and Taher Ali of Noelle’s Cafe for hosting and facilitating the fundraiser.
The total of €4,500 raised will directly benefit six displaced families in the Gaza Strip currently supported by the group. The funds will also assist with the ongoing running costs of Killarney for Palestine as they continue to organise local community events.

Killarney for Palestine raises €4,500 at ‘Taste of Palestine’ event

The Killarney Palestinian and wider Arabic community gathered recently to celebrate the end of Ramadan with an Eid event that raised €4,500 for humanitarian aid.


Held at Noelle’s Cafe in Old Market Lane, the ‘Taste of Palestine’ afternoon saw crowds fill the lane in bright sunshine. Attendees were served a range of traditional Palestinian dishes, including falafel, musakhan rolls, maqluba, hummus, and chocolate-covered dates.
A spokesperson for Killarney for Palestine highlighted the cultural significance of the event, stating that food represents a centuries-old connection to the land, identity, and memory. They noted that it is vital to reclaim and preserve the true origins of these traditional dishes.
The organisers expressed their gratitude to Noelle Crosbie and Taher Ali of Noelle’s Cafe for hosting and facilitating the fundraiser.
The total of €4,500 raised will directly benefit six displaced families in the Gaza Strip currently supported by the group. The funds will also assist with the ongoing running costs of Killarney for Palestine as they continue to organise local community events.

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