News
Close shave nets €10k for Kerry Parents and Friends

By Sean Moriarty
Two Currans men who were looking a lot different after a charity shave have this week presented a €10,340 cheque to charity.
Luke Fitzgerald and Brian O’Shea raised the staggering amount by having their hair and beards shaved in aid of the Kerry Parents and Friends Association (KPFA).
The Killarney-based special education charity has suffered, like all organisations, over the last two years and the two friends decided to do something to help the association.
Last October they organised a hair and beard shave at Jamsie's Pub in Currans.
Earlier this week the pair presented a cheque for €10,340 to the Kerry Parents and Friends Association at its headquarters, at the Old Monastery on Port Road.
“The big shave took place on October 2. There was an abundance of music, food and drink on the night and from all accounts, it was a showstopper,” Marie Linehan, the Chief Executive of Kerry Parents and Friends Association, told the Killarney Advertiser.
“I thank them for this phenomenal donation. It will help enormously in getting KPFA back on its feet after a very difficult two years.”
News
Eight month wait for a driving test in Killarney
A Killarney councillor is calling for action in an effort to reduce the driving test wait list in Killarney The current wait list for a test in Killarney sits at […]

A Killarney councillor is calling for action in an effort to reduce the driving test wait list in Killarney
The current wait list for a test in Killarney sits at eight months.
Cllr John O’Donoghue raised the issue at Monday’s full meeting of Kerry County Council.
He proposed that driving instructors should be employed to carry out the final test to reduce the current backlog.
At Monday’s meeting he asked that hat Kerry County Council would write to the Minister for Transport to ask him to consider giving driving instructors temporary powers to issue a temporary Driving Licence/Certificate of Competence to those on the waiting list for tests.
“The wait is currently far too long and the system is in danger of becoming completely overwhelmed,” he said.
“The huge waiting list for young drivers is well documented at this stage. In a case I am familiar with, a young person passed their theory test in January 2022 and he immediately applied for his mandatory 12 driving lessons. When these were completed, he applied for his driving test on the 2nd of December 2022. Some weeks ago, he still had not received an application to apply for his driving test. This wait is placing him and his family under considerable extra cost and stress which is completely unacceptable.”
In the course of his research into the matter Cllr O’Donoghue discovered that the next available date for a driving test in Killarney is May 25, 2024, while Tralee is June 3 2024.
“Bear in mind, these are only the dates on which you receive an invitation to book your test, the test itself will then be an estimated three to five weeks later.
“This is an appalling situation and one which needs to be rectified as a matter of urgency. I am proposing that driving instructors, which presumably are fully trained up on the rules of the road, be granted temporary powers to be allowed to issue temporary driving licences to young people. When the waiting list time has been reduced, I would still propose that these people sit the test as usual, but the current pressure needs to be alleviated as soon as possible. There is precedent as I believe that in the 1970s, a cohort in this country were issued driving licences without having sat a test as the wait time for the test was too long.”
News
Ballymac charity vintage run on October 1
The Ballymac Vintage Club is hosting a classic car, tractor and Honda 50 run on October 1. The run will leave from and return to the Halfway Bar, Ballymac. Registration […]

The Ballymac Vintage Club is hosting a classic car, tractor and Honda 50 run on October 1.
The run will leave from and return to the Halfway Bar, Ballymac.
Registration begins at 9:30am and sets off at 11am.
“There will be two separate routes with one for tractors and the other for cars and motorbikes. Proceeds on the day are in aid of Castleisland Day Care Centre and we’ll have plenty of spot prizes to giveaway too in the morning,” said the club’s PRO Kieran Glover.
-
Sport7 days ago
Kerry’s old dogs ready for Tyrone challenge in All-Ireland final
-
News6 days ago
Over 80 women car enthusiasts attend classic car show
-
Sport7 days ago
Almost impossible to look beyond East Kerry but Dingle are best placed to challenge
-
News6 days ago
Musical society ready to hit the high notes