News
Dark comedy set for Killarney stage
DARK COMEDY: The one-act play 'Dead Man's Bells' starring Reidín O'Connor, Katie Ryan and Méabh de Brún will be performed in Killarney Avenue Hotel on Monday, November 11. Photo: Declan O'Connell
By Michelle Crean
Cast and crew of an award winning dark comedy written, developed and produced in Killarney are ready to take their work to the local stage.
The one-act play 'Dead Man's Bells', which is set in rural Ireland, is currently representing Kerry in the All-Ireland One Act Drama Festival.
Directed by Aisling O’Sullivan Darcy, 'Dead Man's Bells' boasts a cast of three women who balance the dark and the craic onstage for an hour of familial bickering and twisting tales.
The play is a tale of three sisters, one brother, and a farm that's up for grabs. Communally woven, the play explores the shared chorus of siblinghood, and the weight of unspoken family secrets.
Starring Reidín O'Connor, Katie Ryan and Méabh de Brún with Kieran Summers on lights, the play, a gothic rural tale told by unreliable narrators, is set to hit the Killarney Avenue Hotel on Monday, November 11 with doors open at 7.30pm.
“It's a dark comedy, so we like to balance out the laughs and the gasps,” Méabh de Brún told the Killarney Advertiser.
“It's an hour of pure craic, audiences have had so much fun with it. The response has been brilliant.”
And she added that after staging the play in theatre festivals up and down the country, they're delighted to put the show on in Killarney.
“It was written in Killarney, rehearsed in Killarney and produced in Killarney, so it's a real treat to be able to stage it in Killarney too!”
'Dead Man's Bells' recently performed in the Killmallock One Act Festival, where playwright Méabh was awarded the adjudicator's trophy for best writing, and Réidín was nominated for best actress.
It was also recently staged in Kenmare to a sold out audience. Tickets are €10 at the door or forward a reservation to meabh96@live.com.
News
Better late than never Christmas present for St Francis Special School
By Sean Moriarty St Francis Special School received a very late Christmas present this week – a specially adapted bike for the pupils to use. Husband and wife team Ciaran […]

By Sean Moriarty
St Francis Special School received a very late Christmas present this week – a specially adapted bike for the pupils to use.
Husband and wife team Ciaran and Karen Dwyer, directors of Guerin Engineering and Pumps Ltd in Kilcummin, presented the special adapted bicycle to the staff and pupils at the Beaufort school on Tuesday.
After seeing an online request last December that the school needed the bike, they decided to gift one.
They contacted Glencar Medical, a Dublin-based firm that specialises in the supply of equipment to schools like St Francis, and ordered the bicycle.
However, nothing is straightforward in the current climate, Brexit, COVID and war all contributed to a delay in getting the bike to Ireland. Once it was in Dublin there were further delays in sourcing the special straps that St Francis’ children need to ride the bike safely.
It all came to a happy ending this week when the Dwyers were finally able to present their Christmas present to the school.
“We saw this request and we contacted the school and said we wanted to buy one, they told us where to get one, and we ordered it,” Karen told the Killarney Advertiser.
“We had it paid for by the end of the year but then it took three months to get it into the country. It took more time to import the specialist parts. The costs were increasing but we did not mind at all.”
News
Jordan Lee to tell his story to the county’s schools
Paralympian Jordan Lee will share his experiences with schools all over Kerry. The Killarney man has embarked on a countywide tour ‘Jordan’s Drive’ in association with Kelliher’s Garage, a series […]

Paralympian Jordan Lee will share his experiences with schools all over Kerry.
The Killarney man has embarked on a countywide tour ‘Jordan’s Drive’ in association with Kelliher’s Garage, a series of informal talks on his achievements and how he overcame his disability to reach the top of his chosen sport.
The 21-year-old was born with a foreshortened left arm known as amniotic band syndrome but has enjoyed a successful sports career which included representing Ireland at the Tokyo Olympics last summer.
Now he wants to share his story and inspire other students to follow their dreams.
His tour started last week at Colaiste na Sceilge in Cahersiveen and over the next few weeks, depending on his training schedule, will visit schools in Firies, Milltown, and Killarney.
“Don’t be afraid of people with disabilities or different backgrounds,” he said. “A few years ago there was only typical people in classrooms – you never came across people with disabilities or from various different countries. It is a lot more mixed now. I want to inspire people to treat everyone on the same level.”
‘Jordan’s Drive’ is made possible thanks to his role as a brand ambassador for Kelliher’s Garage, dealer principal, Tim Kelliher explained to the Killarney Advertiser.
“Having got to know Jordan so well over the last couple of years we have come to realise how much of an inspiration he is so we decided to ask him to hop into his Toyota CHR Hybrid and bring his story out into the highways and byways of the Kingdom,” he said.
“Headlined ‘Jordans Drive’ and organised by my marketing team headed by Yvonne McMahon they have travelled to many of the schools around Kerry from Cahersiveen to Beaufort, Killorglin and with other dates planned for Firies and Milltown to name but a few. He has spoken his many words of wisdom to the children who have been in awe of the journey and his achievements, and we at Kelliher’s Garage are delighted and proud to have him as our brand ambassador.”
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