News
Dawid begins first treatment thanks to donations

By Michelle Crean
It was an emotional moment for one family as their son with complex needs began his very first treatment this week.
And it wouldn't have been possible without the help of school friends and the wider community who have helped with the huge cost.
Last week five-year-old Dawid Ciemny's parents Slawek Ciemny and Kamila Smietanska accepted a generous cheque of over €3,000 from his school pals and staff at Holy Cross Mercy School, where he attends the ASD Sunshine Class, after a number of fundraisers were organised.
Dawid suffers from a condition called Autoimmune Encephalitis which causes the body’s immune system to attack healthy brain cells. This week he began his first immunoglobulin infusion treatment in Poland with every session taking place six weeks apart and costing €5,000 each time.
Although originally given the diagnosis of Autism, his parents say it’s a lot more complex than that as Dawid is non-verbal and suffers from irrational anxieties and is in constant pain.
In November his parents, who live in Courtyard Killarney, set up a GoFundMe page 'The disease has taken control over Dawid !' and have so far raised €8,632 of a €50,000 goal.
With some of the funding raised online and that donated by the community through the school's fundraisers, it means that Dawid was able to begin his treatment.
Dawid's teacher Lucy O'Mahony said his father was deeply moved to receive a cheque for the sum of €3,375 from the staff and pupils of both the Holy Cross Mercy School and the Monastery School.
"He was enormously appreciative of the fact that such a large amount of money was raised for his son," Lucy told the Killarney Advertiser.
"Slawek found it difficult to adequately express the extent of his gratitude to the two schools involved. He was equally touched by the lovely cards from the children expressing their concern and well wishes for Dawid."
Dawid's mom Kamila said that they would like to thank everyone involved in fundraising.
"All teachers at the school did a huge job organising the fundraiser and we are thankful. Thanks for the massive support. We would like to thank the children and their parents for engagement to help Dawid. Thanks to people with huge hearts we can realise [the] next treatment plan."
The fundraiser is still open, she added.
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.
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