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Do we need an award for Killarney’s unsung heroes?

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READERS have been swift to contact us with suggestions for locals deserving of recognition after we ran a story that asked the public if they thought an award scheme should be set up for Killarney’s unsung heroes.

Opinion had been divided following the awarding of the Order of Innisfallen to former Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
The Cairde Chill Arne Order of Innisfallen awards scheme is a joint initiative between Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce and Kerry County Council. It was established in 2005 to recognise outstanding contributions of people to the economic development of the town and its tourism industry.

But there seems to be a feeling that the general public has not been represented. As one disgruntled reader said: “Do we have anybody worthy of this in the county of Kerry?”

Prior to the Oder of Innisfallen, the Knights of Innisfallen was set up as a separate tradition to acknowledge local people who contribute to Killarney.

On the night it was set up a group of locals in the back of Courtney’s pub decided that this award wasn’t in the spirit of Killarney – being far too lofty – and vowed to set up a rival award, the Serfs of O’Donoghue’s Rock – an award/honour for a local by the locals.

Is there scope for an award representing locals and those who contribute to Killarney on a daily basis, from people involved in tourism, sport and other ventures?

Why not consider the likes of broadcaster Weeshie Fogarty or Michael Leane, historian and longest-serving member of the Knights of Malta, or those like Con O’Leary of The Laurels who has been meeting and greeting tourists for decades, leading ladies of our local hotel industry or Theresa Irwin, National President of Soroptimists Ireland this year, or Eileen Switzer? Eileen has a lifetime’s involvement in sporting organisations. While she has received the national Women in Sport award, she has never been acknowledged locally.

Posthumous awards could be given to honour people like hotelier Maurice O’Donoghue, or our very own Danny Casey, who founded Killarney Advertiser. The list is endless.

What do you think?
 


 
The recent Order of Innisfallen award ceremony. Pic: Don MacMonagle

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Bumper GAA weekend in town

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Killarney is set for a bumper GAA weekend as Kerry faces Cavan in a do-or-die All-Ireland Senior Football Championship preliminary quarter-final.

The game is scheduled for Saturday, June 21st, at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney, with a 3:30pm throw-in and traffic and parking restrictions will be in place on the bypass and on all approach roads.
Kerry will be looking to recover quickly from their recent defeat to Meath in their final round-robin match.
The match will be streamed live on GAA+. Radio Kerry will provide live commentary with Timmy Moynihan and Ambrose O’Donovan. Jerome Henry will officiate the match.
This game is one of four All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-finals. The other Munster county still in the championship, Cork, will play Dublin at Croke Park at 6:15pm on Saturday, with that game also broadcast on GAA+.

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Killarney café to host free event in aid of local charity

A local cafe in Killarney is hosting an event to celebrate cherished sporting memories in Killarney. The event is taking place in Clann Housing, Coill na Darrach on June 28 […]

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A local cafe in Killarney is hosting an event to celebrate cherished sporting memories in Killarney.

The event is taking place in Clann Housing, Coill na Darrach on June 28 and it is part of the wider Alzheimer Society of Irelands sporting memories initiative.

There will be stories, photographs, and memorabilia shared on the day.

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland is organising a sporting memories initiative which aims to harness the power of sport to spark memories and create connections with people living with dementia.

John Don O’Donoghue, who is a joint organiser of the event, is emphasising the importance of events like these for those who suffer with dementia.

He said: “They offer people, especially older adults and those living with dementia, a meaningful way to reconnect – not just with their memories, but with each other. We’ve seen first-hand how powerful it can be when someone’s face lights up remembering a match, a goal, or a moment they thought was long forgotten.”

All members of the community are welcome to attend and take part. The event is free and guests are encouraged to bring their own photos, memorabilia and stories to share.

For more information, please contact: Triona Heffernan or John Don O’ Donoghue Email: soccermemoriescafe@gmail.com

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