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Duggan takes positives from gruelling Rally Italia

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KILLARNEY’S Rob Duggan claimed sixth place among the Junior World Rally Championship runners on last weekend’s Rally Italia Sardinia. His finishing position however, doesn’t quite reflect how successful an event this was for the former Motorsport Ireland Young Rally Driver of the Year.

In his first event with new navigator Tom Woodburn, Duggan set a string of fastest times and ended the event on a high by being the quickest JWRC driver over the final day of the rally. Duggan’s speed however, was curbed by an impact with a rock on Friday while battling for the lead and his attempt to charge back up the leaderboard on Saturday was thwarted by a broken driveshaft.

Duggan remains philosophical however and he’s already looking ahead to Rally Poland in just a fortnight’s time. “It was an incredibly tough event. The heat and the terrain were like nothing I’ve ever experienced but we were encouraged by our pace. Obviously it was really disappointing to have to retire on Saturday while in contention for the lead and the time penalty we received for restarting meant we really couldn’t finish much higher than sixth unless people retired but we were delighted to pick up four bonus points for our fastest times over the weekend.

“Tom did a great job on his first rally with me and at least I know now that I have the pace to compete at this level, I just need to work on my consistency. Poland isn’t far away and by all accounts it’s a real high-speed event which should suit my driving style. Keeping out of trouble will be vital as it’s really cost me on the previous rounds. Nil Solans has a healthy lead in the points now but, if anything, that means there’s more pressure on him. There are four rounds left and I aim to be in the hunt for all of them.”

After the event, Rob finds himself sixth in the drivers’ standings on 20 points with leader Solans on an impressive 62 points. With a maximum score of 48 points on offer in Poland however, the JWRC title race is far from decided and Rob cites the case of fellow Irish driver Craig Breen when he found himself in similar circumstances during his WRC Academy winning year in 2011. “After two rounds, Craig was 45 points adrift of the series leader. He battled back to clinch the title on the last stage of the last rally, so we aren’t going to throw in the towel,” he said.

To keep up to date with Rob's exploits make sure and visit www.robduggan.com and follow Rob on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Rob is supported by Rentokil Initial, CB Toolhire, DMACK Tyres, M-Sport and the Team Ireland Foundation.

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Milltown plan to preserve history in community project 

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The Milltown History and Heritage Society has announced plans for an oral history archive for the community.

It is hoped that the collection and preservation of stories and folklore will be a valuable resource for future generations.

Oral history expert and historian Dr Tomás Mac Conmara will speak in Milltown in support of the launch.

Dr Mac Conmara, who is an award-winning oral historian, lecturer and author, will speak at the Muintir na Tíre Hall in Milltown at 8pm on Friday, October 24 and will introduce the fundamentals for the collection of oral history.

The presentation is free of charge and is supported by funding from the Creative Communities Grant Scheme 2025.

Attendees will be introduced to the practical skills required in interviewing, recording and documenting local heritage.

Stewart Stephans of the Milltown History and Heritage Society said they are excited to have Tomás to set them on the right path towards the development of the archive.

He said: “The collection and retention of oral history needs to be approached properly, drawing on the right advice and maintaining high standards, so we are pleased to be getting the input of such a renowned expert.” The event is open to anyone who would like to attend.

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Network Ireland Kerry discuss sustainable success

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Network Ireland Kerry held their third annual collaboration event last Wednesday at the Rose Hotel, Tralee. The theme was: “The Journey to Sustainable Success” which brought three industry experts together to talk about their own journey to sustainable successful.

Business professionals, entrepreneurs, and financial leaders came together for this highly anticipated event to learn about the journey from becoming a start-up, to a small-to-medium enterprise (SME), and a large SME.

The event was opened by AIB Branch Liaison for Network Ireland Kerry and AIB Castleisland Branch Manager, Colleen Shannon. It was MC’d by AIB Tralee Branch Manager, Stephen Stack.

Sarah Farrar of AINMHÌ, Garrett Dillon of Mr. Binman and Dillon Waste Ltd. and Susan Quirke-Crowley of Mounthawk Montessori School Group were among the speakers at the event.

These leaders spoke about their challenges, milestones, and breakthroughs they encountered, from launching an idea to scaling operations nationally.

Tara Elzingre of Tara Elzingre Consultancy, Zaneta Labuz-Czerwein of Rustic Boowa and Sharon Hartnett of U Coaching promoted their businesses for ‘Minute on the Mic’

Emily Reen, Network Ireland Kerry President, described the event as a testament to the power of partnership. She said: “The event underscored a powerful message: sustainable business success is not a solo journey. With the right partnerships, teams and financial tools, businesses of all sizes can grow with purpose, resilience, and long-term impact.”

Network Ireland Kerry will host their next monthly event on November 12 in Killarney and in collaboration with the Kerry Local Enterprise Office, titled: “Gain Competitive Advantage in Your Business”. This event will be MC’d by Karen Ronan, 2025 National Vice President of Network Ireland and CEO of Galway Chamber. This event is open to non-members and members, and everyone is welcome from 6 pm for networking and refreshments, with the event taking place from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm.

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