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End of year celebration at Killarney Community College
Teachers, staff and students assembled on Tuesday for the Killarney Community College annual awards ceremony.
Awards were presented across a range of categories: academia, technology, culture, languages, leadership, ethos, sports and extra-curricular activities amongst others. It is always a great day and an opportunity to honour those who have excelled.
Awards Coordinator Selma Dineen said: “The Annual Awards Ceremony is a cherished tradition that acknowledges the dedication, perseverance, and talent exhibited by individuals within the school community. It serves as a platform to honour remarkable accomplishments across a wide range of academic, extracurricular, and community service categories.”
Stevie Murphy was presented with the award for Living the Ethos. He was awarded this as he has been constantly involved in promoting the school ethos of ‘Respect, Responsibility and Inclusion’
Leaving Cert Applied Student of the Year went to Jack O’ Connell..
Year Head Mr John Keane said: “Teachers have praised both Jack’s enthusiasm and involvement in school life.”
Rachel Griffin was voted by the teachers as the Student of the Year. Rachel has taken part in so much during her time in Killarney Community College. From SciFest to Panto, Student’s Council and more,
The prestigious Principal’s Award went to Leah McDonnell. Leah has led the way by showing her commitment to her studies, demonstrating that dedication, hard work and a sense of purpose is a lifelong skill that can achieve so much.
Other awards on the day included Sports Awards which went to Leah Sheehan who was awarded the Junior Sports Award for her boxing achievements. Teagan O’ Sullivan and Christopher Healy were awarded the Senior Sports Awards for their excellent contribution to sports and sporting achievements. Both students have excelled as members of KCC’s basketball and Gaelic football teams.
Principal Stella Loughnane said: "We firmly believe that recognizing and celebrating achievements is crucial to fostering a culture of excellence and inspiring future generations.
“Our Annual Awards Ceremony is a momentous occasion that not only acknowledges outstanding achievements but also motivates students to strive for their personal best. We are immensely proud of the winners and the entire school community for their dedication and commitment."
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Killarney and District Motor Club members honoured by Motorsport Ireland
By Cormac Casey Several members of Killarney and District Motor Club were honoured at the Motorsport Ireland awards lunch in Dublin on Wednesday. The highlight of the event is the […]

By Cormac Casey
Several members of Killarney and District Motor Club were honoured at the Motorsport Ireland awards lunch in Dublin on Wednesday.
The highlight of the event is the announcement of the sport’s top awards.
Kilkenny’s Jack Brennan (19) was named Young Rally Driver of the Year, while Wexford native Jack Byrne was named Young Racing Driver of the Year and the International Driver of the Year award went to recently crowned FIA Junior World Rally Champion, William Creighton.
Muckross-based co-driver Noel O’Sullivan was presented with his Irish Tarmac Rally Championship winning trophy.
This year saw the introduction of the Motorsport Ireland President’s Awards which celebrate the achievements of clubs and organisations.
Killarney and District Motor Club won in the innovation category for their work with their KDMC 2 initiative thanks to the efforts of the club’s vice chairman Mike O’Shea.
Rally Rescue teams were also recognised and the club’s Mike Cleary picked up an award for his role he played in what was a difficult year for rescue crew operators.
Tom O’Riordan, who looks after ambulance procurement on the club’s events, was presented with an FIA Volunteer Pin by Motorsport Ireland President Aiden Harper.
Killarney Advertiser Journalist Sean Moriarty was presented with an award for best use of of PR and media in 2023.
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Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest ‘thank you’ event at Brehon
Participation in the 2023 Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest has grown by more than 100% since 2020 with 98% of those who gave feedback saying they would attend similar […]

Participation in the 2023 Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest has grown by more than 100% since 2020 with 98% of those who gave feedback saying they would attend similar events again in 2024.
Feedback from more than 100 people who attended this year’s Fest events from 7th to 14th October was positive with 91% stating they were satisfied.
The Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest is held annually over the course of a week to highlight World Mental Health Day on October 10.
It aims to raise awareness of the available supports and services in Kerry as well as empower people to engage with the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ through offering a dynamic and interactive programme of events.
99% percent of respondents, most of whom identified as female, said they would recommend the Fest to friends next year. Some key notes for improvement included a request for more events with wider variety throughout the county.
The Chair of the Interagency Steering Group, John Drummey from Kerry Mental Health Association, said: “We wish to extend a heartfelt thanks to event organisers, community groups, businesses, funders and partners that facilitated the Fest’s dynamic and interactive programme of events in 2023. We are encouraged to see such growth in numbers attending the Fest events with a 50% increase from 2022. We are already making plans for the Fest from 5 to 12t October 2024 and we are looking forward to building on this year’s successes. That said, there is always room for improvement and we would welcome suggestions for new events and activities.”
Many of the event organisers attended a ‘thank-you’ event at the Brehon Hotel, Killarney, courtesy of the Kerry Volunteer Centre to coincide with the annual International Volunteer Day, December 5.
The Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest was organised by an interagency steering group made up of local agencies that support wellbeing in our community.
The organising committee is a collaboration between Connecting for Life Kerry, Healthy Kerry, Kerry County Council, Kerry Recreation & Sports Partnership, the HSE, NEWKD, SKDP, Kerry Mental Health Association, Jigsaw Kerry, Munster Technological University/Kerry, KDYS, Kerry Volunteer Centre and Family Resource Centres throughout the county.