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Family of severely Alexis welcome hoist grants policy change

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By Sean Moriarty

A Killarney family have welcomed news that that fixed track hoists will be included in the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Schemes.

Parents Steve and Teresa O’Mahony have been fighting government bureaucracy for months.

The urgently need a hoist fitted to their home to help them care for their daughter Alexis. She suffers from a pyruvate dehydrogenase, PDH, deficiency and she has a brain injury. She has cerebral palsy, quadriplegia, visual impairment, a subluxation of her hip and is at high risk of aspiration.
In recent months the family were dealing with Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the Department of Health, in an effort to get a grant to fit a hoist to their home.

None of the government departments were willing to commit to the scheme until political intervention by TDs Pa Daly and Norma Foley and Tralee councillor Jim Finucane.

It was announced this week that that fixed track hoists will be included in the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Schemes.

“It is a big relief that funding has finally been reinstated and a clear pathway now exists in the years ahead for those across Ireland that require ceiling track hoists,” Steve told the Killarney Advertiser.

“Access to the scheme without worry now exists and enables people with a disability to live day to day with their dignity and comfort protected. It should never have taken almost three years to get the legislation in place and a lot needs to be learned in terms of engagement and communication channels between government departments.

“Ultimately it is some of society's most vulnerable that suffered because of the impasse and it is also society's most vulnerable and their families and carers that will benefit enormously from the scheme. A thank you to all Kerry politicians that engaged on this in various times.”

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New St author brings Fitzgerald’s story to life

Talented Killarney author Patrick O’Sullivan Greene, who has penned a fascinating book on the life and times of The Great Gatsby writer F Scott Fitzgerald, has said there is strong […]

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Talented Killarney author Patrick O’Sullivan Greene, who has penned a fascinating book on the life and times of The Great Gatsby writer F Scott Fitzgerald, has said there is strong anecdotal evidence that the great American wordsmith had Kerry roots.

There has been suggestions that Fitzgerald’s family can traced to Horse Island off Ballinskelligs and research is ongoing to determine if the famous novelist, essayist and short story writer gave any indication of his Kerry connection during his lifetime.
Patrick O’Sullivan Greene, formerly of New Street, Killarney and now residing in Beaufort, is the author of Gatsby: Death of an Irishman which was released in March to coincide with the 100th anniversary of publication of Fitzgerald’s most famous work.
O’Sullivan Greene’s research found that Fitzgerald (1896-1940) was initially deeply ashamed of his Irish connection but his views softened when he took an interest in revolutionary politics.
The Killarney man’s book guides the reader through F Scott Fitzgerald’s troubled upbringing, his quest for status, his ambivalence towards his Irish heritage, the socio-political climate of early 20th-century America and the careless jazz era excesses portrayed in The Great Gatsby.
The book peels back the intricate layers of Fitzgerald’s character, revealing the underlying themes of identity and self-rejection in his work, his shifting views of Irish issues and how his personal battles influenced his writing and contributed to his tragic life.
Patrick O’Sullivan Greene will deliver what promises to be an engaging talk on the life and times of F Scott Fitzgerald in the ANAM Arts and Cultural Centre in Killarney on Thursday, July 3 at 6.45pm.
Part of the Celebration of Irish and American Friendship programme, the free lecture is titled Revolution, Rejection and Revival and it will mark a celebration of 100 years of The Great Gatsby.
The event will also include a glamorous 1920’s dance spectacular, tuition on how to dance the Charleston and a live performance by Killarney’s own Liberace, Jack Patrick Healy. The master of ceremonies for the event will be Radio Kerry’s Brendan Fuller.
The author will also share the story of how F Scott Fitzgerald’s grandson, Thomas Manhan, came to Ireland to learn Irish following his graduation in 1964.

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U2’s The Edge among new Irish Citizens

U2 guitarist The Edge, whose real name is David Howell-Evans, was among over 7,500 people granted Irish citizenship this week at the INEC. The ceremonies took place on Monday and […]

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U2 guitarist The Edge, whose real name is David Howell-Evans, was among over 7,500 people granted Irish citizenship this week at the INEC.

The ceremonies took place on Monday and Tuesday this week
Applicants from over 143 countries and across all 32 counties on the island of Ireland are making a declaration of fidelity and loyalty to the State to become Irish citizens.
Seven ceremonies were held over the two days. Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, is joined by Minister of State for Migration, Colm Brophy, and Minister of State for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice, Niall Collins.
“Today’s ceremony was very moving, the room was full of so many people, everyone from different backgrounds, with different stories. It was a privilege to be a part of it and to experience the collective joy as we all became citizens together. I moved to Ireland with my parents as a baby, so it’s not a stretch to say that this is long overdue! I have always felt Irish, Ireland will always be home to me and I’m so grateful for that,” said The Edge.
Ahead of the ceremonies, Minister O’Callaghan said:: “This ceremony marks an important milestone in the lives of those receiving Irish citizenship. For each new citizen it signifies a deep connection to Ireland, its values, and its people. Ireland welcomes our new citizens as full members of society, and their contributions will undoubtedly strengthen the fabric of our nation. I encourage all new citizens to continue to actively engage in their communities so that, together, we can build a thriving society.”
Minister Brophy congratulated the new citizens, adding: “Migration plays an essential role in Ireland’s development. It strengthens our economy, enriches our cultural diversity, and deepens our sense of solidarity. We are proud to welcome each new citizen as valued members of our communities.”
Judge Paddy McMahon was the Presiding Officer for the ceremonies. administered the Declaration of Fidelity to the Irish Nation and Loyalty to the State, where new citizens commit to observing Irish laws and respecting its democratic values.
The Citizenship Division has seen a significant increase in applications, processing over 20,000 in 2023 and nearly 31,000 in 2024, up from around 12,000 annually just over two years ago.

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