News
Fossa woman wins classic Toyota in fundraising raffle
By Sean Moriarty
The family of a Fossa woman who won a classic car in a raffle said the win was “totally unexpected".
WINNING TICKET: Jordan Lee is watched by Brendan Fuller as he pulls out the winning tickets.
WINNERS: Alan and Meabh Swarbuck accept the Toyota Starlet on behalf of Meabh's mother Mary Terry. Photo: Sean Moriarty
CLUB: Killarney Valley Classic and Vintage Club members and supporters at Kellihers Garage in Tralee. Photo: Sean Moriarty
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PRIZE: Alan and Meabh Swarbuck accept the Toyota Starlet on behalf of Meabh's mother Mary Terry. Photo: Sean Moriarty
CROWD:Some of the large crowd that attended Thursday night's raffle. Photo: Sean Moriarty
TOP SELLER: Thresa Looney of the Irish Kidney Association with Brenda Houlihan Tralee who sold 145 ticket for the draw: Photo: Sean Moriarty
WINNING TICKET: Jordan Lee is watched by Brendan Fuller as he pulls out the winning tickets.
WINNERS: Alan and Meabh Swarbuck accept the Toyota Starlet on behalf of Meabh's mother Mary Terry. Photo: Sean Moriarty
CLUB: Killarney Valley Classic and Vintage Club members and supporters at Kellihers Garage in Tralee. Photo: Sean Moriarty
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PRIZE: Alan and Meabh Swarbuck accept the Toyota Starlet on behalf of Meabh's mother Mary Terry. Photo: Sean Moriarty
CROWD:Some of the large crowd that attended Thursday night's raffle. Photo: Sean Moriarty
TOP SELLER: Thresa Looney of the Irish Kidney Association with Brenda Houlihan Tralee who sold 145 ticket for the draw: Photo: Sean Moriarty
Killarney Valley Classic and Vintage Club drew the winning tickets for its annual raffle on Thursday evening (November 24) at Kelliher’s Garage in Tralee.
The top prize was a 40-year-old Toyota Starlet that was lovingly restored by the members of club earlier this year.
Members sold tickets over the past six months to support four local charities which included the Irish Kidney Association Kerry Branch, Killarney Valley Athletic Club, Recovery Haven and Cuan Mhuire.
The winning ticket was drawn by Radio Kerry DJ Brendan Fuller and Toyota brand ambassador Jordan Lee.
Mary Terry from Fossa was the lucky winner of the car but she was not present at the draw.
However, members of the club contacted her family and her daughter Meabh, son-in-law Alan and her two grandsons Finian and Keelan made their way from Fossa to Tralee just in time for the tail end of the celebrations.
“This is a big surprise, it is totally unexpected,” said her daughter Meabh Swarbuck.
“We gave mam a ring on the way over, she is unsure what to do with the car. She is 77 and still driving.”
Her two sons are members of Killarney Valley Athletic Club, one of the beneficiaries of the raffle and the winning ticket was sold by athletic club members Breeda Stack who has sold the winning ticket on three of the last four times the vintage club has run a fundraising raffle.
Killarney Valley Classic and Vintage Club chairman, James Looney, thanked everyone who has supported this and other restoration raffles over the years.
“This is the fourth time that the top prize has not left the county,” he told the large crowd gathered in Kelliher’s Toyota showroom in Tralee.
Entertainment was provide by Killarney School Of Music and refreshments from Kathleen, Mags and Sylvia of Ross Cafe Killarney.
“Huge thanks go to Brendan Fuller as our Master of Ceremony and we were also honoured to have Paralympian Jordan Lee help us draw out the winning tickets on the night,” said club secretary Rich O’Donoghue.
“A huge thank you again to our many sponsors and supporters who made the restoration possible.”
The other lucky winners on the night were:
2nd prize €1,000 cash - Lauren McGilloway
3rd prize €500 voucher - O'Callaghan Coaches, Ken Manley
4th prize €250 voucher - Castleisland Tyre Centre Brendan O’Reilly
5th prize €150 voucher - Garret's Restaurant Killarney, Mary O'Shea
6th prize 30 bags of turf - Tommy Drumm
News
Ireland’s oldest citizen has Killarney connections
Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week. Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections. The previous record […]
Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week.
Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections.
The previous record was held by 107-year-old Nancy Stewart who died on September 10 2021.
Although born in Belfast, Máirín went to school in the Mercy Convent. Her father was a customs and excise officer and the family moved around a lot eventually coming to Killarney after spells in County Down and Dublin.
Her mother came from the Rathmore area and her father was from Newmarket in County Cork.
She attended the Mercy Convent and has, in previous interviews, recalled growing up on the shores of Lough Lein.
“Neighbours who had three children were given the job of taking me to school,” she said. “They were annoyed because the children were going to school for two or three years but I was put in to the same class as them – my mother had taught me.”
In 2021 she featured in the book ‘Independence Memories: A People’s Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation’, sharing stories of being kept in school in Killarney during an attack on the RIC barracks down the road.
In 1924 she started a degree in science and a diploma in education at University College Cork, before working in the pathology lab in University College Cork’s Department of Medicine for 16 years.
last year she recalled her story on the podcast: ‘Living History – Irish Life and Lore’.
During the broadcast she talked about her parents’ membership of the Gaelic League in 1910; the Spanish Flu in Ireland in 1918; The Black and Tans in Killarney in 1921; the early days of the new Free State; Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 1932, visiting the Basket Islands in 1929; and working in the UCC medical laboratory from 1932 until 1948.
This week President Michael D. Higgins hosted an afternoon tea event to celebrate the important role that a variety of people have and can play in different communities and Máirín was among the guests of honour.
News
Philip is running over 100kms for Cancer charity
Local runner and charity fundraiser Philip Kissane is set for the biggest challenge of his career as he lines up for the Cork City Marathon on Sunday. Phillip has already […]
Local runner and charity fundraiser Philip Kissane is set for the biggest challenge of his career as he lines up for the Cork City Marathon on Sunday.
Phillip has already completed four half marathons at various locations around Killarney – all in aid of Kerry Cancer Support Group – or the Cancer Bus as it popularly called.
This is the second time that Phillip has run four half marathon and an official race for the charity.
Back in 2021 he finished with 5km Run Killarney event but his finishing race this time around is over eight times the distance at 42kms.
“We are delighted with Philip’s continued fundraising support but also with his awareness raising for the charity,” Breda Dyland, Service Manager Kerry Cancer Support Trust.
“We are getting busier all the time and still get no statutory funding so are dependent on fundraisers like Philip’s to keep us on the road. We have just put our new wheelchair accessible bus on the Cork route so Philip’s funding will be going towards the operation of this vehicle.”
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