News
High jumper Jim honoured by council
L
Listry Community Council honoured local resident Jim O’Shea with the presentation of the O’Shea Award at its recent Annual General Meeting. The O’Shea Award is presented annually to an individual or group who contribute to or bring honour to the local community. Jim recently competed in the European Masters Athletics Championship in Madrid and brought a Gold Medal back to Listry for winning his high jump event against other international athletes in his peer group.
Jim is a keen sports fan and has been involved in athletics all his life. He has been with the Maine Valley Athletic Club and Community Games at local and county level for many years and he can also be found supporting Munster in Thomond Park and further afield.
Active in his community, Jim is a member and former Director of Listry Community Council and is always willing to get involved in local community events. He is a former chairman of the Meals on Wheels Committee and recently joined the community clean-up group set up by Listry Community Council. This is the second occasion that Jim has been the recipient of the O’Shea Award for his contribution to his local community.
The O’Shea Award was initially presented to Listry Community Council by the family of the late Con O’Shea, a native of Listry. Jim was presented with the award by Breda O’Shea, last year’s recipient. Breda is a member of Listry Community Council and is very involved with the Senior’s Social Club and Meals On Wheels, as well as Listry Church where her talents in flower arranging and creativity are very much in evidence.
News
Eight month wait for a driving test in Killarney
A Killarney councillor is calling for action in an effort to reduce the driving test wait list in Killarney The current wait list for a test in Killarney sits at […]

A Killarney councillor is calling for action in an effort to reduce the driving test wait list in Killarney
The current wait list for a test in Killarney sits at eight months.
Cllr John O’Donoghue raised the issue at Monday’s full meeting of Kerry County Council.
He proposed that driving instructors should be employed to carry out the final test to reduce the current backlog.
At Monday’s meeting he asked that hat Kerry County Council would write to the Minister for Transport to ask him to consider giving driving instructors temporary powers to issue a temporary Driving Licence/Certificate of Competence to those on the waiting list for tests.
“The wait is currently far too long and the system is in danger of becoming completely overwhelmed,” he said.
“The huge waiting list for young drivers is well documented at this stage. In a case I am familiar with, a young person passed their theory test in January 2022 and he immediately applied for his mandatory 12 driving lessons. When these were completed, he applied for his driving test on the 2nd of December 2022. Some weeks ago, he still had not received an application to apply for his driving test. This wait is placing him and his family under considerable extra cost and stress which is completely unacceptable.”
In the course of his research into the matter Cllr O’Donoghue discovered that the next available date for a driving test in Killarney is May 25, 2024, while Tralee is June 3 2024.
“Bear in mind, these are only the dates on which you receive an invitation to book your test, the test itself will then be an estimated three to five weeks later.
“This is an appalling situation and one which needs to be rectified as a matter of urgency. I am proposing that driving instructors, which presumably are fully trained up on the rules of the road, be granted temporary powers to be allowed to issue temporary driving licences to young people. When the waiting list time has been reduced, I would still propose that these people sit the test as usual, but the current pressure needs to be alleviated as soon as possible. There is precedent as I believe that in the 1970s, a cohort in this country were issued driving licences without having sat a test as the wait time for the test was too long.”
News
Ballymac charity vintage run on October 1
The Ballymac Vintage Club is hosting a classic car, tractor and Honda 50 run on October 1. The run will leave from and return to the Halfway Bar, Ballymac. Registration […]

The Ballymac Vintage Club is hosting a classic car, tractor and Honda 50 run on October 1.
The run will leave from and return to the Halfway Bar, Ballymac.
Registration begins at 9:30am and sets off at 11am.
“There will be two separate routes with one for tractors and the other for cars and motorbikes. Proceeds on the day are in aid of Castleisland Day Care Centre and we’ll have plenty of spot prizes to giveaway too in the morning,” said the club’s PRO Kieran Glover.
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