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Ho Ho Ho! Santa takes time to talk to the Killarney Advertiser

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Totally ‘sleighing’ my inside information this week - I nailed an interview with the big man himself, Santa Claus!

Santa was checking into the International Hotel for the weekend to launch the first Christmas in Killarney Parade on Saturday evening last.

Did you park the sleigh in the Glebe Santa?

“Ho-ho-ho not at all Marie, I arrived by steam train this evening. The reindeer must preserve their energy and need a full 28 days sleep to generate high speeds of up to 650 miles per second. Dasher by name and Dasher by nature is the fastest of the lot and is in top form this Christmas,” Santa replied.

Is it the same route as always Santa?

“Yes, it’s a race against the speed of light so beginning with the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia. After that Japan, Asia, across to Africa, then Western Europe, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central and South America. The route can sometimes be affected by weather but the reindeer and I have always got the job done!” Santa replied.

What do you prefer to be called; Santa Claus, Santy, Kris Kringle, Nick?

Oh my, I hope I don’t have as much ego as I have names. Santa or Santy will do me fine. Maybe Santa Claus on formal letters and correspondence, just to be sure to be sure you get the right man… I won’t tell you what Mrs Claus calls me!

Wow Santa, all that travelling, you must sleep for a month after your super express delivery?

“Myself and Mrs Claus usually recuperate by February and we take off on a SuperValu break in disguise. Mrs Claus especially loves Killarney National Park and makes a point of visiting the reindeers' cousins, the red deer on occasion and I enjoy Torc Waterfall and taking a boat trip on the lakes with Dux. I also love a good hot chocolate and Killarney is elite when it comes to this,” Santa replied.

With that Bar Manager Dara McCarthy arrives with the most delicious looking hot chocolate complete with an abundance of marshmallows and topped with lashings of cream!

“Are you making up for lost time?” Santa asked Dara. “I’m never going to make it onto that nice list am I Santa,” Dara laughed. “Perhaps tonight is your lucky night Dara, this hot chocolate is a definite 12 and a half out of 10,” Santa slurped.

"People like to leave out all sorts of food items for you all over the world, different things like a glass of milk, some cookies, maybe mince pies… what is your favourite food to find when you go down a chimney?" I asked.

"To be honest, I’m becoming almost as jelly as I am jolly these days! I need to lose some weight, ho, ho, ho! So, the less I eat on Christmas Eve is probably better. If you really want to leave something out for me, I’d say just go with a small glass of water or milk, and perhaps one carrot for the reindeer to share at each house is plenty."

One last thing before we go. What would you say to any children out there who are reading this?

Oh, I’d tell them that it’s nearly Christmas time now, not long to go, so it’s good to be as nice as you can. Help your parents with anything they ask, take some time to remember others around you, and remember, Christmas is a time for understanding the magic held within the hearts of all that believe in the spirit of Christmas. Thank you to everyone who has come to see me at the Christmas in Killarney parade. It's one of my most special things to do in the lead up to my express delivery coming soon. Merry Christmas to you all and I hope I don't see you on the 24th, ho, ho, ho!

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Rotary Club’s Wine & Art Night raises €25,000

The Killarney Rotary Club’s annual Wine & Art Night, held before Christmas, was another resounding success, raising a grand total of €25,000 for local community projects. President Ciara Irwin Foley […]

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The Killarney Rotary Club’s annual Wine & Art Night, held before Christmas, was another resounding success, raising a grand total of €25,000 for local community projects.

President Ciara Irwin Foley expressed the club’s delight with the amount raised, thanking club members and everyone who contributed to this impressive sum. She highlighted that this popular annual event directly supports vital local initiatives such as schools, clubs, and charities in the Killarney area.

Ms. Irwin Foley extended particular thanks to the event’s long-standing key sponsors: Daly’s SuperValu, Killarney Brewing & Distilling Co, and Killarney Credit Union, acknowledging their crucial and consistent support over the years. The team at The Great Southern Killarney was also thanked for ensuring the smooth running of the event. Appreciation was also given to the businesses that sponsored door prizes and competitions, including The Rose Hotel, M.D. O’Shea’s, CRL, and The Lake Hotel, as well as to Mike Neeson for providing entertainment.

The Wine & Art Night provides a valuable platform for local artists and craftspeople, with up to fifty showcasing their work. Some artists have been involved since the event’s inception, making it a wonderful networking opportunity. There is always significant interest from artists to participate in this worthwhile cause, with a percentage of their sales donated on the night. Many also generously donate their artwork for the auction, where 100% of the proceeds go directly to the beneficiary fund.

The beneficiaries themselves play an active role by selling tickets for the event in advance, using this as a key fundraising method for their own projects. The schools, clubs, organisations, and charities involved put in tremendous effort, and it is always inspiring to hear how the funds raised have positively impacted them. For example, the Hospice sells their Christmas cards at the event, and the Irish Pilgrimage Trust sells raffle tickets to help bring local people to Lourdes at Easter.

Organising the Wine & Art Night is a significant undertaking for the Killarney Rotary Club, with extensive preparations happening well in advance. Many individuals contribute their time and effort, with numerous volunteers ensuring everything runs smoothly on the night. It is this collective effort that makes the event such a success.

The €25,000 raised this year has been distributed to the following deserving beneficiaries: Faha N.S., Fossa N.S., Gaelscoil Faithleann, Knockanes N.S., Loreto N.S., Loughquittane N.S., St. Brendan’s (Sem), Hospice, Irish Pilgrimage Trust, Kerry Stars Club, Killarney Athletic, and Killarney Valley AC.
The Killarney Rotary Club is already looking forward to hosting their next Wine & Art Night at the end of November.

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Kerry Jobs Fair to connects job seekers and employers

Job seekers and employers in Kerry will have a chance to meet at the Kerry Jobs Fair 2025 on May 20, at the Rose Hotel in Tralee. Over 30 companies […]

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Job seekers and employers in Kerry will have a chance to meet at the Kerry Jobs Fair 2025 on May 20, at the Rose Hotel in Tralee.

Over 30 companies from the county will be there, offering hundreds of job openings across different sectors.
The free event is organised by NEWKD Local Development Company, in partnership with The Rose Hotel and Tralee Chamber Alliance. Anyone interested can attend by registering on the day.
People looking for work can explore opportunities in areas like office administration, IT, accounting, finance, hospitality, manufacturing, food production, and retail.
The event aims to link job seekers and employers with useful information and support related to employment.
Alongside employer stands, there will be a careers clinic offering help with CV writing, interview skills, and information on training and career development.
There will also be workshops for both employees and employers about employing people who are not Irish citizens.
Robert Carey, NEWKD SICAP Programme Manager, said that bringing together many employers, services, and speakers will give job seekers a great chance to talk directly to potential employers, join workshops on career progression, and learn about employment schemes like Tús, CE, and WPEP. He added that employers will get to meet job seekers face-to-face and get information on employing people from abroad, which is important for business growth.
Efforts are being made to help Ukrainian refugees and those seeking international protection attend the fair, with information provided beforehand and interpreters available on the day. NEWKD, as part of the Kerry Community Response Forum, highlights that employment is key for refugees integrating into the community.
During the event, employers can learn about the specifics of employing migrants, get answers to common questions, and raise any concerns. A workshop for employers will be led by Frank O`Boyle from the Irish Refugee Council.
In addition to the job fair, there will be information sessions for all visitors on topics such as CV preparation (led by Sean Connell, HR at NEWKD), interview skills (presented by Lydia Oboryna from the Open Door Initiative), employment law for migrants, accessing the labour market for those with temporary protection, and entrepreneurship workshops on starting a business and finding funding.
The Newkd Kerry Jobs Fair 2025 is supported by the Rose Hotel and the Tralee Chamber Alliance, with funding from the SICAP programme, which is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC).

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