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Hugh O’Flaherty Society to scale down activities

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6 years ago

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SCALING DOWN: Pictured at the 2012 Humanitarian Award to Sr Agnes Hunt of the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas are the then Taoiseach Enda Kenny, British Ambassador Dominic Chilcott, Papal Nuncio John Brown, Killarney Mayor Cllr Sean O’Grady and various members of the O’Flaherty Memorial Society and the O’Flaherty family. Photo: MacMonagle Photography

 

By Sean Moriarty

The Hugh O’Flaherty Humanitarian Award will not be presented in 2020 after members decided to greatly reduce its activities in the town.

The Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Society was founded by the Killarney Chamber in 2008.

Its key objectives at the time were to erect a permanent memorial in Killarney town centre, present an annual award in his name and to increase awareness of his humanitarian work through school programmes and student projects.

On the 50th anniversary of his death, October 30, 2013 a bronze memorial was unveiled on Mission Road in Killarney fulfilling the committee’s first objective.

The annual humanitarian award was first presented in 2009 and last year was given to members of the Irish Defence Forces in recognition of their 60 years of peacekeeping humanitarian missions with the United Nations.

The Society confirmed this week that last year’s award will be the last to be presented for the foreseeable future.

“Following the 2018 Memorial Weekend which marked a decade of Humanitarian Awards, the Society Committee met in early 2019 to review its activities and for a number of reasons such as resources, costs and logistics, a decision was taken to reduce the future Programme of Activities after the 2019 Humanitarian Award Ceremony,” Chairperson of the Society, Jerry O’Grady, said.

However, the Society will continue to engage with local schools and students.

“For the foreseeable future the Memorial Society will be confining its activities to continued interaction with primary schools in terms of competitions and, with students at second and third levels as a resource for projects and dissertations etc.,” he added.

“Also, we will continue to promote the Monsignor's story through the media and the arts. From our extensive family and society archives, we have already helped with the publishing of a number of books and articles, and the creation of theatre and TV productions, including Donal Courtney’s acclaimed drama ‘God Has No Country’.”

Jerry confirmed that award-winning author Joseph O'Connor’s next novel will focus on Monsignor O'Flaherty and the Rome Escape Line.

 

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Sinn Féin to host public meeting on cost of living at Killarney Heights Hotel

Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm. […]

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23 hours ago

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25 May 2026

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Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm.

The Donegal TD will be joined by Kerry TD Pa Daly to discuss the economic pressures facing local households and the policy changes needed to provide financial relief. The main focus of the evening will center on the barriers preventing local people from buying their own homes, alongside broader costs of living challenges.
Speaking exclusively to the Killarney Advertiser ahead of his visit, Deputy Doherty said workers and families across Kerry are being squeezed from every direction by rising weekly shops, high energy bills, increasing insurance premiums, and substantial housing costs.
“Young people are losing hope that they will ever own a home in the county where they were raised,” Deputy Doherty said. “And while all of this is happening, the government is sitting on billions in budget surpluses while telling struggling families to wait. It is simply not good enough.”
The Sinn Féin finance spokesperson highlighted specific regional factors making the crisis acute in County Kerry, particularly regarding home heating costs.
“Almost 59% of homes in Kerry rely on home heating oil, which is nearly double the state average of 34%,” he said. “That means families across the county are far more exposed to soaring fuel costs than households in many other parts of the state. Yet the government withdrew supports that were helping households keep the lights on and heat their homes.”
Deputy Doherty noted that the housing situation in Kerry has moved beyond a social issue and is now impacting the local economy and communities. He pointed to figures showing average rents in the county have reached €1,493 per month, with exceptionally low market availability.
“At the time of writing, there were only 27 properties available online to rent across the entire county. Only 19 were below €2,000 a month and just five were available for less than €1,500. A county the size of Kerry, and only five rental properties affordable to someone on an ordinary income,” he said.
He also raised concerns for first-time buyers, noting that average house prices in Kerry have climbed to €296,000, representing an increase of €33,500 in a single year.
During the meeting, the Sinn Féin representatives will outline their party’s alternative proposals. These include a state-led program of affordable home building, a ban on excessive rent increases, enhanced protections for renters, and immediate energy credits and tax relief for workers.
“The resources exist to do this,” Deputy Doherty added. “The government’s own figures show billions in surplus funds available to the state. The issue is not a lack of money. The issue is political choice.”
The meeting is open to all members of the public, and a discussion session will follow the main presentations.

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National Park hosts weekend Bioblitz for National Biodiversity Week

Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment. Today, Friday, […]

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1 day ago

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25 May 2026

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Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment.

Today, Friday, May 22, marks the UN International Day for Biological Diversity, and a series of free events will run across the park until the national celebration concludes this Sunday, May 24.
The highlight of the weekend is the Killarney National Park Bioblitz. This event brings families, nature lovers, and community volunteers together to find, identify, and record as many different plant and animal species as possible across the park’s diverse habitats over the next three days.
Christopher O’Sullivan, Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, encouraged locals and visitors alike to utiliSe the final days of the festival to experience the area’s unique wildlife, referencing Killarney’s native habitats as key areas the state is working to protect.
Niall Ó Donnchú, Director General of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), noted that the week is designed to remind people that native plants, woodlands, and rivers are vital systems that make life possible. OrganiSers are encouraging anyone in the locality to head out to Killarney National Park before Sunday evening to participate in the species count and support local conservation efforts.

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