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John’s ‘Special Words’ help keep essential service on the road

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CHARITY SONG: John Vaughan from Gneeveguilla has penned a song 'Special Words' with proceeds going to Kerry Cancer Support Group.

By Michelle Crean

In a year when everything has changed and the world has become a very different place one man decided that he is going to do his bit to keep a local essential service on the road.

John Vaughan from Gneeveguilla, who works as a postman, wrote and recorded a song called 'Special Words' and decided to donate the proceeds from sales to Kerry Cancer Support Group. The charity operates the Healthlink Transport Service to Cork and Limerick and has continued to transport service users safely and within guidelines to cancer related appointments all through the pandemic.

John said that he wants to sincerely thank everyone for their support and that he is delighted to be able to support this cause. He said that without the support from the Healthlink Transport service many people wouldn’t get to hospitals for their treatment and that he is very happy to contribute to keeping such an essential service rolling. He also said that all contributions are gratefully accepted.

Many people have been asking him if he came up with the song as a result of the pandemic, but he explained that the words have been with him for years. The song has been played on radio stations in Kerry, Cork and Limerick and has been met with a very warm reception.

"About four years ago the words of the song came into my head," John told the Killarney Advertiser.

"I had it written within an hour. I went to Leo Fitzgerald's recording studio in Ballydesmond. I had the melody and he put it all together. My sister in Boston put it up on Facebook a few months ago and people said it's very appropriate for the virus. It started to be played on different radio stations and I decided I wanted to help a charity and got onto Breda."

To date John has raised over €1,000 for the charity.

"Because of the virus physical copies can't be held by the charity but people can contact me to get one. Hopefully it'll raise some more."

John can be contacted at slanteimmune@gmail.com for information on purchasing a copy of 'Special Words' or write to him: John Vaughan, Gneeveguilla, Co Kerry.

"I want to thank Leo for all his help and patience producing the song and his dad Mike for helping me share it with radio stations."

Breda Dyland from Kerry Cancer Support Group said that the charity is very grateful to John and all who have purchased the song.

"It is a beautiful song that is very fitting for the times that we are faced with. All funds raised will go towards the operation of our Healthlink transport service."

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Five local postmen retire with 185 years service

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Five local postmen retire with 185 years service

RETIREMENT NIGHT: Pictured at the retirement party held at Killarney Racecourse on Saturday, October 3, celebrating a combined 185 years of service with An Post, are Connie Brady, James Foley, Terry Potts, Pat Cronin, and D.J. Cahill.


Five well-known local postmen celebrated their retirement at a special function held at Killarney Racecourse on Saturday night, October 3.


The event brought together current and former An Post colleagues to mark the combined total of 185 years of service delivered across Killarney and surrounding areas.
Delivery Services Manager Terry Potts retired after 43 years with An Post. He began his career in Dublin, where he worked for 10 years, before moving to Killarney in 1993 for a further 33 years.
Pat Cronin completed an impressive 51 years of service between Killarney and Farranfore, spending 44 of those years delivering post on the Farranfore route.
James Foley served 35 years with An Post, delivering on routes across Killorglin throughout his entire career.
D.J. Cahill marked 32 years of service based out of Killarney post office, delivering mail across Killarney town, Killorglin, Kilcummin, and Headford.
Connie Brady retired following 24 years with the postal service, spending 17 years in Killarney town before completing his service in Killorglin.
The celebration offered local postal staff an opportunity to gather and catch up ahead of the busy Christmas rush.

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New Streetscapes murals launched at College Square

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A colourful collaboration between the Kerry Local Creative Youth Partnership (LCYP) and the Architecture Kerry Festival at Kerry County Council launched yesterday evening at College Square.

Titled Streetscapes, the open-air public art installation officially opened at 5pm on Thursday, accompanied by a performance from the Killarney Youth Drumming Band THUMP! under the guidance of Urs Wenk from Drum Dance Ireland.


The public art project features a series of wall murals depicting Killarney through the eyes of local children, exploring freedom, play, and potential future evolutions of the townscape.

The artworks reimagine Killarney’s iconic landmarks and streets, blending youthful imagination and curiosity.


Supported under the Creative Ireland Programme, the installation is mounted on the gable wall of Reen’s Life Pharmacy in College Square, where it will remain on public display until March 2027.


Speaking at the launch, Daniel O’Shea, Youth Development Officer at Kerry ETB, stated: “Streetscapes is a wonderful celebration of how children see things. Their creativity brings new perspectives to the townscape, and we are proud to support their ideas and their art through this public artwork.”


Deirdre Enright, Co-Ordinator of the Local Creative Youth Partnership at Kerry ETB, acknowledged the community support behind the initiative: “We are very grateful to Reen’s Life Pharmacy who have shared their built space with us. Huge credit is due to the artistic team from Me+The Moon whose dedication to creativity and to children’s art shine through in this work.”


The project forms part of the annual Architecture Kerry Festival and receives funding through Creative Ireland and the Department of Education and Youth via Kerry ETB and Kerry County Council.


Victoria McCarthy, Festival Organiser and Architectural Conservation Officer at Kerry County Council, welcomed the continued inter-agency project: “It’s always a great event for Architecture Kerry and we are so pleased with this collaboration between public sector organisations. It remains a key feature of the Architecture Kerry programme.”
See next week’s Killarney Advertiser for full photographic coverage of the event.

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