News
Jordan’s new role with St Paul’s
By Sean Moriarty
Killarney’s Paralympic hero Jordan Lee is to take on a new role with Scott’s Lakers St Paul’s Killarney Basketball Club.
Jordan began his sporting career with the local basketball club where he created history by becoming the first amputee athlete to represent their country at international level.
The High Jumper then switched to track and field and qualified for the Tokyo Paralympics where he made history by becoming the first Kerry athlete to act as a flag bearer for an opening ceremony and lead an Irish team into an Olympic Stadium.
Now back home and preparing for the next Olympics in Paris, he has returned to his first love and will join the backroom staff at the local Division One basketball club ahead of their National League campaign which begins next month.
His father Jarlath Lee is head coach with St Paul’s.
“Jordan is joining us as our strength and conditioning coach,” Jarlath told the Killarney Advertiser.
INTERNATIONALS
Meanwhile, Scott’s Lakers St Paul’s Killarney Basketball Club National League team will have a distinctive feel to it this year after securing the services of three overseas players it for the season ahead.
The club’s biggest signing is Canadian professional Ben Miller. It was originally hoped that the former two-time Manitoba Player of the Year would play for the local side last season but the pandemic got in the way and the National League was never played. However, he did play two training games this time last year before returning to Canada until travel restrictions lifted.
“He is a good guy, very approachable and very good with the young members,” Jarlath said.
The club has also signed Bulgarian International Emilian Grudov.
The 20-year-old has already represented his home country at U16, 18 and 20 level.
“He is young, athletic and very good offensively,” added Lee.
The returning Lithuanian Dianius Varanaukus completes the club international line up for the 2020/21 season.
TFI Anseo demand-responsive transport pilot extended
The National Transport Authority (NTA) and TFI Local Link Kerry have announced an extension of the TFI Anseo pilot service in Killarney following a successful first year of operation.
Funded through the Climate Action Fund as part of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan, the demand-responsive bus service has supported over 82,000 passenger journeys since launching on August 11, 2025. The extension will allow the service to continue operating while a final evaluation report is compiled for December 2026.
The pilot allows passengers to book flexible trips for work, healthcare appointments, shopping, and social visits across the Killarney area.
Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien welcomed the extension, stating:
“I am very pleased to see the TFI Anseo pilot service being extended following its highly successful first year. The sheer number of passenger journeys recorded shows that the local community have embraced this innovative service, which truly puts the passenger at the heart of the journey. Extending the pilot allows us to continue learning how to provide practical transport solutions that encourage sustainable and inclusive travel.”
Minister of State with responsibility for Rural Transport, Jerry Buttimer, noted that local feedback from business owners and residents demonstrates a strong vote of confidence in demand-responsive transport for rural communities.
NTA CEO Anne Shaw confirmed the pilot has operated within budget while providing key insights into future rural public transport. Over the autumn months, the NTA will conduct customer satisfaction surveys to gather further feedback from local passengers.
RTÉ News appoints new Cork and Kerry reporter
RTÉ News has announced that Barry Gallagher will take up the role of regional news journalist for Cork, Kerry, and the wider Southern region starting this August.
Gallagher will work alongside RTÉ News’ Southern Editor Paschal Sheehy, reporting across television, radio, online, and social media platforms. He succeeds veteran broadcaster Jennie O’Sullivan, who retired in May following a 25-year reporting career with RTÉ in the region.
Gallagher joined RTÉ in 2023 as a presenter for news2day before moving on to report across flagship programs, including the Six One News, Nine O’Clock News, and Morning Ireland. His coverage has spanned major national stories, including the 2024 Olympic Games, All-Ireland Hurling Finals, and Storm Chandra.
Originally from Gartan, County Donegal, Gallagher studied journalism at D
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