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Kenmare locals are ‘Happy to Chat’

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By Michelle Crean

Kenmare locals are encouraging more human contact after installing a number of benches inviting strangers to stop for a chat.

New 'Happy to Chat' bench signs have been installed in Kenmare in a joint venture with Kenmare Family Resource Centres Linkworker and Kenmare Tidy Towns.

The four benches located in the town have been fitted with 'Happy to Chat' plaques in order to invite passers-by to stop and engage in a friendly chat with those sitting on the bench.

"By providing a platform for people to support one another and offering genuine connection we can increase compassion and empathy, reduce the rate of loneliness and boost the level of healthy conversation that happens in our community," Paula McElligott from Kenmare Family Resource Centre said.

"Some people may go days or even weeks without the simplest of human contact, so the 'Chat Bench' seeks to break down that social barrier and allow us to all say "Hello". We hope the signs help break down the invisible social barriers that sometimes exist between people who are sharing the common space of a bench."

Loneliness and isolation persist in Kenmare, despite a friendly and big-hearted community, so new approaches to encourage and facilitate engagement and interaction are required, now more than ever, Paula added.

"The benches are an opportunity for us all to make a connection with someone new."

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Beaufort Film Night returns with screening of Cinema Paradiso

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Beaufort Film Night will return on Friday, June 12, with a screening of the Italian classic Cinema Paradiso at Kilgobnet National School.

Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, the film follows Salvatore, a successful film director who returns home to Sicily for the funeral of his childhood friend and mentor, Alfredo, the local cinema projectionist.

The movie won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, five BAFTA Awards, and the Grand Prize of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival. It features a soundtrack by composer Ennio Morricone.

The screening will begin at 8:30pm at Kilgobnet National School (Eircode V93 DW26). Admission is €8, with cash-only entry as there are no card payment facilities. Proceeds will cover the motion picture licence fee. The film is rated PG and will screen in Italian with English subtitles.

Beaufort Film Night is a non-profit community organisation run by local film enthusiasts. The group aims to screen cultural English and international language films that do not typically receive a general release in Kerry.

The initiative is supported by the Kerry County Council Arts Office and works in conjunction with Access Cinema.

Organisers extended their thanks to Kilgobnet National School for providing the venue. More details can be found on the Beaufort Film Night Facebook page.

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Wallace Arnold coach drivers return to Killarney

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Wallace Arnold coach drivers return to Killarney


A group of 26 former coach drivers, wives, and friends from the Wallace Arnold tour company returned to Killarney over a recent weekend.


The group travelled from Holyhead to Dublin in a restored Wallace Arnold coach, staying at the Killarney Towers Hotel for three nights.
During the visit, the group drove the vintage coach to local landmarks, including Kate Kearney’s Cottage and Muckross House, before returning to town ahead of the Kerry versus Donegal match. The itinerary also included a trip around the Ring of Kerry.
The trip allowed the former drivers to reconnect and reminisce about their years touring Ireland. Organiser Bob Adams said that the vintage coach drew attention from local residents along the route.
The group noted the absence of several former colleagues who could not travel due to health reasons, including veteran driver Hilton Caldwell who is well known in Killarney.

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