News
Kerry College is helping to build a skilled future

Kerry College is helping to support employees of the future through its sponsorship of WorldSkills Ireland which is returning to the RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin, from this Tuesday to Thursday.
A partnership between enterprise, industry, education, training, and government, WorldSkills Ireland raises the profile and recognition of skills and apprenticeships and prepares the talent of today for the careers of the future. Kerry College say they're thrilled to be onboard supporting the show.
Taking place under one roof, free to attend and packed with interactive events, demonstrations, talks and competitions, WorldSkills Ireland will present a wide selection of options, careers and pathways to excite every type of learner.
Offering a unique opportunity to learn about different industries, discover exciting job pathways and options for a vocation in the skills and trade industry, it is a fantastic event for Kerry College to support employees of the future and secure a pipeline for skills through apprenticeships. This will provide a systemic solution to today’s skill and business challenges.
Kerry College are excited to be displaying their new Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician (WTMT) along with their Commis Chef Apprenticeship and Stone Cutting and Stone Masonry apprenticeship at the event. They will be based at the ETB Green Technologies Demo area, Stone Masonry Demo area and Restaurant area.
Broadcast Production Skills learners along with instructor Brian Nolan are operating all live streaming of each day’s activities, the awards event and covering all social media for the three day event. Live segments will be presented by RTÉ’s Brian Hurley. This is a huge high-level partnership for Kerry College and the WorldSills Ireland Competition.
Kerry College are proud to have two national expert instructors, Tom Cronin for Mechanical Automotive Maintenance Fitter (MAMF) and Tara O'Halloran for Beauty Therapy.
A preliminary training morning was held to prepare for the Worldskills Ireland 2022 Beauty Therapy competition at the state-of-the-art, newly refurbished Kerry College of Beauty, Clash Campus on September 6.
Competitors from Kerry College - Claire Kiely currently working at Therapie Clinic Ireland and Emma Godley who is employed with The Glampod Tralee, along with Emma Hearty from FX Makeup Academy and Laura Stack from Brid's Beauty Salon in Glin Co. Limerick looked forward to the final checks prior to the RDS event.
A must-attend event, WorldSkills Ireland is set to inspire the next generation of skilled young people to follow their passions, interests and talents.
For further information on WorldSkills Live, please see www.worldskillsireland.ie or follow WorldSkills Ireland on social media.
To visit the show, register free via www.worldskillsireland.ie.
News
Ireland’s oldest citizen has Killarney connections
Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week. Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections. The previous record […]

Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week.
Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections.
The previous record was held by 107-year-old Nancy Stewart who died on September 10 2021.
Although born in Belfast, Máirín went to school in the Mercy Convent. Her father was a customs and excise officer and the family moved around a lot eventually coming to Killarney after spells in County Down and Dublin.
Her mother came from the Rathmore area and her father was from Newmarket in County Cork.
She attended the Mercy Convent and has, in previous interviews, recalled growing up on the shores of Lough Lein.
“Neighbours who had three children were given the job of taking me to school,” she said. “They were annoyed because the children were going to school for two or three years but I was put in to the same class as them – my mother had taught me.”
In 2021 she featured in the book ‘Independence Memories: A People’s Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation’, sharing stories of being kept in school in Killarney during an attack on the RIC barracks down the road.
In 1924 she started a degree in science and a diploma in education at University College Cork, before working in the pathology lab in University College Cork’s Department of Medicine for 16 years.
last year she recalled her story on the podcast: ‘Living History – Irish Life and Lore’.
During the broadcast she talked about her parents’ membership of the Gaelic League in 1910; the Spanish Flu in Ireland in 1918; The Black and Tans in Killarney in 1921; the early days of the new Free State; Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 1932, visiting the Basket Islands in 1929; and working in the UCC medical laboratory from 1932 until 1948.
This week President Michael D. Higgins hosted an afternoon tea event to celebrate the important role that a variety of people have and can play in different communities and Máirín was among the guests of honour.
News
Philip is running over 100kms for Cancer charity
Local runner and charity fundraiser Philip Kissane is set for the biggest challenge of his career as he lines up for the Cork City Marathon on Sunday. Phillip has already […]

Local runner and charity fundraiser Philip Kissane is set for the biggest challenge of his career as he lines up for the Cork City Marathon on Sunday.
Phillip has already completed four half marathons at various locations around Killarney – all in aid of Kerry Cancer Support Group – or the Cancer Bus as it popularly called.
This is the second time that Phillip has run four half marathon and an official race for the charity.
Back in 2021 he finished with 5km Run Killarney event but his finishing race this time around is over eight times the distance at 42kms.
“We are delighted with Philip’s continued fundraising support but also with his awareness raising for the charity,” Breda Dyland, Service Manager Kerry Cancer Support Trust.
“We are getting busier all the time and still get no statutory funding so are dependent on fundraisers like Philip’s to keep us on the road. We have just put our new wheelchair accessible bus on the Cork route so Philip’s funding will be going towards the operation of this vehicle.”