DELIVERY: Fiona O'Carroll dropping off Denis Tagney's weekly shopping. Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan

By Sean Moriarty

A Killarney motorcycle enthusiast is providing vital support to vulnerable people in her community by delivering meals and medicines.

Fiona Carroll from Mill Road has been riding a motorcycle for 10 years after the annual Killarney BikeFest on her doorstep sparked a new interest in the hobby she chose to mark her 40th birthday.

“I lost my husband to cancer over 10 years ago, he was diagnosed on his 40th birthday so I wanted to do something special on mine. I went to the festival, asked could I go for a passenger ride on one of the bikes and that is where it all started."

Fiona’s son Daniel is a member of Killarney Legion GAA Club and the famous town team is a member of the Kerry County Council supported Kerry Public Participation Network (KPPN), an umbrella group for sporting and volunteer organisations in the county.

When the Council set up its COVID-19 Community Response Forum, every club with the PPN was automatically included.

“My son plays football with the club, I am not even a member, but the club is very good at pulling in people when they need people to help. They know I did other charity work on the bike and that is how I got called in,” she told the Killarney Advertiser.

Fiona is a regular participant in the annual Christmas Charity Motorbike toy run which is organised by motorcycle clubs in Killarney and Tralee.

The Mill Road woman uses her Harley Davidson Road King to collect shopping and medicine for local people who are currently cocooning.

“All of the people I am helping are within my own 2km,” she added. “Legion got this off the ground very quickly and I now have regulars who call me direct and I can respond to their needs."

A typical day for Fiona would involve fielding phone calls from her regulars and working out what needs to done or what needs to be collected in town.

“One lady out in Muckross rang me to collect shopping and a prescription but I was able to get all that done in the one run,” she added. “I know what it's like, my own parents are cocooning in Wexford and I just want to help people when I can. “