News
Killarney company called in to manage Pope’s visit
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Pope Francis is due to attend the World Meeting of Families in Dublin next week and a Killarney-based company has been playing a key role as official logistics provider for the event.
Under the guidance of Managing Director Niall Thompson, Interflow Logistics is using all of its expertise in the complexity of international freight forwarder and transport arrangements to ensure that all elements of the various events for the World Meeting of Families arrive on site in Dublin without a hitch.
The World Meeting of Families is a huge occasion. Upwards of 40 volunteers for have been working industriously to make up no fewer than 44,000 pilgrim bags for shipping to the RDS ahead of the opening ceremony, as well as sorting and packing more than 3,000 vestments for the occasion.
Tickets for all of the events have been booked - indeed, by midnight on the first day of booking, some 353,874 people had booked tickets for the WMOF 2018 Closing Mass in Phoenix Park on Sunday August 26, where Pope Francis will be the main celebrant. The Pope will also attend the previous days Festival of Families in Croke Park, a celebration of family life in music, song, dance and spoken word.
The Festival in and of itself is a gargantuan undertaking, involving an orchestra of over 50 musicians; more than 700 Irish sean nós and contemporary dancers, including 500 from Irish dance schools across the country; a 1,000-strong choir; 100 community groups; and 300 flag bearers. Performers include Andrea Bocelli, The Riverdance Troupe, Nathan Carter, Dana Masters, Daniel O’Donnell, Celine Byrne, The Begley Family, Holy Family Deaf Choir & Deaftones, Patrick Bergin, The Priests, Paddy Moloney, Bridgie and Missy Collins, and Moya Brennan.
It has also been confirmed that the O’Neill Sisters from Causeway will perform for the pontiff. The O'Neills, who received worldwide acclaim following their online cover of the Irish classic Red is the Rose, will be familiar to the people of Killarney; the talented sisters have a show with Celtic Steps at the Killarney Racecourse every Saturday night at 8.30pm.
News
Eight month wait for a driving test in Killarney
A Killarney councillor is calling for action in an effort to reduce the driving test wait list in Killarney The current wait list for a test in Killarney sits at […]

A Killarney councillor is calling for action in an effort to reduce the driving test wait list in Killarney
The current wait list for a test in Killarney sits at eight months.
Cllr John O’Donoghue raised the issue at Monday’s full meeting of Kerry County Council.
He proposed that driving instructors should be employed to carry out the final test to reduce the current backlog.
At Monday’s meeting he asked that hat Kerry County Council would write to the Minister for Transport to ask him to consider giving driving instructors temporary powers to issue a temporary Driving Licence/Certificate of Competence to those on the waiting list for tests.
“The wait is currently far too long and the system is in danger of becoming completely overwhelmed,” he said.
“The huge waiting list for young drivers is well documented at this stage. In a case I am familiar with, a young person passed their theory test in January 2022 and he immediately applied for his mandatory 12 driving lessons. When these were completed, he applied for his driving test on the 2nd of December 2022. Some weeks ago, he still had not received an application to apply for his driving test. This wait is placing him and his family under considerable extra cost and stress which is completely unacceptable.”
In the course of his research into the matter Cllr O’Donoghue discovered that the next available date for a driving test in Killarney is May 25, 2024, while Tralee is June 3 2024.
“Bear in mind, these are only the dates on which you receive an invitation to book your test, the test itself will then be an estimated three to five weeks later.
“This is an appalling situation and one which needs to be rectified as a matter of urgency. I am proposing that driving instructors, which presumably are fully trained up on the rules of the road, be granted temporary powers to be allowed to issue temporary driving licences to young people. When the waiting list time has been reduced, I would still propose that these people sit the test as usual, but the current pressure needs to be alleviated as soon as possible. There is precedent as I believe that in the 1970s, a cohort in this country were issued driving licences without having sat a test as the wait time for the test was too long.”
News
Ballymac charity vintage run on October 1
The Ballymac Vintage Club is hosting a classic car, tractor and Honda 50 run on October 1. The run will leave from and return to the Halfway Bar, Ballymac. Registration […]

The Ballymac Vintage Club is hosting a classic car, tractor and Honda 50 run on October 1.
The run will leave from and return to the Halfway Bar, Ballymac.
Registration begins at 9:30am and sets off at 11am.
“There will be two separate routes with one for tractors and the other for cars and motorbikes. Proceeds on the day are in aid of Castleisland Day Care Centre and we’ll have plenty of spot prizes to giveaway too in the morning,” said the club’s PRO Kieran Glover.
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