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Killarney Cycling Without Age project hailed a success

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HSE Cork Kerry Community Healthcare and Killarney Cycling Club have joined together on an exciting new initiative for residents of Killarney Community Hospital and St Columbanus Home.

HSE Cork Kerry Community Healthcare and Killarney Cycling Club join residents of Killarney Community Hospital and St Columbanus Home in welcoming the exciting new initiative ‘Killarney Cycling Without Age’. Photo: Domnick Walsh Photography

HSE Cork Kerry Community Healthcare and Killarney Cycling Club join residents of Killarney Community Hospital and St Columbanus Home in welcoming the exciting new initiative ‘Killarney Cycling Without Age’. Photo: Domnick Walsh Photography

‘Killarney Cycling Without Age’ started in May 2023 following postponement of the initiative during the pandemic.

This new initiative is aimed at helping older persons and those with mobility issues to regain the experience of being out and about on a bike and to gain better access to explore their local community.

Over the last four months, hospital and care home residents have been enjoying trips through Killarney town and around the jewel in Killarney’s crown - Killarney National Park.

The electric-assisted trishaw was purchased by Killarney Cycling Club with the help of Cork Kerry Community Healthcare and Kerry County Council, it was then donated to Killarney Community Hospitals to ensure residents of the community hospital and care homes could regain the experience of being out on a bike in their local community.

The Trishaw ‘pilots’ are experienced volunteer cyclists largely from Killarney Cycling Club, who take hospital and care-home residents (usually two passengers at a time) on trips when the weather conditions are suitable.

“Our residents here are really enjoying this new initiative – you can see their delighted smiles as they get to experience being out and about with the wind in their hair. ‘Killarney Cycling Without Age’ has greatly benefitted our residents, playing a pivotal role in keeping them active and socially engaged. We have received very positive feedback from both our residents and their families and look forward to further developing the initiative in the future,” said Breda Delves, Acting Director of Nursing at Killarney Community Hospitals, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare.

Project co-ordinator, Noel O’Connell commented on the success of the initiative, and added:
“The residents love being out on the bike and meeting people. The model of Trishaw we use is called a CHAT and it certainly encourages conversations whenever we are out in the National Park or around the town. Weather can be an issue at times, but the bike has a waterproof blanket cover and canopy to help along the way. Since beginning at end of May, the initiative has been in use each week and will increase with a number of new volunteer ‘pilots’ who have been trained to cycle around Killarney town and the National Park. The hospital and care-home staff are very supportive of the scheme and residents are always encouraged to give it a try and for the most part, they can’t wait to go again.”

The trishaw runs from Killarney Community Hospital and St. Columbanus Home, and plans to develop the scheme for other care homes are being researched.

This initiative is supported by the HSE Cork Kerry Community Healthcare and Killarney Cycling Club

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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 […]

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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.”

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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 […]

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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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