News
Killarney donations help buy a fire engine for Ukraine
By Sean Moriarty
Money raised at the Gala Store in the Courtyard on Upper College St last weekend will go directly towards the purchase of a fire engine in war-torn Ukraine.
The store is managed by Iryna Rudenko, whose home city of Sumy has been devastated by the war. She organised a fundraiser for her home country last Friday.
She raised €2,100 through the sales of tea and coffee at the store but she could not decide which one of the many worthy Ukrainian fundraisers she should support.
Meanwhile, members of Kerry Fire and Rescue have started a separate fundraiser. They want to raise €50,000 to buy a fire engine and deliver it to the Ukrainian border where its most needed.
The plan was devised at Tralee Fire Station but has since grown and has now expanded to stations all over the county including Killarney Fire Station.
When Iryna heard about the firefighters’ plan she knew immediately where the money her customers had donated should go.
Sumy is about five hours drive east of Kyiv and very close to the Russian border. On Monday of this week her home town suffered a heavy attack from Russian military, 21 people died, including two children. The city in the North Eastern corner of Ukraine is now one of many that has a dedicated humanitarian corridor linked to it in an effort to get civilians to safety.
“I would like to donate the €2,100 we raised at our Coffee Morning in Gala The Courtyard, Killarney last Friday for my fellow Ukrainians," she said.
"I was overwhelmed by the support and generosity of the people of Killarney and I reassured them that all monies raised would be donated to a very good cause, and I believe this is a very worthy cause and a fantastic idea.”
Iryna remains very concerned for family members in Ukraine. Her cousin and nephew signed up for the Ukrainian army at the start of the war two weeks ago. She knew one of the people killed in Monday’s attack on her city.
“There are two children in bad condition in hospital,” she added. “My best friend lives in Belgium and she lost family too.”
Trevor Kelliher of Tralee Fire Station that he contacted Pavlo Serdiuk who is a 23-year-old Ukrainian who was living and working in Cork as an apprentice plumber. Pavlo was recently on RTÉ news as he has headed home to help defend his home country.
“Pavlo has put us in touch with the local fire service in Ukraine who will receive equipment that is both donated and bought through this fundraising. Any help will be greatly appreciated and all money raised will be directly sent in forms of fire and rescue equipment to Ukraine with an official handover.”
Funds can be donated via GoFundMe: Help Ukraine Fire And Rescue with equipment.
KWD Recycling shortlisted for national environmental awards
Killarney-based KWD Recycling has been announced as a finalist in the 2026 Repak Resource Awards, securing a spot on the national shortlist for environmental achievement.
The local waste management company has been nominated in the Best Recovery Operator Innovation category, sponsored by DNV, for its state-of-the-art residual waste recovery system.
The Killarney facility utilizes optical sorting, screening, and mechanical processing to extract recyclable plastics and organic material from municipal waste. In its first year of operation, the technology recovered more than 10 per cent of plastic packaging from residual waste for recycling and diverted almost 50 per cent of organic material toward composting.
KWD Recycling will compete alongside Dublin operators Panda and Thorntons Recycling for the category title.
Repak CEO Zoe Kavanagh commended the Kerry firm for demonstrating environmental leadership and bringing local ambition to the national awards.
Category winners will be announced at a black-tie ceremony at the Mansion House in Dublin on Friday, October 23, where each winner will also compete for the Overall Repak Resource Award.
Local businesses have a strong track record at the national event, with Killarney town venue The Killarney Park and The Ross previously taking home the overall title in 2023.
Drivers warned as deer rutting season begins
Motorists in Killarney are being urged to exercise extreme caution as the annual deer rutting season gets underway, causing animals to stray far beyond their usual habitats inside Killarney National Park.
The autumn mating season sees deer becoming highly active and unpredictable, leading to increased sightings and collisions on local roads outside traditional park boundaries.
Two separate incidents highlighted the growing hazard on local routes this week. A reader contacted the Killarney Advertiser to warn drivers after spotting a deer roaming near Tiernaboul towards the school on Sunday afternoon around 7.30pm.
Later that same night, in the early hours of Monday morning, a local driver collided with a deer near Kerry Airport around 1am while returning home from an event.
Despite attempting evasive action, the motorist struck the animal, which died at the scene and temporarily blocked the road before local Gardaí were alerted to clear the obstruction.
The driver sustained substantial vehicle damage, requiring repairs to the bumper, headlamp, and internal components, leaving her facing significant garage costs and time off the road.
Gardaí and road safety advocates advise motorists travelLing during early morning and late evening and remain vigilant along tree-lined routes.
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