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Killarney extends VIP welcome to COVID carer

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A KILLARNEY WELCOME: Lisa Connolly, pictured with her mom Tina and sisters Ciara and Jessica, enjoyed a VIP experience in Killarney all for free last weekend thanks to the generosity of locals.

 

By Michelle Crean

 

It is a holiday they’ll never forget with VIP treatment last weekend as Killarney locals generously extended their kindness to a compassionate COVID carer who featured on RTÉ.

In June, during the height of the health crisis, hearts across the country broke as viewers of RTÉ ONE’s ‘Inside Ireland’s COVID Battle’ watched kind-hearted Dublin lady Lisa Connolly care for a 97-year-old patient named Patrick, as he lost his battle with COVID-19.

With no family close by to care for him, his support worker Lisa regularly visited him in St James’ Hospital. And after he passed away, she even went into the hospital room to hold his hand as she sang ‘The Irish Lullaby’ to him and bent down and kissed him on the forehead through her mask despite the risks to her own life.

Moved by Lisa’s selflessness, local guesthouse owner Ciara Roche who runs Killaran House on Park Road reached out to her and offered Lisa and family a three night stay for free as a thank you for being so kind.

On Friday last, Lisa, her mom Tina and sisters Ciara and Jessica were thrilled when they arrived in Killarney and were treated like VIPs.

What’s more is that many local businesses also offered their services for free including Danny O’Sullivan from Killarney Hackney Cabs who made himself available as their personal chauffeur and said he “was glad to help”.

On Friday, the ladies had their hair and shellac nails done by Elegant Styles followed by dinner at Killeen House Hotel and Rozzers Restaurant.

[caption id="attachment_33466" align="alignleft" width="226"] Lisa Connolly on RTÉ ONE’s ‘Inside Ireland’s COVID Battle’.[/caption]

The next day it was a facial for Lisa at What Women Want and fun for the family at Escape Killarney which they said was “absolutely brilliant”, and lunch in the Eviston House Hotel. On Sunday they enjoyed a carvery lunch and then a trip to Ross Castle with Jarvey John Kearney. Lisa also received a voucher for Who’s 4 Shoes while Ciara’s aunt in Dublin, Deirdre Quinn, gave a cash gift and Pauline O’Connor from Cill Ide B&B dropped in a Penney’s voucher. Lisa also received a gift of a printed image of Killarney by local photographer Peter O’Toole which was framed by the Killarney Printer.

“I was so delighted to finally welcome Lisa, her sisters Ciara and Jessica and her mum Tina to Killaran House for their three night staycation,” Ciara told the Killarney Advertiser.

“They are a fab bunch of girls. At first it was kind of emotional. A lovely gentleman called in as soon as the girls arrived and they hugged. He gave her an envelope and he cried. It was heart wrenching - she really did touch people.”

Ciara said over the weekend it was great to see the ladies have such a relaxing fun time.

Her appeal on Facebook and in the Killarney Advertiser, which we ran two weeks ago, meant more businesses came on board to make their weekend extra special.

“It was their first visit to Killarney and they had a ball. Lisa said they felt like VIPs and that she’s dying to come back down again.”

Ciara, who said that she felt the urge to help after watching the moving programme, added that she’s very thankful to everyone who came on board and made it extra special for Lisa and her family.

“It worked out great in the long run and I want to thank everyone that came on board to help.”

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Five local postmen retire with 185 years service

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Five local postmen retire with 185 years service

RETIREMENT NIGHT: Pictured at the retirement party held at Killarney Racecourse on Saturday, October 3, celebrating a combined 185 years of service with An Post, are Connie Brady, James Foley, Terry Potts, Pat Cronin, and D.J. Cahill.


Five well-known local postmen celebrated their retirement at a special function held at Killarney Racecourse on Saturday night, October 3.


The event brought together current and former An Post colleagues to mark the combined total of 185 years of service delivered across Killarney and surrounding areas.
Delivery Services Manager Terry Potts retired after 43 years with An Post. He began his career in Dublin, where he worked for 10 years, before moving to Killarney in 1993 for a further 33 years.
Pat Cronin completed an impressive 51 years of service between Killarney and Farranfore, spending 44 of those years delivering post on the Farranfore route.
James Foley served 35 years with An Post, delivering on routes across Killorglin throughout his entire career.
D.J. Cahill marked 32 years of service based out of Killarney post office, delivering mail across Killarney town, Killorglin, Kilcummin, and Headford.
Connie Brady retired following 24 years with the postal service, spending 17 years in Killarney town before completing his service in Killorglin.
The celebration offered local postal staff an opportunity to gather and catch up ahead of the busy Christmas rush.

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New Streetscapes murals launched at College Square

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A colourful collaboration between the Kerry Local Creative Youth Partnership (LCYP) and the Architecture Kerry Festival at Kerry County Council launched yesterday evening at College Square.

Titled Streetscapes, the open-air public art installation officially opened at 5pm on Thursday, accompanied by a performance from the Killarney Youth Drumming Band THUMP! under the guidance of Urs Wenk from Drum Dance Ireland.


The public art project features a series of wall murals depicting Killarney through the eyes of local children, exploring freedom, play, and potential future evolutions of the townscape.

The artworks reimagine Killarney’s iconic landmarks and streets, blending youthful imagination and curiosity.


Supported under the Creative Ireland Programme, the installation is mounted on the gable wall of Reen’s Life Pharmacy in College Square, where it will remain on public display until March 2027.


Speaking at the launch, Daniel O’Shea, Youth Development Officer at Kerry ETB, stated: “Streetscapes is a wonderful celebration of how children see things. Their creativity brings new perspectives to the townscape, and we are proud to support their ideas and their art through this public artwork.”


Deirdre Enright, Co-Ordinator of the Local Creative Youth Partnership at Kerry ETB, acknowledged the community support behind the initiative: “We are very grateful to Reen’s Life Pharmacy who have shared their built space with us. Huge credit is due to the artistic team from Me+The Moon whose dedication to creativity and to children’s art shine through in this work.”


The project forms part of the annual Architecture Kerry Festival and receives funding through Creative Ireland and the Department of Education and Youth via Kerry ETB and Kerry County Council.


Victoria McCarthy, Festival Organiser and Architectural Conservation Officer at Kerry County Council, welcomed the continued inter-agency project: “It’s always a great event for Architecture Kerry and we are so pleased with this collaboration between public sector organisations. It remains a key feature of the Architecture Kerry programme.”
See next week’s Killarney Advertiser for full photographic coverage of the event.

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