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Killarney ice cream maker wins Blás award

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AWARD: John Fleming from Muckross Creamery, pictured with Hugh Gleeson (South Kerry Manager with Bank of Ireland), has received the bronze Blás na hÉireann award. Photo: Michelle Crean

By Michelle Crean

His new product is not yet a year old and what a tumultuous year it has been - but that didn't stop local ice cream maker receiving a bronze award this week.

Fifth-generation dairy farmer John Fleming of Muckross Creamery, launched his multi flavoured ice creams in June 2019.

And on Monday morning, John picked up his bronze Blás na hÉireann award in Bank of Ireland on New Street in Killarney. He was one of 11 producers from Kerry who received an award from at Blas na hÉireann 2020.

"It's our first award from Blás na hÉireann and we're delighted to receive it," John, who also completed the SuperValu Food Academy, told the Killarney Advertiser.

"We also won an award at the Listowel Food Fair last year."

John diversified his business last year selling ice cream from a cart at the old Leane's on Muckross Road.

"Things had been going well, we had a good reaction and Barry Spellman from Killarney Brewery and Denise O'Sullivan from Dinis Cottages asked us to supply them. It was going nicely and then March came and it was a disaster."

August and September proved busy as lockdown eased and visitors and locals came to Killarney for holidays and day trips.

John is delighted to have his flavoured products in Celtic Whiskey on New Street including 'Whiskey Ice Cream', and also 'Casey's Extra Stout and Chocolate Ice Cream' in Killarney Brewery.

The Blás na hÉireann awards were announced virtually last weekend as the annual pilgrimage to Dingle was stalled due to COVID restrictions.

Now in their 13th year, the Blás na hÉireann awards are the all-island food awards that recognise the very best Irish food and drink products, and the passionate people behind them.

[caption id="attachment_34122" align="alignleft" width="440"] HAPPY: Happy to receive their awards were Ildiko Bajkat from Listowel Wellness Bakery) and Jerry Jennedy from Kennedy's Butchers, Dingle, pictured with Hugh Gleeson (South Kerry Manager with Bank of Ireland). Photo: Michelle Crean[/caption]

The bronze, silver and gold winners from Kerry across a range of different categories also include Kennedy’s Butchers, Kerry Kefir, Knockatee Natural Dairy, Quinlan’s Kerry Fish, Wellness Baking Listowel Ltd., Dingle Distillery, Dingle Goats Cheese, Kerry Cow Farm Ltd. (Kells Bay Cheese), Micilín Muc and O’Sullivan’s Bakery with Kennedy’s Butchers winning best in county.

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Ireland’s oldest citizen has Killarney connections

Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week. Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections. The previous record […]

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Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week.

Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections.

The previous record was held by 107-year-old Nancy Stewart who died on September 10 2021.

Although born in Belfast, Máirín went to school in the Mercy Convent. Her father was a customs and excise officer and the family moved around a lot eventually coming to Killarney after spells in County Down and Dublin.

Her mother came from the Rathmore area and her father was from Newmarket in County Cork.

She attended the Mercy Convent and has, in previous interviews, recalled growing up on the shores of Lough Lein.

“Neighbours who had three children were given the job of taking me to school,” she said. “They were annoyed because the children were going to school for two or three years but I was put in to the same class as them – my mother had taught me.”

In 2021 she featured in the book ‘Independence Memories: A People’s Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation’, sharing stories of being kept in school in Killarney during an attack on the RIC barracks down the road.

In 1924 she started a degree in science and a diploma in education at University College Cork, before working in the pathology lab in University College Cork’s Department of Medicine for 16 years.

last year she recalled her story on the podcast: ‘Living History – Irish Life and Lore’.

During the broadcast she talked about her parents’ membership of the Gaelic League in 1910; the Spanish Flu in Ireland in 1918; The Black and Tans in Killarney in 1921; the early days of the new Free State; Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 1932, visiting the Basket Islands in 1929; and working in the UCC medical laboratory from 1932 until 1948.

This week President Michael D. Higgins hosted an afternoon tea event to celebrate the important role that a variety of people have and can play in different communities and Máirín was among the guests of honour.

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Philip is running over 100kms for Cancer charity

Local runner and charity fundraiser Philip Kissane is set for the biggest challenge of his career as he lines up for the Cork City Marathon on Sunday. Phillip has already […]

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Local runner and charity fundraiser Philip Kissane is set for the biggest challenge of his career as he lines up for the Cork City Marathon on Sunday.

Phillip has already completed four half marathons at various locations around Killarney – all in aid of Kerry Cancer Support Group – or the Cancer Bus as it popularly called.

This is the second time that Phillip has run four half marathon and an official race for the charity.

Back in 2021 he finished with 5km Run Killarney event but his finishing race this time around is over eight times the distance at 42kms.

“We are delighted with Philip’s continued fundraising support but also with his awareness raising for the charity,” Breda Dyland, Service Manager Kerry Cancer Support Trust.

“We are getting busier all the time and still get no statutory funding so are dependent on fundraisers like Philip’s to keep us on the road. We have just put our new wheelchair accessible bus on the Cork route so Philip’s funding will be going towards the operation of this vehicle.”

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