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Killarney man’s new website supports local retailers

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SPEND LOCAL: Local man Anthony Fee has set up spendlocal.ie to help support local businesses get back on their feet.

By Michelle Crean

A Killarney native currently living in Madrid isn't forgetting the locals and created a website to support local businesses as they get back on their feet post-COVID-19.

Anthony Fee developed spendlocal.ie at weekends during lockdown to enable retailers to get online quickly, easily and at low cost without the need to develop a full costly website.

With a Degree in Computer Engineering from UL and experience working in Limerick as a Software Engineer before moving to Spain, Anthony says the site is like "a virtual retail tour of the town".

It also brings local retailers together within a single marketplace therefore ensuring that their shops can always be found by potential customers, Anthony explained to the Killarney Advertiser.

"In Madrid, we were under strict lockdown from the middle of March as Spain was one of the hardest hit countries," he said. "As with many around the world, I was both extremely grateful and inspired by the work done by frontline workers right from the beginning of the pandemic. I wanted to see if there was something that I could do to help the situation after the pandemic and so I came up with the idea of spendlocal.ie."

Shop owners can register their business within a few minutes by providing contact details, opening hours and some general information about themselves.

"They also provide a nice photo of their shop which is displayed on their virtual shop page. Spendlocal.ie also invites retailers with existing websites to join the local marketplace. Shops can provide a link to an existing website and this is added to their virtual shop page. This can be accessed by potential customers that visit the virtual shop page."

Shop owners can then decide to register products which are displayed when a customer visits.

Spendlocal.ie also provides a Click & Collect service where customers can order their products online earlier in the day and collect them from the shop when the order has been prepared.

"This also has the advantage of reducing queues during busy periods."

Spendlocal.ie is currently offering a six-month free trial to the first 20 shops to register on the website.

And due to travel restrictions Anthony says that unfortunately, his young daughter hasn’t met her uncles and cousins yet due to the lockdown.

"We are hoping to have a reunion in Killarney before Christmas!"

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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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Dr Crokes stalwarts enjoy lake cruise

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Dr Crokes stalwarts enjoy lake cruise

Dr Crokes stalwarts enjoy lake cruise

Dr Crokes GAA Club hosted a special day out for its senior members on Monday, this week, taking a group aged between 70 and 90 on a cruise across the Lakes of Killarney.

Organised by the Dr Crokes Healthy Club committee under its Crokes Cruisers initiative, the event was held to recognise the lifetime contribution made by long-standing members who continue to support club activities behind the scenes.
The group travelled on two vessels, including An Cathal, an open boat operated by local brothers Tony and Mike Fleming. Built to preserve the traditional Killarney lake boat style, it is the only purpose-built, fully accessible boat on the lakes, allowing members with mobility issues and wheelchair users to safely join the two-hour trip.
Following the lake tour, the party gathered on shore for coffee and refreshments provided by Derric McMahon and Harry Clifton of the Ross Castle Garden Cafe.
The initiative forms part of the club’s ongoing community work as a Gold Award winner in the GAA Healthy Club programme.

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