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Killarney to become a 10 minute town with over €1m in funding

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By Sean Moriarty

Steps to make Killarney a '10 Minute Town' took another move closer to reality this week after over €1m in funding was announced for various projects.

These include the construction of a network of cycleways in four different locations across the town.

Last October it was announced that Killarney was one of 35 approved ‘Pathfinder’ projects in 19 different counties across the country.

‘Pathfinder’ projects are designed to transform public transport, walking, and cycling, including the reallocation of road space from cars to cyclists and pedestrians.

The idea is that every necessary service in the town will be accessible within 10 minutes and that cycling and walking will take more precedence over driving in the future.

This ties in with the ambitious cycle infrastructure project unveiled by Kerry County Council in February 2021.

Under this plan, it was revealed that Kerry County Council is to build four new dedicated cycle lanes in the town.

The funding will go towards a cycleway to and from the Cleeney Roundabout along Rock Road, a cycleway linking Fitzgerald Stadium and Lewis Road with the town centre.

A similar project on Park Road will eventually link Killarney Sports Centre with the town via a cycleway in the Deerpark area close to the Gael Scoil (as per the map and not via Pinewood Estate as stated, in error, in our print edition).

These new projects will link with existing cycle lanes in the town, including Muckross Road, which is subject to a separate funding upgrade by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the already opened Flesk Way project.

FUNDS

This week the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan TD, confirmed that the National Transport Authority (NTA) has allocated funds to Ireland’s local authorities with a view to spending €290m on walking and cycling infrastructure in 2023.

The Rock Road section has been allocated the largest amount of money and will get €783,000 under two separate strands of this funding.

The Park Road/Deerpark links will get €180,000 under three different allocations.

“I wish to welcome the announcement by Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan TD of €2,350,000 for 27 projects in Kerry under the Active Travel Scheme,” said local Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin.

“This is very welcome funding which will help develop safer walking and cycling routes in Kerry.”

In addition to the cycleway projects, other traffic-related issues in the town and surrounding areas will be addressed under this funding scheme.

This includes €5,000 for Fossa and €15,000 for Ballydribbeen.

The Ballydribbeen funding ties in with a separate project aimed at both reducing traffic congestion from Madam’s Hill to Cleeney Roundabout and a footpath linking the same two areas to allow Aghadoe residents to walk into town.

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Rotary Club’s Wine & Art Night raises €25,000

The Killarney Rotary Club’s annual Wine & Art Night, held before Christmas, was another resounding success, raising a grand total of €25,000 for local community projects. President Ciara Irwin Foley […]

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The Killarney Rotary Club’s annual Wine & Art Night, held before Christmas, was another resounding success, raising a grand total of €25,000 for local community projects.

President Ciara Irwin Foley expressed the club’s delight with the amount raised, thanking club members and everyone who contributed to this impressive sum. She highlighted that this popular annual event directly supports vital local initiatives such as schools, clubs, and charities in the Killarney area.

Ms. Irwin Foley extended particular thanks to the event’s long-standing key sponsors: Daly’s SuperValu, Killarney Brewing & Distilling Co, and Killarney Credit Union, acknowledging their crucial and consistent support over the years. The team at The Great Southern Killarney was also thanked for ensuring the smooth running of the event. Appreciation was also given to the businesses that sponsored door prizes and competitions, including The Rose Hotel, M.D. O’Shea’s, CRL, and The Lake Hotel, as well as to Mike Neeson for providing entertainment.

The Wine & Art Night provides a valuable platform for local artists and craftspeople, with up to fifty showcasing their work. Some artists have been involved since the event’s inception, making it a wonderful networking opportunity. There is always significant interest from artists to participate in this worthwhile cause, with a percentage of their sales donated on the night. Many also generously donate their artwork for the auction, where 100% of the proceeds go directly to the beneficiary fund.

The beneficiaries themselves play an active role by selling tickets for the event in advance, using this as a key fundraising method for their own projects. The schools, clubs, organisations, and charities involved put in tremendous effort, and it is always inspiring to hear how the funds raised have positively impacted them. For example, the Hospice sells their Christmas cards at the event, and the Irish Pilgrimage Trust sells raffle tickets to help bring local people to Lourdes at Easter.

Organising the Wine & Art Night is a significant undertaking for the Killarney Rotary Club, with extensive preparations happening well in advance. Many individuals contribute their time and effort, with numerous volunteers ensuring everything runs smoothly on the night. It is this collective effort that makes the event such a success.

The €25,000 raised this year has been distributed to the following deserving beneficiaries: Faha N.S., Fossa N.S., Gaelscoil Faithleann, Knockanes N.S., Loreto N.S., Loughquittane N.S., St. Brendan’s (Sem), Hospice, Irish Pilgrimage Trust, Kerry Stars Club, Killarney Athletic, and Killarney Valley AC.
The Killarney Rotary Club is already looking forward to hosting their next Wine & Art Night at the end of November.

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Kerry Jobs Fair to connects job seekers and employers

Job seekers and employers in Kerry will have a chance to meet at the Kerry Jobs Fair 2025 on May 20, at the Rose Hotel in Tralee. Over 30 companies […]

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Job seekers and employers in Kerry will have a chance to meet at the Kerry Jobs Fair 2025 on May 20, at the Rose Hotel in Tralee.

Over 30 companies from the county will be there, offering hundreds of job openings across different sectors.
The free event is organised by NEWKD Local Development Company, in partnership with The Rose Hotel and Tralee Chamber Alliance. Anyone interested can attend by registering on the day.
People looking for work can explore opportunities in areas like office administration, IT, accounting, finance, hospitality, manufacturing, food production, and retail.
The event aims to link job seekers and employers with useful information and support related to employment.
Alongside employer stands, there will be a careers clinic offering help with CV writing, interview skills, and information on training and career development.
There will also be workshops for both employees and employers about employing people who are not Irish citizens.
Robert Carey, NEWKD SICAP Programme Manager, said that bringing together many employers, services, and speakers will give job seekers a great chance to talk directly to potential employers, join workshops on career progression, and learn about employment schemes like Tús, CE, and WPEP. He added that employers will get to meet job seekers face-to-face and get information on employing people from abroad, which is important for business growth.
Efforts are being made to help Ukrainian refugees and those seeking international protection attend the fair, with information provided beforehand and interpreters available on the day. NEWKD, as part of the Kerry Community Response Forum, highlights that employment is key for refugees integrating into the community.
During the event, employers can learn about the specifics of employing migrants, get answers to common questions, and raise any concerns. A workshop for employers will be led by Frank O`Boyle from the Irish Refugee Council.
In addition to the job fair, there will be information sessions for all visitors on topics such as CV preparation (led by Sean Connell, HR at NEWKD), interview skills (presented by Lydia Oboryna from the Open Door Initiative), employment law for migrants, accessing the labour market for those with temporary protection, and entrepreneurship workshops on starting a business and finding funding.
The Newkd Kerry Jobs Fair 2025 is supported by the Rose Hotel and the Tralee Chamber Alliance, with funding from the SICAP programme, which is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC).

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