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Liam O’Connor to hit the highest notes in Alpine concert

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Killarney musician Liam O'Connor and his family band are to hit the Italian Alps bringing their brand of high tempo Irish music and dance to an Italian audience in the unique surrounds of a 14th century mountaintop castle overlooking the town of Verrès in northwestern Italy.

In the shadows of some of Italy’s highest peaks like Monte Bianco (Mont Blanc) and Cervino (the Matterhorn), Liam is certain to be hitting the high notes with two concerts in the Castello di Verrès, which will take place on the 15th and 16th of February, thanks to grant funding received from Culture Ireland and a growing connection between the towns of Verrès and Killarney.

The concerts are the centrepiece events in this year's 77th rendition of the Alpine town’s medieval Carnevale celebrations and an Irish delegation led by Verrès native and long-time Killarney resident Davide Mosca and Killarney Chambers and Killarney Celtic's Paul Sherry will be among the guests of honour.

Verrès hosted a visit by Killarney Celtic teams in 2023 and reciprocated with brilliant colour and sounds in their medieval costumes at the St. Patricks Day parade in Killarney in 2024.

The town then hosted an Erasmus+ Youth exchange from Celtic in 2025 and they are bringing their Carnevale pageantry back to Killarney for the St. Patrick's Day festival in March.

Carnevale supremo Tiziana Balma is delighted with the deepening cultural, sporting and economic relationship between the Alpine town and Killarney.

"Liams concerts are going to add a new layer in the relationship between our two communities. The whole Aosta Valley (province) is excited, and we are also looking forward to joining in Killarney’s St. Patricks Day parade"

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Céilí Mór will send ‘em home sweatin’

It will be a case of all around the house but mind the dresser at a traditional Céilí Mór which will be one of the real entertainment highlights of this […]

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It will be a case of all around the house but mind the dresser at a traditional Céilí Mór which will be one of the real entertainment highlights of this year’s St Patrick’s Festival in Killarney.

It will take place on the eve of the big feast day in the Killarney Great Southern and there will be a wonderful party atmosphere guaranteed on the night.
Providing the tunes will be the very highly regarded Uí Bhriaín Céilí Band and they promise to send everybody home sweating after what will be a memorable night for locals and visitors.
The March 16 céilí will commence at 9.00pm and continue right through until midnight and the admission for a wonderful night of pure Irish trad is just €10.00.
Bookings can be made on the festival website or patrons can pay at the door on the night.

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St Brendan’s student Aodhagan O’Sullivan crowned CPR champion

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Aodhagan O’Sullivan, a student at St Brendan’s College, Killarney, has been named the 2026 School CPR Challenge Champion.

The prestigious award was presented on Thursday, 26 February, during a large-scale event at the Gleneagle Hotel, where approximately 300 students from post-primary schools across the county gathered to compete for the title of “who can compress the best.”


Now in its fourth year, the event is organised by the Killarney Cardiac Response Unit (KCRU) Community First Responders.

The KCRU is a volunteer-led group that provides vital emergency response services to Killarney, Beaufort, Killorglin, Firies, Rathmore, and Kenmare.

The challenge focused on “Quality CPR” (QCPR), combining a high-stakes competition with practical life-saving training and the chance for students to engage directly with local emergency and community services.


The competition utilised advanced QCPR technology to measure the depth and rate of compressions, ensuring that students aren’t just learning the motions, but are performing life-saving techniques to a clinical standard.

Beyond the competitive element, the day served as an educational hub, highlighting the “chain of survival” and the importance of immediate bystander intervention in the event of a cardiac arrest.


The 2026 challenge was made possible through the support of the Vodafone Foundation, The Gleneagle Hotel, and First Aid Systems Ltd, alongside a variety of local sponsors. Organisers praised the enthusiasm of the 300 participants, noting that such events are essential for building a “heart-safe” community and equipping the next generation with the skills to save a life.

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