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Lorraine’s lockdown inspired career change

Lorraine Carey who used lockdowns to study as an accountant featured in a brand new podcast on Tuesday night.
Best-selling authors of the ‘Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling’ book series Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen host the ‘OMG! What a Complete Education!’ podcast every Tuesday night. They both studied and met at Ballyfermot College of Further Education in Dublin.
Carey originally studied Psychology in the University of Limerick, but moved back to Killarney when the recession hit, and worked in hospitality for a number of years. In this week’s episode, Carey discussed changing the trajectory of her career with the help of Kerry ETB.
During the pandemic, she returned to education and completed the Accountancy Technician Diploma at Kerry College of Further Education and Training. In both her first and second-year exams, Carey scored the third highest result in the country, out of a total of 705 students.
She now works as an accounting technician at O'Rourke & Co. Chartered Accountants in Killarney.
“It may sound cliché to say, but the people on this podcast are inspirational because they are regular people who have found a way to change their lives and get where they want to be through education. We all know someone who didn’t have a great experience in school or didn’t get the points they needed for a particular course, or who never got any qualifications at all. But hearing Lorraine’s story, it shows listeners just how many opportunities there are out there,” said co-host Sarah Breen.
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Strong connections made at tourism tradeshow
Many significant business deals were signed at this year’s Meitheal – Ireland’s largest and most important trade event for the tourism industry. Held in the INEC, 450 Irish businesses pitched to over 230 international […]

Many significant business deals were signed at this year’s Meitheal – Ireland’s largest and most important trade event for the tourism industry.
Held in the INEC, 450 Irish businesses pitched to over 230 international buyers from 17 countries at Fáilte Ireland’s flagship trade event.
Running since 1975, Meitheal is organised in partnership with Tourism Ireland to provide Irish tourism businesses with the opportunity to sell directly to top international buyers and tour operators.
The best of what is on offer across Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, Ireland’s Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way and Dublin, were showcased with the aim of being scheduled on the itineraries of the global tour operators.
Key themes and trends emerging this year are sustainable travel options, immersive outdoor experiences and festivals.
Speaking about the importance of developing a future pipeline of tourism business, Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland, said that “creating a strong pipeline of future business is key for the recovery of tourism”.
“Seeing the demand for the Irish tourism product with international buyers at Meitheal is fantastic. Each international buyer represents tens of thousands of possible visitors to Ireland, and their business will be hugely important for tourism and hospitality businesses, communities, and destination Ireland as we continue to work towards recovery,” he said.
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Outdoor dining area officially opens in town
A new outdoor dining space at Kenmare Place was officially opened today (Wednesday). The project, which was supported with €605,000 in funding from Fáilte Ireland under the Local Authority Weatherproofing and […]

A new outdoor dining space at Kenmare Place was officially opened today (Wednesday).
The project, which was supported with €605,000 in funding from Fáilte Ireland under the Local Authority Weatherproofing and Outdoor Dining Infrastructure Scheme, provides an attractive outdoor dining option for locals and visitors to Killarney.
“This is a really wonderful addition to Killarney’s tourism infrastructure and will prove a great asset throughout the year and particularly during the forthcoming tourist season,” said Cllr Kelleher, Cathaoirleach of the Killarney Municipal District, who did the honours.
“One of the effects of the recent pandemic was the need to utilise and maximise outdoor dining options and this infrastructure shows what can be achieved in an imaginative way. It will greatly enhance Killarney’s reputation as a destination for top quality tourism experiences.”
The project has been operational since last October but the official opening was timed to coincide with the Meitheal 2023 tourism industry showcase that was organised by Fáilte Ireland at the INEC this week.
“It is fantastic to see Killarney’s outdoor dining infrastructure being so well received by trade and visitors alike,” Miriam Kennedy, Head of Wild Atlantic Way at Fáilte Ireland, said.
Councillors in the Killarney Municipal District approved planning permission for the infrastructure which was completed by Daniel Canty Construction.