CAMPAIGN: Mayor Brendan Cronin has been pushing for Lyme Disease awareness signs for years.

By Sean Moriarty

Lyme Disease awareness signs have - after years of campaigning - been placed at key locations across Killarney.

While the erection of signs has been welcomed by elected members of Killarney Municipal District they say more needs to be done to warn locals and visitors about the dangers of potentially contracting the deadly disease. Ticks that carry disease are associated with the wild deer that roam the National Park.

There is an ongoing row between Kerry County Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS) which own the park, over who is responsible for placing warning signs in the park.

The NPWS refuse to place such signs and in a compromise Kerry County Council agreed to place signs near entrances to the park on property owned by the Council.

In recent weeks these signs have been placed at the Port Road entrance, the Fossa way car park and a children’s playground within the park.

“I am delighted to report that following a long campaign Kerry County Council have started erecting Lyme Disease awareness signs at public entrances to Killarney National Park,” Mayor Brendan Cronin told the Killarney Advertiser.

Mr Cronin has been a long-time campaigner but, while welcoming the first move, asked if more could be done.

Cllr Maura Healy-Rae pointed out the number of yellow COVID-19 warning signs that have appeared in public and private locations in a short period of time as an example of what could be done.
The town’s executive promised to examine further Council-owned infrastructure in an effort to place more warning signs near the entrances to the National Park.