News
Major changes ahead for Leaving Cert students

By Michelle Crean
Major changes to the Leaving Cert have been announced today (Tuesday) which will include spreading exams over a two year period.
Secondary school students who will be heading into Senior Cycle in September 2023 will now sit English and Irish Paper One at the end of Fifth Year in a move which is set to reduce final year stress. Two new subjects will also be available for students from September 2024; Drama, Film and Theatre Studies, and Climate Action and Sustainable Development.
Announced today by Education Minister Norma Foley, she said that new approach will enable students to follow a broad curriculum, develop their interests and skills and participate in a final assessment process consistent with international best practice, which will support them in their next phase of life whether that’s third level, further education and training, apprenticeships or the world of work.
While she said that the "current system has many strengths" it "can be improved".
"Today I am setting out a new plan for Senior Cycle education in Ireland,” Minister Foley said.
"This is an ambitious programme of reform. It will enrich students’ educational experience by increasing their choices to match their interests and enhancing teaching and learning. It will reduce the pressure on students that comes from final assessments based primarily on examinations. We will move to a model that uses other forms of assessment, over a less concentrated time period, in line with international best practice."
Key changes to Senior Cycle
* Managing the assessment burden
* New and revised subjects will be developed
* From September 2023, students will take Leaving Certificate Irish and English Paper One at the end of Fifth Year
* The marks for Paper One will be 'banked' and added to the marks awarded for Paper Two which students will take in June of Sixth Year
* The experience of running Orals and Practical Music Examinations at Easter in the last two years is being reviewed. It is hoped to run the examinations in this way in future
New subjects and new ways of assessing students
New subjects will be developed and new subject curricula, which outline what material is taught and assessed in a subject, will be devised. The process of doing this will involve teachers, students and school communities as well as other education experts. The NCCA will publish a curriculum review by September 2023. This will set out a plan for new and revised subject curricula to be delivered in annual blocks.
Three Senior Cycle science subject curricula; Biology, Chemistry and Physics as well as Business will be ready for introduction to the network schools and revised specifications in Latin, Ancient Greek and Arabic will be introduced for all schools in September 2024.
A Senior Cycle Reform Programme Delivery Board will be established to oversee and drive the changes.
News
Killarney and District Motor Club members honoured by Motorsport Ireland
By Cormac Casey Several members of Killarney and District Motor Club were honoured at the Motorsport Ireland awards lunch in Dublin on Wednesday. The highlight of the event is the […]

By Cormac Casey
Several members of Killarney and District Motor Club were honoured at the Motorsport Ireland awards lunch in Dublin on Wednesday.
The highlight of the event is the announcement of the sport’s top awards.
Kilkenny’s Jack Brennan (19) was named Young Rally Driver of the Year, while Wexford native Jack Byrne was named Young Racing Driver of the Year and the International Driver of the Year award went to recently crowned FIA Junior World Rally Champion, William Creighton.
Muckross-based co-driver Noel O’Sullivan was presented with his Irish Tarmac Rally Championship winning trophy.
This year saw the introduction of the Motorsport Ireland President’s Awards which celebrate the achievements of clubs and organisations.
Killarney and District Motor Club won in the innovation category for their work with their KDMC 2 initiative thanks to the efforts of the club’s vice chairman Mike O’Shea.
Rally Rescue teams were also recognised and the club’s Mike Cleary picked up an award for his role he played in what was a difficult year for rescue crew operators.
Tom O’Riordan, who looks after ambulance procurement on the club’s events, was presented with an FIA Volunteer Pin by Motorsport Ireland President Aiden Harper.
Killarney Advertiser Journalist Sean Moriarty was presented with an award for best use of of PR and media in 2023.
News
Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest ‘thank you’ event at Brehon
Participation in the 2023 Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest has grown by more than 100% since 2020 with 98% of those who gave feedback saying they would attend similar […]

Participation in the 2023 Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest has grown by more than 100% since 2020 with 98% of those who gave feedback saying they would attend similar events again in 2024.
Feedback from more than 100 people who attended this year’s Fest events from 7th to 14th October was positive with 91% stating they were satisfied.
The Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest is held annually over the course of a week to highlight World Mental Health Day on October 10.
It aims to raise awareness of the available supports and services in Kerry as well as empower people to engage with the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ through offering a dynamic and interactive programme of events.
99% percent of respondents, most of whom identified as female, said they would recommend the Fest to friends next year. Some key notes for improvement included a request for more events with wider variety throughout the county.
The Chair of the Interagency Steering Group, John Drummey from Kerry Mental Health Association, said: “We wish to extend a heartfelt thanks to event organisers, community groups, businesses, funders and partners that facilitated the Fest’s dynamic and interactive programme of events in 2023. We are encouraged to see such growth in numbers attending the Fest events with a 50% increase from 2022. We are already making plans for the Fest from 5 to 12t October 2024 and we are looking forward to building on this year’s successes. That said, there is always room for improvement and we would welcome suggestions for new events and activities.”
Many of the event organisers attended a ‘thank-you’ event at the Brehon Hotel, Killarney, courtesy of the Kerry Volunteer Centre to coincide with the annual International Volunteer Day, December 5.
The Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest was organised by an interagency steering group made up of local agencies that support wellbeing in our community.
The organising committee is a collaboration between Connecting for Life Kerry, Healthy Kerry, Kerry County Council, Kerry Recreation & Sports Partnership, the HSE, NEWKD, SKDP, Kerry Mental Health Association, Jigsaw Kerry, Munster Technological University/Kerry, KDYS, Kerry Volunteer Centre and Family Resource Centres throughout the county.