Connect with us

News

Motor Club Remember Jimmy Devane At Memorial Autocross

Published

on

K

Killarney & District Motor Club held the Jimmy Devane Memorial Autocross event last Sunday 12th August. The action took place at Ballybeggan Racecourse Tralee, with over 50 competitors from all over the country taking part and driving a wide variety of cars and special buggies on the day. The event was proudly sponsored by Rentokil Initial Ireland and was marked as round seven of the Munster Autocross Championship. The weather held off and we had a great day’s racing. The track measured 2.2Km in length, was very technical, fast, with some tight chicanes and required some precision driving set out by Clerk of the Course Tommy Daly. The Event was run in conjunction with Kerry Motor Club and all proceeds going to the Costello Family Fund.

There was some fierce competition amongst the top local drivers Charles O’Neill & David Fleming both in Honda Civic’s from Killarney, John Hickey from Barraduff in his Suzuki built Special Buggy and Tommy Daly in his Semog Buggy from Kilcummin all fighting for overall honours and the Jimmy Devane memorial Cup. Laois man Anthony Culleton was the early leader in his Semog 600 Special. On the fourth run last year’s winner Pat O’Driscoll from Clonakility Co.Cork pulled out all the stops, setting a scintillating time and narrowly taking the win by less than a second. Tommy Daly was the top local driver and took home the Best KDMC Award. The Fastest Novice was John O’Flaherty in his newly purchased Semog buggy. The Best Saloon car was driven by Paul McCann from Dublin in his Ford Escort Cosworth, while Michelle Galwey captured the ladies award in her Ford KA. Jimmy’s Son David Devane was on hand to present the awards at the prize giving. The club also made a special presentation to the event secretary Norma Lucey for her outstanding work. A Special Thanks to all Marshals, Officials, Competitors & Everyone involved, a great enjoyable day of motorsport.

Results:

Class 1 Gary Lordan – Honda Civic

Class 2 George Shinnors – Vauxhall Nova

Class 3 David Fleming – Honda Civic

Class 4 Mike O’Connor Snr – Honda Integra

Class 5 Paul McCann – Escort Cosworth

Class 6 Derek Deane – Semog 750

Class 9 Mossie Costello – Nissan Micra

Class 10 Stevey Lane – Semog Buggy

Overalls:

1st Ladies Michelle Galwey – Ford Ka

1st Junior John O’Flaherty – Semog 600

1st Saloon Paul McCann – Escort Cosworth

1st KDMC Tommy Daly – Semog Buggy

1st Special Anthony Culleton – Semog Buggy

1st Overall Pat O’Driscoll – Semog Buggy

Continue Reading
Advertisement

News

One of Killarney’s great motorsport legends passes awayBy Cormac Casey

Dermot O’Sullivan, of Ardshanavooly, Killarney, sadly passed away this week. This popular Killarney businessman started in motorsport in 1968 participating in tarmac and forestry rallying and later in hot rod […]

Published

on

0264967_PICTURE_FOR_CORMAC.jpg

Dermot O’Sullivan, of Ardshanavooly, Killarney, sadly passed away this week.

This popular Killarney businessman started in motorsport in 1968 participating in tarmac and forestry rallying and later in hot rod racing.

A high point in his motorsport career was competing on the 1982 Circuit of Ireland in his Datsun Sunny, at a time when competitors had no pacenotes, relying on sheer wit and skill.

In 2005, after a 23-year gap, he returned to rallying in a Talbot Sunbeam competing in the Killarney Historic Rally with his son Paul in the navigator’s seat, and competed in various events till 2009.

Whenever the glory of days of Kerry rallying are discussed in local pubs during the wee hours, it was certain that Dermot’s name would be mentioned. He had a sideways style of driving that kept every spectator entertained.

As much a flamboyant competitor behind the wheel of his Datsun, his ability to tell a good story was equally entertaining.

As a young motorsport enthusiast, I waited with anticipation each week as Dermot called to the ‘Advertiser’ office in Woodlawn to placing his weekly advert, to hear his animated description of his exploits on the rallying stages. As time went on, the stories never faded, and I always enjoyed our encounters.

Dermot establishing a successful chainsaw and lawnmower business in the 1970’s, down Pawn Office Lane, off High Street, Killarney. In true entrepreneurial spirit he saw a gap in the market, soon after establishing O’Sullivan’s Cycles as one of the first to introduce bike rental to Killarney, a business venture that is still successful today under the guidance of the current O’Sullivan generations.

A true character and an absolute gentleman. May he rest in peace.

Our sincere condolences to wife, Mary, sons Paul, Derry and David, daughters-in-law Barbara, Denise and Fiona, grandchildren Megan, Luke, Kate and Ciara and his great granddaughter Ava, his sisters Breda and Maureen and brother John, brother-in-law Bill, sister-in-law Ann, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours, and many great friends.

Attachments

Continue Reading

News

Kerry’s youth celebrated at the Lee Strand/Kerry Garda Youth Achievement Awards

This year’s overall winner of the Lee Strand Kerry Garda Youth Achievement is Ryan Griffin from Waterville who was nominated by Mairead O’Sullivan from Killorglin Family Resource Centre. Ryan Griffin […]

Published

on

0264892_Lee_Strand_Youth_awards_5793.jpg

This year’s overall winner of the Lee Strand Kerry Garda Youth Achievement is Ryan Griffin from Waterville who was nominated by Mairead O’Sullivan from Killorglin Family Resource Centre.

Ryan Griffin is a member of the Skellig Stars and was chosen to represent Kerry at the Special Olympics.
Ryan’s biggest hurdle is communication and he had to overcome this during his trip to Berlin for the big event.

Ryan has overcome his disabilities by focusing on all the great abilities he has. Ryan attends mainstream school in Coláiste na Sceilge where he is a very respected member of the School Community. He is a member of Kerry Stars and also Downs Syndrome Kerry.

Ryan has always had a keen interest in sport and even played with the local team in Waterville, but now Ryan thinks it’s too fast for him so he prefers to cheer them on from the side-lines.

Ryan has always been involved with the Community and they have never left him out. Ryan started out his athletics career with Skellig Stars and without them he would have gone to the Special Olympics and he has never forgotten when he came from.

Ryan and his family are very grateful to the local community in Waterville and the surrounding area for all the support they have given them over the years and especially now with the Special Olympics coming closer.

The whole community from Waterville to Mid-Kerry got behind Ryan, raising funds to help his family go to Berlin for 2 weeks. Ryan is now an inspiration to others to overcome difficulties and “go for gold”.

Ryan was the only representative from Kerry on this years Irish Special Olympics Team and in fact one of the Youngest Athletes on Team Ireland at only 16yrs of age, which was a great honour for him.
This in itself is a great achievement but it also shows his friends at Skellig Stars, Downs Syndrome Kerry and in the wider community that dreams do come true.

It took a lot of hard work and determination on Ryan’s behalf to make these dreams come true, not least the long journey he had to make from South Kerry to Dublin once a month since last January to train for the Special Olympics. He also trained weekly with the Skellig Stars.

At the 2023 Special Olympics in Berlin Ryan took part in the 100m run and the relay but his biggest achievement was winning the Silver Medal in the mini javelin. This showed others that overcoming difficulties can be possible and you can achieve your goals with hard work and determination, which Ryan has in abundance.

Local Merit Awards

Aliza Gul, Killarney
Joey McCarthy, Killarney
John O’Connor, Killarney
Nattagun Ryan, Killarney
Samuel Behal, Killarney
St Brendan’s Choir, Killarney

Continue Reading

LOCAL ADS

Last News

Advertisement

Sport

Trending