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Muckross man to succeed Cllr Michael Gleeson

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By Michelle Crean

A Muckross man has this week said that he has "colossal boots to fill" when he takes over the political seat recently vacated by his uncle.

For almost 40 years Michael Gleeson has been a voice of the people of Killarney and passionately fought issues such as the local environment. The veteran councillor recently made the shock announcement that he was quitting politics almost immediately.

This week it became known that his nephew, primary school teacher John O’Donoghue will be co-opted to Kerry County Council to take his uncle's seat on June 21 at the next Council meeting.

John (37) from Gortdromakerrie and a teacher at Loughquittane National School which is only a mile over the road from his homeplace, was selected by Kerry Independent Alliance to go forward. He told the Killarney Advertiser that although he's looking forward to the challenge, it'll be daunting to fill his uncle's boots.

John was born in 1983 the same year Michael entered politics.

He is a coach and former player with Spa GAA Club and currently works on their admin team. He is also delegate to the County Board. He was chairman of Kerry Independent Alliance for many years and also canvassed on his uncle Michael's behalf which has given him a good political grounding.

"I've got a good, if not daunting start," John told the Killarney Advertiser.
"I've colossal boots to fill. I've always had an interest in politics and I've a good idea of what's involved, and it's been great to be able to pick his brain."

He added that he hopes to hit the ground running and has many ideas, some similar to Michael's.

"I don't want to go in as a de facto puppet but I would share a lot of his beliefs such as the environment."

Top of John's agenda will be to continue Michael's work on the Ballycasheen and Coolcaslagh junctions, pursuing an off road walking trail between Torc Waterfall and Dinis, parking at Blue Pool and also pushing for the GAA museum for Killarney.

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Network Ireland Kerry discuss sustainable success

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Network Ireland Kerry held their third annual collaboration event last Wednesday at the Rose Hotel, Tralee. The theme was: “The Journey to Sustainable Success” which brought three industry experts together to talk about their own journey to sustainable successful.

Business professionals, entrepreneurs, and financial leaders came together for this highly anticipated event to learn about the journey from becoming a start-up, to a small-to-medium enterprise (SME), and a large SME.

The event was opened by AIB Branch Liaison for Network Ireland Kerry and AIB Castleisland Branch Manager, Colleen Shannon. It was MC’d by AIB Tralee Branch Manager, Stephen Stack.

Sarah Farrar of AINMHÌ, Garrett Dillon of Mr. Binman and Dillon Waste Ltd. and Susan Quirke-Crowley of Mounthawk Montessori School Group were among the speakers at the event.

These leaders spoke about their challenges, milestones, and breakthroughs they encountered, from launching an idea to scaling operations nationally.

Tara Elzingre of Tara Elzingre Consultancy, Zaneta Labuz-Czerwein of Rustic Boowa and Sharon Hartnett of U Coaching promoted their businesses for ‘Minute on the Mic’

Emily Reen, Network Ireland Kerry President, described the event as a testament to the power of partnership. She said: “The event underscored a powerful message: sustainable business success is not a solo journey. With the right partnerships, teams and financial tools, businesses of all sizes can grow with purpose, resilience, and long-term impact.”

Network Ireland Kerry will host their next monthly event on November 12 in Killarney and in collaboration with the Kerry Local Enterprise Office, titled: “Gain Competitive Advantage in Your Business”. This event will be MC’d by Karen Ronan, 2025 National Vice President of Network Ireland and CEO of Galway Chamber. This event is open to non-members and members, and everyone is welcome from 6 pm for networking and refreshments, with the event taking place from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm.

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Minor injury clinic to open by this time next year

The Killarney Local Injury Clinic is expected to be open by Q3 2026, according to the HSE. The proposed unit will be located on the grounds of St Columbanus Home. […]

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The Killarney Local Injury Clinic is expected to be open by Q3 2026, according to the HSE. The proposed unit will be located on the grounds of St Columbanus Home.

The timeline was confirmed in response to a Parliamentary Question from Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill, who said the project will follow the relocation of the Community Nursing Unit from its current site to the grounds of the old St Finan’s Hospital. Once the transfer is complete, construction of the injury clinic can proceed.
Deputy Cahill described the two new health facilities as “a fantastic addition for Killarney and the wider East, Mid, and South Kerry regions” and noted they will help reduce waiting times at University Hospital Kerry A&E.
“I will continue to push for enhanced health services for our people,” added the Fianna Fáil Spokesperson for Older People.
The new clinic is expected to provide urgent care services for local residents, easing pressure on hospital emergency departments and improving access to timely treatment in the Killarney area.

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