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New priest appointed to Fossa parish as Fr Tom retires

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6 years ago

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RETIRING: Fr Tom Looney pictured in June 2019 celebrating his Golden Jubilee Mass with Bishop Ray Browne at the Church of Christ, Prince of Peace. Picture: Eamonn Keogh

By Michelle Crean

This week, Bishop Ray Browne announced clerical changes for a number of parishes across Kerry including a new Parish Priest for Fossa.

Fr Niall Geaney from Our Lady and St Brendan’s Church in Tralee will, on Wednesday, August 5, take over from Fr Tom Looney in Fossa, due to his retirement.

Speaking about the new appointments Bishop Ray Browne said this week that he had hoped for very few changes in light of the current pandemic.

"My hope was to have very few new appointments this summer. This became even more a priority in the light of the Coronavirus. Amid the Coronavirus the welcomes and farewells are difficult for the priests and their communities. Sadly, in recent months two of our priests died, Fr Liam Comer and Fr Michael Fleming. Both were faith-filled, capable priests and much loved by their communities. Sincere sympathy to their families and to their parish communities."

He also thanked Fr Tom Looney for his dedicated years to the communities he served in and wished him well.

"Fr Tom Looney is also retiring this year. We thank him and wish him well. Our priests demonstrate a great spirit of willingness to accept new appointments, in the interest of best serving all the 53 parishes in the diocese."

This week Fr Looney had a message for his parishioners.
"I am delighted to let the people of Fossa know that as I shall be retiring from August 5 next Bishop Ray Browne has appointed Kiltegan Missionary Fr Niall Geaney, who is a native of Castleisland, as Parish Priest of Fossa. We wish naoi gcéad mile fáilte to this veteran Missionary who has served Pobal Dé in Nigeria, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya, and also every blessing and good health in his new appointment. Can I sincerely thank you for all your co-operation and great help during my Fossa years."

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Sinn Féin to host public meeting on cost of living at Killarney Heights Hotel

Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm. […]

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1 day ago

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25 May 2026

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Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm.

The Donegal TD will be joined by Kerry TD Pa Daly to discuss the economic pressures facing local households and the policy changes needed to provide financial relief. The main focus of the evening will center on the barriers preventing local people from buying their own homes, alongside broader costs of living challenges.
Speaking exclusively to the Killarney Advertiser ahead of his visit, Deputy Doherty said workers and families across Kerry are being squeezed from every direction by rising weekly shops, high energy bills, increasing insurance premiums, and substantial housing costs.
“Young people are losing hope that they will ever own a home in the county where they were raised,” Deputy Doherty said. “And while all of this is happening, the government is sitting on billions in budget surpluses while telling struggling families to wait. It is simply not good enough.”
The Sinn Féin finance spokesperson highlighted specific regional factors making the crisis acute in County Kerry, particularly regarding home heating costs.
“Almost 59% of homes in Kerry rely on home heating oil, which is nearly double the state average of 34%,” he said. “That means families across the county are far more exposed to soaring fuel costs than households in many other parts of the state. Yet the government withdrew supports that were helping households keep the lights on and heat their homes.”
Deputy Doherty noted that the housing situation in Kerry has moved beyond a social issue and is now impacting the local economy and communities. He pointed to figures showing average rents in the county have reached €1,493 per month, with exceptionally low market availability.
“At the time of writing, there were only 27 properties available online to rent across the entire county. Only 19 were below €2,000 a month and just five were available for less than €1,500. A county the size of Kerry, and only five rental properties affordable to someone on an ordinary income,” he said.
He also raised concerns for first-time buyers, noting that average house prices in Kerry have climbed to €296,000, representing an increase of €33,500 in a single year.
During the meeting, the Sinn Féin representatives will outline their party’s alternative proposals. These include a state-led program of affordable home building, a ban on excessive rent increases, enhanced protections for renters, and immediate energy credits and tax relief for workers.
“The resources exist to do this,” Deputy Doherty added. “The government’s own figures show billions in surplus funds available to the state. The issue is not a lack of money. The issue is political choice.”
The meeting is open to all members of the public, and a discussion session will follow the main presentations.

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National Park hosts weekend Bioblitz for National Biodiversity Week

Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment. Today, Friday, […]

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25 May 2026

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Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment.

Today, Friday, May 22, marks the UN International Day for Biological Diversity, and a series of free events will run across the park until the national celebration concludes this Sunday, May 24.
The highlight of the weekend is the Killarney National Park Bioblitz. This event brings families, nature lovers, and community volunteers together to find, identify, and record as many different plant and animal species as possible across the park’s diverse habitats over the next three days.
Christopher O’Sullivan, Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, encouraged locals and visitors alike to utiliSe the final days of the festival to experience the area’s unique wildlife, referencing Killarney’s native habitats as key areas the state is working to protect.
Niall Ó Donnchú, Director General of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), noted that the week is designed to remind people that native plants, woodlands, and rivers are vital systems that make life possible. OrganiSers are encouraging anyone in the locality to head out to Killarney National Park before Sunday evening to participate in the species count and support local conservation efforts.

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