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New youth initiative launched

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NEW YOUTH INITIATIVE: Youth Employment mentors Breda Dowling, Tralee, Louise Kiely, Killarney and Michelle Rowan Listowel, pictured at the KDYS in in Killarney. Photo: Sally MacMonagle

 

A new Youth Employability Initiative targeting 16 – 18-year-olds, who are not in employment, education or training, has been launched in Kerry.          

 

The Youth Employability Initiative (YEI) was established in order to improve the employability skills of young people who are at risk of being furthest from the labour market.

 

Within the KDYS, this initiative has been split into three projects, which are located in Killarney, Tralee and Listowel, funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) and administered through Kerry ETB.

 

The purpose of this programme is to work with young people, in order to assist them in ascertaining and developing an array of skills which will both increase and improve their level of opportunity for future employment. This piece of work will be carried out on both a one-one basis with the young person and also in a group setting, where appropriate, and will be tailored to the needs of each individual participant.

 

The criteria for this programme are as follows: the young person must be between the ages of 16 and 18-years-old, live within the relevant catchment area i.e. Killarney, Tralee or Listowel, and must not currently be in education, training or employment. Our purpose is to ‘engage the disconnected’.

 

The contact details of each YEI mentor are as follows: Louise Kiely (Killarney) Tel: 085 8720362 or email: louisekiely@kdys.ie, Breda Dowling (Tralee) Tel: 087 7380559 or email: bredadowling@kdys.ie, Michelle Rowan (Listowel) Tel: 085 7875120 or email: michellerowan@kdys.ie.

 

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South Kerry Development Partnership staff support Daffodil Day

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Staff at South Kerry Development Partnership (SKDP) marked Daffodil Day 2026 by hosting coffee mornings across their four regional offices.

The initiative was held to raise funds and show solidarity with the Irish Cancer Society.


Employees throughout the organisation took part by wearing yellow and purchasing pins and other merchandise to support the national fundraiser.

The events provided an opportunity for colleagues to gather and contribute to the charity’s ongoing work in cancer research and patient care.

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Judo Club athletes move closer to Black Belt status

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Members of Killarney Judo Club travelled to Dublin on Sunday, March 22, to participate in the National Judo Grading.

The event serves as a critical milestone for martial artists progressing toward their Black Belts, testing both technical skill and competitive ability.
Among the successful candidates was Kevin Casey, who recently returned to the club after several years away. Casey earned his Blue Belt after completing a demanding technical assessment that required him to demonstrate a diverse range of traditional throws.
Two of the club’s younger prospects, 15-olds Patrik Polubnak and James Maher, delivered standout performances to secure their Brown Belts. A highlight of the day occurred when Maher executed a high-amplitude throw on an opponent significantly larger than himself, earning a perfect score from the national examiners. Both teenagers are now beginning an intensive training block in preparation for their Black Belt grading this September.
Ciara Forde also continued her ascent through the senior ranks. Following her performances in Dublin, Forde is now just three contest wins away from her Black Belt. If successful, she will become the 26th person in the history of the Killarney club to achieve the rank.
Coaches and supporters from the club made the trip to the capital to oversee the grading, which marks another successful chapter for the local club as it continues to develop athletes across all age groups.

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