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One of the fastest cars ever seen in Kerry set for Ballyfinnane

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One of Ireland’s top hillclimb racers has confirmed his participation in the Brian O’Neill Garden Equipment and Trailers Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed. Ben O’Brien from Limerick will race his Gould GR37 Hillclimb Special in Kerry on July 16.

This new event is jointly organised by Kerry Motor Club and The Ballyfinnane Community Association. It will celebrate 120 years of closed-road motorsport in County Kerry. The first-ever event in the Kingdom was won by Charles Rolls, who later became a founder of the Rolls Royce Motor Company, on July 15, 1903.
Almost 120 years to the day, racing cars and rally cars will once again go against the clock on a closed road in the famous mid-Kerry village.

O’Brien will drive his 600bhp – fitted with a Judd Formula 1 spec engine in the commemoration event.The former Irish hillclimb saloon class champion is one of the first drivers to commit to the event.

“It has over 600 bhp on tap and weighing in at just over 500kgs it’s a ball of fun to drive and certainly keeps me on my toes,” said O’Brien.

“I have only recently purchased the car and pre-Ballyfinnane only competed in one Hillclimb in it, a masters’ event in France where I came first overall and was the first Irish person to win this event. No pressure in Ballyfinnane then!”

“I love the ultimate and extreme cars that Hillclimbing attracts and allows."

“In a day and age where such strict guidelines are enforced in so many motorsport disciplines, it’s amazing to see these cars out in force and being used as they were designed.”

“This is sure to be an unforgettable weekend of motorsport.”

As well as the speed hillclimb the organisers have laid on a host of other activities in the village on the day including an extensive classic car display laid on by the Killarney Valley Classic and Vintage Club.

A massive parking and traffic management plan will be put in place on the day and access to the parking zones will only be available to patrons who purchase an official programme from the car park attendants.

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Massive Park Road housing development given green light

A private developer has been given planning permission to build 249 new residential units at Upper Park Road. The development, which will be built on a recently cleared site near […]

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A private developer has been given planning permission to build 249 new residential units at Upper Park Road.

The development, which will be built on a recently cleared site near An Post’s sorting office, will include a variety of properties from five-bed houses to single apartments, along with a crèche and over 500 car spaces and over 300 bike spaces.

The development has been welcomed by local councillor Martin Grady.

“Killarney has a massive housing shortage so this is very positive. It will retain young families in the area, stimulating economic growth,” he said. “After 17 years of different planning applications it’s finally coming to fruition.”

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Ballydribeen residents living in fear due to anti-social behaviour

Residents in the Ballydribeen are living in fear as a result of increased anti-social behaviour in the estate. Several serious incidents in the estate have resulted in several Garda visits […]

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Residents in the Ballydribeen are living in fear as a result of increased anti-social behaviour in the estate.

Several serious incidents in the estate have resulted in several Garda visits in the last week.

Local councillor Martin Grady told the Killarney Advertiser that residents are “living in fear” as a result of very serious incidents in the last week alone.

One house in the estate was badly damaged when fire crackers were placed inside a letter box.

Another house had its windows smashed in over the weekend.

“It’s a major problem,” added Grady after meeting residents there earlier this week.

One of the most serious incidents occurred on Tuesday night.

A passing motorists had rocks thrown at his car while driving along the bypass whch is adjacent to the estate.
Taking to social media, local primary-school teacher Pádraig O’Sullivan posted:

“Travelling home tonight, at 11.05pm on the Killarney side of the bypass our car was hit by a rock – not a pebble – from the Ballydribben side , which hit the passenger door.

“It was centimetres away from hitting the window where my father, who is visually impaired, was sitting.

“This could have caused catastrophic permanent injury to him.

“The Killarney Garda were on the scene within three minutes.

“They can’t be patrolling the bypass all night.

“It comes down to parenting. You should know where your children are at this hour and be able to teach them what’s funny and what ruin a person’s life or cause a fatal crash.“

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