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Over €53,000 donated to Kenmare and Castletownbere charities

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CHARITY CHEQUE: A cheque for €53,915 raised from this year's Ring of Beara Cycle was presented to charities in the Brooklane Hotel, Kenmare last Wednesday. 

 

The Ring of Beara Cycle Committee has presented cheques to six local charities who are benefitting from this year’s event. Volunteers who helped organise and run the event were also praised for their commitment and community spirit.

Castletownbere Community Hospital, Castletownbere Day Care Centre, Kenmare Family Resource Centre, Kenmare Special Olympics, Kenmare Special Needs Group, and St John of God Services Kenmare were on hand to receive their donations totalling €53,915 from the Ring of Beara Organising Committee.

The Ring of Beara Cycle took place on Saturday, May 25 when the people of Kenmare and the Beara Peninsula welcomed more than 4400 cyclists from all over Ireland and around the globe for the popular event.

“We are extremely grateful for the support of the local people, businesses and organisations whose help went a long way in ensuring the event’s success,” Mickey Ned O’Sullivan, Chairperson of the Ring of Beara Organising Committee, said.

“We are thrilled to donate €53,915 and give something back to the local charities which I hope will help them continue with the excellent work they do for their local communities in Kenmare and Castletownbere.”

Darren Lynch, Member of the Ring of Beara Cycle Organising Committee added that he would like to thank all the volunteers without whom this event would not be possible. “Because of their hard work along with the cyclists we are very pleased to be in a position to make a difference to local charities,” he said.

“Castletownbere Community Hospital provide such a vital service to the local community here in West Cork. We are all looking forward to next year’s event already and being able to contribute again to local charities.”

The Ring of Beara Cycle 2020 will take place on May 23, 2020 – with entries going on general sale on Wednesday, September 25. Past-participants will have access to a pre-sale on Tuesday 24. The event sold out in less than 24 hours last year. Cyclists will experience the magnificent scenery of the mountains, valleys and the rugged coastline of the Beara Peninsula, as well as the famed local hospitality.

Cyclists pass through picturesque and quaint towns, including Ardgroom, Eyeries, Allihies, Castletownbere, Adrigole and Glengarriff. Participants will enjoy music, food and chat at the fully stocked food stations dotted along the routes.

The event will finish with a great party atmosphere and superb facilities including hot food, hot tubs, massage, entertainment and finishers’ medal for all cyclists.

If you would like to volunteer for the event please contact info@eliteevents.ie.

For more information please visit www.ringofbearacyclekenmare.com.For more information contact Annette Grealish annette@eliteevents.ieor 087 6024621

 

 

 

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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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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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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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