News
Pavers donates £1,000 to Kerry charity
DONATION: Simone Behal with her daughter Emilie accepting a cheque from the Pavers Foundation on behalf of Down Syndrome Kerry (DSK) with Store Manager Denise Smyth and Supervisor Sarah Doherty.
Down Syndrome Kerry has been awarded £1,000 by the Pavers Foundation, the employee led charitable trust created by family-owned shoe retailer Pavers Shoes. Denise Smyth, Store Manager of Pavers in Killarney, applied through the Foundation’s employee grant initiative to help Down Syndrome Kerry, a charity very close to her heart.
Each staff member can put forward causes close to their heart which relate to health, education, or community. Since launching, the Pavers Foundation has awarded a total of £541,353 to charity.
Down Syndrome Kerry is a parent led organisation that helps families to deal with the diagnosis of their child having Down Syndrome. The organisation is passionate about ensuring that children with special education needs have access to an inclusive learning environment, providing a wide range of support, including occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy services for younger persons and employment and education opportunities. The charity also offers recreational services to their members, such as swimming lessons, Zumba, basketball, cookery, cycling lessons and horse riding.
“Down Syndrome is very close to my heart being in my own family and seeing the daily challenges that families face, that have not been funded by the Government, I wanted to try to help in any way possible,” Denise Smyth said.
“While I was pregnant with my own little boy, a friend of mine was also pregnant and gave birth to a beautiful little girl Emilie who was born with Down Syndrome. Seeing first-hand the challenges that Simone faces with her little girl, I wanted to reach out to the Pavers Foundation and see if they would help with these challenges, such as occupational therapy and speech therapy along with social and educational activities. I know that the £1,000 will be put to great use.”
Shirley Morris, Admin Secretary at Down Syndrome Kerry added that their goal is to help people with Down Syndrome make their own futures as bright and as independent as possible by providing them with education, support and friendship every step of the way.
“Thank you to the Pavers Foundation for helping us to achieve our goal.”
ANAM Centre launches packed summer cultural programme for locals and visitors
Kerry County Council’s Arts Service, in association with the Killarney Arts Working Group, has officially launched the 2026 ANAM Summer Arts Programme (ASAP).
The dedicated arts and cultural space on East Avenue Road is set to host a vibrant mix of live music, theatre, film, and youth competitions designed to appeal to both local residents and tourists throughout the peak holiday season.
The summer lineup aims to provide artists with critical platforms to showcase their work while giving audiences accessible opportunities to experience live art. Councillor Martin O’Grady noted that the programme includes a multitude of performances, offering an important platform for all ages to enjoy the arts. Mary Murphy of the Killarney Arts Working Group added that utilizing the ANAM space successfully draws new audiences to the Killarney arts scene.
Featured events include “Bog Jazz,” an innovative project by musicians Eoin ‘Stan’ O’Sullivan and Shane Murphy that reworks traditional Sliabh Luachra fiddle music using electric guitar and drums. Additionally, Sliabh Luachra Musician in Residence Aidan Connolly will lead a two-night concert series in late July alongside Bryan O’Leary, Colm Guilfoyle, and Charlie O’Brien, exploring the unique history, songs, and folklore of the region.
The programme also features “The Anam Sessions,” a series of five free bi-weekly evening concerts directed by Tim O’Shea. These sessions will showcase emerging local talent across Irish folk, singer-songwriter, and Afro-Irish genres. For younger musicians, the popular “Battle of the Bands” competition returns in August. Organised in partnership with Music Generation Kerry, it will feature separate junior and senior categories to highlight local youth talent.
The summer performance series is fully sponsored by the Kerry Arts Service. For further queries, the public can contact arts@kerrycoco.ie or call 066 7183541.
ANAM Summer Arts Event Calendar
Traditional and Folk Music (The Anam Sessions with Tim O’Shea) Dates: ; Wednesday, July 15; Wednesday, July 29; Wednesday, August 12; Wednesday, August 26 Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Sliabh Luachra Traditional Music Concert Series (Aidan Connolly and Guests) Dates: Wednesday, July 29; Thursday, July 30 Time: 8:00pm – 10:00pm
Battle of the Bands (Senior Competition) Dates: Friday, August 7; Friday, August 14; Friday, August 21; Friday, August 28 Time: 6:00pm – 10:00pm
Battle of the Bands (Junior Competition) Dates: Sunday, August 9; Sunday, August 16; Sunday, August 23; Sunday, August 30 Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Bog Jazz Performance (Eoin O’Sullivan & Shane Murphy) Date: Thursday, August 20 Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
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