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Plant with the seasons for year round colour

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By Debby Looney, gardening expert 

Is your garden looking a little woebegone at the moment? There is absolutely no reason for it! The best gardens, in my opinion, are those planted over a period of years.

A mistake which many of us make is buying and planting our entire garden in one weekend. It then happens that it looks fantastic for one month of the year, and if you want colour later you are stuck with bedding plants. Be patient, and plant with the seasons!

I would recommend conifers and heathers at this time of year. There are so many dwarf conifers available at the moment; Thuja Golden Tuffet and Juniperus Blue Star are two that immediately spring to mind. There are some lovely podocarpus varieties too, ‘box of chocolates' is a lovely auburn colour. If you interplant with colourful heathers, or evergreen grasses such as Festuca Glauca (blue) or Carex Red Rooster (red), you will have a beautiful display all year round.

Smaller gardens

There are also beautiful tall conifers available which are suitable for a relatively small garden as they remain narrow. For example, Juniperus scopulorum ‘Blue Arrow’ or Juniperus ‘Sky Rocket’ are both types of juniper which remain skinny, they are also a beautiful blue colour. Cupressus sempervirens - the Italian cypress, or Pencil cypress is also an excellent choice when space is an issue. These are also beautiful as structural plants, a cluster of three or five in a corner with rocks/groundcover/ferns underneath can look striking. Also they are useful in corners, or to draw the eye in a particular direction. Remember the neighbours when planting though as it's a tree which will grow tall!

Catkins cannot and should not be forgotten about at this time of year; the black stemmed willow, Salix nigricans, has silver catkins which shimmer in the sunshine, and Salix Mount Aso which has very large fluffy pink catkins. Hazels or Corylus have long yellow tassels which bring cheer even on the darkest day!

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Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

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O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

Muckross co-driver Noel O’Sullivan is set for a busy season as he returns to the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) while also preparing for a record-breaking attempt on home soil.

O’Sullivan and driver Callum Devine have signed with the Swedish team JC Raceteknik for a full campaign focused on asphalt events. Their season begins this week at the Andalusia Rally – Sierra Morena in Spain. O’Sullivan remains the only Killarney-based co-driver competing at this level for a full season.
He brings significant international experience to the team, having previously worked with WRC driver Jon Armstrong during his early European outings. O’Sullivan and Devine recently proved their pace against top European crews with a fifth-place finish at the 2024 Rali Ceredigion in Wales.
Devine said:
“I’m really looking forward to coming back to the ERC. It’s always great for a driver to compete against Europe’s best on some iconic events. We’ve had great success back home in Ireland over the past few seasons, winning two Irish Tarmac Rally Championships, and we feel now is the right time to come back and take on some ERC events. Starting with Rally Sierra Morena, I’m delighted to be joining JC Raceteknik. I know they are a very professional team with a wealth of experience, and I’m looking forward to working closely with them.”
The European schedule will not interfere with O’Sullivan’s local plans. Following the rally in Spain, the pair will return to Kerry for the Rally of the Lakes over the May Bank Holiday weekend. They are aiming for a fifth consecutive victory in Killarney as they look to move back into the lead of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
The move to the European stage follows a successful week for O’Sullivan, who was recently named the International Motorsport winner at the Kerry Sports Star Awards.

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Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June

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Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June


A new heritage motoring event, the Killarney Classic Tour, has been confirmed for June 26–27, 2026. The two-day tour is designed to celebrate the iconic rally stages of Kerry and the Beara Peninsula.


Headquartered at the Gleneagle Hotel, the event is non-competitive and open to a wide range of vintage and historic cars. Organisers are placing a particular focus on period-correct rally cars and recreations that reflect the history of the Circuit of Ireland, the Circuit of Munster, and the early years of the Rally of the Lakes.
The tour is the work of two well-known figures in Irish rallying, Mike Marshall and Micheal O’Mahoney. Marshall, a founding member of the Rally of the Lakes and Clerk of the Course for over 20 years, has designed a route that allows drivers to experience famous stages like Moll’s Gap at a relaxed pace. O’Mahoney, a long-term supporter of the sport through Rentokil and a historic car owner himself, joins Marshall in the venture.

Co-Founder O’Mahoney said:
“This event is about bringing people back together – the cars, the stories, and the friendships that have always been part of rallying. It’s a chance to step away from competition and simply enjoy these roads.”



The Saturday itinerary includes a lunch stop in Castletownbere before the field returns to Killarney for a gala dinner at the Gleneagle Hotel. The evening will feature guest speakers and a focus on the shared history of the sport.
“This event is about bringing people back together — the cars, the stories, and the friendships,” added Micheal O’Mahoney.
Registrations are now open at www.KillarneyClassicTour.ie.

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