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Rally of the Lakes Praised for Autism-friendly approach

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1 year ago

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The organisers of the Rally of the Lakes have been praised by a local family for the steps taken to make the event more accessible to autistic spectators, highlighting how small changes can make a big difference at major motorsport events.

As part of the wider Autism Friendly Killarney initiative, the Rally of the Lakes introduced dedicated autism-friendly measures, allowing families to attend in a more supportive environment. One Kerry family, whose young son is autistic and has a strong interest in cars, said the event gave them an opportunity they previously would not have considered possible.
Speaking as part of a new Autism Friendly Killarney video series, parent Deirdre Prendergast said her family was able to attend a special evening at the Rally of the Lakes where autism was understood and accommodated. Her son was able to get close to the cars and enjoy the experience without sensory overload, something she described as a major step forward for their family.
The Rally of the Lakes is one of several major Killarney events now providing quiet areas, sensory supports and trained staff. For families affected by autism, this has opened the door to attending high-profile events together, rather than splitting up or staying away entirely.
Killarney was recently awarded Autism Friendly Town status by AsIAm, with the Rally of the Lakes cited as an example of how motorsport events can adapt without losing their character. For families who love cars and rallying, the changes have made participation possible where it once was not.

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How will our Kerry TDs vote tomorrow?

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2 hours ago

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13 April 2026

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Tomorrow, Sinn Féin will be tabling a motion of no confidence against the Government after the protests that took place nationwide during the week.

Earlier today we asked our readers how would they vote in a no confidence motion against the Government?

Most of our readers said they would vote no confidence, while some said, yes they do have confidence in the Government.

One reader said: “Vote confidence. The only proper leadership over the last few days came from government. Courage came when needed despite how unpopular it looked in the moment. By contrast, opposition politicians wanted the country to burn to suit themselves”.

Another reader stated: “No confidence. Shambolic and heavy handed handling of protests this past week”.

However, some people didn’t have any confidence in either side with a reader saying: “No confidence in the no confidence! Different wings of the same bird! We need a complete overhaul of the political system”.

We asked the question to our 5 Kerry TDs before lunch-time today, asking them what their vote will be tomorrow.

We received one reply from Sinn Féin’s Kerry TD Pa Daly.

He will be voting no confidence in the Government tomorrow along with his party.

Other media outlets are reporting that Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae is undecided at the moment.

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Town centre-based software firm marks two years in business

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3 hours ago

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13 April 2026

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A Killarney-based software company is celebrating two years in business since expanding into the European market.

QT9 Software Ltd, which is located on Bohereencaol was established in 2024 as part of the company’s move to better serve customers across Europe.

The business is part of a US-based company founded 20 years ago in Chicago by Brant Engelhart.

Its Irish office is headed by Killarney resident Angela O’Sullivan, who serves as Operations Director.

QT9 Software currently employs four full-time staff members in Killarney and plans to increase that number by an additional two this year.

The company provides quality management software to businesses worldwide, with the Irish office helping to support European customers within their own time zones.

As part of its continued European expansion, the software company also opened a new data center in Amsterdam in 2025 to meet data storage and compliance requirements.

QT9 Software works with businesses that must meet quality standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 13485, as well as industry-specific regulations across sectors, such as automotive, aerospace, food and life sciences.

Speaking about the milestone, Angela O’Sullivan said: “We’re very proud to have grown QT9 Software here in Killarney over the past two years. It has been a really positive journey so far, and we’re looking forward to continuing to build our team and support more customers across Europe.”

The company is also currently recruiting for an IT Systems Administrator, with details available in the appointments section on page 46.

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