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Relief as couple and baby son home safe from Ukraine

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By Sean Moriarty

It has been a week that they'll never forget - meeting their newborn son for the very first time - and getting out of Ukraine safely before the Russian invasion yesterday (Thursday).

Dermot and Dorothy Moynihan from Killorglin were full of emotions as they were up against the clock last week to get into and out of Ukraine to get their baby boy Luke - who was born by surrogate last week - and bring him home to Kerry.

They were able to fly from Lviv near the Polish border on Monday morning. A day later Russian President Vladimir Putin's troops arrived in the Eastern provinces of the country. The situation there is getting more and more volatile by the day.Luke was born one week sooner than his due date and should have arrived into this world on the same day Russian troops entered the country.Dermot and Dorothy faced international diplomatic complications including word from the Irish Government advising all Irish citizens to leave the country.The couple arrived in the Ukraine last Thursday but thanks to huge efforts from their Irish and Ukrainian legal teams, and help from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), they secured travel paperwork for baby Luke on Sunday. They flew from Lviv to London Stansted on Monday and onwards to Dublin on Tuesday.“It has been quite the adventure,” Dermot told the Killarney Advertiser. “There has been huge emotions in the last week. One of our relations joked that Luke has already been in London – they have never been in London. We are keeping all the press clippings of this time for him – it will be a very special memory for Luke.”He paid tribute to his legal team and DFA officials who helped him get out of the country but also paid tribute to the people there.“Ukraine is an amazing country, the people are lovely, they are very hard working and it’s a very safe place,” he added. “They really did not believe this could happen – there is no way Putin will do it. They are trying very hard to modernise the country and now all this work is pulled away from them.”

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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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