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Ring of Kerry tractor run to raise money for Firies charity

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5 years ago

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ON THE RUN: The Nobber Vintage Club annual vintage tractor run passing through Killarney town last year. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

By Sean Moriarty

A fleet of up to 50 vintage tractors, cars and motorcycles will pass through Killarney this Friday afternoon as members of Nobber Vintage Club in County Meath host their annual visit to the county.

One local charity, The Seamus O’Brien Fund, will benefit from the charity run, organised by the Meath-based club.

The Firies man, who lost his leg in a construction accident in 2018, has strong family ties to County Meath. His wife Ruth is from the Royal County and when they returned to Ireland after a spell in London Seamus played football with the local Seneschalstown GAA Club before eventually settling in Seamus’s home village of Firies.

The participants will raise also money for the Marie Keating Foundation.

The group, who have been running the Ring of Kerry run since 2011, will leave the Meath town on Wednesday and drive their vintage tractors to Killarney.

Local man Tony Wharton is taking his 50-year-old John Deere tractor to Nobber in time for the start and will participate in the entire run with support from Barleymount’s Pat O’Brien who will drive a back-up vehicle.

The fleet is expected in Killarney around 2.30pm on Friday and will parade through the town. They will be joined by between 25 and 30 members of Killarney Valley Classic and Vintage Club (KVCVC) on arrival in Kerry and the local members will also participate in Saturday’s Ring of Kerry run.

The group will overnight in Fossa and the participating tractors will be on display at Tom Wharton’s farm in Fossa.

“Seamus has been through a hard time and deserves everything we can do to support him,” Mr Wharton told the Killarney Advertiser. “It was my idea to include a local charity and the Nobber Club agreed because it is also local to them. They have been coming here since 2011 and have left a nice few Euros in the locality.”

On Saturday, the convoy will complete the Ring of Kerry run, via the Gap of Dunloe and the finish line in Fossa before returning to Nobber on Monday morning.

The group will have driven over one thousand kilometres by the time they return to Meath on Wednesday August 26.

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Killarney for Palestine film screening

Killarney for Palestine recently held a sold-out screening of the Oscar-winning documentary ‘No Other Land’ at the West End School of Arts, raising €2,100 for Camp Breakerz. The event, which […]

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16 hours ago

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14 July 2025

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Killarney for Palestine recently held a sold-out screening of the Oscar-winning documentary ‘No Other Land’ at the West End School of Arts, raising €2,100 for Camp Breakerz.

The event, which took place on July 3, included two screenings, both of which were fully booked. Guests enjoyed cheese and wine before the shows.
‘No Other Land’ depicts the ongoing destruction in Masafer Yatta, a cluster of villages in the Southern West Bank, and shows the experiences of Palestinians under Israeli occupation. The film won in the Best Documentary category at this year’s Academy Awards.
The screenings were organised in association with the West End School of Arts.
All proceeds from the €25 tickets benefited Camp Breakerz Crew, a children’s charity based in Gaza that provides creative outlets through dance and is involved in food distribution programs in Nuseirat Camp and Deir-Al-Balah due to food shortages.
Sally MacMonagle, who recently spent time in Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem, also spoke at one of the screenings.

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Bid to host European Presidency summit meetings gathers pace

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Tourism, Michael Cahill TD, has highlighted Killarney’s suitability to host summit meetings of international Government Ministers during Ireland’s six-month European Presidency tenure in 2026. Deputy Cahill […]

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1 day ago

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13 July 2025

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Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Tourism, Michael Cahill TD, has highlighted Killarney’s suitability to host summit meetings of international Government Ministers during Ireland’s six-month European Presidency tenure in 2026.

Deputy Cahill believes Kerry’s available accommodation, food, and conference facilities are “second to none,” with Killarney as the central location.
“Visitors from every corner of the earth have been coming to Kerry for centuries now, to experience its beauty and serenity and have returned on many occasions because of the fabulous time they have enjoyed during their stay here,” said Deputy Cahill. “Where else would you want to bring the senior Government Ministers of all of our EU counterpart states, to experience Ireland, its customs and heritage?”
The Rossbeigh TD outlined various attractions available for visitors during downtime: “During their downtime, they can visit the Blaskets and Slea Head, Sceilg Mhichíl and the Ring of Kerry, Killarney’s Lakes, Gap of Dunloe, National Park and Sliabh Luachra, all of our glorious beaches from Ballybunion to Rossbeigh, Kells to Ventry, Whitestrand to Inch, Ballinskelligs to Cromane, Waterville to Derrynane.” He also cited Kerry’s golf courses, Listowel Writers Week, the Rose of Tralee, and Puck Fair as potential experiences.
Deputy Cahill confirmed he has raised this matter with An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin; An Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Harris; and Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne.
“If Killarney’s bid is successful in bringing the Heads of State to our county for meetings, conferences and functions, it will be a massive boost to the local economy in Killarney and also throughout the county,” added Cahill.”Iwill continue to push in the coming months for Killarney and Kerry to be included as bases for the rounds of meetings that are to take place from July 1 to December 312026.”

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