News
Save lives by staying at home – says hospital group
With escalating cases of COVID-19 in the county the South/South West Hospital Group (S/SWHG) are strongly urging members of the public to stay at home and follow the Government’s current COVID-19 guidelines to ensure that they do not contribute to the spread of Coronavirus.
The S/SWHG is urging members of the public to focus on the following: limiting your contacts, not to make any unnecessary journeys outside their 5km radius, hand washing, cough etiquette, wearing masks in public spaces, being aware of and recognising COVID-19 symptoms, and taking the appropriate course of action if symptoms present themselves.
The Emergency Departments across S/SWHG are extremely busy over the last number of days due to people presenting with COVID-19 symptoms and staff who are unavailable for COVID-19 related reasons. Due to this increased level of activity and subsequent admissions, it is regrettable that some patients may experience a delay in the Emergency Department (ED). Therefore management have requested that, where appropriate, the public contact their GP/Out of Hours service in the first instance and explore all other options available to them prior to attending the ED if their needs are not urgent.
The Intensive Care Units across the Group are busy, however Critical Care Capacity in S/SWHG is actively managed as a group resource; thereby ensuring patients always have access to the best possible care setting with inter-hospital transfer as required. The necessary arrangements are in place across all sites to upscale Critical Care capacity should that be required.
Due to the rapid increase in the number of patients with confirmed COVID-19 being admitted to hospitals, all elective work has been suspended across the Group, aside from emergency surgery and only time critical elective cancer surgery are being scheduled.
Management at the hospitals acknowledge that staying at home and staying isolated will be very difficult. Nevertheless, hospitals want to remind people again that they can save lives by staying at home and following the current Government and Public Health guidelines.
Ukrainian exhibition brings ‘Towel of Unity’ to Killarney
The Ukrainian community in Kerry presented the international outdoor exhibition “The Towel of Unity – The Towel of Victory” at St Mary’s Church on Saturday.
Organised by Future of Ukrainian Nation (FOUN Kerry), led by Chairperson Natalia Eismont and coordinator Iryna Samborska, the cultural initiative celebrated Ukrainian heritage while fostering solidarity between Ireland and Ukraine.
At the centre of the display was a 166-metre embroidered towel, known traditionally as a rushnyk. Created by Ukrainian communities across dozens of countries, each section represents global resilience and connection. The project was originally founded by Andrii Yatsenko in Estonia, with his wife Svitlana joining individual pieces from around the world into one continuous artwork.
A key moment of the Killarney event saw the official addition of the embroidered piece crafted by the Ukrainian community in Ireland to the master banner.
The outdoor exhibition offered local residents and visitors a chance to learn about traditional Ukrainian customs and the symbolic meaning behind the rushnyk, which represents protection, heritage, and unity. FOUN Kerry expressed gratitude to local authorities, clergy, and the Kerry community for their ongoing support and warm welcome.
Monument honouring Kerry’s revolutionary women
A proposal that first originated in the Killarney Municipal District has culminated in the unveiling of Ireland’s first monument dedicated to the women of the 1912–1923 revolutionary period.
The project was brought forward by Killarney councillor Marie Moloney and backed by fellow Killarney representative Maura Healy-Rae.
The initiative gained momentum and full support in the main Kerry County Council chamber from all elected female councillors – adding Norma Moriarty, Aoife Thornton and Deirdre Ferris – leading to the commissioning of the historic memorial.
Titled Spiorad Bán Chiarraí or Spirit of the Kerry Women, the 2.5-metre bronze sculpture was officially unveiled in Tralee Town Park. Created by Dublin-based sculptor Elizabeth O’Kane, the artwork depicts a woman in period uniform marching forward while raising the Irish flag. To maintain historical accuracy, O’Kane referenced original uniforms from Cumann na mBan and Cumann na Saoirse.
“The sculpture was a year and a half in the making, from sculpting the larger-than-life-size clay figure in my studio, to the many months of highly skilled bronze casting carried out in a Dublin foundry,” said Ms O’Kane.
“From start to finish, it has been a labour of love – artists often claim to suffer for their work, but I have the X-ray to prove it! A fractured wrist in the middle of the project was extremely untimely, but I am immensely proud of the final result. It has been a privilege to commemorate the women of this period with a sculpture that celebrates their courage, sacrifice, and enduring legacy.”
The project was funded through the Department of Housing and Local Government under the Percent for Arts Scheme. The memorial stands as a permanent tribute to the vital social, political, and military roles Kerry women played in shaping modern Ireland.
Ukrainian exhibition brings ‘Towel of Unity’ to Killarney
Ukrainian exhibition brings ‘Towel of Unity’ to Killarney The Ukrainian community in Kerry presented the international outdoor exhibition “The Towel...
Monument honouring Kerry’s revolutionary women
Monument honouring Kerry’s revolutionary women A proposal that first originated in the Killarney Municipal District has culminated in the unveiling...
Ukrainian exhibition brings ‘Towel of Unity’ to Killarney
The Ukrainian community in Kerry presented the international outdoor exhibition “The Towel of Unity – The Towel of Victory” at...
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