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Schools team up with Council to highlight dog foul problem

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Kerry County Council is teaming up with local schools to draw attention to the issue of dog fouling.

The initiative will be run through the Green Schools Programme and will involve students patrolling areas near their schools, spraying any dog faeces found with temporary bright yellow spray paint, thereby highlighting the prevalence of the problem.

“Dog fouling damages the aesthetic value of our shared public spaces, and is a nuisance that undermines our outdoor experience, particularly for vulnerable members of society such as children, those with visual impairments, and wheelchair users,” said Breda Moriarty, Environmental Awareness Officer with Kerry County Council.

“But dog fouling also carries a more serious risk. Dog faeces is harmful to people’s health as it can contain dangerous parasites and bacteria,” she added.

Kerry County Council is urging dog owners to take responsibility by picking up after their dogs and reducing the amount of dog faeces being left in public spaces. Speaking at St Brigid’s Secondary School this week, Breda Moriarty reminded dog owners of their responsibilities.

“The schools involved in this campaign will assist in highlighting the problem, but we want to see dog owners take responsibility by picking up after their pets. We hope that this campaign will change attitudes to dog fouling and lead to an overall reduction in the phenomenon.”

A similar initiative was run by Galway City Council recently and it resulted in a 50% reduction in dog fouling.

Under the Litter Pollution Act 1997, dog owners are legally obliged to clean up after their pets if they foul in public places, with owners who fail to do so facing fines of €150. Non-payment of these initial fines can prove even more costly, carrying penalties of up to €3,000 on conviction.

In 2022, Kerry County Council processed the highest number of fines for instances of dog fouling of any local authority.

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Céilí Mór will send ‘em home sweatin’

It will be a case of all around the house but mind the dresser at a traditional Céilí Mór which will be one of the real entertainment highlights of this […]

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It will be a case of all around the house but mind the dresser at a traditional Céilí Mór which will be one of the real entertainment highlights of this year’s St Patrick’s Festival in Killarney.

It will take place on the eve of the big feast day in the Killarney Great Southern and there will be a wonderful party atmosphere guaranteed on the night.
Providing the tunes will be the very highly regarded Uí Bhriaín Céilí Band and they promise to send everybody home sweating after what will be a memorable night for locals and visitors.
The March 16 céilí will commence at 9.00pm and continue right through until midnight and the admission for a wonderful night of pure Irish trad is just €10.00.
Bookings can be made on the festival website or patrons can pay at the door on the night.

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St Brendan’s student Aodhagan O’Sullivan crowned CPR champion

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Aodhagan O’Sullivan, a student at St Brendan’s College, Killarney, has been named the 2026 School CPR Challenge Champion.

The prestigious award was presented on Thursday, 26 February, during a large-scale event at the Gleneagle Hotel, where approximately 300 students from post-primary schools across the county gathered to compete for the title of “who can compress the best.”


Now in its fourth year, the event is organised by the Killarney Cardiac Response Unit (KCRU) Community First Responders.

The KCRU is a volunteer-led group that provides vital emergency response services to Killarney, Beaufort, Killorglin, Firies, Rathmore, and Kenmare.

The challenge focused on “Quality CPR” (QCPR), combining a high-stakes competition with practical life-saving training and the chance for students to engage directly with local emergency and community services.


The competition utilised advanced QCPR technology to measure the depth and rate of compressions, ensuring that students aren’t just learning the motions, but are performing life-saving techniques to a clinical standard.

Beyond the competitive element, the day served as an educational hub, highlighting the “chain of survival” and the importance of immediate bystander intervention in the event of a cardiac arrest.


The 2026 challenge was made possible through the support of the Vodafone Foundation, The Gleneagle Hotel, and First Aid Systems Ltd, alongside a variety of local sponsors. Organisers praised the enthusiasm of the 300 participants, noting that such events are essential for building a “heart-safe” community and equipping the next generation with the skills to save a life.

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