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Second lockdown ahead if house parties continue – says Cllr

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By Michelle Crean
A Killarney councillor has this week lashed out saying that the amount of private house parties in town is a major cause for concern - as COVID cases locally have begun to spike.
Cllr Donal Grady says he fears a second lockdown as he has witnessed parties in a number of housing estates and says people are getting complacent everywhere especially in shops and when it comes to washing their hands.
He says that he’s hugely worried that a second wave is just weeks away - especially if the parties continue due to the Government's decision to delay Phase 4 - resulting in pubs and nightclubs now not reopening until August 10. He is again calling for the Government to halt travel for people coming to Kerry from other counties.
"We should isolate Dublin from the rest of the country for a while. They'd do it if it were the other way around. They have over 12,500 cases compared to Kerry with over 300 - how can you compare the two figures?"
The seasoned councillor made his views known after it became public earlier this week that young holidaymakers who travelled to the town for a break had the highly infectious disease.
“We must cop on. Complacency has set in in a big way,” he told the Killarney Advertiser. “If we don’t get our act together we’re heading for a second lockdown. The washing of the hands has been forgotten about. We’re falling behind.”
As of yesterday evening (Thursday) there was one death reported nationally and 21 confirmed cases of COVID-19 bringing a total of 25,698 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.
In Kerry there were no extra reported cases yesterday, following two confirmed cases on Wednesday and three on Tuesday by the National Public Health Emergency Team.
The Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronan Glynn, this week confirmed the “large” cluster in Kerry but he said many of those involved are located elsewhere in the country.
“People in Kerry do not need to worry unduly, certainly based on the numbers, but I know that a cluster has been well publicised in that setting,” he said. “We’ve had clusters in many counties around the country and our public health teams are on top of those and they are identifying the cases. I’m not saying that people in Killarney, which has been mentioned in the media, do not need to be vigilant – they do. People everywhere need to be vigilant as, again, we are talking about a disease that can spread when people are well.”
In response to the outbreak of the Killarney cases over the past week the HSE said that they cannot comment on any individual case.
However, it said that the Department can confirm there have been a small number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region in recent weeks.
“In all cases, anyone deemed to be a close contact has been identified and contacted quickly. Although we cannot comment on any individual case, we are confident that correct procedures have been followed in the management of all cases notified to the Department to date.
Close contacts are offered two tests for COVID-19. They are tested again seven days after their initial test.”
News
Ireland’s oldest citizen has Killarney connections
Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week. Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections. The previous record […]

Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week.
Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections.
The previous record was held by 107-year-old Nancy Stewart who died on September 10 2021.
Although born in Belfast, Máirín went to school in the Mercy Convent. Her father was a customs and excise officer and the family moved around a lot eventually coming to Killarney after spells in County Down and Dublin.
Her mother came from the Rathmore area and her father was from Newmarket in County Cork.
She attended the Mercy Convent and has, in previous interviews, recalled growing up on the shores of Lough Lein.
“Neighbours who had three children were given the job of taking me to school,” she said. “They were annoyed because the children were going to school for two or three years but I was put in to the same class as them – my mother had taught me.”
In 2021 she featured in the book ‘Independence Memories: A People’s Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation’, sharing stories of being kept in school in Killarney during an attack on the RIC barracks down the road.
In 1924 she started a degree in science and a diploma in education at University College Cork, before working in the pathology lab in University College Cork’s Department of Medicine for 16 years.
last year she recalled her story on the podcast: ‘Living History – Irish Life and Lore’.
During the broadcast she talked about her parents’ membership of the Gaelic League in 1910; the Spanish Flu in Ireland in 1918; The Black and Tans in Killarney in 1921; the early days of the new Free State; Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 1932, visiting the Basket Islands in 1929; and working in the UCC medical laboratory from 1932 until 1948.
This week President Michael D. Higgins hosted an afternoon tea event to celebrate the important role that a variety of people have and can play in different communities and Máirín was among the guests of honour.
News
Philip is running over 100kms for Cancer charity
Local runner and charity fundraiser Philip Kissane is set for the biggest challenge of his career as he lines up for the Cork City Marathon on Sunday. Phillip has already […]

Local runner and charity fundraiser Philip Kissane is set for the biggest challenge of his career as he lines up for the Cork City Marathon on Sunday.
Phillip has already completed four half marathons at various locations around Killarney – all in aid of Kerry Cancer Support Group – or the Cancer Bus as it popularly called.
This is the second time that Phillip has run four half marathon and an official race for the charity.
Back in 2021 he finished with 5km Run Killarney event but his finishing race this time around is over eight times the distance at 42kms.
“We are delighted with Philip’s continued fundraising support but also with his awareness raising for the charity,” Breda Dyland, Service Manager Kerry Cancer Support Trust.
“We are getting busier all the time and still get no statutory funding so are dependent on fundraisers like Philip’s to keep us on the road. We have just put our new wheelchair accessible bus on the Cork route so Philip’s funding will be going towards the operation of this vehicle.”