News
Student hoping to kickstart innovative 3D project
By Michelle Crean
One bright student is hoping her new product will change the way people with mobility issues write, draw and paint.
Final year Industrial Design student in GMIT, Mckella Daly, had to create a new, innovative product in response to the ongoing crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After some inspiration and research she came up with a 3D printed assistive device which is aimed at helping people of all ages and abilities who want to express themselves creatively.
And she is now hoping to raise €10,000 to make her dream a reality and to achieve this has set up a Kickstarter campaign called 'Saor Dexterity Assistive Product'.
The unique circular grip allows the user to hold the product in a way that does not affect the natural clenched shape of their hand, Mckella explained.
"It is also helpful for people with arthritis and limited dexterity or fine motor skill issues. Saor is 3D printed in a durable, sustainable material that is also affordable. It makes it easy to adjust to the users' needs."
INSPIRATION
The inspiration for the unique design came from a nine-year-old child with Cerebral Palsy.
"I saw him write his name for the first time in his life!"
As her final year project was based on the difficulties caused by the pandemic she decided to focus on children who are considered vulnerable, mainly those with Cerebral Palsy, and from her research, she explains that it was clear that there are challenges, now more than ever, within the disability sector from medical challenges to isolation.
"After interviewing a number of children and their parents what became obvious was that they were struggling with home-schooling," McKella said.
"There is a huge financial strain on parents to buy specialised equipment that is necessary for their child and they have lost all of their therapies due to the pandemic whether that's occupation therapy, physiotherapy or speech and language therapy. From here, I decided to concentrate my design on the loss of occupational therapy and home-schooling. Many children with Cerebral Palsy struggle with a lack of mobility and find it difficult to hold a pen/pencil in a conventional way. This is where Saor came from."
Killarney hotels achieve top global rankings in Readers’ Choice Awards
Two leading Killarney hotels are celebrating major international accolades following the publication of the 2026 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards.
The Killarney Royal Townhouse was named the No. 2 Hotel in Ireland in the US edition of the global awards, securing top placement among the country’s finest properties based entirely on votes cast by international travellers.
Pat McGrath, General Manager of Killarney Royal Townhouse, expressed his pride in the achievement:
“We are absolutely delighted to be recognised as the No. 2 Hotel in Ireland in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards. To receive this recognition directly from travellers makes it particularly special, and we are immensely proud of our team, whose genuine care, warm welcome and attention to detail shape the guest experience every day.”
Meanwhile, sister property The Killarney Park achieved a double success in this year’s voting, earning inclusion across both Atlantic editions of the prestigious travel guide. The family-owned venue was ranked No. 8 in the US Readers’ Choice Awards and No. 5 in the UK Readers’ Choice Awards.
The annual awards represent one of the travel industry’s longest-running honors, with almost 800,000 readers submitting votes to rate their favorite global travel experiences.
Marcus Treacy, Managing Director of The Killarney Park, welcomed the dual honors:
“Recognition such as this means a great deal to us because it comes directly from the people who have spent their time with us. As a family-owned hotel, knowing that what we have created here in Killarney continues to resonate with guests travelling from around the world is something we are enormously proud of.”
The strong showing by both local venues underlines Killarney’s standing as a world-class hospitality hub for international visitors.
Paralympic legend Jason Smyth visits St Brendan’s
World renowned Paralympian and world record holder Jason Smyth paid a visit to St Brendan’s College on Wednesday afternoon as part of a high profile visit to Killarney.
The six time Paralympic gold medallist spoke to second year students from St Brendan’s College, alongside students from neighbouring schools St Brigid’s Presentation Secondary School and Killarney Community College.
The interactive talk and interview took place ahead of World Sight Day, with the legendary sprinter sharing his personal journey with Stargardt disease, a genetic eye condition that left him legally blind at eight years old.
The Derry native, who holds the world record as the fastest Paralympian on earth over 100 metres, offered inspiring insights into overcoming physical adversity and achieving success at the highest level of world sport.
The school visit formed the opening leg of his Killarney schedule before he took centre stage later on Wednesday evening at The Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa.
Smyth headlined An Evening with Paralympian Jason Smyth, an event organised by the Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce as part of its winter schedule, sponsored by AIB.
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