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Students learn road safety with live crash demo

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6 years ago

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RESCUE: A young male driver is rescued from a crashed car by members of the emergency services during the live crash demo in the INEC car park on Tuesday morning. Photo: Michelle Crean

 

By Michelle Crean

The reality of a serious car crash brought home the impact to almost 1,500 Kerry students on Tuesday morning – as emergency services simulated a live road crash in the INEC car park.

Secondary school students from throughout Kerry, including schools from Killarney, witnessed the rescue efforts by dedicated members of the emergency services at the AXA Road Safety Roadshow. The event began at 10.30am with presentations by Gardaí, members of Kerry Fire Service and medical staff from emergency departments including a surgeon, who have all experienced the impact of fatal crashes on Kerry’s roads.

And the event was a huge success, explained Dan Keane from the Kerry Fire Service, who was a speaker on the day.

“Killarney Fire Service did a display and supplied the car,” Dan told the Killarney Advertiser.

“We had a young male driver, an actor, who was brought to safety. The Gardai went through the statistics by county and the country explaining that it was young male drivers who are most at risk. Peter McCarthy from the Traffic Corp described the whole ordeal while Eugene Tangney, a paramedic, told some scenarios.”

[caption id="attachment_29134" align="alignleft" width="300"] SAFETY FIRST: Students from Presentation Killarney Saoirse Coffey, Carrie Hickey, Kate Lawlor and Jenny Cronin pictured with Sinead Galvin (Killarney Fire Service), Diane Collins (Killarney Community Policing Unit), Dan Keane (Kerry Fire Service) and Martin Grady (Killarney Fire Service) at the live crash demo in the INEC car park on Tuesday morning. Photo: Michelle Crean[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_29133" align="alignleft" width="300"] ON THE SCENE: Students from Presentation Killarney and St Brendan's College pictured with emergency service personnel at the live crash demo in the INEC car park on Tuesday morning. Photo: Michelle Crean[/caption]

Dan himself spoke as a First Responder followed by the surgeon, while a woman from North Kerry spoke about her son who died in similar circumstances.

“The simulation was about showing the kids roughly what we deal with. What we’re trying to do is give them an idea what we do and what we deal with. It’s great for them to see it but more should be done and more regularly.”

 

 

 

 

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Sinn Féin to host public meeting on cost of living at Killarney Heights Hotel

Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm. […]

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20 hours ago

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25 May 2026

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Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm.

The Donegal TD will be joined by Kerry TD Pa Daly to discuss the economic pressures facing local households and the policy changes needed to provide financial relief. The main focus of the evening will center on the barriers preventing local people from buying their own homes, alongside broader costs of living challenges.
Speaking exclusively to the Killarney Advertiser ahead of his visit, Deputy Doherty said workers and families across Kerry are being squeezed from every direction by rising weekly shops, high energy bills, increasing insurance premiums, and substantial housing costs.
“Young people are losing hope that they will ever own a home in the county where they were raised,” Deputy Doherty said. “And while all of this is happening, the government is sitting on billions in budget surpluses while telling struggling families to wait. It is simply not good enough.”
The Sinn Féin finance spokesperson highlighted specific regional factors making the crisis acute in County Kerry, particularly regarding home heating costs.
“Almost 59% of homes in Kerry rely on home heating oil, which is nearly double the state average of 34%,” he said. “That means families across the county are far more exposed to soaring fuel costs than households in many other parts of the state. Yet the government withdrew supports that were helping households keep the lights on and heat their homes.”
Deputy Doherty noted that the housing situation in Kerry has moved beyond a social issue and is now impacting the local economy and communities. He pointed to figures showing average rents in the county have reached €1,493 per month, with exceptionally low market availability.
“At the time of writing, there were only 27 properties available online to rent across the entire county. Only 19 were below €2,000 a month and just five were available for less than €1,500. A county the size of Kerry, and only five rental properties affordable to someone on an ordinary income,” he said.
He also raised concerns for first-time buyers, noting that average house prices in Kerry have climbed to €296,000, representing an increase of €33,500 in a single year.
During the meeting, the Sinn Féin representatives will outline their party’s alternative proposals. These include a state-led program of affordable home building, a ban on excessive rent increases, enhanced protections for renters, and immediate energy credits and tax relief for workers.
“The resources exist to do this,” Deputy Doherty added. “The government’s own figures show billions in surplus funds available to the state. The issue is not a lack of money. The issue is political choice.”
The meeting is open to all members of the public, and a discussion session will follow the main presentations.

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National Park hosts weekend Bioblitz for National Biodiversity Week

Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment. Today, Friday, […]

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21 hours ago

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25 May 2026

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Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment.

Today, Friday, May 22, marks the UN International Day for Biological Diversity, and a series of free events will run across the park until the national celebration concludes this Sunday, May 24.
The highlight of the weekend is the Killarney National Park Bioblitz. This event brings families, nature lovers, and community volunteers together to find, identify, and record as many different plant and animal species as possible across the park’s diverse habitats over the next three days.
Christopher O’Sullivan, Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, encouraged locals and visitors alike to utiliSe the final days of the festival to experience the area’s unique wildlife, referencing Killarney’s native habitats as key areas the state is working to protect.
Niall Ó Donnchú, Director General of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), noted that the week is designed to remind people that native plants, woodlands, and rivers are vital systems that make life possible. OrganiSers are encouraging anyone in the locality to head out to Killarney National Park before Sunday evening to participate in the species count and support local conservation efforts.

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