News
Students reminisce about TY experience

By Michelle Crean
Key moments of the adventures and new experiences were remembered at a graduation ceremony this week.
Students from Transition Year at Killarney Community College spoke about their journey including Theatre Studies, Yoga, Law Education Programme, First Aid, Outdoor Activities, Work Experience, Community Work, Young Social Innovators, Minicompany, Gaisce, the list goes on.
The celebration was presented by TY coordinator Lorraine Crowley, who congratulated the TY Class of 2022 on their many magnificent achievements throughout this TY year.
The graduation ceremony opened on Tuesday with the whole class singing 'Riptide' by Vance Joy, while playing Ukuleles, a skill they learned in music during TY.
"Our students showed great resilience, empathy and kindness all year long and flourished into an amazing little family of support for one another," teacher Lorraine said.
"They should be very proud of themselves when we look at all the awards won and certificates completed in the different courses and programmes."
AWARDS
A special part of the afternoon was the presentation of special certificates given for Best Overall Logbook Award 2022 which went to Katie Herlihy, Empathy and Kindness Award 2022 Blanca Beltran Juan, Most Empowered Student of TY 2022 Sophie Jacobi, Generosity of Spirit and Talent Award 2022 Chloe Lynch Herlihy, Commitment and Dedication Award 2022 Ona Moreno Font, and the big award: TY Student of the Year 2022 was awarded to Tamika Heaphy.
A new award this year, a Certificate of Appreciation was presented to each student of Transition Year for their voluntary work completed with Killarney Lions Club and St Francis Special School in Beaufort.
Denis Doolin from Killarney Lions Club and Elaine Moore from St Francis Special School congratulated the TY class on the day for the amazing work they completed, raising almost €1,000 for the Killarney Lions Club, planting trees with them for World Tree Day in March, and creating a sensory library for the students at St Francis Special School in Beaufort. Both Elaine and Denis commended the students on their giving and support in their community throughout the year.
Nine TY students were presented their Bronze Gaisce President's Award by Eva Lyne. Eight students received their Level 6 Certificate in Digital Skills for STEM that they completed throughout the year in conjunction with MTU, Microsoft Ireland and Maynooth University. These eight students will be awarded 50 extra points after their Leaving Cert for a STEM course in MTU. Rabea Fluegel and Angelina Kendel were also commended for getting to the finals of the BT Young Scientist with their project 'How Quarantine and Home Office Affects our Psyche'.
Chloe Lynch Herlihy, winner of Who's Got Talent 2022, sang 'The Climb' by Miley Cyrus. The whole class sang 'Memories' at the end of the ceremony that they had re worded for the class.
According to Lorraine it was "another hugely successful Transition Year in the college".
"It is always amazing to see all of the achievements by our students and to see them grow throughout the year. The students excelled personally, academically and in their extra-curricular activities."
News
New bio-energy therapy clinic open on Beech Road
Have you ever wondered what happens when you deal with an emotionally charged situation or experience high levels of stress daily? Your mind sends alarm signals to your body which […]

Have you ever wondered what happens when you deal with an emotionally charged situation or experience high levels of stress daily?
Your mind sends alarm signals to your body which must adapt to this emergency mode.
Muscles tense up, heart beats faster, vessels get compressed, blood pressure rises, body retains water etc. Most of us subject our bodies to this emergency mode without being aware of it.
Irina Sharapova MH has just opened a new Herbal Medicine and Bio-Energy Therapy clinic at Horan’s Health Store on Beech Road by appointment each Friday.
Both Herbal Medicine and Bio-Energy Therapy, support the body’s natural ability to heal.
During a herbal consultation the therapist suggests necessary corrections to the client’s diet and lifestyle aiming at reducing the elements that contribute to inflammation, stiffness and pain, and increasing the elements that aid healing.
Then they prepare herbal remedies specific to the client. Client’s medications are also examined to ensure that there are no conflicts with the herbal treatment.
Herbs support healing by relaxing the body and improving sleep; they are used to treat various ailments from digestive and reproductive issues to insomnia and migraines.
Bio-Energy therapy is a complementary non-contact treatment that helps to release tension from the body caused by injuries, traumas or stress.
During a Bio-Energy session the therapist scans the client’s body for signals that indicate that the energy is not flowing smoothly – these are the areas that have reacted to the Client’s emotions of fear, worry, hurt, anger, sadness etc.
The therapist “clears out” these areas until the energy flow feels smooth. Bio-Energy is helpful in the treatment of physical and emotional pain and other ailments.
It is suitable for people who do not like massages and other treatments that are performed directly on the body.
Disclaimer: Alternative therapies are not substitutes for medical advice.
For further information or to schedule an appointment please contact Irina at 086 9878941 or via email at herbsandtherapy@gmail.com. Website: https://www.herbsandtherapies.ie
News
Spotted an otter lately?
Users of Killarney National Park are being asked to keep an eye out for otters – one of the country’s rarest mammals. The National Parks and Wildlife Service IS launching […]
Users of Killarney National Park are being asked to keep an eye out for otters – one of the country’s rarest mammals.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service IS launching a new National Otter Survey and has teamed up with researchers in Queen’s University Belfast and the National Biodiversity Data Centre to collect and collate otter records from right across the country.
The new survey will map otters and compare results to the last survey, carried out in 2010-11.
NPWS teams will be looking for characteristic signs of otters at over 900 sites throughout the country, including rivers, lakes and the coast.
Members of the public are asked to keep their eyes peeled for otters and to get involved in this national survey by adding their sightings to the survey results.
Otters are mostly active at night and most typically seen at dawn or dusk. They may be spotted from bridges swimming in rivers or along the rocky seashore.
Otters are brown, about 80 cm (30 inches) long and can be seen gliding along the water surface before diving to show their distinctive long pointed tail which is almost as long again as their body.
Dr Ferdia Marnell, Mammal Specialist with the NPWS, said:
“The otter is one of Ireland’s most elusive animals so getting as many people involved in the survey as possible will be important if we are to get good coverage. Otters are rarely seen, so instead, over the coming months, NPWS staff will be searching for otter tracks and signs.”
Dr Ferdia Marnell, Mammal Specialist with the NPWS, said:
“Otters have large, webbed feet and leave distinctive footprints, but these can be hard to find. Fortunately, otters mark their territory using droppings known as spraints. Otters deposit spraints conspicuously on boulders along riverbanks, logs on lake shores or the rocky high tide line. Spraints can be up to 10 cm or 3 inches long, black through to white but commonly brown, tarry to powdery in consistency and straight or curved making them tricky to identify. Luckily, they commonly contain fish bones and crayfish shells which are the otters favoured diet making them easy to tell apart from the droppings of birds and other mammals.”
The otter and its habitat are protected under the EU Habitats Directive which requires that Ireland reports on the status of the species every six years. The next report is due in 2025.
The otter suffered significant declines across much of continental Europe during the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s but remained widespread in Ireland. The most recent Irish survey (2010-2011) found signs of otter from all counties of Ireland and from sea-shore to mountain streams.
The otter hunts in water, but spends much of its time on land, and as a result is vulnerable to river corridor management such as culverting, dredging and the clearance of bankside vegetation, as well as pollution, pesticides, oil spillages, coastal developments and road traffic.