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Take Two: RTÉ shows to feature talented local men

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By Sean Moriarty

Killarney viewers will have to do a double take next Wednesday evening as not one - but two - local men are to feature on two separate TV programmes.

FEATURE: James Flynn's love of Arbutus furniture will be broadcast on RTÉ ONE next Wednesday evening. Photo: Don MacMonagle

The Brehon's Head Chef Chad Byrne, who also owns the Hungry Donkey food truck, is to feature in the first episode of a new six part series called ‘Paul Flynn’s Food Truck Favourites’.

TV chef Flynn kicks off his first food truck adventure with a search for street food featuring lamb and takes a trip to Killarney to meet Chad and check out his business. 

“He heard about us during lockdown and made contact,” Chad told the Killarney Advertiser
“We are only doing pop-ups now, but every time we do one we have queues and queues of people. To feature on Paul’s show is a huge endorsement to what we do.”

Separately it'll be lights, camera and action for James Flynn as he will be on ‘Nationwide’ with presenters Anne Cassin and Blathnaid Ní Chofaigh running a feature on his efforts to keep the tradition of manufacturing and restorating Arbutus furniture alive in the region.

In October 2020 the Ross Road man discovered a games table for sale in Boston. The rare piece of handcrafted furniture, that dates from just after the famine era, was returned to Killarney in March last year by Mr Flynn.

The Arbutus Tree, sometimes called the Killarney Strawberry Tree, is more prevalent in Killarney National Park than any other region in the country.

James, a former ESB district supervisor for South Kerry, has, since his retirement, devoted his time to tracing the history of Killarney’s Arbutus furniture industry and restores pieces that he finds in online auctions all over the world.

Wednesday’s ‘Nationwide’ programme will feature handcrafters from all over Ireland and will include around seven minutes with James.

“I took the production crew on a tour of Muckross House, we visited Paddy Connor’s antique shop in Lissivigeen,” James told the Killarney Advertiser.

“I brought them up the Moll’s Gap road, just above the tunnel there is an Arbutus tree, with a protective fence, to keep the deer out.”

'Nationwide' will air at 7pm while 'Food Truck Favourites' will be on at 8pm, both on RTÉ One.

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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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