Connect with us

News

Teens get €1,500 to progress positive projects

Published

on

0251615_WIN20230221123022Pro.jpg

By Michelle Crean

It was no easy task walking in to a Dragons' Den style set up - but by doing that Killarney teens received funds for their projects.

WINNING WITH WOMEN: Young Social Innovators from St Brigid's School took part in the YSI Dragons' Den on Thursday last. The Winning With Women group includes: Caoilfhionn Doyle Sophie Moran and Aoibhín Kelly. At the back are: Muireann O'Brien Gráinne Byrne Sorcha Blackwell and Sadhh Teahan.

On Thursday last two Transition Year Young Social Innovator (YSI) groups from St Brigid's Presentation pitched their ideas to a panel of representatives, including from Dublin City Council, Community Foundation Ireland and EirGrid, to enable them to access Social Impact Fund support to advance their projects.

The group ‘Tictock’ includes Ellie Greene and Anna Whyte who are the creative producers, Jennie O'Mahony and Lorna O'Sullivan research and development executives, Grace O'Meara and Seodhla Colleran coordinators of the group, Leah Griffin and Laura Flynn, financial controllers.

‘Tictock’ aims to raise awareness of the impacts of Ticks and Lymes Disease in the Killarney area. The students pitched their project to a team of five judges and were successfully awarded funding of €700 to help them resource signs for the National Park and Tick removal kits for local schools and shops. They also received links to Kerry County Council to help them proceed with these ideas.

Up next was 'Winning With Women', a YSI project aiming to tackle gender inequality in sports.
The team is made up of Caoilfhionn Doyle, Sophie Moran, Aoibhín Kelly, Muireann O'Brien, Gráinne Byrne, Sorcha Blackwell and Sadhh Teahan.

The team presented their idea for designing a pair of sports shorts specifically for women's bodies, a need which they identified based on their own experience of taking part in sports. They were awarded funding to design and create a prototype of sports shorts that are tailored to women's bodies, and to launch a campaign to bring attention to the issue of the need for sports clothing and equipment to be tailored to women doing sport. They will also receive mentoring in social media and marketing.

"The project pitch was very well received by the judges with the girls awarded €800 to fund their campaign and ideas," their teacher, Catherine O'Donoghue, said.

“The innovative ideas awarded Social Impact Fund support through our Social Innovation Den this year show how strongly engaged our young people are when it comes to the pressing and relevant issues impacting on people and society today," Roger Warnock, CEO of Young Social Innovators, said.

"We are delighted to help advance these inspirational youth-led projects further through the provision of direct support."

Advertisement

News

Book of Condolences for Pope Francis at Cathedral

  A Book of Condolences has been opened at St Mary’s Cathedral for those wishing to pay their respects following the death of Pope Francis. The Pope, who led the […]

Published

on

 

A Book of Condolences has been opened at St Mary’s Cathedral for those wishing to pay their respects following the death of Pope Francis.

The Pope, who led the Catholic Church for twelve years, died on Monday at the age of 88.

He had been suffering from double pneumonia in recent weeks, but his death still came as a shock to many. Just hours before his passing, he had been seen greeting crowds in St Peter’s Square during Easter Sunday celebrations.

Locally, Bishop Ray Browne has led the tributes. He described Pope Francis as “a gentle shepherd” who brought humility and compassion to his role.

“It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of our Holy Father Pope Francis,” Bishop Browne said. “From the moment he chose the name Francis, rooted in humility, he signalled a papacy of building peace, care for the poor, and love for all of God’s creation.”

The bishop also highlighted the Pope’s focus on protecting the planet and caring for the marginalised, calling him “a voice for the voiceless” and “a witness to the Gospel in word and deed.”

A special Mass in memory of Pope Francis was held at St Mary’s Cathedral on Wednesday.

The Pope’s funeral Mass will take place on Saturday at 10.00am in St Peter’s Square. It will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, and concelebrated by church leaders from around the world.

Due to the Pope’s passing, the special Mass for the canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis, which was due to take place this Sunday has been cancelled.

Mass will still take place at the usual time of 11.30am. A new date for the celebration will be announced in due course.

Blessed Carlo Acutis was due to be officially declared a saint in Rome on Sunda but that has been postponed.

Carlo Acutis had a deep devotion to St Francis of Assisi, and his final resting place is in Assisi, near the tombs of St Francis and St Clare.

Continue Reading

News

Con O’Leary: Killarney loses a vibrant and popular personality

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the […]

Published

on

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the early hours of Sunday.

Con was a vibrant and popular personality in Killarney where he operated The Laurels on Main Street, a thriving bar and restaurant, which he inherited following the passing of his father, Thado.
The business organisation said from a social perspective, The Laurels became the beating heart of the town and it was a landmark at the Market Cross in the same way as Clery’s clock was in the capital city.
Chamber said Con’s passing really marks the end of an era as he was one of a golden age of inspirational local business people who developed and built Killarney, through hard work, bravery and great commercial flair, and helped create the wonderful tourist attraction and holiday destination it is today.
“Con was very proud of Killarney and he played a very active part in progressing the town at many levels.
“He was a man that was never short of great ideas and his contribution to the business life of the town and as a director of Killarney Race Company was immense,” Chamber said.
“He was ahead of his time in many respects with the introduction by what became known as “the singing lounge” many years ago and The Laurels always led by example through its successes in the annual Killarney Looking Good competition”.
The business representative organisation noted that the O’Leary family has always been very supporting of the town and Con’s daughter, Kate, was a very dynamic Chamber President and is still a very valued member of the executive.
Chamber expressed deep sympathy to Con’s wife, Anne, children Kate, Niall, Tara and Lorna, sons-in-law, grandchildren, sisters, relatives and friends as well as the dedicated staff in The Laurels, past and present, who Con always had great time for and a great rapport with.

Continue Reading

Last News

Sport