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“The children are in danger”

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Call for safety measures outside Fossa National School

A serious or even fatal accident is inevitable unless urgent safety measures are put in place – concerned parents and staff at one Killarney school said this week.
Up to 300 pupils and their parents are regularly taking their life in their hands at drop off and pick up times as they negotiate crossing the busy N72 Killarney to Killorglin road to get to Fossa National School. They are now calling on Kerry County Council to act quickly and put safety measures – such as pedestrian crossing – in place.
The issue has been ongoing for years, principal Pat Clifford explained to the Killarney Advertiser this week.
“We’re highlighting this for a long time,” he said.
“One pedestrian crossing would suffice.
“You’re just watching there in the morning with your heart in your mouth because there are young children from the age of four onwards, and children with special needs, crossing the road. I just think the children are in danger and we’re going to keep at it until some issue occurs unfortunately - that may then force this type of facility to be put in place – but it’s too late to do it then.”
He said that he’s listening to the parent’s safety concerns every day.
“They’re saying it is a nightmare in the morning. There are busses, there are trucks, it’s a very busy road particularly during months from April to October - as there’s a huge volume of traffic there. They have no place to park - only across the other side of the road.”
The school population currently stands at 270, he explained. However, when there was half that number they had a lollypop lady at the school.
“When there was half, about 135 pupils, we had a dedicated lollypop person who used to help children across the road. Why that’s gone – I think the issue is other schools were in an old scheme, like Lissivigeen and other places, and unfortunately as we’re not in that scheme that they don’t allow that now. It’s unfair to the children and it’s certainly compromising their safety.”
Cllr. Maura Healy-Rae, who raised the issue at Wednesday’s Killarney Municipal District meeting, said that it is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately before a serious or even fatal accident occurs.
“It is a national road and there’s huge traffic coming into the town to Liebherr, the town itself, the caravan park, hotels and there’s a church there too,” she said.
“It’s a highly populated area. If you’re a young person trying to navigate the road it’s dangerous. A pedestrian crossing is definitely needed – that would mean that they’re crossing at the same point and not at different sections of the road.
“I’m amazed there hasn’t been an accident to date. They’re wide open and exposed here.”
Kerry County Council replied that they have carried out a Pedestrian Survey at this location and that it indicated that a pedestrian crossing was "not generally justified".
However Kerry County Council said that it will work with the school and its Board of Management to ensure, as reasonably practical, the safety of all road users at this location.

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Parnell commemorated in Beaufort on 125th Anniversary of Land League meeting

A special ceremony was held in Beaufort to mark the 125th anniversary of Charles Stewart Parnell’s historic visit to the village in 1880, when the Irish nationalist leader addressed thousands […]

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A special ceremony was held in Beaufort to mark the 125th anniversary of Charles Stewart Parnell’s historic visit to the village in 1880, when the Irish nationalist leader addressed thousands at a pivotal land reform meeting.

The commemoration, which took place beside the Beaufort Bar, honoured the legacy of the former MP and founder of the Irish National Land League.
The original meeting was held in a field belonging to Patrick O’Sullivan and attracted a crowd of approximately 3,000, defying the orders of local landlord ‘The O’Mahony’ of Dunloe Castle, who had threatened eviction to any tenant who supported the gathering.
Padruig O’Sullivan, proprietor of the Beaufort Bar and a direct descendant of Patrick O’Sullivan, addressed attendees at the unveiling of a new monument to mark the occasion.
The stone was designed by renowned uilleann piper and artist Tomás O’Sullivan, who also composed a special piece of music titled Parnell’s Blackbird to honour the occasion.
The original 1880 meeting was reported in publications such as the ‘Dundalk Democrat’, which gave a vivid account of the powerful speeches delivered that day.

Extract from the Dundalk Democrat – May 1880

The meeting, held on Sunday, May 16, 1880 in Patrick O’Sullivan’s field south of the Beaufort Hotel, was arranged in defiance of local landlord ‘The O’Mahony,’ who warned tenants they would be evicted for taking part. Nevertheless, the turnout was overwhelming.
Parnell arrived by special train and travelled by carriage from Killarney with fellow MP ‘The O’Donoghue’. The two were met by a band and a large welcoming crowd. Police and a Government reporter were present, but the atmosphere remained peaceful and spirited.
Speakers rallied against the unjust land laws of the time. ‘The O’Donoghue’ praised Parnell as the “shining star” of Irish nationalism and stated that “Kerry desired that her meeting should partake of a national character.”
When Parnell spoke, he described it as “the largest land meeting he had attended since County Mayo” and declared the movement to reclaim Irish land as one of the greatest undertakings in Irish history. He condemned the laws that allowed landlords to evict tenants and seize food as rent payment, noting that 600,000 farmers were subject to the whims of just 10,000 landlords.
He called for legislative reform, including the suspension of evictions and Government-backed tenant purchase schemes, warning that if Parliament failed to act, “the people will do for themselves what the Legislature refuses to do for them.”
He concluded by proposing the first resolution.
“That in the opinion of this meeting, the eviction of occupiers of land for non-payment of rent arbitrarily fixed by the landlord is unjust, subversive of the true interests of the country and calls for the emphatic condemnation of all lovers of justice.”

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St Pauls sign American Maisie Burnham

Killarney’s Utility Trust St Pauls women’s basketball team has announced the signing of American player Maisie Burnham for the upcoming 2025/2026 season. The club, who performed strongly in the latter […]

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Killarney’s Utility Trust St Pauls women’s basketball team has announced the signing of American player Maisie Burnham for the upcoming 2025/2026 season.

The club, who performed strongly in the latter part of the recent season and reached the league final, is looking to build on that success.
Maisie Burnham, a 24-year-old, six-foot-tall guard from Spangle City, Washington, comes to Killarney with a strong playing record. During her time at Liberty High School, where she also played volleyball, she was a high-scoring player.
She then went to Eastern Washington University, where in the 2020/2021 season, she led the team in scoring with over 14 points per game, a record for a freshman player at the university.
Burnham later moved to the University of Portland, where her scoring average continued to improve, reaching a peak of 16.3 points per game in the 2024/2025 season.
Utility Trust St Pauls say they are looking forward to welcoming Maisie to Killarney well in advance of the new season.

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