Sheahan’s Maxol on the Muckross Road has plenty to celebrate after winning the Excellence in Customer Experience award at this year’s Maxol Excellence Awards, recognising the Kerry service station’s delivery of an outstanding customer experience.

Winners were presented with their awards at a lavish gala dinner during Maxol’s Retail Conference, which was recently held at The K Club.

The awards recognise best-in-class stations, both company owned and dealer-owned, to promote and reward excellence in station and store standards, customer experience, and community engagement across Maxol’s growing network of convenience-led service stations.

They are assessed through regular standards audits, mystery shopper visits, and reviews of each store’s involvement with the local community.

In addition, each store’s community engagement for Maxol’s nominated charity partner, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, is included in the assessment of the overall programme.

Independent Dealer Aisling Sheahan operates Sheahan’s Maxol on the Muckross Road.

Her team’s dedication has made the store a trusted local favourite, and this year’s Excellence in Customer Experience award reflects that commitment.

Under Aisling’s leadership, the staff consistently deliver a welcoming, high-quality experience.

Speaking about the win, Aisling said: “We are thrilled to receive the Excellence in Customer Experience award. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and this recognition is a reflection of the passion and hard work of our entire team. We take great pride in providing a warm welcome, great service, and a community-focused experience every single day. It’s wonderful to see those efforts recognised at a national level. None of this would be possible without the hard work, commitment and positivity of our staff at Sheahan’s, and I want to sincerely thank them, as well as our loyal customers, who support us all year-round.”

Killarney and District Motor Club celebrated a dual success at the Wednesday’s Motorsport Ireland Awards in Dublin.

Club stalwart Pat Healy received the prestigious FIA Volunteer Pin, and the Killarney Historic Rally won the President’s Award for Innovation.

Healy was formally honoured with the FIA Volunteer Pin for his decades of dedication to Irish rallying.

The international award, presented by Motorsport Ireland President Aiden Harper, celebrates individuals who have made essential contributions through volunteering.

President Harper’s citation highlighted Healy’s extensive service: “Starting in Donegal and then moving to Killarney, officiating in numerous positions from Clerk of the Course, Deputy Clerk of the Course, to Chief Marshal, to Stage Commander, to Service Park Management, spectator safety, this gentleman exemplifies the spirit of volunteering in Irish Motorsport.”

Adding to the club’s success, the Killarney and District Motor Club secured the President’s Award for Innovation.

The award was collected on behalf of the club by Anthony O’Connor, the Clerk of the Course for the Killarney Historic Rally.

The win recognised KDMC’s instrumental role in several forward-thinking initiatives.

President Harper outlined these as: Creating new refueling zones for events, bringing safety car briefings online, and visiting schools to highlight the difference between “the right and wrong of a road car and rally car.”