News
Time to put the spotlight on Innisfallen
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Wicklow deer farmers are up in arms about being eaten out of house and home by deer. Now, we might have very different opinions on the referendum, but I have to take my hat off to Cllr John Joe Culloty, a member of the park liaison committee, for speaking out about the atrocious situation on Innisfallen with deer starving to death.
This was known about in other circles - and if not it was widely anticipated - but no one spoke out! An invitation from him by way of council motion last Monday to Minister Josepha Madigan to come and see the state of the National Park for herself has had a response already.
Minister Madigan, elevated to office by Leo in November, has not managed to come down to Killarney yet. She is the minister with responsibility for the NPWS and part of her department is in the plush offices in New Road. Cllr Culloty asked her to see the difficult but not insurmountable problems in the park – a call seconded by Cllr Michael Gleeson.
Mr Culloty said the Park urgently needs greater funding to help with the current shortage of staff. There are just four wildlife rangers now for the ten thousand hectares of lake, mountain and woodland and maintenance personnel have also been greatly reduced.
Calling on the minister to see for herself the deterioration of much of the Park, Mr Culloty said the value of the Park to Killarney and to the country was huge and Killarney tourism, which was worth €410 million, depended on it.
“What’s going on is unbelievable,” he said. “There is a huge issue here. It’s vitally important that the minister comes down to see for herself.”
It transpires now that the minister is concerned about the deer on the island associated with Brian Ború. This is what her spokeswoman told me on Tuesday:
“The Minister is currently finalising her diary engagements for the coming period. She is in touch with all current issues. She looks forward to visiting in person as her diary permits in the coming period. In the meantime, she has asked her senior heritage official to visit the Park and report back to her directly on the deer situation.”
Meanwhile, why has Innisfallen slipped down the ranks of attention? Maybe the dire state of the much-visited island can be taken up by our other minister, Brendan Griffin? Maybe instead of focusing so much on Dingle, and its heritage, and its roads, he can turn his attention to Killarney heritage? Innisfallen is of huge cultural value. At a time when tourists are more interested in cultural tourism, it deserves attention.
News
Kerry’s youth celebrated at the Lee Strand/Kerry Garda Youth Achievement Awards
This year’s overall winner of the Lee Strand Kerry Garda Youth Achievement is Ryan Griffin from Waterville who was nominated by Mairead O’Sullivan from Killorglin Family Resource Centre. Ryan Griffin […]

This year’s overall winner of the Lee Strand Kerry Garda Youth Achievement is Ryan Griffin from Waterville who was nominated by Mairead O’Sullivan from Killorglin Family Resource Centre.
Ryan Griffin is a member of the Skellig Stars and was chosen to represent Kerry at the Special Olympics.
Ryan’s biggest hurdle is communication and he had to overcome this during his trip to Berlin for the big event.
Ryan has overcome his disabilities by focusing on all the great abilities he has. Ryan attends mainstream school in Coláiste na Sceilge where he is a very respected member of the School Community. He is a member of Kerry Stars and also Downs Syndrome Kerry.
Ryan has always had a keen interest in sport and even played with the local team in Waterville, but now Ryan thinks it’s too fast for him so he prefers to cheer them on from the side-lines.
Ryan has always been involved with the Community and they have never left him out. Ryan started out his athletics career with Skellig Stars and without them he would have gone to the Special Olympics and he has never forgotten when he came from.
Ryan and his family are very grateful to the local community in Waterville and the surrounding area for all the support they have given them over the years and especially now with the Special Olympics coming closer.
The whole community from Waterville to Mid-Kerry got behind Ryan, raising funds to help his family go to Berlin for 2 weeks. Ryan is now an inspiration to others to overcome difficulties and “go for gold”.
Ryan was the only representative from Kerry on this years Irish Special Olympics Team and in fact one of the Youngest Athletes on Team Ireland at only 16yrs of age, which was a great honour for him.
This in itself is a great achievement but it also shows his friends at Skellig Stars, Downs Syndrome Kerry and in the wider community that dreams do come true.
It took a lot of hard work and determination on Ryan’s behalf to make these dreams come true, not least the long journey he had to make from South Kerry to Dublin once a month since last January to train for the Special Olympics. He also trained weekly with the Skellig Stars.
At the 2023 Special Olympics in Berlin Ryan took part in the 100m run and the relay but his biggest achievement was winning the Silver Medal in the mini javelin. This showed others that overcoming difficulties can be possible and you can achieve your goals with hard work and determination, which Ryan has in abundance.
Local Merit Awards
Aliza Gul, Killarney
Joey McCarthy, Killarney
John O’Connor, Killarney
Nattagun Ryan, Killarney
Samuel Behal, Killarney
St Brendan’s Choir, Killarney
News
Controversial finish to Cougar’s opening match of season
Basketball Ireland is to review the result Killarney Cougars opening match of the new Basketball season. The opening game of the season was long and eventful The game was abandoned […]

Basketball Ireland is to review the result Killarney Cougars opening match of the new Basketball season.
The opening game of the season was long and eventful
The game was abandoned with 1.48 seconds remaining in the second quarter with the court unplayable due to condensation, however Portlaoise Panthers plea to change venue was allowed by the officials.
The game continued an hour later in Portlaoise College despite the Killarney protest with the long delay to proceedings and the game already abandoned in the St Mary’s venue.
Panthers held the advantage through the second quarter whan the game was abandoned following a series of bad slips and falls on the wet floor with just under two minutes remaining,
Darius Hopkins heavy slip and fall that finally saw the game stopped.
The remainder of the game in in the new venue was completed without any competitive edge.
Cougars finished with a series of injuries to Bill Wiseman, Alex Fleming and Oleh Drahanchuk with the game conditions and long delays a contributing factor but the homeside won the contest.
A final decision on the outcome of the game is expected by Basketball Ireland following a review of events.