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Tour de France fever in Killarney

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The inaugural L'Étape Ireland, held last Saturday, transformed Killarney into a cycling haven, attracting over 1,800 cyclists eager to tackle challenging routes and breathtaking scenery.

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Dan Martin and friends at the finish line of L'Etape Ireland 2024

L'Etape Ireland 2024 cyclists pass through at Molls Gap

Over 1600 take off for L'Etape Ireland 2024

The event's resounding success has fuelled speculation about a potential future Irish Grand Départ for the official Tour de France.

Killarney's similar terrain to the iconic French stages drew the attention of Tour de France scouts, leading them to Elite Events Management, known for organising renowned Irish cycling events like the Ring of Beara Cycle and Ride Dingle. With their expertise, Elite Events delivered a world-class experience.

The event offered two routes – 135km and 98km – both showcasing the best of Kerry's countryside and demanding mountain passes. John Dowley (3:36:02) and Sara McGeough (4:09:36) emerged victorious in the men's and women's races respectively, earning coveted yellow jerseys, spots in the 2025 L'Étape du Tour de France, and limited-edition Tissot watches.

Former professional cyclists Dan Martin and Imogen Cotter, along with Irish rugby international and Love Island winner Greg O'Shea, joined the event, adding star power to the occasion.

Supporters and locals welcomed finishers at the lively L'Étape Ireland event village, on Port Road, featuring refreshments, music, and cycling memorabilia.

Oliver Kirwan, race director and owner of Elite Events Management, said:: "This was a significant event for Killarney and Kerry. We look forward to hosting another L'Étape Ireland next year and welcoming returning participants alongside those inspired to join in 2025. L'Étape Ireland is for everyone, and we encourage you to make it part of your cycling goals."

Registration for L'Étape Ireland 2025 can be done through the event website or by emailing info@eliteevents.ie

Killarney Cycling Club members dominated the inaugural L'Étape Ireland, showcasing their exceptional cycling skills and securing multiple podium finishes.

The club's standout performances included Milo Donaldson who claimed the prestigious King of the Mountains title, earning the iconic red polka dot jersey.
Mark McGlynn won green jersey Sprint category.
Catherine Kiely achieved a third-place finish in the Queen of the Mountains competition and won the Women's Sprint race. Shane Fleming placed third in the overall 135km race.

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How will our Kerry TDs vote tomorrow?

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Tomorrow, Sinn Féin will be tabling a motion of no confidence against the Government after the protests that took place nationwide during the week.

Earlier today we asked our readers how would they vote in a no confidence motion against the Government?

Most of our readers said they would vote no confidence, while some said, yes they do have confidence in the Government.

One reader said: “Vote confidence. The only proper leadership over the last few days came from government. Courage came when needed despite how unpopular it looked in the moment. By contrast, opposition politicians wanted the country to burn to suit themselves”.

Another reader stated: “No confidence. Shambolic and heavy handed handling of protests this past week”.

However, some people didn’t have any confidence in either side with a reader saying: “No confidence in the no confidence! Different wings of the same bird! We need a complete overhaul of the political system”.

We asked the question to our 5 Kerry TDs before lunch-time today, asking them what their vote will be tomorrow.

We received one reply from Sinn Féin’s Kerry TD Pa Daly.

He will be voting no confidence in the Government tomorrow along with his party.

Other media outlets are reporting that Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae is undecided at the moment.

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Town centre-based software firm marks two years in business

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A Killarney-based software company is celebrating two years in business since expanding into the European market.

QT9 Software Ltd, which is located on Bohereencaol was established in 2024 as part of the company’s move to better serve customers across Europe.

The business is part of a US-based company founded 20 years ago in Chicago by Brant Engelhart.

Its Irish office is headed by Killarney resident Angela O’Sullivan, who serves as Operations Director.

QT9 Software currently employs four full-time staff members in Killarney and plans to increase that number by an additional two this year.

The company provides quality management software to businesses worldwide, with the Irish office helping to support European customers within their own time zones.

As part of its continued European expansion, the software company also opened a new data center in Amsterdam in 2025 to meet data storage and compliance requirements.

QT9 Software works with businesses that must meet quality standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 13485, as well as industry-specific regulations across sectors, such as automotive, aerospace, food and life sciences.

Speaking about the milestone, Angela O’Sullivan said: “We’re very proud to have grown QT9 Software here in Killarney over the past two years. It has been a really positive journey so far, and we’re looking forward to continuing to build our team and support more customers across Europe.”

The company is also currently recruiting for an IT Systems Administrator, with details available in the appointments section on page 46.

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