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Toy sale to fund boat trips for special needs children

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TOY SALE: Michael O'Brien is selling his toy collection to raise funds for children with special needs.

By Sean Moriarty

A local man is selling is toy collection so he can buy a new boat to give children with special needs free trips on the lakes and rivers of Killarney.

Michael O’Brien, who is originally from Muckross and now living in Farranfore, has been collecting Lego and Dinky cars all his life.

Michael ran Killarney Fishing Tours for years, but now retired, he plans to offer a service free of charge to disadvantaged children as his way of giving back to the community.

He needs to raise over €10,000 to purchase a new boat and other equipment. He also needs to raise additional funds to fit an electric engine to the boat to make it suitable for children who may not be comfortable around the noise of a traditional engine. A silent generator could cost anything up to €2,000.

“I am retired now and do this two evenings a week, on a voluntarily basis, as a pastime,” he told the Killarney Advertiser. “I am the only person doing anything like this and there is no help. I take children out on the rivers and lakes, show them how to fish and sometimes we cook the fish after catching them. Children often tell me that they wish I was their dad and that is enough for me to continue. I took a load of stuff out of the attic recently and all of that is for sale now.”

Michael was in Kenmare on Thursday at the annual Fair Day. On Tuesday he will attend the Killarney and District Killarney Canine Club’s All Breed Dog Show on the grounds of St Brendan’s College. Next week he will have stall at the Rose of Tralee International Festival.

Anyone interested in helping Michael can contact him on 087 122 9352.

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Lough Lein Anglers announce 38th annual charity competition

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The Lough Lein Anglers Association, in partnership with main sponsor Lee Strand Cooperative Creameries Limited, has officially launched this year’s Open Wet Fly Charity Angling Competition.

Known locally as “The Charity,” the event will take place on Lough Lein, Killarney, on April 26.
Now in its 38th year, the competition remains one of the most popular fixtures on the angling calendar.

This year, the organisers have chosen the Rise & Shine Trust (formerly the Irish Pilgrimage Trust) as the beneficiary.

The Trust provides fully supported Easter pilgrimage holidays to Lourdes for children and young people with additional or special needs, a mission entirely funded through volunteer fundraising.

The launch, held at Ross Castle, brought together representatives from the angling community, the primary sponsors, and the charity to mark nearly four decades of local sporting philanthropy.

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New defibrillator installed at Park Road Parish Centre

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Killarney HeartBeat has enhanced community safety in the area with the installation of a new Automated External Defibrillator (AED) at the Park Road Parish Centre.

The life-saving device has been mounted on the exterior wall of the centre, conveniently located near the main entrance door to ensure it is accessible to the public at all times.

The project was funded through a combination of generous public donations and proceeds from the Killarney HeartBeat bookstand, which has been a steady source of fundraising over the past year.

With the approval of the group’s trustees, the organisation moved to secure and install the unit as a vital safety asset for the busy community hub.

HeartBeat representatives siad that the addition of the AED provides peace of mind for the many groups and individuals who use the Parish Centre facilities daily.

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