Over €1 million in funding for Killarney Community Organisations

Several Killarney-based community groups and sports clubs will benefit from funding announced by Minister for Education and Kerry T.D Norma Foley under the Community Recognition Fund.

In total €50 million is being made available to communities across Ireland to refurbish sports clubs, upgrade playgrounds, parks and walkways as well as enhance school or parish facilities that are open to the wider community after hours or on weekends.

In total Kerry County Council will receive over €4 million to enhance services and facilities that will be used by all members of the community.

Thousands of euros has been confirmed for the Killarney area with the Kerry Stars the biggest winners.

They will get €992,022 to be put towards a social and leisure activity hall for sport and fitness of Special Needs athletes.

The Killarney Immigrant Support Centre (KASI) will receive €250,000 for office and room refurbishments while the Ballyspillane Community and Family Resource Centre will be able to transform storage space into a new consultation therapy and meeting room thanks to a €22,000 grant.

Listry GAA will get €20,000 to upgrade their existing walking track and make the track more accessible to all community members.

The Christmas in Killarney Festival will have a new Christmas street lighting display for all to enjoy thanks to €40,000 in funding.

“I am delighted to confirm the news that Kerry will receive over €4 million in funding through the Community Recognition Fund. This fund was created by Government to reward communities and organisations for the outstanding contribution they have made in welcoming and integrating Ukrainians into com- munities,” said Minister Foley. This major initiative, the first of its kind, is designed to specifically support communities across the country that have welcomed and are hosting families and citizens from Ukraine and other countries.

Liam Waldron, Rachel Griffin and Luke O’Sullivan, Sixth Year students from Killarney Community College, were named SciFest STEM Champions in December 2022 in Dublin, for their Group Theoretic Approach to Pythagoras’ Theorem.

This amazing trio are currently in Dallas Texas representing Ireland at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF).

Their project takes possibly one of the most well-known theorems that everyone remembers from school, Pythagoras’ Theorem and provides an alternate proof of it, while also highlighting how right-angled triangles naturally provide a link between two coordinate systems and how this special case can naturally recreate the Pythagorean Theorem.

Given these three were heading to Dallas, before they headed off, I decided to meet at Rob's Ranch House, Plunket Street, where we were treated to spicy wings, ribs and a gluten free burger for Liam with thanks to hostess Nikki Taddei.

Howdy y'all!! Wow, what a massive achievement Liam, Rachel and Luke.

Congratulations!!!

"We're thrilled" Rachel replied. "Our school supports and enhances every talent so we couldn't have done it without Ms Dineen, Mr Lynch, Ms Spillane and Kerry ETB. Supported by Intel Ireland and Boston Scientific, SciFest was set up 17 years ago by Sheila Porter who put us in touch with our mentor Jim Cooke. "

"The contents of the project are not in the curriculum. It is abstract algebra which is a different kind of geometry. It's a huge amount of work on top of the Leaving Cert but it's worth it" Liam said.

"Going to Texas with the people that I began this project with is a chance of a lifetime. Of course, it's lots of extra stress and effort but it's also a lifetime achievement that I am so excited to explore" Rachel said.

Tell me what lies ahead in Dallas for you