The Club
Kerry Orienteers, or KerryO, is the local orienteering club covering County Kerry in the Southwest of Ireland. It was established in 1982 (the first Kerry orienteering map was for Cappanalea, which was surveyed and completed in 1981). The Club is affiliated to the Orienteering Ireland (OI), the governing body for the sport in the country. KerryO hold about ten to thirteen events each year. The main season runs during the Autumn, Winter and Spring months. Local KerryO event usually take place on Sundays every three to four weeks apart. There is always the option to travel to neighbouring county events on the intervening weekends.
The Club maps are spread around Kerry, but a large number of them are in and around the Killarney region. Which is not surprising really since it’s home to Ireland’s premier National Park and much of the country’s native woodland too. The natural environment makes for great orienteering conditions, as well as the spectacular scenery! The sea and Wild Atlantic coastal dunes areas features prominently too, with a number of maps on sand dune systems adjoining excellent beaches such as Inch, Rossbeigh & Banna. There really is plenty of variety for orienteering in Kerry.
ORIENTEERING MAPPING
KerryO provides a limited orienteering mapping service, creating digital Ocad maps, suitable for running short orienteering exercises. Club members also increasingly beginning to promote digital MapRun events and these will be rolled out progressively into the future.
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN
Kerry Orienteers is committed to providing a safe; healthy and fun environment for all members and is particularly conscious of it’s responsibilities towards junior members and to young members of the public attending the events. As an affiliated club with Orienteering Ireland we abide to the standards and protocols set out in the Code of Conduct and Good Practice and work to ensure that all adult officers of the club meet their responsibilities.
- Club Children’s Officer (CCO) – Teresa Foley email:- teresafoley930@gmail.com
- Designated Liaison Person (DLP) – Rory Costello email:- rorydacostello@gmail.com
In addition to Orienteering Ireland (OI) protocols, Kerry Orienteers follow the safeguarding guidance provided by Sports Ireland Sport Ireland Safeguarding Guidance and maintain contact with both the OI National Children’s Officer – Ciaran Donaghy (email) childrensofficer@orienteering.ie and OI National Designated Liaison Person / Garda Vetting Officer – Barbara Foley-Fisher (email) childprotection@orienteering.ie
Present at all events run by Kerry Orienteers, will be officers / officials / organisers who are (i) garda vetted and (ii) have completed and are certified in Safeguarding, Child Welfare & Protection Basic Awareness Training Workshop. There is always a large first aid kit and competent first aiders also present.
Kerry ORIENTEERS Elected Officers 2023
Chairperson – Donal Dowd
Secretary – Rory Costello
Safe Guarding Children’s Officer – Teresa Foley
Treasurer – Colm Kingston
Mapping Officer – Tony Cotter & Brendan O’Brien
Technical Mapping Support – Cormac Murphy
PRO – Fergal Buckley
Designated Officer – Rory Costello
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