IT was a done deal in Dundee this Thursday as Killarney was officially declared one of Ireland’s best towns after dark.
It has been formally recognised as one of the most enjoyable places to be between the hours of 5pm and 5am and the town has received the prestigious Purple Flag award which rewards urban areas for achieving excellent management standards outside of daytime trading hours.
A delegation from Killarney, including former town clerk Michael O’Leary, Chamber of Tourism and Commerce representative Michael Culloty and Killarney Town Council staff member Karina Courtney – who spearheaded the town’s push for honours in the scheme – were in the Scottish city of Dundee today to take possession of the flag.
Killarney’s Purple Flag application took well over a year to finalise and two inspectors visited the town to ensure it met the necessary criteria to earn the standard.
Factors taken into consideration during the adjudication process included after dark safety, cleanliness, vitality, cultural stimulation, traffic flow and lighting, the provision of public transport and broad appeal.
The judges walked the streets at night and visited pubs, clubs, entertainment venues and restaurants to determine how the town measured up before making their final deliberations.
Purple Flag accreditation is very prestigious in the UK and hopes are high that Killarney’s official elevation to best late night destination will boost visitor numbers from Britain.
