An end-of-year reflection from Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce Joint Presidents Johnny McGuire and Pádraig Treacy
As 2023 draws to a close, Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce believes the town and its people can reflect on a really successful year during which time so many existing projects reached a new level and a number of hugely positive initiatives were advanced to make the country’s premier tourism capital a better place to live in, to do business in and to visit.
The year reached a truly spectacular conclusion with the Christmas in Killarney festival which proved a massive hit and saw the streets lined five-deep with children – and the young at heart – waiting to catch a glimpse of Santa Claus and the magical festive floats and fun-filled Disney characters.
Picture: Valerie O’Sullivan
An added attraction this year was the parade being led by a convoy of fabulous vintage tractors – all afforded a festive makeover – to mark the 10th anniversary of the Killarney Valley Classic and Vintage Club and we were delighted to arrange for a special parade to pay a visit to the local community hospitals and care homes.
An additional €35,000 – provided through the Ukrainian Support Fund – was spent on the already incredible Christmas street lights and decorations and there are additional plans to greatly enhance the Christmas in Killarney celebrations in 2024 to copper-fasten Killarney’s reputation as Ireland’s Christmas capital.
And that’s not all – the Wander Wild Festival and the St Patrick’s Festival, both held in March, and the 4th of July Festival, which sees Killarney celebrate Independence Day with its American friends, will also be more elaborate and more colourful in 2024.
The year got off to a strong start when Finance Minister, Michael McGrath, was the keynote speaker at the inaugural Chamber President’s lunch event which marked the close of Niall Kelleher’s successful two-year term. Minister McGrath delivered on his promise to maintain the lower tourism and hospitality VAT rate for several months to allow businesses to benefit further.
A very important development early in the year was the appointment of Bridget O’Keeffe as Senior Executive of Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce. It was a popular and wise decision and Bridget has wasted no time in getting to grips with what is a pretty demanding role.
One of the real causes for celebration in Killarney in 2023 was the fantastic news that we were named Ireland’s Tidiest Large Town in the national Tidy Towns Competition, in addition to winning the Kerry award and the south west regional award.
That was quite an achievement given that the adjudication takes place in mid-summer, a time when Killarney is at its busiest and the town is bustling.
Picture: Marie Carroll O’Sullivan
A dedicated Tidy Towns Committee, featuring representatives of Kerry County Council, Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce and other dedicated individuals, and chaired by Michael Gleeson, worked long and hard and with real purpose to give Killarney every chance of success this year and that drive and determination really reaped dividends when the results were announced in Croke Park in early October.
Killarney was, in fact, just a single point behind the overall winner, Abbeyleix, in the Tidy Towns competition and every effort will be made in the coming months to ensure that the adjudicators will have cause to add one point – and more – to Killarney’s tally next October to put us in pole position to win the prestigious overall award for the first time since 2011.
Much of the credit for the success in the Tidy Towns competition has to be attributed to the dedication of the council’s top class outdoor crews and the rebirth of the Killarney Looking Good Competition which returned with a new format, new categories, a new determination and new sponsors in the form of MD O’Shea & Sons and O’Mahony Media Ltd.
There is nothing really like a little friendly competition amongst friends and neighbours to encourage civic pride and with a €5,000 prize fund to distribute this year, it created a very healthy and friendly rivalry.
Generations to come will, of course, have reason to thank the forward-thinking individuals in the town in 2023 as it was the year the fantastic initiative to move away from single-use coffee cups was launched.
Killarney became the first town in Ireland to introduce a plan to remove all takeaway coffee and tea cups to help eliminate over one million single-use containers from local waste disposal systems and to tackle the problem of littering in the national park.
Other towns and cities have been closely monitoring the hugely successful initiative which was a really pioneering and exciting move by those spearheading the project.
So many wonderful local projects were realised during 2023 that it was almost impossible to keep track of them all.
Margaret O’Donoghue of The Gleneagle Hotel, a wonderful woman, was inducted into the Order of Inisfallen for her remarkable achievements in the tourism industry and she was honoured at a reception in Muckross House.
She was further acknowledged at a gala celebration that night at the Kerry branch of the Irish Hotels’ Federation Christmas Ball at which branch chairperson Bernadette Randles presided.
Picture: Valerie O’Sullivan
The completion of the Macroom bypass has huge benefits for Killarney given that it significantly shortens the journey time to Cork – and, more importantly, from Cork – and it is a real advantage for local people working on Leeside and commuting each day. The new road makes Killarney and other parts of Kerry much more accessible for those who wish to enjoy all we have to offer.
It was heartening to see work commencing on the new 130-bed community nursing unit on the grounds of the former St Finan’s Hospital during 2023 and, in addition to providing top class facilities for the care of those that will need minding, it will also free up the historic St Columbanus and Killarney Community Hospital for other uses when the construction work is complete and the transfers take place in the coming months.
Picture: Marie Carroll O’Sullivan
Another major shot in the arm for Killarney was confirmation that the former Pretty Polly site, which has been derelict for years, is to be transformed into a state-of-the-art educational facility as we in Chamber look forward to that exciting project coming to fruition as it is just the kind of development the town needs.
Great credit for all of the above must go to Kerry County Council and, more particularly, Killarney Municipal District Council who have been to the forefront of the various projects and without the foresight, determination and tenacity of Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Brendan Cronin, the elected members and the officials, Killarney would struggle to get its fair share of what is being distributed from the national purse to help fund the various projects.
Picture: Valerie O’Sullivan
For their great work, we thank and acknowledge all involved in the town hall and in county buildings.
On reflection, even if we were denied the opportunity to welcome Sam Maguire back to the Glebe car park, it has been a terrific year for Killarney on so many levels and there is an onus on us all to continue that sense of cooperation and maintain that great pride of place that will ensure that this great town continues to set the standard.
Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce would like to wish everybody a very happy and peaceful Christmas and a prosperous, successful and busy year ahead.
Hopefully, when Santa Claus parades through the streets at the 2024 Christmas in Killarney festival, he’ll have the overall Tidy Towns trophy in one hand and the Sam Maguire cup in the other.
Happy Christmas from KillaneyToday.com
