The Kerry Ambassador Programme brought together its founding ambassadors, members of the county’s diaspora, industry leaders and business representatives for a day of networking and engagement to celebrate both the successes of the programme to date and Kerry’s new unified place brand: Visit, Work, Live.
Held as a key event within the Kerry County Council’s Kerry Homecoming Festival programme and part of the Global Irish Festival Series, the event commenced with a networking lunch at Lakeview House and Estate, the ancestral home of Sir Maurice O’Connell in Killarney.
The O’Connell family opened the doors to their beautiful home, welcoming the group and sharing the history of the house, estate and family.
The group then toured the onsite whiskey business, where the award-winning Liberator and Lakeview Single Estate whiskeys are created.
The afternoon business session, held at the RDI Hub in Killorglin, featured an update on the Kerry Ambassador Programme, engaging panel discussions and a keynote speech by world record-breaking Irish open water swimmer, Nuala Moore, followed.
The Dingle native shared her experiences as an adventurer and author, highlighting the significance of place and character in driving progress and innovation.
With its theme Shaped by the landscape: Exploring the impact of the Kerry character in business from the local to the global, the day celebrated the significance of place and character running through Kerry’s success stories and the innovative people who continue to drive progress, legacy and impact on a local and global stage.
“We were thrilled to bring our ambassadors, programme partners and industry guests together for this very special day of celebration and networking,” said Becky Hargrove, manager of Kerry Convention Bureau.
“This event was also an opportunity to showcase two new Kerry Convention Bureau member venues, Lakeview House and Estate and the RDI Hub, and share updates on the ambassador programme, the new unified place brand for Kerry and Kerry’s recent 19th place ranking in the Global Destination Sustainability Index.
The Kerry Ambassador Programme, launched in October 2022, aims to drive economic growth through business events and raise the county’s profile as a premier business hub. The programme is led by Kerry Convention Bureau, in partnership with Kerry County Council, Fáilte Ireland, Kerry Tourism Industry Federation, Tech Industry Alliance and Prosper Kerry.
Paul Mockler, Head of Commercial Development with Fáilte Ireland, remarked: “We know that business events have the potential to create significant, positive economic, social and environmental impacts and our goal at Fáilte Ireland is help leverage these events to make Ireland a better place to live, work and visit”.
Mayor of Kerry, Cllr Breandán Fitzgerald, said Kerry County Council was delighted to support and attend the programme which highlights the profound influence of Kerry’s unique character on both local and global businesses.
“This gathering of Kerry ambassadors, our vibrant diaspora, and industry leaders exemplifies the spirit of collaboration that defines our community and highlights the stories of innovation and resilience that continue to shape Kerry’s economy and culture,” said the mayor.
Pat O’Leary, chair of the Kerry Tourism Industry Federation, said the event showcased the depth of the collaboration that exists in Kerry across all industry sectors as well as the cooperation between the public and private sectors.
“It highlighted the depth of innovative talent and entrepreneurship that abounds while recognising our obligation to protect our landscape and natural heritage all under the unified Kerry brand,” he remarked.
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