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Church concerts bring €250k to Killarney

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St Mary’s Church of Ireland has revealed that their popular concerts programme attracted a whopping €250,000 to the local economy in 2018 alone.

 

Some 50 concerts took place at the landmark church this year, raising €25,000 for the Church Restoration Fund in the process. An analysis of the benefits to the wider community was recently completed and the results show that the recitals are worth 10 times that figure to the town of Killarney.

 

Visiting choirs boost the economy by spending money on accommodation, food and drink, and leisure activities during their stay. The concerts have been running for over 10 years so it is estimated that the town may have already benefitted to the tune of €2 million.

 

The acoustics at St Mary’s Church are highly regarded by performers, making it extremely popular with visiting choirs and orchestras from North America and Europe. Its beauty and location are also unique selling points.

 

“We were both surprised and delighted when we saw the figures,” the Rector of Killarney, Archdeacon Simon J Lumby, said.

 

“It’s great that the church is able to lift the economic wellbeing of the community; it’s a part of our spiritual task of ‘loving our neighbour’. We are especially delighted for our hotel sector and local tour operators who see the benefit of this uplift.

 

“The town shows its support to us. We remember gratefully the superb community effort to restore the church railings.”

 

Archdeacon Lumby stressed that running these concerts was challenging considering the church’s relatively small congregation, and any help in this area would be greatly appreciated.

 

“We are always looking to add volunteers to our stewarding rota; it takes three people to maintain the safety and comfort of visitors at a concert,” he said.

 

“The church will welcome any offers of help in this regard so that they can accept more concert bookings in the coming years and continue to grow this

worthwhile enterprise, not just for the social benefit and leisure of locals and visitors alike, but also for the economic value it represents to our fabulous town.”

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Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

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O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

Muckross co-driver Noel O’Sullivan is set for a busy season as he returns to the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) while also preparing for a record-breaking attempt on home soil.

O’Sullivan and driver Callum Devine have signed with the Swedish team JC Raceteknik for a full campaign focused on asphalt events. Their season begins this week at the Andalusia Rally – Sierra Morena in Spain. O’Sullivan remains the only Killarney-based co-driver competing at this level for a full season.
He brings significant international experience to the team, having previously worked with WRC driver Jon Armstrong during his early European outings. O’Sullivan and Devine recently proved their pace against top European crews with a fifth-place finish at the 2024 Rali Ceredigion in Wales.
Devine said:
“I’m really looking forward to coming back to the ERC. It’s always great for a driver to compete against Europe’s best on some iconic events. We’ve had great success back home in Ireland over the past few seasons, winning two Irish Tarmac Rally Championships, and we feel now is the right time to come back and take on some ERC events. Starting with Rally Sierra Morena, I’m delighted to be joining JC Raceteknik. I know they are a very professional team with a wealth of experience, and I’m looking forward to working closely with them.”
The European schedule will not interfere with O’Sullivan’s local plans. Following the rally in Spain, the pair will return to Kerry for the Rally of the Lakes over the May Bank Holiday weekend. They are aiming for a fifth consecutive victory in Killarney as they look to move back into the lead of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
The move to the European stage follows a successful week for O’Sullivan, who was recently named the International Motorsport winner at the Kerry Sports Star Awards.

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Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June

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Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June


A new heritage motoring event, the Killarney Classic Tour, has been confirmed for June 26–27, 2026. The two-day tour is designed to celebrate the iconic rally stages of Kerry and the Beara Peninsula.


Headquartered at the Gleneagle Hotel, the event is non-competitive and open to a wide range of vintage and historic cars. Organisers are placing a particular focus on period-correct rally cars and recreations that reflect the history of the Circuit of Ireland, the Circuit of Munster, and the early years of the Rally of the Lakes.
The tour is the work of two well-known figures in Irish rallying, Mike Marshall and Micheal O’Mahoney. Marshall, a founding member of the Rally of the Lakes and Clerk of the Course for over 20 years, has designed a route that allows drivers to experience famous stages like Moll’s Gap at a relaxed pace. O’Mahoney, a long-term supporter of the sport through Rentokil and a historic car owner himself, joins Marshall in the venture.

Co-Founder O’Mahoney said:
“This event is about bringing people back together – the cars, the stories, and the friendships that have always been part of rallying. It’s a chance to step away from competition and simply enjoy these roads.”



The Saturday itinerary includes a lunch stop in Castletownbere before the field returns to Killarney for a gala dinner at the Gleneagle Hotel. The evening will feature guest speakers and a focus on the shared history of the sport.
“This event is about bringing people back together — the cars, the stories, and the friendships,” added Micheal O’Mahoney.
Registrations are now open at www.KillarneyClassicTour.ie.

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