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Margaret to be Killarney’s guest of honour

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Internationally renowned tourism administrator Margaret Cahill will be the grand marshal for this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in Killarney.

She is a vastly experienced ambassador for the industry having headed up operations for the then Bord Fáilte and, later, Tourism Ireland in North America, Canada and the UK.

Now retired, Ms Cahill, who divides her time between Killarney and the UK, managed the mainland European market for the tourism body having joined the then Bord Fáilte in New York in 1970, rising to the position of promotions and marketing manager.

She was appointed General Manager, Britain, with Bord Fáilte in 1987 and, in September 2000, Bord Fáilte appointed her to head up the mainland European markets, a post she was subsequently appointed to on the formation of Tourism Ireland.

A native of Carnaross, Co Meath but with very strong Kerry connections, Ms Cahill started her hugely successful career with Cork/Kerry Tourism and she was based in Killarney Tourist Office.

She went on to become one of the most influential and successful visitor industry administrators of her generation.

She headed up B&B Ireland, a body representing the majority B&B owners on the island and she is also the Ireland President of Skål, the international association of travel and tourism professionals and the only professional organisation promoting global tourism and friendship.

The guests of honour at this year’s parade will be Margaret and her husband, Jimmy Dunne, Mayor of Killarney Cllr Marie Moloney and her husband, Michael, and President of Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, Niall Kelleher.

This year’s parade theme will be Earth/An Chré to celebrate the planet we live on, the ground that sustains us and the world we share with 7.8 billion other inhabitants and it will also celebrate Killarney as one of the best towns of all in which to live, to work and to visit.

The parade, organised and funded by Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, Kerry County Council and Fáilte Ireland, will commence on Mission Road at 2pm on Thursday.

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Killarney marks 20 years since the rally that inspired Ireland BikeFest

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Ireland BikeFest returns to Killarney from 29 to 31 May, marking 20 years since the 2006 European HOG Rally that originally brought the festival to the town.

What began as a one-off European Harley-Davidson event in 2006 led to the launch of Ireland BikeFest the following year.

It has since grown into Ireland’s largest free open motorcycle and music festival, drawing visitors annually from across Ireland, the UK, and Europe over the June Bank Holiday weekend.


“Twenty years ago, Killarney fell head-over-wheels in love with the biking community,” says Patrick O’Donoghue, Chairman of Ireland BikeFest.


“There was something electric about that first rally in 2006. The sound, the atmosphere, the camaraderie and the town embraced it completely. Ireland BikeFest grew from that connection and twenty years later the relationship is stronger than ever.”


The 2026 anniversary festival will feature the purpose-built Bike Village at the Gleneagle, guided ride-outs along the Wild Atlantic Way, live music, a Custom Bike Show, and the traditional Sunday bike parade through the streets of Killarney.


Supported by Harley-Davidson, the Gleneagle, and Fáilte Ireland, the event remains free and open to all riders, bikes, and visitors. For more information, visitwww.irelandbikefest.com.

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Two local connections secure top spots in Hot Press Readers’ Poll

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Killarney took pride of place in both the film and literary categories of this year’s ‘Hot Press’ Readers’ Poll, with local connections winning two of the main national awards.

The Best Film award went to Hamnet , starring Killarney actress Jessie Buckley. Buckley’s performance as Agnes Shakespeare in the feature adaptation has been a major success, and Hot Press readers have now voted it their favourite movie of the year.


Meanwhile, author Joseph O’Connor won the Best Book category with his latest novel, The Ghosts of Rome.

O’Connor has a strong historical link to the area, as his recent books are based on Killarney humanitarian Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty and his wartime exploits in Rome.

O’Connor has long championed the legacy of the Killarney native, whose memorial statue stands in the town centre.

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