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Áras Phádraig masterplan approved

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Plans for the redevelopment of Áras Phádraig on Lewis Road, were given the go ahead by elected councillors this week.

However, some had reservations about the inclusion of a HSE Primary Care Unit within the project.

Plans for the site, which has been idle since the Franciscan Friars donated it to the people of Killarney in 2009, were approved by elected members at Wednesday’s Killarney Municipal District Meeting.

Councillors were told that the inclusion of the Primary Care Unit was a redline issue as without it funding under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund would not be forthcoming for the entire project.

This did not sit well with elected councillors. Many felt that the HSE had enough of land lying idle within the town already. St Finan’s was given as an example.

They even sought to delay voting on accepting the masterplan put forward by Kerry County Council on Wednesday to allow more time to discuss issues with the HSE.

“If we don’t proceed with the primary care centre, this project won’t proceed, it is an intricate part of the funding,” John Doyle, a senior engineer with Kerry County Council told the meeting. “It is important that we adopt this plan.”

Additional plans include a theatre, an outdoor public plaza, office space, and a 392-space car park.

The project is being funded by the Urban Regeneration Development Fund for Killarney which was announced in March last year. A total of €21 million has been set aside for the regeneration of the town centre of which Kerry County Council is providing €5.5m.

There remains a faint hope that a multi-storey car will be included in future plans at Áras Phádraig but as of Wednesday there is no funding available for this element of the project.

Official documentation, circulated at the meeting and seen by the Killarney Advertiser, said: “However, given the overall objective to provide the multi-storey car park in Killarney, the masterplan includes provision for this multi-storey car park as an objective to be pursued.”

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Musical Society announces ‘Sister Act’ as 2027 production

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Killarney Musical Society has announced that its 2027 musical production will be the comedy Sister Act.

The show will run at the Gleneagle Arena from Tuesday, March 2nd to Thursday, March 4th, 2027.

Based on the film, the musical tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier, a nightclub singer placed in protective custody in a convent after witnessing a crime. While there, she helps transform the parish choir.


Society Chairperson Derek O’Leary expressed excitement about the selection. “It is a show that combines humour, heart, spectacular music and an inspiring story, making it a perfect fit for Killarney Musical Society and our audiences,”

O’Leary said. He also confirmed that award-winning director Oliver Hurley and musical director Jimmy Brockie will return for the production.


The society, which draws performers, musicians, and backstage volunteers from across Kerry and neighbouring counties, will release details regarding auditions and production updates in the coming months.

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Killarney retains top ten position in national litter rankings

Killarney has maintained its position in the top ten of the latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey, securing 9th place out of 40 towns and cities surveyed nationwide. The […]

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Killarney has maintained its position in the top ten of the latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey, securing 9th place out of 40 towns and cities surveyed nationwide. The town was officially deemed to be ‘Cleaner than European Norms’.

The accompanying report by An Taisce praised Killarney for delivering a solid performance, noting that there were no heavily littered sites found within the town boundaries.
Several local areas received top marks for maintenance and presentation. Main Street was highlighted as exceptionally well-presented, while Park Road, Muckross Road, and the Knockreer Playground and environs were also singled out for praise. The report noted that the playground area was in very good order across all elements.
However, the inspectors did highlight some areas for improvement. The JYSK site showed slight progress compared to the previous survey but remained classified as moderately littered. The report warned that care must be taken to prevent the location from deteriorating further.
On a national level, IBAL representative Conor Horgan noted that entering the peak tourist season, the country has fewer littered areas than at any time in the past 25 years.
Despite the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), the survey highlighted a national rise in specific waste items. Plastic bottles were found in 19% of all surveyed sites across the country, and drinks cans were present in 22%. The prevalence of coffee cups also reached its highest level since 2023, alongside an increase in cigarette butt litter.

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