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UK specialists train fire crews to prevent future Park devastation

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A specialist UK company spent the week training local fire staff to help prevent a repeat of the 2021 devastating fire in Killarney National Park.

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Killarney National Park staff began specialist wildfire training this week. Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan

Training will ensure that Kerry County Council Fire Services will be able to respond and prevent a repeat of the 2021 fire. Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan

Staff within Killarney National Park began training with Rob Gazzard who is a chartered forester and surveyor with international experience in forestry, contingency planning, incident management and wildfires.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) purchased vehicles fitted with water pumps, and with the latest technology including thermal surveillance, drone operator and helicopter on standby, it will ensure the response from emergency crews is immediate.

In April 2021, fires tore through Killarney National Park causing extensive damage.

Up to one third of the Park - approx. 2,500 hectares – was scorched with flora and fauna wiped out.

Some fires came as close as 10 metres to a church and school in the Black Valley area.

Fire crews from five different districts concentrated on the area which also saw properties under threat.

Fires also became a real threat for The Oak Woods but fire fighters managed to avert danger.

Firefighters and the Emergency Services as well as volunteers went to heroic efforts to bring the blaze under control.

The Park was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1982 and forms part of a Special Area of Conservation. There were 1.7m visitors to Killarney National Park in 2022, with 306,000 visiting Killarney House and Gardens, 106,000 of whom were cyclists.

It is of high ecological value because of the quality, diversity, and extensiveness of many of its habitats and the wide variety of species that they accommodate. It also has the most extensive covering of native forest remaining in Ireland.

“We are liaising with four international groups on best practices, early smoke and fire detection appliances capable of spotting a fire outbreak, will ensure our staff and Kerry County Council Fire Services will be able to respond and prevent a repeat of the 2021 devastation in the Park, when over 2,500 hectares were destroyed," said Regional Manager of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Southern Division, Eamonn Meskell.

"NPWS management and staff meet regularly with the fire services and a detailed safety plan of the Park is ready.

“A helicopter company is on retainer, in the event of another fire it will carry specialised Bambi buckets, capable of delivering water for aerial firefighting.”

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Paralympic legend Jason Smyth visits St Brendan’s

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Paralympic legend Jason Smyth visits St Brendan’s


World renowned Paralympian and world record holder Jason Smyth paid a visit to St Brendan’s College on Wednesday afternoon as part of a high profile visit to Killarney.


The six time Paralympic gold medallist spoke to second year students from St Brendan’s College, alongside students from neighbouring schools St Brigid’s Presentation Secondary School and Killarney Community College.
The interactive talk and interview took place ahead of World Sight Day, with the legendary sprinter sharing his personal journey with Stargardt disease, a genetic eye condition that left him legally blind at eight years old.
The Derry native, who holds the world record as the fastest Paralympian on earth over 100 metres, offered inspiring insights into overcoming physical adversity and achieving success at the highest level of world sport.
The school visit formed the opening leg of his Killarney schedule before he took centre stage later on Wednesday evening at The Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa.
Smyth headlined An Evening with Paralympian Jason Smyth, an event organised by the Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce as part of its winter schedule, sponsored by AIB.

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Deerpark Retail Park placed on market for fifteen million euro

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Deerpark Retail Park in Killarney has officially been placed on the market with a guide price in excess of 15.4 million euro, excluding VAT.

International real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield has been appointed as the sole sales agent to handle the high-profile commercial property sale on behalf of its current owner, Investcorp.

Investcorp, a global investment management firm headquartered in Bahrain, had previously acquired the prominent shopping complex.


The sale represents one of the largest commercial property offerings to launch in County Kerry this year.

Located roughly 1.3 kilometres west of Killarney town centre, the scheme enjoys strong regional connectivity and sits adjacent to independently owned operations including a Tesco Extra store, a Tesco petrol filling station, JYSK, and Aldi.


Constructed in 2006, the development extends across approximately 10,482 square metres, or 112,835 square feet.

The scheme comprises a mix of modern retail warehouse units and a complementary neighbourhood centre, offering 13 individual units in total with Part Open and Part Bulky Use planning permission.

The units range in size from 94.6 square metres up to 1,994.9 square metres. Visitors have access to approximately 248 customer parking spaces across the commercial grounds.

The park is currently 100 per cent occupied by a strong line-up of established national and international brands.

Key retail tenants include Marks & Spencer, Boots, DID Electrical, Maxi Zoo, and Mountain Warehouse.

The neighbourhood centre element accommodates service and convenience operators such as Costa Coffee, Card Factory, and Salon B.

The first-floor accommodation is fully let to Peak Performance Academy, which provides additional rental diversification.

Additionally, the scheme benefits from an agreement with Tesla to operate eight electric vehicle charging bays within the customer car park.


Commercial figures show that the property generates a total current rental income of 1,326,458 euro per annum, with a weighted average unexpired lease term of 4.45 years to break options and 6.46 years to lease expiry.

Cushman & Wakefield noted that the quoted guide price of 15.4 million euro reflects a net initial yield of 7.83 per cent, assuming standard purchaser costs of 9.96 per cent.

The selling agents highlighted that the fully occupied asset offers investors an attractive income profile alongside scope for additional income generation through parking commercialisation.

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