News
Killarney Looking Good Competition winners revealed
The award winners in this year’s Killarney Looking Good Competition have been announced.
The prizes will be presented at a reception in the Great Southern Hotel, Killarney on Monday, October 14 where the special guest will be All-Ireland winning star and 2023 Footballer of the Year Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh.
There are 26 individual category awards in addition to six highly commended awards with the winner of the coveted overall prize will be revealed on the night.
Over three decades after it was first initiated, the Killarney Looking Good Competition was revived last year with a new committee, new categories, new sponsors and a great sense of purpose.
When the project was first launched in 1991 it was a community flower power event but it grew in importance with each passing year, culminating in some style when Killarney won the prestigious overall award in the national tidy towns competition in 2011.
It was no coincidence that when the competition was relaunched last year, it led to Killarney being crowned the tidiest large town in the country, finishing just one point behind the overall tidy towns winner Abbeyleix in Co Laois.
This year the awards again feature special categories in memory of two remarkable people who played massive roles in keeping Killarney looking its best down through the years.
The late Yvonne Quill was the driving force behind the Killarney tidy towns campaign for several years and she was at the helm when the sought-after overall award was secured 13 years ago.
The Yvonne Quill Memorial Award is presented to the volunteer of the year – a person who the adjudicators consider to be a standout contributor in the overall effort to keep Killarney tidy.
Up to the time of his death in January 2020, Fr Michael Murphy was the public face of tidy towns and he played a huge part in Killarney, Kenmare and Sneem winning the overall national award in 2011, 2000 and 1987 respectively. The Killarney Looking Good Competition honours his memory with a special Pride of Place award.
In the business community, there are awards for the best large and small commercial premises, best newly painted premises, best signage and the best retail award with prizes also for the most impressive hotel, public house, restaurant, café, guesthouse and best public building as well as the most improved premises.
In the residential categories awards will be presented to the best large and small estates, best private residence, best roadside garden, best floral display and best friendly planting award.
Other categories include a green hospitality award, a corporate special responsibility award, a restoration award, best school and a special biodiversity award.
The Killarney Looking Good Competition is organised by Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce and Killarney Municipal District Council. MD O’Shea & Sons are the overall sponsors of the competition and O’Mahony Media Ltd is the media sponsor.
The competition runs throughout the tourist season and businesses and residential areas are monitored on an ongoing basis.
Killarney Looking Good Competition Winners 2024
Best Large Commercial Premises: Arbutus Hotel, College Street
Best Small Commercial Premises: Mr McGuire’s Olde Sweet Shop, College Square
Best Newly Painted Premises: The Dungeon, College Street
Best Public House: Charlie Foley’s Bar, New Street
Best Hotel: Cahernane House Hotel, Muckross Road
Best Restaurant: Foley’s Townhouse and Restaurant, High Street
Best Café: Deenagh Lodge, Knockreer
Best Retail: Kilkenny Design/Christy’s Gift Store, Main Street
Green Hospitality Award: Killarney Coffee Cup Project
Corporate Social Responsibility Award: Sisk
Restoration Award: Tigh Mary Donal’s, Muckross Road
Best Signage: Killarney Golf and Fishing Club
Best Guesthouse: Killarney Lodge Guesthouse, Countess Road
Best Private Residence: Fr Simon Twomey, Dromhale
Best Large Estate: Castle Falls
Best Small Estate: Monastery Gardens
Best Roadside Garden: 47 St Brendan’s Place
Best Floral Display: Hussey’s Bar, High Street
Best Primary School: The Monastery, New Road
Best Secondary School: Killarney Community College, New Road
Most improved Premises: Quill’s Irish Jewellery, Main Street/New Street
Biodiversity Award: Niall Keogh, Mill Road
Best Public Building: Killarney Railway Station
Best Friendly Planting: BeBé Crèche and Montessori
Fr Michael Murphy Memorial Pride of Place Award: Pinewood Estate
Yvonne Quill Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award: Paud O’Donoghue, Ross Road
Highly Commended Awards:
3 Torc Terrace
7 Ard na Be, Aghadoe
21 Park Drive
20 Dromhall Park
Silver Birch, Ballycasheen
Alverna, Park Road
Taoiseach makes historic first visit to Beaufort schools
An Taoiseach Micheál Martin made a historic visit to St Francis Special School and St Mary’s of the Angels on Wednesday afternoon, marking the first time a serving Taoiseach has visited either Beaufort facility.
The visit followed a recent Dáil invitation extended by Kerry Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill, who accompanied the Taoiseach alongside local Councillor Tommy Cahill. During the tour, the Taoiseach met with management, staff, residents, and families to observe the services firsthand and discuss operational challenges.
Both Michael and Tommy Cahill welcomed the visit, emphasizing the campus’s potential to become a super respite centre of excellence for children and adults with profound disabilities.
“This was a truly historic occasion,” Deputy Cahill said. “The Taoiseach had the opportunity to see the excellent facilities on the campus first-hand and, importantly, to hear directly about the challenges and concerns they face. There is huge potential here to further develop respite and enhanced services.”
Councillor Tommy Cahill added that the visit was a significant day for service users and staff. He confirmed ongoing engagement with government departments, St John of God, the HSE, and local stakeholders to ensure the site’s full potential is realised.
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