The Killarney Advertiser, in partnership with several local businesses and the Chamber of Tourism & Commerce, has this week announced the launch of Kudos – a new initiative designed to bring the community together through a number of events.

This year, Kudos will deliver two hyper-local events. In late summer, the new community group will host a FREE Family Fun Day. Locals can look forward to lots of great food, live music, and plenty of family-friendly entertainment.

Later in November, the group will present its first-ever Kudos Community Awards – a local awards ceremony celebrating the outstanding contributions made by individuals and organisations in Killarney. At the launch, Cormac Casey, owner of the Killarney Advertiser and KC Print, shared his enthusiasm for the new initiative: "on the same week that we [Killarney Advertiser] proudly celebrate 52 years, we’re thrilled to launch our new community initiative – Kudos. When my father, Danny, founded this free weekly in 1973, he believed Killarney deserved its own newspaper, something that would connect the community. Now, with the support of our business and Chamber partners, we are looking forward to pouring that same local pride and connection into two fantastic free events this year."

The initiative has already received strong support from numerous local businesses that share the Killarney Advertiser’s community-first values, none more so than Killarney Credit Union. Mark Murphy, CEO expressed his support at the launch: "We are very happy to be involved in this community initiative! At Killarney Credit Union, supporting and connecting with our community is at the heart of what we do.  We are delighted to be a part of something that brings people together and makes a positive difference."

Family Fun Day

Killarney Advertiser’s Chris Davies is co-ordinating the new initiative and is encouraging people to book their free tickets for the Family Fun Day as early as possible.

"We are busy laying the foundations for the Family Fun Day in August. It is a free event but we are issuing tickets to help us plan for the numbers. Locals can visit www.kudoskillarney.ie from today and book their free tickets."

Karl McCay, General Manager of Killarney Racecourse, is looking forward to hosting the Kudos family fun day at their venue this summer. “Killarney Racecourse is delighted to be a partner for the Kudos Initiative in celebrating all that is good about Killarney. We look forward to working closely with the Kudos team on both events this year and are especially excited to host the Family Fun Day this August. It promises to be a fantastic day for all!” said Mr. McCay.

Community Awards

Kudos are also calling on locals to get involved with the Community Awards by nominating people they feel deserve recognition. "We have fifteen awards that will reach into every part of our community, and everyone will know someone who is deserving of a Kudos. Again, we are encouraging locals to visit the website and get nominating," Chris Davies said.

The O’Donoghue Ring Collection will host the first-ever Kudos Community Awards in November and is looking forward to celebrating with attendees. Group Marketing Manager Michelle O’Brien commented: “The new Kudos initiative is a wonderful addition to Killarney, giving businesses the opportunity to engage with the local community through unique events and activities. We’re delighted to be involved and look forward to the community-based awards night that will take place later this year."

Padraig Treacy, in his role as Chamber President, is well used to running successful events in Killarney and speaking at the launch on Wednesday, he is delighted to see two new events added to the calendar: “The introduction of the Kudos project to Killarney is a very welcome addition in that it fosters and encourages a greater sense of community, co-operation and togetherness. Killarney is the town that keeps on giving and, to continue to deliver in that regard, it must be innovative in its approach and that best describes the Kudos initiative for which the Killarney Advertiser deserves great credit. The Family Fun Day and the Community Awards are something to look forward to later in the year, and Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce very much looks forward to playing its part.”