County Kerry is getting its own official customised Monopoly board game after beating five other counties across Ireland to land the honour.

The announcement was made on Tuesday morning at the Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa by game makers Winning Moves, who produce the regional editions under license from Hasbro.
Kerry won a six-way race against Donegal, Tipperary, Tyrone, Wexford, and Wicklow. According to John Keen-Tomlinson of Winning Moves, the county was selected based on three specific factors: civic pride, beauty, and a sense of family values.
The new board will feature more than 30 local landmarks and organisations, replacing the traditional London streets like Mayfair and Park Lane. The multi-coloured property squares will be divided into local themes covering heritage, hospitality, castles, culture, tourism, and business.
Killarney National Park and Muckross House are already guaranteed a place on the board. Other high-profile locations currently in the running include the Ring of Kerry, Slea Head, Skellig Michael, and the Rose of Tralee festival.
The Chance and Community Chest cards are also being completely customised with Kerry themes. The game makers revealed that one card will penalise players by sending them back three spaces for driving the wrong way around Slea Head.
The official Monopoly: County Kerry Edition will go on sale in spring 2027.

Public invited to nominate local landmarks for game squares

The makers of the new County Kerry Monopoly board have officially opened a public consultation process to help choose which local landmarks feature in the game.
With more than 30 property squares up for grabs, the public is being asked to submit their suggestions for the definitive Kerry locations, businesses, and voluntary organisations to be immortalised on the board.
Suggestions are now being accepted by the developers via email. The public nomination window opened on Tuesday, and will remain open until 11:59pm on June 30.
The game makers are looking for ideas to fill specific categories across the board, from historic castles and cultural sites to local businesses, sports clubs, and hospitality venues. Members of the public can send their nominations directly to kerry@winningmoves.co.uk for consideration.

The creation of a dedicated Kerry Monopoly board has been welcomed as a significant global marketing opportunity for the region’s tourism sector.
Pat O’Leary, Chairman of the Kerry Tourism Industry Federation highlighted the international promotional value the game brings to the county.
“Kerry receiving its very own Monopoly game is a reflection of the high profile of our long-standing welcome to visitors over many generations,” Mr O’Leary said. “Our globally recognised region includes the Skellig Islands, Slea Head, the Ring of Kerry, the Lakes of Killarney, Ladies View and stunning towns and villages such as Kenmare, Dingle, Listowel, Annascaul and Killarney.”
Local tourism leaders are particularly focused on ensuring Killarney’s premier attractions are well represented alongside the wider county landmarks. Monopoly is currently played by more than one billion people in 114 countries worldwide, providing the county with a unique platform to showcase its heritage to a global audience.
Mr O’Leary encouraged local residents, businesses, and communities across the county to actively participate in the nomination process to ensure their areas are represented on the final board layout. For further inspiration on local landmarks, he directed the public to visit the discoverkerry.com website.

End of an era on Beech Road as O’Connor’s closes

An era in Killarney’s retail trade has ended following the closure of O’Connor’s Day Today News and Magazine Shop on Beech Road.

The business stopped trading last Friday, and the Killarney Advertiser spoke to owner Liam O’Connor on Tuesday morning as he cleared out the shop for the final time.
The closure marks the end of nearly 35 years of business on Beech Road, representing another blow to the print industry.
The shop was known for stocking a broad range of titles covering various hobbies and specialist subjects outside of a typical city store.
Reflecting on the factors that led to the closure, Liam said that traditional shopping habits have slowed down.
“Christmas was quieter than usual last year,” he said. “I thought things would pick up for the spring, with Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Easter, but no.”
The business faced multiple challenges, including the rising price of stamps and the increased cost of greeting cards. Recent trading events also highlighted the shift in consumer trends; the Sunday of the recent Rally of the Lakes, historically the shop’s busiest off-season Sunday, was described as almost a loss leader.
Liam highlighted a broader shift in how people access media.
“Papers don’t sell anymore,” he said. “I believe the daily paper will go and we will be down to weekend only papers.”
The closure marks retirement for Liam, who plans to spend more time with his family. He expressed that he will miss his regular customers and his long-serving staff, many of whom have been employed at the newsagent for years.