Connect with us

News

2pm start for bumper Killarney parade

Published

on

0252967_0252928StPatricksParadeKillarney29_OK.jpg

Close on 60 entries have already been received for this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in Killarney which promises to be one of the biggest and most enjoyable March 17 spectacles in many years.

The parade, organised by Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce in partnership with Fáilte Ireland and Kerry County Council, will start at 2pm so spectators are advised to get there early to secure the best vantage points.

Spectacular floats, marching bands, sports clubs – including All-Ireland Junior Champions Fossa – community groups, companies, local industries, Disney characters, live music, song and dance, arts groups and theatrical performances will all form part of the special day with a real party atmosphere throughout the town before, during and after the parade.

Grand marshal Cathal Walshe – a retired member of An Garda Síochána who is a wonderful community volunteer – will lead the parade with Mayor of Killarney Cllr Niall Kelleher and the review platform will, as usual, be located on Main Street with MCs Brendan Fuller, Kieran Healy and Mike Fuller in charge of the roaming microphones and they will meet and greet many of those in attendance.

There will be no shortage of high quality music to keep toes tapping with special guests, the Glen Ridge High School Marching Band from New Jersey, joining the Gleneagle Concert Band, Millstreet Pipe Band and Craicean Drum Band.

The theme for this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade is Killarney: Experience More to highlight the new Killarney branding in celebration of what the town has to offer.

The parade will commence on Mission Road at 2pm sharp and the route will take in East Avenue Road, Fair Hill, College Street, Plunkett Street, Main Street, New Street, Beech Road where a collection point for children participating in the parade will be located.

There will be a children’s family fun zone at the lower Beech Road car park from 12 noon to 7pm on St Patrick’s Day with fairground rides, magic shows, balloon modelling, face painting, interactive children’s games and a children’s disco and the fairground rides only will remain at that location from 12 noon to 7pm on Saturday and Sunday.

There will be a Paddy’s Party with the Killarney School of Music on the grandstand from 12.45pm to 1.30pm and a Comhaltas Irish dance and trad performance at the ANAM Cultural Centre on East Avenue Road from 12 noon on St Patrick’s Day.

The Beech Road car park will remain closed for the duration of the parade but free parking will be available from 1pm to 4.30pm at Penney’s car park and the grounds of St Brendan’s College.

Local businesses, clubs, community groups and individuals will paint the town green for the festivities this year to help inform everybody of the positive direction Killarney is taking and to promote the new Experience More branding to the world.

Advertisement

News

Con O’Leary: Killarney loses a vibrant and popular personality

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the […]

Published

on

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the early hours of Sunday.

Con was a vibrant and popular personality in Killarney where he operated The Laurels on Main Street, a thriving bar and restaurant, which he inherited following the passing of his father, Thado.
The business organisation said from a social perspective, The Laurels became the beating heart of the town and it was a landmark at the Market Cross in the same way as Clery’s clock was in the capital city.
Chamber said Con’s passing really marks the end of an era as he was one of a golden age of inspirational local business people who developed and built Killarney, through hard work, bravery and great commercial flair, and helped create the wonderful tourist attraction and holiday destination it is today.
“Con was very proud of Killarney and he played a very active part in progressing the town at many levels.
“He was a man that was never short of great ideas and his contribution to the business life of the town and as a director of Killarney Race Company was immense,” Chamber said.
“He was ahead of his time in many respects with the introduction by what became known as “the singing lounge” many years ago and The Laurels always led by example through its successes in the annual Killarney Looking Good competition”.
The business representative organisation noted that the O’Leary family has always been very supporting of the town and Con’s daughter, Kate, was a very dynamic Chamber President and is still a very valued member of the executive.
Chamber expressed deep sympathy to Con’s wife, Anne, children Kate, Niall, Tara and Lorna, sons-in-law, grandchildren, sisters, relatives and friends as well as the dedicated staff in The Laurels, past and present, who Con always had great time for and a great rapport with.

Continue Reading

News

All Roads Lead To Kerry For National Road Safety Conference

Kerry County Council is to host a two-day road safety conference at the INEC Killarney on May 28 and 29. The ‘Safer Roads’ road safety conference is an inter-agency event […]

Published

on

Kerry County Council is to host a two-day road safety conference at the INEC Killarney on May 28 and 29.

The ‘Safer Roads’ road safety conference is an inter-agency event focused on improving road safety, reducing traffic-related incidents, and sharing knowledge and best practices for safer road use. It encompasses various strategies and efforts across multiple domains, including road design, engineering, enforcement, forensic collision investigation, technology, education, collision trends, occupational driving, cycling and scooting, e-mobility, active & sustainable travel and on-road events.

In addition to this, AI, Virtual Reality and Driver Simulation will play a significant role at the conference, in improving safety by predicting and preventing accidents, optimizing traffic, and aiding the development of autonomous vehicles.

This ‘Safer Roads’ conference is a non-public event where road safety professionals, speakers and service providers from across Ireland, other EU countries and the UK will attend, including transportation experts, government and local authority officials, roads policing and vehicle inspection agencies, road safety advocates, educators and promoters, collision responders, cycling bodies and community safety networks.

Kerry County Council’s Road Safety Officer Declan Keogh said:
“Road safety has evolved over the years to a much broader scope, in terms of e-mobility, sustainability, technology and engineering for instance. It’s not just about the road or the vehicle anymore, but also about how technology, human behaviour, enforcement, and education intersect to reduce risks and prevent collisions. The ‘Safer Roads’ conference will involve and include every branch of the road safety tree, right across the board, and in doing so, we aim to increase road safety awareness, improve road user behaviour and decrease the collisions and carnage we see on our roads every day,”

The two-day conference also provides an opportunity for exhibitors to attend, and interested state bodies, businesses and service providers are invited to exhibit at the event to showcase their products and services and engage with delegates and officials at the conference.

Further information about the conference and how to register or exhibit can be found here. https://www.kerrycoco.ie/safer-roads-road-safety-conference/

Continue Reading

Last News

Sport