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By Colm Looney

This past week, local townsman Davide Mosca – an established expert in the Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce and the well-known architect who was recently recognised for his creation and design of the newly founded ANAM Arts and Cultural Centre in Killarney – donned the garbs of medieval times gone by and bore the mantle of the 72^nd Count Pierre at his native homestead.

Davide, alongside his family, ventured back to his place of origin, the Italian Alpine village of Verrès, where he accepted the honorary role and was coronated as ‘Count Pierre of Verrès’ making him the third member of his family to do so, closely taking after his late father, Bruno, and brother, Stefano.

Also on the trip to witness the experience was local Chamber of Tourism and Commerce President Paul Sherry.

As part of the celebrations Davide participated in the events of the town’s historic Carnevale, an almost Puck Fair meets Game of Thrones styled Mardi Gras festival throughout the town, surrounded by family and friends from the Emerald Isle and the Valle d’Aosta.

The organised events included a grand and vibrant coronation, a lavish torchlight procession as the ‘Count’ was paraded through the town, and also an enormous mouth-watering banquet organised by the town’s council. These festivities are all meant to reflect legends of old which surround the holiday.

The main myth goes that in the 1400s the Count of Challant, Pierre, joined locals in a large ceilí-like dance, in the town centre. Ever since the end of the second world war there has been a yearly four-day long celebration which honours one native man and woman from the town who are titled the Count and Countess.

“The four days were fantastic!” Davide told the Killarney Advertiser.

“They were very busy days. Early in the morning I visited schools, creches and nursing homes while very late nights were spent in the castle. The highlight of the carnival was the interaction I had with the locals, and the interaction they had with the Irish people who were with me in Italy,” he said.

He also added that they are working now to begin a strong relationship between the two towns. Originally the Verrès Carnival Band was due to arrive in Killarney for this year’s St Patrick’s Day festivities but due to the cost of transporting musical equipment it has been postponed until next year.

“We’ll try to make an exchange for students involving language learning, soccer and skiing.”