Connect with us

News

Arbutus Hotel’s 100th anniversary honoured at IHF Conference

Published

on

The centenary of the historic Arbutus Hotel took centre stage this week at the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) Annual Conference.

Held at the Gleneagle Arena, the gathering of over 300 hoteliers from across the country provided a platform to celebrate the 100-year legacy of the Buckley family and their landmark establishment.

The story of the Arbutus began with Tim Buckley, who spent 14 years in New York working as a night porter and hackney cab driver to save the funds needed to buy the property he had admired as a young man.

After returning from America, Tim and his wife Julia Daly purchased what was then Russell's Hotel in 1925, officially renaming and launching it as the Arbutus Hotel in 1926.

Julia Daly played a significant role in the hotel’s early success, having attended the Ramsgrange Cookery School in Wexford to ensure the food and hospitality standards were world-class from the outset.

Today, the hotel remains under the care of the Buckley family, with three generations having steered it through a century of Killarney’s tourism history, passing from Tim to his son Pat in the 1960s, and now run by Tim’s grandson, Seán Buckley.

Garrett Power, Chairman of the Kerry IHF, presented a bouquet of flowers to Roisin Buckley, Seán’s daughter and first cousin of international star Jessie Buckley, to mark the occasion. The presentation honoured both the hotel’s centenary and the family’s wider contribution to the town.

Advertisement

News

Contactless payments launched on Local Link services

Published

on

By

Passengers using TFI Local Link Kerry services in Killarney and across the county can now pay for their journeys using contactless card payments.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) confirmed the rollout this week, allowing commuters to simply tap their debit card, credit card, or mobile devices, such as Apple Pay and Google Pa, when boarding.

The move is designed to offer more convenience for those using high-frequency rural and regional routes.

In Killarney, the new payment option will be available on the TFI Anseo town services, which have seen a significant increase in passenger numbers since their introduction.

The contactless system is currently available for single journey fares, while those using daily or weekly passes can continue to use the Leap website or the TFI Leap Top Up App.
Alan O’Connell, General Manager of TFI Local Link Kerry, welcomed the modernisation of the fleet.

“The introduction of contactless payments is another welcome step forward for public transport in Kerry,” he said. “It complements other major projects in the county, including the expansion of TFI Local Link services and the delivery of TFI Anseo in Killarney, which is proving to be another great initiative.”

While the new technology offers a modern alternative, traditional payment methods are not being phased out. Cash payments, TFI Leap cards, and Free Travel Cards all remains fully valid across the network.

Continue Reading

News

How will our Kerry TDs vote tomorrow?

Published

on

By

Tomorrow, Sinn Féin will be tabling a motion of no confidence against the Government after the protests that took place nationwide during the week.

Earlier today we asked our readers how would they vote in a no confidence motion against the Government?

Most of our readers said they would vote no confidence, while some said, yes they do have confidence in the Government.

One reader said: “Vote confidence. The only proper leadership over the last few days came from government. Courage came when needed despite how unpopular it looked in the moment. By contrast, opposition politicians wanted the country to burn to suit themselves”.

Another reader stated: “No confidence. Shambolic and heavy handed handling of protests this past week”.

However, some people didn’t have any confidence in either side with a reader saying: “No confidence in the no confidence! Different wings of the same bird! We need a complete overhaul of the political system”.

We asked the question to our 5 Kerry TDs before lunch-time today, asking them what their vote will be tomorrow.

We received one reply from Sinn Féin’s Kerry TD Pa Daly.

He will be voting no confidence in the Government tomorrow along with his party.

Other media outlets are reporting that Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae is undecided at the moment.

Continue Reading

Last News

Sport