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Business legend receives the town’s highest honour

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The matriarch of an incredibly entrepreneurial family that has made an enormous contribution to business and community life in Killarney over many years has been awarded the highest honour the town can bestow.

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Margaret O’Donoghue of the landmark Gleneagle INEC Arena was inducted into the Order of Inisfallen by Cairde Chill Áirne at a reception in the historic Muckross House in Killarney National Park on Monday evening.
The award was created in 2005 to allow Killarney to recognise, celebrate and say thank you to a select number of people who have, in a variety of different ways, brought good to Killarney’s name and image around the country and around the world.
Margaret follows in the footsteps of very distinguished previous recipients including former Taoiseach Enda Kenny, international industrialist Isolde Liebherr, Hollywood A-lister Michael Fassbender and entertainer Daniel O’Donnell.
She becomes the first lady to receive the honour since 2018 when the recipient was Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall and now the Queen of England.
Margaret and her late husband, Maurice, who passed away in 2001, transformed an eight-bed guesthouse into the incredibly successful entertainment complex that is now the Gleneagle INEC Arena which has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to the town over the years.
They were the guiding hands in the push to develop The Brehon Hotel, The Gleneagle Apartments and Scott’s Hotel as well as top class indoor and outdoor sports and leisure facilities and a concert band and the O’Donoghue family has been to the forefront of several other major developments which have been of huge benefit to Killarney, to Kerry and to Ireland.
The Order of Innisfallen award – a joint initiative between Kerry County Council and Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce – was presented to Margaret by Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Brendan Cronin.
“Margaret has been the guiding hand in all that the family has achieved and, given her enormous contribution over so many years, it is wonderful that she is being officially recognised with this very important award,” the mayor said.
Event host and Muckross House Trustee, Geraldine Rosney, said the award reflected the enormous contribution Margaret and Maurice O’Donoghue have made to Killarney.
“They were a couple with a dream, a couple with a vision and a couple with get-up-and-go determination to pick up the ball and start running and running and running.
“Margaret, Maurice and their family’s achievements with the creation and building and expansion of their enterprises over the last 59 years is nothing short of monumental,” she said
Margaret said it was an honour to accept the Order of Innisfallen on behalf of both herself and the late Maurice and, indeed, their seven children, Patrick, Maurice, John, Eamonn, Áine, Shelly and Aoife.
Margaret was one of 10 children born to Hannah and John O’Sullivan in Shanara, Beaufort. She attended school in Kilgobnet and Killorglin Community College and she began her working life in Killarney’s Great Southern Hotel.
She first met Maurice O’Donoghue, who was then studying to become a pharmacist in Dublin, at a dance in Tralee in 1961 and they were married in 1964.

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Rotary Club distributes €21,000 to local causes

Killarney Rotary Club members gathered at the Great Southern Killarney this week to present the proceeds from their annual Wine and Art Night to a wide range of local beneficiaries. […]

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Killarney Rotary Club members gathered at the Great Southern Killarney this week to present the proceeds from their annual Wine and Art Night to a wide range of local beneficiaries.

The event, which is the club’s primary fundraiser, raised a total of €1,000. These funds were distributed among several local schools and community organisations during a celebratory luncheon.
The schools benefiting from the night include Faha, Fossa, Gael Scoil Faithleann, Knockanes, Loughquittane, and St. Brendan’s College. Other organisations receiving support include Kerry Hospice, Kerry Stars, Killarney Athletic AFC, Killarney Valley Athletic Club, Killorglin Family Resource Centre, and the Rise & Shine Trust.
Club President Sherry O’Callaghan praised the collaborative effort that made the fundraiser possible. “The success of this event is a direct result of shared commitment and community spirit,” she said. She thanked the hands-on involvement of the beneficiary groups, who worked alongside Rotary members to manage the night.
The club also acknowledged key partners Daly’s SuperValu and Killarney Credit Union for their ongoing sponsorship. Additional thanks were extended to the Great Southern Killarney and the Scally Hotel Collection, while Cronin’s Cider was welcomed as a new contributor this year.
A significant portion of the total was raised through an art auction, where local artists and crafters donated 100% of the proceeds from their work to the fund.

Following the success of last year’s fundraiser, Killarney Rotary Club has confirmed the provisional date for the 2026 event.

The 25th annual Wine and Art Night is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, November 25, 2026. The evening will once again feature a showcase of local art and crafts, alongside the popular wine and cheese reception.
Organisers are encouraging artists, sponsors, and community groups to mark the date in their diaries early. Further details regarding venue and ticket sales will be released closer to the event.

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Killarney Golf & Fishing Club charity weekend for Jack and Jill

Killarney Golf & Fishing Club Captains Tomás Kelliher and Annette McNeice have announced that the upcoming Open Captains’ Charity Weekend will take place on Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May […]

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Killarney Golf & Fishing Club Captains Tomás Kelliher and Annette McNeice have announced that the upcoming Open Captains’ Charity Weekend will take place on Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17.

This year’s event will raise funds for the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, which provides in-home nursing care and respite support for children with severe learning disabilities and complex medical needs. The event is sponsored by Truffle Honey.
The weekend will feature a Team of Four competition. Entry is €40 per person or €160 per team. Online entry is available through the club’s booking system at www.killarneygolfclub.ie. A dedicated fundraising page for donations has also been set up at www.idonate.ie.
A charity raffle will also run throughout the weekend, featuring green fees for top golf courses and various prizes donated by local supporters.
“The work Jack and Jill do for families in Kerry and across Ireland is extraordinary,” Captains Tomás Kelliher and Annette McNeice said in a joint statement. “We are proud to play our part in helping them continue that mission and look forward to welcoming members and visitors for a fantastic weekend of golf.”
Siobhan Reen of the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation thanked the club for their support.
“Every euro raised helps us provide vital home nursing care, giving children the chance to be cared for at home, where they belong,” she said.
The foundation currently supports over 490 families across Ireland, including many in County Kerry, providing up to 100 hours of home nursing care per month.
Those looking to enter a team can visit the Killarney Golf Club website (
http://www.killarneygolfclub.ie/), while those wishing to donate can do so via the iDonate fundraiser page for the Killarney Golf & Fishing Club Open Captains’ Charity Weekend.
Further information on the services provided by the foundation can be found at www.jackandjill.ie.

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