News
Coffee cup scheme brings unprecedented positivity to Killarney
The recently launched Killarney Coffee Cup initiative has brought unprecedented positivity to Killarney.
Alice Thompson Brehon Hotel Killarney and Alan Oliver Lir Cafè handing in their disposable coffee cups in Killarney town centre. Phot: Valerie O'Sullivan
Alice Thompson Brehon Hotel Killarney and Alan Oliver Lir Cafè handing in their disposable coffee cups in Killarney town centre. Phot: Valerie O'Sullivan
A meeting between scheme organisers and Ossian Smyth the Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy heard how the project has been well-received locally and nationally.
Killarney became the first town in Ireland to be single use coffee cup free in July.
The scheme will remove over 1 million single use coffee cups from the town annually.
The Killarney Coffee Cup Project was launched in July and since then it has generated massive publicity and good will for the town and surrounding areas.
SIX MILLION PEOPLE
This week’s meeting heard that the PR drive behind the project reached over 6 million people.
This doesn’t take into account the social media: views for Paschal Sheehy’s RTE report were 470,000 views across Tik Tok and Instagram.
“Our recent PR campaign has not only brought well-deserved exposure to Killarney but also resulted in a valuation that reflects the undeniable benefits the PR for being part of the project brings to small businesses that often don't receive such recognition,” said Louise Byrne, one of the projects organisers.
“Our accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. The level of publicity the project has received really highlights the importance of what we are doing. Considering the effects of climate change we are seeing every day when we turn on the news, people are really ready to welcome an initiative that they can easily get involved in by making a simple manageable change to their daily behaviour.”
The organisers hired a dedicated PR firm to manage publicity and to promote the scheme locally and internationally.
Drury said they have never worked on something that travelled this strongly and positively – for Killarney to get this level of profile and positivity for doing the right thing is extraordinary and will likely never happen again,” added Ms Byrne.
“Journalists very rarely want to cover ‘old news’ – for the likes of Newstalk Breakfast, RTÉ News at One and the Daily Mail to be interested in covering this well after the launch demonstrates how strongly this has landed. And that isn’t because we have PRd well rather it is because it is just an incredible thing that a collective of businesses have bravely decided to do.”
EXPANSION
Since the July launch , more and more business have come on board to support the scheme.
“On the first night we started with 14 businesses and as we stand here today, we can proudly say that we've grown to over 50 businesses, a testament to the power of collaboration,” added Ms Byrne.
“As we started out we as a group expressed that we were initially concerned about the amount of participants and the communications piece. It is worth noting that we have exceeded expectations.”
FUTURE BENEFITS
The organisers have been contacted by the Global Destination Sustainability movement.
“This is an international recognition of our efforts. The GDS movement has a yearly index of sustainable destinations, and the project has been added to this year's application for Kerry. They have contacted us to be submitted to their annual awards that recognises initiatives that are paving the way for a sustainable world, and it's an honour to be considered,” she added.
“But the reach of our initiative goes beyond Killarney. Dingle, Tralee, and other county councils have expressed interest in implementing our model countywide. This validates that our impact isn't limited to our local community, but has the potential to create a ripple effect across regions, which we saw when we were contacted by other county councils and even two international destinations.”
OUTSIDE INTEREST
“This initiative is ground-breaking, with its scope and target effects reaching farther than we expected. While challenges are inevitable, there are teething problems with any new venture, they are opportunities for growth and improvement,” said Byrne.
“Furthermore, the idea was proposed to create a training video for businesses and staff. This should include the best practices and learnings into a comprehensive training video that benefits both you and your staff when it comes to implementing the project effectively. It should include the why’s and how’s of the project based on your collective learnings and feedback.
“We need to do an inventory of cups that were ordered by all businesses to date and what is currently in stock. This will be done to ensure that we are maximising the deposit system and not always ordering more cups. It was noted that hotels often offer take away breakfast to tourists and there is a risk that the cups go away on buses and aren’t returned.”
“Communicating with travel agents and the bus drivers is key to ensure that this issue is resolved. Again if the message is that this is a whole of Killarney initiative and standard practice, it will be more accepted.”
Milltown history republished for 40th anniversary
The first publication to explore the history of Milltown is being republished to mark the 40th anniversary of its author’s passing.
“Milltown: Memories of Other Days” was originally written and published by local historian, auctioneer, librarian, and photographer Denis ‘Denny’ Sugrue, who died in 1986. Having been out of print for many years, the book is being brought back to life by the Milltown History and Heritage Society.
The updated and expanded 132-page edition will be launched at the old Milltown Community Hall on Saturday, August 22, at 8.00pm to coincide with National Heritage Week.
Edited by Dr John Knightly and Dr Owen O’Shea, the 40th-anniversary volume features the original text alongside new and colourised photos from Sugrue’s vast personal archive. It also includes a foreword from Sugrue’s daughter Maria and grandson Paul, as well as a curated selection of his “Milltown Notes,” a weekly column he penned for The Kerryman newspaper for nearly four decades.
“Denis Sugrue was a pioneering author and historian who had the foresight to commit much of the rich history of Milltown to paper in the 1980s,” said co-editor Owen O’Shea. “It is a unique and remarkable social history of a Kerry village in the early and middle twentieth century which we are so pleased to bring to a new audience.”
O’Shea added that the launch event will feature a display of Sugrue’s newspaper notes alongside an evening of local music, song, and storytelling to celebrate his legacy.
Supported by Kerry County Council under the Community Support Fund 2026, the launch event is open to all, with copies of the book available for purchase on the night. For further information, email milltownhistoryheritage@gmail.com.
Resident raises concerns over loss of evening hobby courses
A concerned local resident has voiced frustration over the apparent decline of evening leisure and hobby classes in Killarney during the autumn and winter months, calling for action to bring accessible adult learning back to the town.
The resident, who moved to Killarney decades ago, recalled years spent admiring advertisements for evening courses in gardening, beekeeping, DIY, sewing, Spanish, Pilates, and yoga. After waiting until work and family commitments eased to finally take up a local class, they discovered a distinct lack of local options available last year.
“I eyed the list enviously thinking that someday I’d have the time to attend these classes, to learn a few things and to meet other people with similar interests,” the resident wrote. “I could see that these hobby and leisure classes were reasonably priced and available in a central part of Killarney in an establishment that was accessible to people with disabilities. Hence, they were affordable, accessible, and ideal for anyone, irrespective of age or financial circumstances.”
The resident noted that while neighbouring towns across Kerry continue to host regular evening enrolments, Killarney locals are increasingly forced to travel elsewhere. A friend of the resident was recently obliged to commute weekly to another Kerry town simply to attend a basic DIY course.
The letter highlights the wider social benefits of adult education, pointing out that local classes play a vital role in tackling loneliness and fostering community connections.
“Killarney is a town with a can-do attitude, so these things should be possible,” the resident added. “We are constantly hearing that connection is an essential part of health and wellbeing, yet so many people are being excluded due to a lack of availability and affordability. We are frequently told about the benefits of lifelong learning, and for many people, that can be something light, fun, and most importantly, local.”
Running a class in Killarney? Let us know!
Are you hosting or planning an autumn or winter night class in the Killarney area? Whether it is art, languages, fitness, crafts, or practical skills, the Killarney Advertiser wants to help connect you with local residents who are eager to learn and meet new people.
Send details of your upcoming evening course, workshop, or hobby group to info@killarneyadvertiser.ie so we can help spread the word across the community.
Volunteer and community events will be promoted free of charge and the promotion of commercial events will command a fee.
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