Autism Friendly Killarney has launched a new six-part video series showcasing how the town’s community, schools, event organisers and businesses are working together to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for autistic people.

Alongside the video series, Autism Friendly Killarney has also launched a new website, a central hub of information for Autistic people, their families and visitors to the town.

The video series, available on Autism Friendly Killarney’s Instagram and website, highlights simple yet powerful ways in which Killarney is adapting from sensory-friendly environments and visual supports to sensory accommodations, welcoming assistance dogs, staff training and event modifications demonstrating that small changes can make a big difference.

It also features heartfelt insights from families who share how these initiatives have opened up new opportunities for family connection and community participation.

The newly launched website autismfriendlykillarney.com, brings together information on autism-friendly accommodation providers, restaurants, shops, healthcare services, events and activity providers across Killarney.

It is designed to help autistic people and their families plan visits with confidence, knowing what supports and accommodations are available in advance.

Killarney’s Autism Friendly Champions: local businesses and organisations that have completed autism awareness training with AsIAm, Ireland’s leading autism charity, have made meaningful changes to better support people with autism and their families.

In the video series, four of these champions: Portwest, Ponytails, Ross Castle Boat Tours and Hotel Killarney showcase how they have adapted their businesses to be more autism-friendly such as offering sensory cubbies, neutral interior design and lighting, supplying sensory boxes, having dedicated autism friendly hours with reduced sensory experiences, offering step by step visual aids, etc.

Jessica O’Connor, Chair of Autism Friendly Killarney said: “We hope these videos along with our new website, will give confidence to people with autism and their families who live in or are visiting Killarney.

We want them to know that they will be supported, understood, and welcomed here.

These videos show that Killarney is really living the ethos of inclusivity and access for all.

We are very grateful for the financial support provided by Kerry County Council through the Community Support Fund 2025 and to Killarney Chamber of Commerce for their continued support.”

Tony Fleming from Ross Castle Boat Tours explains the changes they made to their boat trips to support people with autism. “We’ve made small changes that have had a big impact.

Our boat is longer and wider for easier movement, and we have a neurodiverse box on board with earplugs and sunglasses.

We also provide quiet and early-morning tours so guests can enjoy the lake at their own pace. Seeing the smiles at the end of the trip is what it’s all about.”

VIDEOS

Two videos offer personal insights, both from the perspective of a young boy with autism and a parent of a child with autism.

Luke, a pupil from St Oliver’s National School, shares what makes him feel welcome and understood in his school and in the local town.

While Deirdre Prendergast, a parent of a boy with autism, reflects on the positive impact that a town that embraces neurodiversity with kindness and empathy has on her family.

She says, “It has made the world of difference to us as a family that so many events and businesses in Killarney are now autism-friendly. We are able to attend events that we would never have been able to before, such as the Christmas in Killarney parade. We were able to enjoy it together as there was a dedicated space with sensory items to keep him occupied and in case he had an overload. He loves cars and we were able to go to a special evening at the Rally of the Lakes this year where everyone understood what autism was and he was able to get into a car. Because of the autism-friendly initiatives at events, my other son can now enjoy events with all the family, not just him and one parent. We can now enjoy things together as a family and it makes our lives so much easier.”

In February last year Killarney was awarded the Autism Friendly Town Award from AsIAm, just the third town in Ireland to receive this accolade.

This is testament to the work of the voluntary autism-friendly group who have worked tirelessly to ensure that Killarney’s festivals and public spaces are accessible and sensory-friendly and that local businesses are adapting the way they work to accommodate people with autism.

MEET UPS

This has included sensory friendly film screenings, group meet-ups for families with children with autism, sensory rooms in public buildings and awareness-raising days.

Dedicated quiet and sensory areas have also been created at major community events including The St. Patrick’s Day parade, the Christmas in Killarney parades, the Wander Wild Festival, the Rally of the Lakes, Killarney’s Samhain Procession, BikeFest, Rewild, and the town’s Sensory Friendly Walk and AbleFest Festival.

These initiatives have made a profound difference, helping families take part in the magic of Killarney’s festivals, knowing there is space to rest, recharge, and feel safe.

To watch the videos or to see a list of autism-friendly accommodation providers, restaurants, shops, healthcare services, and activity providers in Killarney, go to www.autismfriendlykillarney.com or Instagram.

Support for the Killarney Coffee Cup project has fallen, raising questions about how the scheme can continue without help from the Government.

Recent figures from IBAL, published this week, show that a number of businesses are no longer taking part.

Both Irish Business Against Litter and Killarney Chamber of Commerce say a national levy on disposable coffee cups is now needed.

They want a charge similar to the plastic bag levy to encourage customers to use reusable cups.

The Coffee Cup project was started in July 2023 with the aim of making Killarney the first town in Ireland to be free of single-use coffee cups.

At the launch, 25 independent coffee shops and 21 hotels agreed to stop giving drinks in throwaway containers.

Under the scheme, anyone buying a takeaway coffee must bring their own cup or pay a €2 deposit for a reusable cup.

The deposit is returned when the cup is brought back to any business in the network.

Organisers hoped to remove more than one million cups a year from local waste systems.

The project followed complaints from residents and visitors that coffee cups were being found at lakes, car parks and walking trails.

Clean-ups in the national park reported that the cups were one of the most common items collected.

A Government ‘latte levy’ of 20 cent per cup had been promised but has still not been introduced.

Chamber President Johnny McGuire said this delay has made it hard for small operators to stay involved.

Mr McGuire recently met An Taoiseach Micheál Martin to discuss the problem and to press for the levy.

He said the Taoiseach listened carefully, but no date was given for action.

The chamber has also spoken to local TDs, Finance Minister Jack Chambers and Kerry County Council CEO Fearghal Reidy, who has expressed support.

The chamber insists the project is not finished. It hopes other towns will copy the Killarney model if a levy is brought in.

IBAL spokesperson Conor Hogan said the data shows that Coffee cups remained one of the most commonly found forms of litter and was evident in one fifth of all sites surveyed.

“A real disappointment in a generally positive year has been the likely collapse of reusable coffee cup schemes in towns such as Killarney,” said Mr Horgan.

“It is apparent that such schemes will only work with statutory backing.

As our data today bears out, without Government intervention coffee cups will remain an unsightly and entirely unnecessary blot on the landscape across our towns.

The prevarication from Government on the issue is striking, a levy was promised all of four years ago ,and sends out a worrying signal.

Weaning ourselves off single-use coffee cups should not be such a big deal.”