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Go green to support spectacular Paddy’s Day return

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The town in the park will leave all others green with envy as it prepares to illuminate in emerald shades for the upcoming St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

A colourful and gala parade is being lined up for March 17 but that’s not where the fun will begin and end as the St Patrick’s Festival committee is planning a truly spectacular return of the national day celebrations.

Plans are underway to turn many of the town’s iconic buildings a fabulous shade of green in the days leading up to and for the week after St Patrick’s Day and the spotlight will fall on Ross Castle, St Mary’s Cathedral, the Franciscan Friary, Killarney Courthouse, Killarney’s Methodist Church, St Mary’s Church of Ireland and the town’s feature statues and monuments.

Many of the local shops, hotels and business premises will all join in the fun by lighting up their buildings and workplaces in the most amazing shades of green while, this year, private households are also planning to turn green as Killarney well and truly emerges from two years of lockdown.

Festival Chairman, Paul Sherry, is encouraging everybody to play a part in celebrating the big occasion and he said businesses that don’t already own colour changing lighting systems can hire the equipment locally for a small fee.

The theme for this year’s parade is Earth/An Chré and it will be a celebration of the planet we occupy, the ground that sustains us and the world we live in.

“We are putting the call out to everybody to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Killarney like we have never done before,” Paul Sherry said.

“Let’s make sure that if there is life in outer space, they can see Killarney shining bright and green on planet Earth.

“It is so amazing to be back and after having to endure so much yellow with COVID signs for the last two years, what a difference it will make to be able to embrace the green once again,” he added.

The people of Killarney are being encouraged to light up their windows, doors, buildings or premises and post a photograph on social media using the hashtag #letsgogreenkillarney.

There is a special competition to find the best greened building and the judges will be out night after night to monitor progress and to see the effort that is being made.

Mr Sherry said the committee is very grateful for the ongoing support from sponsors locally and for the continued commitment of Kerry County Council, Fáilte Ireland and Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce.

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Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

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O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

Muckross co-driver Noel O’Sullivan is set for a busy season as he returns to the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) while also preparing for a record-breaking attempt on home soil.

O’Sullivan and driver Callum Devine have signed with the Swedish team JC Raceteknik for a full campaign focused on asphalt events. Their season begins this week at the Andalusia Rally – Sierra Morena in Spain. O’Sullivan remains the only Killarney-based co-driver competing at this level for a full season.
He brings significant international experience to the team, having previously worked with WRC driver Jon Armstrong during his early European outings. O’Sullivan and Devine recently proved their pace against top European crews with a fifth-place finish at the 2024 Rali Ceredigion in Wales.
Devine said:
“I’m really looking forward to coming back to the ERC. It’s always great for a driver to compete against Europe’s best on some iconic events. We’ve had great success back home in Ireland over the past few seasons, winning two Irish Tarmac Rally Championships, and we feel now is the right time to come back and take on some ERC events. Starting with Rally Sierra Morena, I’m delighted to be joining JC Raceteknik. I know they are a very professional team with a wealth of experience, and I’m looking forward to working closely with them.”
The European schedule will not interfere with O’Sullivan’s local plans. Following the rally in Spain, the pair will return to Kerry for the Rally of the Lakes over the May Bank Holiday weekend. They are aiming for a fifth consecutive victory in Killarney as they look to move back into the lead of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
The move to the European stage follows a successful week for O’Sullivan, who was recently named the International Motorsport winner at the Kerry Sports Star Awards.

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Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June

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Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June


A new heritage motoring event, the Killarney Classic Tour, has been confirmed for June 26–27, 2026. The two-day tour is designed to celebrate the iconic rally stages of Kerry and the Beara Peninsula.


Headquartered at the Gleneagle Hotel, the event is non-competitive and open to a wide range of vintage and historic cars. Organisers are placing a particular focus on period-correct rally cars and recreations that reflect the history of the Circuit of Ireland, the Circuit of Munster, and the early years of the Rally of the Lakes.
The tour is the work of two well-known figures in Irish rallying, Mike Marshall and Micheal O’Mahoney. Marshall, a founding member of the Rally of the Lakes and Clerk of the Course for over 20 years, has designed a route that allows drivers to experience famous stages like Moll’s Gap at a relaxed pace. O’Mahoney, a long-term supporter of the sport through Rentokil and a historic car owner himself, joins Marshall in the venture.

Co-Founder O’Mahoney said:
“This event is about bringing people back together – the cars, the stories, and the friendships that have always been part of rallying. It’s a chance to step away from competition and simply enjoy these roads.”



The Saturday itinerary includes a lunch stop in Castletownbere before the field returns to Killarney for a gala dinner at the Gleneagle Hotel. The evening will feature guest speakers and a focus on the shared history of the sport.
“This event is about bringing people back together — the cars, the stories, and the friendships,” added Micheal O’Mahoney.
Registrations are now open at www.KillarneyClassicTour.ie.

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