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It all started with a love of hospitality!

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By Michelle Crean

As the saying goes, "marry your best friend" - and that's just what one local couple plan to do as they got engaged this week.

Well known restaurateur Denis Murphy surprised The Brehon Hotel's General Manager Sinead McCarthy with a ring when he got down on one knee - leaving her completely speechless.

Denis, who runs Murphy Brownes on High Street with friend and business partner Deirdre Browne, was on a staycation with Sinead when he made the surprise proposal.

But it's been a long time coming for the best friends who have known each other since their college days.

Both met studying hospitality in CIT in 2002 as they were on the same course.

Then Denis took a summer position in the then newly opened Brehon Hotel while Sinead worked in The Plaza, and while here they shared a house in Woodlawn Road as friends.

Then it was back to college for another while and the friends parted ways, Sinead working in various hotels around the country over the next few years, and Denis on cruise ships.

"When I'd come back home on holidays we'd always make a point of catching up," Denis told the Killarney Advertiser.

Then it came full circle as seven years ago Sinead moved back to Killarney as Bar Manager in The Brehon and a year later Denis took up the role of Manager in The Grand.

Once again the friends shared a house, this time in Bridgefield where they still live today, but after two years they realised they were more than just friends.

"I proposed in Druid's Glen, I even had the bottle of champagne hiding in Sinead's car! And while people often say we finish each other's sentences I can proudly say the proposal, which included the help of the hotel staff, completely caught Sinead off guard!"

He added that many customers only this week realised that himself and Deirdre are just good friends, and that she is still on the market!

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Community College TY students become qualified baristas

School Dayz Transition Year students at Killarney Community College spent last Tuesday learning the skills to become baristas. They completed a full-day training course and are now qualified to make […]

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School Dayz

Transition Year students at Killarney Community College spent last Tuesday learning the skills to become baristas.

They completed a full-day training course and are now qualified to make coffee, which could make them very employable in local cafes and restaurants this summer.
Their teachers, who are described as the school’s “resident coffee experts,” were impressed with the students’ hard work and enjoyed the lattes, cappuccinos, and Americanos the students made throughout the day.
In addition to their barista training, the TY students also took a trip to Mallow. There, they learned about the rules of the road, practiced the driver theory test, and many got behind the wheel of a car for the first time. They also learned about the dangers of speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

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Rising stars Amano and Lillie Foley to share stage in ANAM

Two of Killarney’s rising musical talents, Amano and Lillie Foley, are set to perform their first ever joint headline concert at the ANAM Cultural Centre. Singer-songwriter and sean nós singer […]

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Two of Killarney’s rising musical talents, Amano and Lillie Foley, are set to perform their first ever joint headline concert at the ANAM Cultural Centre.

Singer-songwriter and sean nós singer Amano will bring her ‘Mythilligocial Meitheal Tour’ home for a special live performance of both her contemporary and traditional music.

Joining her on the night is local rising star Lillie Foley, making it a special event to celebrate two young Killarney songwriters making their mark on the Irish music scene. The event is supported by Kerry County Council Arts Office.

Amano, described by Hot Press in 2024 as an “idiosyncratic talent” is comfortable performing in both English and Irish, draws influences from alt-folk, R&B, and traditional sean-nós singing.

Her project THREAD was nominated for Irish language Album and Song of the year at the Gradaim Nós in 2024.

Her recent singles, ‘Burn’ and ‘The Birthing House’, have received airplay on RTÉ Radio 1, Radio Kerry, and Raidió na Life.

Lillie Foley, a 22-year-old singer who recently graduated from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance with a BA in Voice, has released two debut singles in 2025, ‘Someday’ and ‘That’s Life’, which blend pop, soul, and folk genres.

The event is supported by Kerry County Council Arts Office.

The concert will take place on May 23, at the ANAM Cultural Centre in Killarney, starting at 7:00pm. Tickets are available from €15 plus a booking fee on Ticketpass.org.

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