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Killarney Coffee Cup Project – businesses turn waste into change

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The coffee shops and hotels of Killarney continue their collective effort to eradicate single use coffee cups.

Alice Thompson Brehon Hotel Killarney and Alan Oliver Lir Cafè handing in their disposable coffee cups in Killarney town centre. Phot: Valerie O'Sullivan

Over 50 businesses handed over their disposable coffee cups, having moved to a reusable system on July 31.

The single use coffee cups were collected and placed in a box in the town centre.

The box can hold 23,000 cups, which is the number of single use cups previously used in Killarney on a weekly basis. The unused single use coffee cups are to be used as part of a future educational piece that includes local art, biodiversity and science projects.

Since becoming Ireland’s first town to become single use coffee cup free, the local businesses have seen a very positive reaction from both locals as well as domestic and international tourists. Local customers are largely bringing their own reusable cup while tourists are utilising the collective €2 2GoCup deposit scheme.

Killian Treacy, owner of LUNA deli + wine, and spokesperson for the Killarney Coffee Cup Project, said:

"We are delighted with how the move has been received by customers. We knew that people were supportive of the decision and understood why we were doing it, but it is encouraging to see how quickly our customers have adapted.

"It is really positive to walk through the town and the National Park and to see the number of people with a reusable cup in their hands. Some of the strongest feedback we have received has been from the waste management workers due to the reduction of coffee cup litter on the streets as well as in the public bins in the town. We are really enthused by the differences we have seen in such a short space of time.”

The project has been supported by local partners including the Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, Killarney Credit Union, Kerry County Council, 2GoCup, WanderWild Festival, Kerry Convention Bureau, and AIB.

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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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