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Killarney Gin “the true taste of summer”
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The Killarney Distilling Company, which is owned by the people behind the hugely successful Killarney Brewing Company, have revealed details about their soon-to-be released Killarney Gin - and it sounds delicious.
Speaking to the Killarney Advertiser, owner Paul Sheahan and GM Barry Spellman outlined the plans for their first spirit, which firmly puts Killarney Distilling Company on the map.
“The heather honey gin is made with wild Irish botanicals and local raw honey,” Paul explains. “It’s our ode to the hard-working bees of our beautiful surrounds. We wanted something that was indigenous to Killarney. The purple heather of the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks… You can really taste the sweetness of the raw honey as well as the wild botanicals coming through.
“We’ve worked for months with one of Ireland’s foremost master distillers to develop our recipe,” Paul continues. “Right now we’re contract distilling it in small batches off-site and bringing it to Killarney. We’ll be spreading our wings from there. We’re currently in the process of purchasing a site for our distillery, and we’re going to be distilling whiskey. As a precursor to that, we’re developing a gin in order to get the ball rolling.”
Gin has very much become the “in” drink in recent times and it is hoped that Killarney Gin will prove to be a popular addition to the market. Pre-orders are currently being taken and the people of Killarney can expect to see it in bars around town and beyond in the not too distant future.
“There has been a massive rise in the appetite for gin, not just in Ireland but across Europe and worldwide,” Barry explains. “It’s a classic spirit, a refreshing, flavourful drink that you can make a lot of cocktails with it. It’s perfect for the summertime. Wait ‘til you try our signature Bees Knees cocktail…”
News
Eight month wait for a driving test in Killarney
A Killarney councillor is calling for action in an effort to reduce the driving test wait list in Killarney The current wait list for a test in Killarney sits at […]

A Killarney councillor is calling for action in an effort to reduce the driving test wait list in Killarney
The current wait list for a test in Killarney sits at eight months.
Cllr John O’Donoghue raised the issue at Monday’s full meeting of Kerry County Council.
He proposed that driving instructors should be employed to carry out the final test to reduce the current backlog.
At Monday’s meeting he asked that hat Kerry County Council would write to the Minister for Transport to ask him to consider giving driving instructors temporary powers to issue a temporary Driving Licence/Certificate of Competence to those on the waiting list for tests.
“The wait is currently far too long and the system is in danger of becoming completely overwhelmed,” he said.
“The huge waiting list for young drivers is well documented at this stage. In a case I am familiar with, a young person passed their theory test in January 2022 and he immediately applied for his mandatory 12 driving lessons. When these were completed, he applied for his driving test on the 2nd of December 2022. Some weeks ago, he still had not received an application to apply for his driving test. This wait is placing him and his family under considerable extra cost and stress which is completely unacceptable.”
In the course of his research into the matter Cllr O’Donoghue discovered that the next available date for a driving test in Killarney is May 25, 2024, while Tralee is June 3 2024.
“Bear in mind, these are only the dates on which you receive an invitation to book your test, the test itself will then be an estimated three to five weeks later.
“This is an appalling situation and one which needs to be rectified as a matter of urgency. I am proposing that driving instructors, which presumably are fully trained up on the rules of the road, be granted temporary powers to be allowed to issue temporary driving licences to young people. When the waiting list time has been reduced, I would still propose that these people sit the test as usual, but the current pressure needs to be alleviated as soon as possible. There is precedent as I believe that in the 1970s, a cohort in this country were issued driving licences without having sat a test as the wait time for the test was too long.”
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Ballymac charity vintage run on October 1
The Ballymac Vintage Club is hosting a classic car, tractor and Honda 50 run on October 1. The run will leave from and return to the Halfway Bar, Ballymac. Registration […]

The Ballymac Vintage Club is hosting a classic car, tractor and Honda 50 run on October 1.
The run will leave from and return to the Halfway Bar, Ballymac.
Registration begins at 9:30am and sets off at 11am.
“There will be two separate routes with one for tractors and the other for cars and motorbikes. Proceeds on the day are in aid of Castleisland Day Care Centre and we’ll have plenty of spot prizes to giveaway too in the morning,” said the club’s PRO Kieran Glover.
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