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Killarney hoteliers demand government action

By Sean Moriarty
Hoteliers in Killarney say that the government has no plan when it comes to the future of International Protection applicants currently living in the town.
Hotel Killarney on Park Road is home to approximately 400 men, women and children of varying nationalities, ethnic backgrounds and religious affiliations.
Other hotels in town are home to a large Ukrainian community who are fleeing the war in their homeland.
Killarney also has at least three Direct Provision centres that have been accommodating International Protection applicants for close to 20 years.
However, problems have been on the rise since the arrival of the latest group International Protection applicants in October.
It began when Ukrainian families were asked to leave Hotel Killarney to make way for 400 new arrivals.
Thanks to local intervention, the Ukrainian families were allowed to stay and some of them were relocated to other hotels in the town as a temporary measure.
As a result, the 400 International Protection applicants took up residence in Killarney and since then there have been widespread reports of intimidation and harassment by a minority of these new residents in different locations across town.
A Killarney Municipal District meeting in November heard various complaints from councillors that locals were afraid to walk Park Road.
The situation reached boiling point on Sunday night when up to 20 people were involved in a mass brawl.
Hotels have three and six-month contracts with the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) which means hotels currently providing temporary accommodation will be faced with a dilemma once these contracts expire.
Bernadette Randles, chair of the Kerry Branch of the Irish Hoteliers Federation, is calling for the government to come up with a plan.
“The government need to make decisions, the three leaders [Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, and Environment Minister Eamon Ryan] need to deal with this,” she told the Killarney Advertiser. “What is the plan for the people, the people of Killarney, the people employed in tourism and those seeking International Protection?”
Ms Randles also confirmed that there was no foundation in a social media report circulating this week that the Killarney hoteliers had met and voted to not renew all Direct Provision contracts. There was "no such meeting", she said.
The majority of Killarney hotels are not contracted to provide International Protection services and remains open for tourism business.
News
Ireland’s oldest citizen has Killarney connections
Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week. Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections. The previous record […]

Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week.
Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections.
The previous record was held by 107-year-old Nancy Stewart who died on September 10 2021.
Although born in Belfast, Máirín went to school in the Mercy Convent. Her father was a customs and excise officer and the family moved around a lot eventually coming to Killarney after spells in County Down and Dublin.
Her mother came from the Rathmore area and her father was from Newmarket in County Cork.
She attended the Mercy Convent and has, in previous interviews, recalled growing up on the shores of Lough Lein.
“Neighbours who had three children were given the job of taking me to school,” she said. “They were annoyed because the children were going to school for two or three years but I was put in to the same class as them – my mother had taught me.”
In 2021 she featured in the book ‘Independence Memories: A People’s Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation’, sharing stories of being kept in school in Killarney during an attack on the RIC barracks down the road.
In 1924 she started a degree in science and a diploma in education at University College Cork, before working in the pathology lab in University College Cork’s Department of Medicine for 16 years.
last year she recalled her story on the podcast: ‘Living History – Irish Life and Lore’.
During the broadcast she talked about her parents’ membership of the Gaelic League in 1910; the Spanish Flu in Ireland in 1918; The Black and Tans in Killarney in 1921; the early days of the new Free State; Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 1932, visiting the Basket Islands in 1929; and working in the UCC medical laboratory from 1932 until 1948.
This week President Michael D. Higgins hosted an afternoon tea event to celebrate the important role that a variety of people have and can play in different communities and Máirín was among the guests of honour.
News
Philip is running over 100kms for Cancer charity
Local runner and charity fundraiser Philip Kissane is set for the biggest challenge of his career as he lines up for the Cork City Marathon on Sunday. Phillip has already […]

Local runner and charity fundraiser Philip Kissane is set for the biggest challenge of his career as he lines up for the Cork City Marathon on Sunday.
Phillip has already completed four half marathons at various locations around Killarney – all in aid of Kerry Cancer Support Group – or the Cancer Bus as it popularly called.
This is the second time that Phillip has run four half marathon and an official race for the charity.
Back in 2021 he finished with 5km Run Killarney event but his finishing race this time around is over eight times the distance at 42kms.
“We are delighted with Philip’s continued fundraising support but also with his awareness raising for the charity,” Breda Dyland, Service Manager Kerry Cancer Support Trust.
“We are getting busier all the time and still get no statutory funding so are dependent on fundraisers like Philip’s to keep us on the road. We have just put our new wheelchair accessible bus on the Cork route so Philip’s funding will be going towards the operation of this vehicle.”