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Killarney looking to retain Purple Flag status

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Killarney will be looking to retain its Purple Flag following the latest assessment which will take place on Friday, July 27. The flag is currently flown with pride at the Town Hall, Garda Station and at KDYS Centre. The town was awarded the Purple Flag in 2014 and it has successfully retained its status since.

Two assessors will be visiting Killarney for the overnight assessment next Friday. They will tour the town from 4pm to 3am to determine whether Killarney has a safe and vibrant early evening and night-time economy.

Local businesses have been asked to row in behind the Purple Flag initiative by taking particular care on the night in question. They have been encouraged to decorate windows in purple and a number of hotels and buildings will be lit up in purple. Business owners have also been asked to be vigorous on litter and glass, especially from 10pm onwards.

Starting this weekend, security staff around the town will wear new purple high-vis jackets and they are encouraged by Killarney Purple Flag Working Group to pay particular attention during the assessment and to communicate with the gardaí.

The Purple Flag is an international accreditation scheme for towns and city centres in the evening and at night. It is the ‘gold standard’ for early night-time entertainment destinations. Like Blue Flags for beaches, towns that meet the stringent criteria can proudly fly the flag. Purple Flag aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of night-time destinations from 5pm to 5am. Town centres that achieve a Purple Flag are those which are vibrant and well managed in the evening and night-time.  It provides a safe and friendly environment in which to live, work and socialise.

Over 70 town and city and town centres have been awarded Purple Flags in the UK and Ireland since the scheme was launched in October 2009.  The total number in the Republic of Ireland is 16.

The Purple Flag accreditation is based on five sets of criteria that town centres must meet in order to obtain the award. These include wellbeing in terms of safety and care, movement meaning transport and car parking, appeal of restaurants, bars, other venues including arts and culture, place in terms of location and design and, most importantly, the policy envelope which shows a collaboration between sectors, agencies, service providers and policy-makers.

Killarney’s Purple Flag initiative is led by Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, working with Killarney Municipal District/Kerry County Council, the gardaí, local businesses, groups and local schools. It is vitally important that Killarney retains its Purple Flag because the symbol is becoming widely known in the tourism industry as a major international brand.

 

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Parnell commemorated in Beaufort on 125th Anniversary of Land League meeting

A special ceremony was held in Beaufort to mark the 125th anniversary of Charles Stewart Parnell’s historic visit to the village in 1880, when the Irish nationalist leader addressed thousands […]

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A special ceremony was held in Beaufort to mark the 125th anniversary of Charles Stewart Parnell’s historic visit to the village in 1880, when the Irish nationalist leader addressed thousands at a pivotal land reform meeting.

The commemoration, which took place beside the Beaufort Bar, honoured the legacy of the former MP and founder of the Irish National Land League.
The original meeting was held in a field belonging to Patrick O’Sullivan and attracted a crowd of approximately 3,000, defying the orders of local landlord ‘The O’Mahony’ of Dunloe Castle, who had threatened eviction to any tenant who supported the gathering.
Padruig O’Sullivan, proprietor of the Beaufort Bar and a direct descendant of Patrick O’Sullivan, addressed attendees at the unveiling of a new monument to mark the occasion.
The stone was designed by renowned uilleann piper and artist Tomás O’Sullivan, who also composed a special piece of music titled Parnell’s Blackbird to honour the occasion.
The original 1880 meeting was reported in publications such as the ‘Dundalk Democrat’, which gave a vivid account of the powerful speeches delivered that day.

Extract from the Dundalk Democrat – May 1880

The meeting, held on Sunday, May 16, 1880 in Patrick O’Sullivan’s field south of the Beaufort Hotel, was arranged in defiance of local landlord ‘The O’Mahony,’ who warned tenants they would be evicted for taking part. Nevertheless, the turnout was overwhelming.
Parnell arrived by special train and travelled by carriage from Killarney with fellow MP ‘The O’Donoghue’. The two were met by a band and a large welcoming crowd. Police and a Government reporter were present, but the atmosphere remained peaceful and spirited.
Speakers rallied against the unjust land laws of the time. ‘The O’Donoghue’ praised Parnell as the “shining star” of Irish nationalism and stated that “Kerry desired that her meeting should partake of a national character.”
When Parnell spoke, he described it as “the largest land meeting he had attended since County Mayo” and declared the movement to reclaim Irish land as one of the greatest undertakings in Irish history. He condemned the laws that allowed landlords to evict tenants and seize food as rent payment, noting that 600,000 farmers were subject to the whims of just 10,000 landlords.
He called for legislative reform, including the suspension of evictions and Government-backed tenant purchase schemes, warning that if Parliament failed to act, “the people will do for themselves what the Legislature refuses to do for them.”
He concluded by proposing the first resolution.
“That in the opinion of this meeting, the eviction of occupiers of land for non-payment of rent arbitrarily fixed by the landlord is unjust, subversive of the true interests of the country and calls for the emphatic condemnation of all lovers of justice.”

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St Pauls sign American Maisie Burnham

Killarney’s Utility Trust St Pauls women’s basketball team has announced the signing of American player Maisie Burnham for the upcoming 2025/2026 season. The club, who performed strongly in the latter […]

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Killarney’s Utility Trust St Pauls women’s basketball team has announced the signing of American player Maisie Burnham for the upcoming 2025/2026 season.

The club, who performed strongly in the latter part of the recent season and reached the league final, is looking to build on that success.
Maisie Burnham, a 24-year-old, six-foot-tall guard from Spangle City, Washington, comes to Killarney with a strong playing record. During her time at Liberty High School, where she also played volleyball, she was a high-scoring player.
She then went to Eastern Washington University, where in the 2020/2021 season, she led the team in scoring with over 14 points per game, a record for a freshman player at the university.
Burnham later moved to the University of Portland, where her scoring average continued to improve, reaching a peak of 16.3 points per game in the 2024/2025 season.
Utility Trust St Pauls say they are looking forward to welcoming Maisie to Killarney well in advance of the new season.

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