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Killarney to celebrate Independence Day in style

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American-style razzmatazz, the likes of which has never been seen in Kerry before, will ensure Killarney is a riot of colour and excitement for this year’s eagerly awaited 4th July celebrations.

This will be the landmark 10th year of the festival which will be more spectacular than ever before and the proof of that can be found in the incredibly packed and exciting programme of events lined up.

Festival Chairman, Diarmuid Leen, Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce Events Manager Katy Jacobi and their dedicated committee of volunteers have organised a wonderful celebration to mark Independence Day which, this year, will see great entertainment and fun-filled activities not only on Tuesday, July 4 but also on Monday, July 3.

An open invitation has been extended to everyone to celebrate America’s big holiday in Killarney which is a town with a very close association with the US for generations.

The great celebrations will include a gala and colourful parade through the streets, open air concerts and music sessions, an outdoor screening of a movie classic, a bumper street party and so much more.

MONDAY NIGHT OPENING

The festival will get off to a rocking start on Monday, July 3 when hugely popular local band Truly Diverse will perform at an open air concert at Killarney House and Gardens from 9.00pm to 9.45pm and that will be followed at 10.00pm by an open air screening of the smash hit movie Mamma Mia with the audience invited to singalong to all the favourite ABBA hits.

The gates of Killarney House and Gardens will open from 8.30pm and tickets for the free admission event, which are in huge demand, are available from Eventbrite.

The Independence Day festivities on July 4 will get underway, appropriately, with the traditional raising of the American flag at the town hall with the Mayor of Killarney and the President of Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce presiding at 3.00pm.

The ceremony will be followed by a musical performance by the Three O’s who will deliver a string of finger-clicking classics at Kenmare Place from 3.15pm with all the old favourites from Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin and Elvis Presley on the playlist.

Main Street, Killarney will take on a distinctive downtown Manhattan vibe all afternoon with the Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam forming a perfect backdrop and selfie props as patrons can enjoy the atmosphere with an interactive drum show while street entertainers, balloon artists and face painters will be roaming the streets.

The local sheriff has been tipped off to expect an influx of colourful cowboys on the Tuesday afternoon but he expects them to be on their best behaviour as they join in the fabulous Independence Day party.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Brass bands will be performing on the streets from 6.00pm, a lively DJ will get the street party going from 6.45pm and at 7.00pm will be the great highlight of the Killarney’s 4th of July celebrations with a big parade winding its way through the streets.

It will feature spectacular floats, marching bands, cheerleaders, Disney characters, leather-clad motorcyclists on their dream machines and colourful flag bearers and it really is a visual feast that should not be missed.

The parade will be led by visiting American footballers all the way from Georgia Tech and in attendance will be their star kicker, Castleisland native David Shanahan, a former Kerry minor footballer.

And the celebrations won’t end there as a Beat on the Street, with DJ Brendan Fuller, will keep partygoers on their toes as Killarney soaks up the unique atmosphere of Ireland’s greatest 4th July festival.

The celebrations are organised by Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce with the support of Kerry County Council, Fáilte Ireland and the National Parks and Wildlife Service and with the generosity of sponsors Heineken, Killarney Park Hotel, Great Southern Hotel Killarney, O’Donoghue Ring Collection, GMIB, Reidy’s, The Grand and others.

Anybody over the age of 18 available to volunteer at the festival, assisting with stewarding and marshalling duties, is asked to contact the 4th of July committee on 087-6437596.

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Con O’Leary: Killarney loses a vibrant and popular personality

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the […]

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Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the early hours of Sunday.

Con was a vibrant and popular personality in Killarney where he operated The Laurels on Main Street, a thriving bar and restaurant, which he inherited following the passing of his father, Thado.
The business organisation said from a social perspective, The Laurels became the beating heart of the town and it was a landmark at the Market Cross in the same way as Clery’s clock was in the capital city.
Chamber said Con’s passing really marks the end of an era as he was one of a golden age of inspirational local business people who developed and built Killarney, through hard work, bravery and great commercial flair, and helped create the wonderful tourist attraction and holiday destination it is today.
“Con was very proud of Killarney and he played a very active part in progressing the town at many levels.
“He was a man that was never short of great ideas and his contribution to the business life of the town and as a director of Killarney Race Company was immense,” Chamber said.
“He was ahead of his time in many respects with the introduction by what became known as “the singing lounge” many years ago and The Laurels always led by example through its successes in the annual Killarney Looking Good competition”.
The business representative organisation noted that the O’Leary family has always been very supporting of the town and Con’s daughter, Kate, was a very dynamic Chamber President and is still a very valued member of the executive.
Chamber expressed deep sympathy to Con’s wife, Anne, children Kate, Niall, Tara and Lorna, sons-in-law, grandchildren, sisters, relatives and friends as well as the dedicated staff in The Laurels, past and present, who Con always had great time for and a great rapport with.

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All Roads Lead To Kerry For National Road Safety Conference

Kerry County Council is to host a two-day road safety conference at the INEC Killarney on May 28 and 29. The ‘Safer Roads’ road safety conference is an inter-agency event […]

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Kerry County Council is to host a two-day road safety conference at the INEC Killarney on May 28 and 29.

The ‘Safer Roads’ road safety conference is an inter-agency event focused on improving road safety, reducing traffic-related incidents, and sharing knowledge and best practices for safer road use. It encompasses various strategies and efforts across multiple domains, including road design, engineering, enforcement, forensic collision investigation, technology, education, collision trends, occupational driving, cycling and scooting, e-mobility, active & sustainable travel and on-road events.

In addition to this, AI, Virtual Reality and Driver Simulation will play a significant role at the conference, in improving safety by predicting and preventing accidents, optimizing traffic, and aiding the development of autonomous vehicles.

This ‘Safer Roads’ conference is a non-public event where road safety professionals, speakers and service providers from across Ireland, other EU countries and the UK will attend, including transportation experts, government and local authority officials, roads policing and vehicle inspection agencies, road safety advocates, educators and promoters, collision responders, cycling bodies and community safety networks.

Kerry County Council’s Road Safety Officer Declan Keogh said:
“Road safety has evolved over the years to a much broader scope, in terms of e-mobility, sustainability, technology and engineering for instance. It’s not just about the road or the vehicle anymore, but also about how technology, human behaviour, enforcement, and education intersect to reduce risks and prevent collisions. The ‘Safer Roads’ conference will involve and include every branch of the road safety tree, right across the board, and in doing so, we aim to increase road safety awareness, improve road user behaviour and decrease the collisions and carnage we see on our roads every day,”

The two-day conference also provides an opportunity for exhibitors to attend, and interested state bodies, businesses and service providers are invited to exhibit at the event to showcase their products and services and engage with delegates and officials at the conference.

Further information about the conference and how to register or exhibit can be found here. https://www.kerrycoco.ie/safer-roads-road-safety-conference/

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