News
Killarney’s stately house hotel reopens today
REOPENED: Cahernane House Hotel reopened to the public today (Friday). Pictured were: General Manager Emer Corridan, (centre), with staff members Scott Kapitan, Mieszko Polakiewicz, Eric Kavanagh (Head Chef), Andre Butca, PJ Browne, Leona Hennessy (Assistant Manager), Peter Bicskei and Jordan O'Donoghue. Picture: Eamonn Keogh
By Michelle Crean
Killarney’s Cahernane House Hotel, described as Ireland’s ‘Downton Abbey’, which has undergone €6.5 million worth of renovations in a bid to return the luxury mansion house to its former glory has reopened today (Friday).
The property has been closed since December in order to allow a further €1.3 million renewal programme to be carried out over the winter months bringing the total renovation figure to €7.8 million.
The 48-bedroom hotel, situated on 6.4 acres of verdant grounds and on the edge of the Killarney Lakes and Killarney National Park, was recently accepted into Ireland’s Blue Book and the prestigious Condé Nast Johannsen’s Traveler Guide. The hotel also won an International Gold Award of Excellence for the best 4-star hotel in Ireland from CIE Tours International in January.
The stately property was built in 1877 by Henry Herbert and his wife Catherine and was purchased by PREM Group in 2016.
The €1.3m works include renovations to the former ‘Coach House’ converting the outside property into eight new luxurious bedrooms.
The elegant Drawing Room, overlooking Killarney National Park, The Library and The Atrium are all being completely reimagined. Julie Goggin has been commissioned with the interior design while architects, Moloney O’Beirne have created the design on The Coach House.
Work on The Library and The Atrium has been completed in time for today’s reopening while the work on The Coach House is expected to be completed by May, explained Emer Corridan, General Manager of Cahernane House Hotel.
“We have had a busy winter getting all the works completed on time for our reopening and are really delighted with progress to date,” Emer Corridan said.
“We all feel very connected to the building, it is part of the heritage and history of Killarney and Kerry and once the latest works are completed it will be one of Ireland’s finest hotels.”
Many of the original pieces from the house remain in Cahernane House Hotel today, including the wooden staircase, the Killarney Davenport table in the lobby and the pillar caps in the lobby, which feature the first letters of each of Henry’s first four children’s names.
News
Carols by Candlelight
St. Mary’s Cathedral, will be filled with music and glowing candles, as choirs from all over Killarney Parish gather for a community of voices together to celebrate Christmas […]

St. Mary’s Cathedral, will be filled with music and glowing candles, as choirs from all over Killarney Parish gather for a community of voices together to celebrate Christmas 2023, December17, at 7.00pm. Admission is free.
Ten Choirs from Killarney parish will join together and sing some of the world’s most beloved Christmas carols.
The carol service is directed by accomplished Musician and Choral Director, Paula Gleeson. Originally from Cork, her family have been involved in all aspects of choral and church music for 50 years.
“This is the best experience as director, working with Fr. Kieran O’Brien, and St. Mary’s Cathedral Choir, I get to work with so many talented people in Killarney. The commitment of Teachers, Principals, and the hundreds of students from the Primary and Secondary Schools is inspiring. The generosity of our sponsors, who were so willing to contribute has helped to make this night a reality. We are all so truly grateful,” she said.
Choirs include:
St. Mary’s Cathedral Parish Choir, organist Anita Lakner
Holy Cross Mercy School Choir
St. Oliver’s Primary School Choir
St. Brigid’s Secondary School Choir
St. Brendan’s Secondary School Choir
Killarney Harmonisers
Killarney Community College School Choir
Lissivigeen National School Choir
Gaelscoil Faithleann School Choir
Presentation Monastery School Choir
News
The same but different – A tribute to three great Irish musicians

Driving home from work last Friday, tributes for Shane McGowan were pouring out across the radio stations and while listening in, I got a strong sense of déjà vu.
It was only a few months earlier that we got the sad news that the talented Aslan front man Christy Dingham had passed away, and a short few weeks after that – Sinéad O’Connor. The loss of three iconic Irish musicians that left music fans across the country reeling.
When I think about each artist individually, their personalities couldn’t be more different. Yet, for days after the passing of the Pogues frontman, I found myself wondering why I was so drawn to all three.
And then, over the weekend I stumbled across a completely unrelated article which led with a headline:
“In a year dominated by artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and disingenuity, “authentic” has somehow emerged as Merriam-Webster’s word for 2023.”
And there was my answer. The one characteristic that embodied all three of these great Irish musicians.
It was my mother that first introduced me to Aslan’s music. She grew up during their peak and loved all sorts of rock music. I regularly watch their Vicar Street performances back on YouTube and still get mesmerised by Christy’s intense stage presence. Using elaborate hand gestures to evoke a greater meaning behind the words, he always looked like he was away in his own world. Off stage, and particularly later in his career, I admired him for his honesty when talking about his struggles with addiction and mental health. He was talking openly about these issues long before it was the norm.
Sinéad O’Connor was another original soul who, because of her talent, was catapulted into a music industry consumed by artificiality; she was almost too pure for it all. I always admired her unwavering commitment to her beliefs. Her authenticity was evident in every aspect of her artistry. The way she unapologetically embraced her shaved head and boy-ish style, she challenged conventional opinions around beauty. Her music reflected her personal struggles and she never shied away from addressing issues of social injustice, religion, and gender equality. Her stances often drew criticism and controversy, but she always remained true to herself.
Shane MacGowan will always be remembered for his unfiltered nature, and while the lyrics of many songs were dark and gritty, there was also an element of empathy and compassion in what he wrote. Like Christy, he too struggled with addiction and mental health issues throughout his career. While his demons sometimes spilled over into the public eye, his honesty and vulnerability just endeared him even more to us Irish.
So isn’t it apt in a year we lost three great musicians, the word of 2023 happens to be the one undeniable trait that they all shared. Thank you Christy, Sinead and Shane for showing us that authenticity is not just about being different to everyone else; but also about possessing the courage to challenge the established, to question the norms, and to keep going, even when the going gets tough.