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Margaret to be Killarney’s guest of honour

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Internationally renowned tourism administrator Margaret Cahill will be the grand marshal for this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in Killarney.

She is a vastly experienced ambassador for the industry having headed up operations for the then Bord Fáilte and, later, Tourism Ireland in North America, Canada and the UK.

Now retired, Ms Cahill, who divides her time between Killarney and the UK, managed the mainland European market for the tourism body having joined the then Bord Fáilte in New York in 1970, rising to the position of promotions and marketing manager.

She was appointed General Manager, Britain, with Bord Fáilte in 1987 and, in September 2000, Bord Fáilte appointed her to head up the mainland European markets, a post she was subsequently appointed to on the formation of Tourism Ireland.

A native of Carnaross, Co Meath but with very strong Kerry connections, Ms Cahill started her hugely successful career with Cork/Kerry Tourism and she was based in Killarney Tourist Office.

She went on to become one of the most influential and successful visitor industry administrators of her generation.

She headed up B&B Ireland, a body representing the majority B&B owners on the island and she is also the Ireland President of Skål, the international association of travel and tourism professionals and the only professional organisation promoting global tourism and friendship.

The guests of honour at this year’s parade will be Margaret and her husband, Jimmy Dunne, Mayor of Killarney Cllr Marie Moloney and her husband, Michael, and President of Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, Niall Kelleher.

This year’s parade theme will be Earth/An Chré to celebrate the planet we live on, the ground that sustains us and the world we share with 7.8 billion other inhabitants and it will also celebrate Killarney as one of the best towns of all in which to live, to work and to visit.

The parade, organised and funded by Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, Kerry County Council and Fáilte Ireland, will commence on Mission Road at 2pm on Thursday.

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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 […]

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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.

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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 […]

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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.”

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