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.