The generosity of the man who built America also created a more spectacular Killarney and that incredible deed will be celebrated in great style in the town on Wednesday and Thursday next.

Killarney will always be extremely grateful to the McShain family, not only for the gift of Killarney House and Gardens, but for the donation of Inisfallen Island, Ross Castle and 8,000 acres of parkland, mountains and lake which John and Mary McShain presented to the town.

That remarkable kindness, when added to the generosity of the Bourn Vincent family in Muckross, helped to create Ireland’s first national park and enhance Killarney’s reputation as the country’s tourist capital.

The valued relationship will be very much to the fore during next week’s Celebration of Irish American Friendship with the captivating story of John McShain to be told, through poetry, music and song, in a special hour-long production at the Anam Arts and Cultural Centre on Thursday, July 4 (5.00pm).

Co-produced and choreographed by richly talented locals Noel Patrick O’Sullivan and Fiona Crowley, it will tell the McShain story through the thought-provoking poetry of Tim Buckley, the musical talents of Tony O’Flaherty and Miriam O’Sullivan, the voice of Mary Culloty O’Sullivan and dance courtesy of the Maureen Hegarty Academy.

Detailed script research into the life of the McShain family was conducted by Rachel Kelleher of the NPWS and special permission has been received from the Hagley Museum in Wilmington, Delaware to use iconic images from the coveted McShain family collection in the hour-long production.

“History will tell you what happened but a song will tell you how it felt,” Noel Patrick O’Sullivan said.

This year also there will be an opportunity to remember the estimated six million Irish people who emigrated to the US since 1820, whose descendants now proudly describe themselves as Irish-American.

Their story will be traced in an engaging public lecture in the appropriate setting of the Garden Room Killarney House – the former McShain residence – on the evening of Wednesday, July 3rd. The guest speaker will be acclaimed genealogist and author Kay Caball who will share insights on who emigrated and why, how and to where they travelled and their connections to the Kerry of today.

The big attraction of the Celebration of Irish American Friendship will, of course, be the spectacular parade on Thursday with fantastic floats, favourite Disney characters, beautiful princesses, marching bands and colourful cheerleaders.

The parade will start at Killarney Outlet Centre at 7.00pm and it will pass through Fair Hill, College Street, Plunkett Street and Main Street and several hundred people are expected to line the street for the gala occasion.