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National Park gets a makeover ahead of Royal visit

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Although the trip itself is yet to be officially confirmed (a statement is expected from Buckingham Palace early next week), Killarney is gearing up for the visit of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla with renovations already under way around the National Park.

Unconfirmed reports have suggested that the National Parks and Wildlife Service are spending upwards of €10,000 on the makeover, as efforts are well under way to ensure the royals are suitably impressed with their brief visit to our town. It has been suggested that Charles and Camilla will spend four hours in Killarney on Friday, June 15 before moving on their next port of call.

Any improvements to our park are, of course, always welcome and fair play for the powers that be for forking out the money to spruce it up a little, but there’s something a bit disconcerting about their reasoning.

Why does it take a royal visit for such an investment? Over half a million non-royals visit Muckross House annually during their stay in Killarney. Why are we making such a fuss over these two particular individuals, especially when they’re only here for a few hours? It seems a bit archaic to be honest.

I suppose the argument could be made that Prince Charles and Camilla’s visit will lead to an increase in British tourists coming to Killarney. But is that slightly overestimating the esteem in which the royal family are held in this day and age, even in their own country? Maybe not. Hopefully it does prove to be a great boon to our economy.

Either way, I suppose we should be grateful that our National Park got a nice little touch-up. Thanks Charles!

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Killarney sweeps county selections in national carvery awards

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Killarney has taken seven of the nine Kerry spots named as “Knorr Recommended Roast 2026” venues.

The nationwide programme, now in its third year, evaluates pubs and hotels through independent mystery diners to check carvery and roast dinner quality across the country.

Venues across Munster performed above the national average, with a combined score of 81.5% compared to the country-wide average of 80.5%.


The seven Killarney and surrounding area locations making the list include Hannigan’s at the International Hotel, the Killarney Court Hotel, and the Mill Brasserie at the Killarney Heights Hotel.

The Kerry Way Bar & Restaurant in Glenflesk also earned a recommendation, alongside the Killarney Oaks Hotel.


Two local establishments made the list for the first time this year, with the Kenmare Rooms at the Killarney Avenue Hotel and Scott’s Hotel both listed as new entries for 2026.

The remaining two county spots went to Tralee-based venues, namely the Brogue Inn on Rock Street and Gally’s on the Castlemaine Road.

To achieve inclusion in the 148 venues selected across Ireland, each establishment had to demonstrate consistent quality, portion standard, and execution in their daily roast offerings.

Jim Reeves, Customer Director Ireland at Unilever Food Solutions, noted that the results show an exceptional standard of local food and hospitality, stating that each selected venue has a long-standing reputation for serving top-notch carvery dishes.

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Resurfacing works announced for key sections of N22

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A programme of resurfacing works has been confirmed for several key sections of the N22 in and around Killarney.

The investment will involve replacing the road wearing course under the HD28 road maintenance programme to address areas impacted by high traffic volumes.

The project was confirmed at the June full meeting of Kerry County Council and covers four specific locations along the route.

Works will take place on the N22 from the Killarney Leisure Centre through the SuperValu Roundabout to the Coolcaslagh Junction, including the Lissyviggeen Roundabout.

Upgrades are also scheduled for the N22 Killarney Bypass from east of the Kilcummin Junction to the north of the Cleeny Roundabout.

Additionally, resurfacing will be carried out at Madams Hill from the Viewing Park to the north of BG Motors, as well as another section of the N22 running from approximately 1.8 kilometres south of Lawlor’s Cross up to the cross itself.

The works are currently out to tender, with responses expected back shortly. Construction is anticipated to begin in July, with the majority of the resurfacing scheduled to take place at night to minimise disruption for motorists.

The allocation has been welcomed by Deputy Michael Healy-Rae TD and Councillor Jackie Healy-Rae, who noted the importance of the corridor for commuters, tourism, and local businesses.


Deputy Michael Healy-Rae stated that the N22 is one of the most important transport corridors in Kerry and carries thousands of vehicles every day.

He added that maintaining and improving the condition of the road network is vital for road safety, tourism, local businesses, and commuters, while acknowledging Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Kerry County Council for prioritising the funding.

Councillor Jackie Healy-Rae added that well-maintained infrastructure is a basic expectation for residents and visitors alike.

He said that while road maintenance may not always grab headlines, it is one of the most important investments that can be made to improve driving conditions for residents, visitors, and businesses.

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