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Not ONE – but FIVE awards – for The Lake Hotel

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6 years ago

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CELEBRATING: The Lake Hotel has received five prestigious Irish Hotel awards. Pictured l-r were: Alan McGough, Samir Bettayeb, Vinshant Sharma, Jelena Jerkovic, Noel Enright (front) Executive Head Chef, Dominik Krpic, Stanislav Gnjatovic, Dominika Gustafikova, Owen O’Mahony, Josh Harrison, Kacper Malinowski, Florian Lekndreaj, Pavol Slauka, Kara Huggard, Anthony Barber (Restaurant Manager), Ashley Dunlea (Revenue Manager), Asta Penggai (Breakfast Chef) and Sheila O’Callaghan (Sales & Marketing Manager).

 

 

By Michelle Crean

The Lake Hotel receives five prestigious Irish Hotel awards – a welcomed boost as the hotel reopens its doors.

Just as they reopened their doors post-lockdown one local hotel was thrilled to learn that they had secured not one - but - five Irish Hotel awards.

The great news for The Lake Hotel, Killarney, comes following a rigorous inspection earlier in the year by The Irish Hotel awards who celebrate the amazing commitment and dedication of the hospitality industry in Ireland to providing simply outstanding guest experiences.

They won four provincial “Best in Munster” accolades: Fine Dining Hotel of the year, Great Irish Breakfast, Country House Hotel of the year and Anthony Barber was awarded Munster’s Restaurant Manager of the year. The Lake Hotel also received a Great Place to Stay Quality Award, in recognition of the overall quality of the product and service provided.

An awards ceremony was due to take place in March, however due it was postponed due to the lockdown restrictions at the time. The awards came as a lovely surprise and is an uplifting boost just as the team prepared to restart the business.

“We are extremely proud of our team," Sales and Marketing Manager, Sheila O’Callaghan said this week.

"To be recognised for excellence across so many categories is a fantastic achievement. These awards are a true testament to the hard work and dedication of our outstanding team.”

She said to receive the title of Munster’s Fine Dining Hotel is a phenomenal accomplishment.

[caption id="attachment_33006" align="alignleft" width="292"] Executive Head Chef, Noel Enright and Restaurant Manager, Anthony Barber. Photo: Don MacMonagle[/caption]

The Lake Hotel’s Castlelough Restaurant is a multi-award winning entity, previously awarded Best Hotel Restaurant, retaining a 2AA Rosette for five consecutive years and now recognised as Best Fine Dining venue in Munster. The success of The Lake Hotel’s dining space is due to the experience and commitment of Restaurant Manager, Anthony Barber, Executive Chef Noel Enright and both their teams. Award winning Chef Noel Enright is highly committed to delivering culinary excellence with delectable seasonally attuned menus, using the best of locally sourced produce.

Anthony Barber, winner of Munster’s Restaurant Manager of the year, has led the food departments at The Lake Hotel for seven years.

"He is passionate about providing an exemplary customer service experience and takes great pride in his work. Anthony is also an accomplished wine connoisseur, pairing wines beautifully with varied dishes.

The Lake Hotel also received Munster’s Great Irish Breakfast award; this is owed to the faultless work ethic of the superbly talented breakfast chef Asta Penggai. Asta has been serving up breakfast at The Lake Hotel for five years and is a true asset to the team."

 

[caption id="attachment_33005" align="alignleft" width="278"] The Lake Hotel, Killarney Breakfast Chef, Asta Penggai. Photo: Don MacMonagle[/caption]

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Sinn Féin to host public meeting on cost of living at Killarney Heights Hotel

Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm. […]

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9 hours ago

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25 May 2026

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Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm.

The Donegal TD will be joined by Kerry TD Pa Daly to discuss the economic pressures facing local households and the policy changes needed to provide financial relief. The main focus of the evening will center on the barriers preventing local people from buying their own homes, alongside broader costs of living challenges.
Speaking exclusively to the Killarney Advertiser ahead of his visit, Deputy Doherty said workers and families across Kerry are being squeezed from every direction by rising weekly shops, high energy bills, increasing insurance premiums, and substantial housing costs.
“Young people are losing hope that they will ever own a home in the county where they were raised,” Deputy Doherty said. “And while all of this is happening, the government is sitting on billions in budget surpluses while telling struggling families to wait. It is simply not good enough.”
The Sinn Féin finance spokesperson highlighted specific regional factors making the crisis acute in County Kerry, particularly regarding home heating costs.
“Almost 59% of homes in Kerry rely on home heating oil, which is nearly double the state average of 34%,” he said. “That means families across the county are far more exposed to soaring fuel costs than households in many other parts of the state. Yet the government withdrew supports that were helping households keep the lights on and heat their homes.”
Deputy Doherty noted that the housing situation in Kerry has moved beyond a social issue and is now impacting the local economy and communities. He pointed to figures showing average rents in the county have reached €1,493 per month, with exceptionally low market availability.
“At the time of writing, there were only 27 properties available online to rent across the entire county. Only 19 were below €2,000 a month and just five were available for less than €1,500. A county the size of Kerry, and only five rental properties affordable to someone on an ordinary income,” he said.
He also raised concerns for first-time buyers, noting that average house prices in Kerry have climbed to €296,000, representing an increase of €33,500 in a single year.
During the meeting, the Sinn Féin representatives will outline their party’s alternative proposals. These include a state-led program of affordable home building, a ban on excessive rent increases, enhanced protections for renters, and immediate energy credits and tax relief for workers.
“The resources exist to do this,” Deputy Doherty added. “The government’s own figures show billions in surplus funds available to the state. The issue is not a lack of money. The issue is political choice.”
The meeting is open to all members of the public, and a discussion session will follow the main presentations.

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National Park hosts weekend Bioblitz for National Biodiversity Week

Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment. Today, Friday, […]

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10 hours ago

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25 May 2026

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Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment.

Today, Friday, May 22, marks the UN International Day for Biological Diversity, and a series of free events will run across the park until the national celebration concludes this Sunday, May 24.
The highlight of the weekend is the Killarney National Park Bioblitz. This event brings families, nature lovers, and community volunteers together to find, identify, and record as many different plant and animal species as possible across the park’s diverse habitats over the next three days.
Christopher O’Sullivan, Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, encouraged locals and visitors alike to utiliSe the final days of the festival to experience the area’s unique wildlife, referencing Killarney’s native habitats as key areas the state is working to protect.
Niall Ó Donnchú, Director General of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), noted that the week is designed to remind people that native plants, woodlands, and rivers are vital systems that make life possible. OrganiSers are encouraging anyone in the locality to head out to Killarney National Park before Sunday evening to participate in the species count and support local conservation efforts.

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