News
Over 50 new jobs at Hilliard’s as new Killarney business opens

One of the most iconic and distinguished retail brands in Killarney’s long and proud commercial history is to be revived as part of an exciting new business venture due to open its doors in the coming days.
Hilliard’s – the name chosen for a vibrant new restaurant and cocktail bar on 6/7 Main Street – will have huge significance for a whole generation of people in Killarney given the major influence the Hilliard family had in the area for well over a century and a half.
The official opening has been planned for Friday, July 8 but there is some suggestion of a sneak-peak this coming weekend.
The unveiling of the back to the future brand is particularly appropriate given that the new development, undertaken by the Sheahan Group, located on the exact site of the former R Hilliard and Sons department store which remains a landmark building on the town’s main retail thoroughfare.
The new venture will bring the number of people employed by the Sheahan Group to over 500 with more than 50 new jobs being created at Hilliard’s.
Members of the Hilliard family are thrilled that the name and building will again become central to the commercial life of Killarney town.
The House of Hilliard, established in 1848, is synonymous with enduring quality, craftsmanship and style. For 148 years, Hilliard’s traded as a department store, attracting well-heeled shoppers to sample an unrivalled selection of fine, handmade wares, from haberdashery to drapery and footwear.
The thread of masterful crafting will be sewn through the new Hilliard’s experience, from signature cocktails and small plates to delicious mains, comprising the freshest local ingredients, in a space thoughtfully designed to be welcoming and inviting.
Hilliard’s today, as before, has a family business at its core. The new team will be led by executive chef Diarmuid Murphy, head chef Rory Gabriel, mixologist Ariel Sanecki and operations manager Siobhan Whelan.
The striking feature original sign at the top of the building’s exterior, dating back to 1917, has been painstakingly restored by master craftsmen to ensure the business remains true to its roots at the beating heart of Killarney town.
Originally commissioned by John Hilliard, who consulted with the Irish language department in UCC, it was the first Irish language façade in Killarney and the first use of the word ‘Teoranta’ on any sign of its kind on a shopfront.
Hilliard’s, the stylish elder sister of JM Reidys, will add significantly to Main Street’s rich and colourful history while ensuring a bright future.
News
Eight month wait for a driving test in Killarney
A Killarney councillor is calling for action in an effort to reduce the driving test wait list in Killarney The current wait list for a test in Killarney sits at […]

A Killarney councillor is calling for action in an effort to reduce the driving test wait list in Killarney
The current wait list for a test in Killarney sits at eight months.
Cllr John O’Donoghue raised the issue at Monday’s full meeting of Kerry County Council.
He proposed that driving instructors should be employed to carry out the final test to reduce the current backlog.
At Monday’s meeting he asked that hat Kerry County Council would write to the Minister for Transport to ask him to consider giving driving instructors temporary powers to issue a temporary Driving Licence/Certificate of Competence to those on the waiting list for tests.
“The wait is currently far too long and the system is in danger of becoming completely overwhelmed,” he said.
“The huge waiting list for young drivers is well documented at this stage. In a case I am familiar with, a young person passed their theory test in January 2022 and he immediately applied for his mandatory 12 driving lessons. When these were completed, he applied for his driving test on the 2nd of December 2022. Some weeks ago, he still had not received an application to apply for his driving test. This wait is placing him and his family under considerable extra cost and stress which is completely unacceptable.”
In the course of his research into the matter Cllr O’Donoghue discovered that the next available date for a driving test in Killarney is May 25, 2024, while Tralee is June 3 2024.
“Bear in mind, these are only the dates on which you receive an invitation to book your test, the test itself will then be an estimated three to five weeks later.
“This is an appalling situation and one which needs to be rectified as a matter of urgency. I am proposing that driving instructors, which presumably are fully trained up on the rules of the road, be granted temporary powers to be allowed to issue temporary driving licences to young people. When the waiting list time has been reduced, I would still propose that these people sit the test as usual, but the current pressure needs to be alleviated as soon as possible. There is precedent as I believe that in the 1970s, a cohort in this country were issued driving licences without having sat a test as the wait time for the test was too long.”
News
Ballymac charity vintage run on October 1
The Ballymac Vintage Club is hosting a classic car, tractor and Honda 50 run on October 1. The run will leave from and return to the Halfway Bar, Ballymac. Registration […]

The Ballymac Vintage Club is hosting a classic car, tractor and Honda 50 run on October 1.
The run will leave from and return to the Halfway Bar, Ballymac.
Registration begins at 9:30am and sets off at 11am.
“There will be two separate routes with one for tractors and the other for cars and motorbikes. Proceeds on the day are in aid of Castleisland Day Care Centre and we’ll have plenty of spot prizes to giveaway too in the morning,” said the club’s PRO Kieran Glover.
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