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Races ensure a massive €8m boost for Killarney

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KILLARNEY Races are now worth nearly €8 million to the local economy and the company that organises the three yearly festivals insists that the estimate is on the conservative side.

Hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, bars, shops and transport service providers all report a boom during the races in May, July and August, in addition to fashion houses and hair and beauty professionals who enjoy a huge spin-off from the Queen of Fashion event in July and Ladies Day in August.

An extra day of racing was added in July – bringing the total number to 12 in the year – and a whopping €1.5 million in prizemoney was on offer for the 2018 season.

“The hope is to increase this next year, along with adding new dates to our already busy calendar,” said Killarney Race Company Chairman, Gerard Coughlan.

He said attendances for the three festivals was hugely encouraging and he thanked all patrons and sponsors who supported the races.

“We went out on a real high with a 15 per cent increase in attendance last Saturday, the closing day of the August Festival, bringing a very successful year on the track to a wonderful climax.

“Despite the drought, the course was in pristine condition for all three festivals and we would like to compliment course supervisor, Padraig Bruton, and his team for their great work,” Mr Coughlan stated.

Killarney is unique in Irish Racing in that it hosts two separate Ladies Day events. This year marked Dawn Milk’s 25th consecutive year associated with Killarney Racecourse through Queen of Fashion sponsorship in July and a new sponsor joined this year for the August Ladies Day with Simply Suits of Killarney and Cork coming on board.

Another big attraction this year was the arrival at the track, by helicopter, of newly crowned Rose of Tralee, Kirstin Mate Maher, who was making the first public appearance of her 12-month reign presenting the Killarney Advertiser Handicap winners

In keeping with the company’s customer care policy, a complimentary return shuttle bus service from the town centre to the track and back was very well received by racegoers and it assisted greatly with the overall traffic management plan in place in the town.

Behind the scenes, a new addition this year was the provision of ice baths for the competing jockeys and they were absolutely delighted with that facility.

On the racing front, there were a number of notable performers with a potential superstar winning his maiden in Killarney in July. Anthony Van Duck won by eight lengths and he has followed up since with wins in a Group 3 and, most recently, a Group 2 at the Curragh. Anthony Van Dyck is also the current ante-post favourite for the 2019 Epsom Derby.

Another impressive winner in Killarney in July was Wicklow Brave who went on to win in Galway before returning to the August festival to win again.

Peregrine Run won in Killarney in July 2017 and followed that a year and a month later to win the feature race last Saturday. Camlann, meanwhile, won in Killarney in July and followed up with a victory at the Galway festival while Espere won in Killarney in May and also tasted success in Galway.

Lizzies Champ finished second in Killarney in July and went on to win in Galway.

“Killarney has unearthed some notable performers in the past along with some household names such as Derby winner Wings of Eagles and we hope that many more superstars will perform at the track in years to come,” said Sales and Marketing Manager Peter O’Reilly.

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Massive Park Road housing development given green light

A private developer has been given planning permission to build 249 new residential units at Upper Park Road. The development, which will be built on a recently cleared site near […]

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A private developer has been given planning permission to build 249 new residential units at Upper Park Road.

The development, which will be built on a recently cleared site near An Post’s sorting office, will include a variety of properties from five-bed houses to single apartments, along with a crèche and over 500 car spaces and over 300 bike spaces.

The development has been welcomed by local councillor Martin Grady.

“Killarney has a massive housing shortage so this is very positive. It will retain young families in the area, stimulating economic growth,” he said. “After 17 years of different planning applications it’s finally coming to fruition.”

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Ballydribeen residents living in fear due to anti-social behaviour

Residents in the Ballydribeen are living in fear as a result of increased anti-social behaviour in the estate. Several serious incidents in the estate have resulted in several Garda visits […]

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Residents in the Ballydribeen are living in fear as a result of increased anti-social behaviour in the estate.

Several serious incidents in the estate have resulted in several Garda visits in the last week.

Local councillor Martin Grady told the Killarney Advertiser that residents are “living in fear” as a result of very serious incidents in the last week alone.

One house in the estate was badly damaged when fire crackers were placed inside a letter box.

Another house had its windows smashed in over the weekend.

“It’s a major problem,” added Grady after meeting residents there earlier this week.

One of the most serious incidents occurred on Tuesday night.

A passing motorists had rocks thrown at his car while driving along the bypass whch is adjacent to the estate.
Taking to social media, local primary-school teacher Pádraig O’Sullivan posted:

“Travelling home tonight, at 11.05pm on the Killarney side of the bypass our car was hit by a rock – not a pebble – from the Ballydribben side , which hit the passenger door.

“It was centimetres away from hitting the window where my father, who is visually impaired, was sitting.

“This could have caused catastrophic permanent injury to him.

“The Killarney Garda were on the scene within three minutes.

“They can’t be patrolling the bypass all night.

“It comes down to parenting. You should know where your children are at this hour and be able to teach them what’s funny and what ruin a person’s life or cause a fatal crash.“

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