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Sheila has dedicated her entire life to the hotel industry

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My first encounter with Sheila Casey was a number of years ago when I blew into Killarney in my late teens to be trained in hospitality during the off season at what was the Torc Great Southern Hotel, now the new cinema on Park Road.

Sheila, the eldest of six girls from Ballyhar, held the reigns training 20 or more students in Front Office Management each year. As a CERT training centre it was the norm to delve into all departments to give a true experience of how each department liaised to give great guest satisfaction.

Pauline Lyne of Park View Guesthouse was the CERT coordinator in my time, responsible for checking in 150 students by 10pm of a Sunday and checking out for 2.30pm each Friday.

“At least 150 students from all over Ireland passed through this great facility each year which is a facility I think is hugely lacking in the tourism industry today,” Sheila said.

We both wondered how many students during her term, 1991-2022, are still working in hotels.

Well I knew one! Sheila Casey has worked for her entire life within the hotel industry in Killarney but is probably best known for so many other positions and huge contributions she has made to the community over the years.

“As hotels go, I have always been in the Front Office department - the Great Southern Hotel, The Europe, Torc Great Southern, Gleneagle Hotel Group and I am presently at the Innisfallen Hotel. Killarney is a wonderful place to live and work. There is a huge sense of togetherness and community that is the envy amongst other towns in the country and I think this was proven lately with the arrival of the Ukrainian people,” Sheila said.

Sheila has invested all of her free time to Killarney, not just in a working capacity. In 1999 she was elected onto the Town Council and became the first female Mayor of Killarney in 2003 and was elected again in 2006. She is actively part of SKAL, the international organisation for travel and tourism for professionals around the world and gave one term as president of the organisation. She's also actively involved with Killarney Soroptimists where she spent a year as President amongst business women who host the hugely successful Pancake Tuesday coffee morning, donating the proceeds to local charities annually.

I asked Sheila about KASI.

“Killarney Asylum Seekers and Immigrants (KASI) has been in operation since 2003 and if you saw the small office Marilyn Counihan and I worked out of in New Street to where we are today, with a beautiful garden in Ballycasheen and Go Green Cafe & Refill Store on Beech Road, it is hugely rewarding,” Sheila smiled.

I thought to myself how the Ukrainian people living at the Innisfallen Hotel had struck gold with Sheila working in Front Office but also the Chairperson of the local inter agency group which liaises with the HSE, ETB, INTREO, Kerry County Council etc.

“Sheila, dare I ask, what do you like to do in your spare time?”

Sheila laughed.

“I quite enjoy walking and the new walk way by the Flesk River to Ross Road is especially nice. I am quite partial to Killarney House. What a gem we have right in the town centre. I love gardening also and my favourite flower is the peony rose.

“Outside of your beloved Killarney Sheila, what are your favourite spots? I concluded. “I loved working with the Town Twinning Committee. Killarney is twinning with such lovely countries and cities, Pleinfeld in Germany is my favourite that we are twinned with. I also love the South of France and enjoyed travelling to Toucan with my sister Joan and her family on occasion. In Ireland, I really love to visit my friends in Bundoran, Co. Donegal which boasts a similar landscape to Kerry.

“That’s a long drive to Bundoran Sheila,” I said.

“It is Marie but really it’s just a phone call or two and I’m there,” Sheila replied.

I wasn’t a bit surprised to hear that and we laughed at the notion that you can take the girl out of Killarney but never Killarney out of the girl.

Thank you Sheila Casey. The pleasure was all mine.

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Book of Condolences for Pope Francis at Cathedral

  A Book of Condolences has been opened at St Mary’s Cathedral for those wishing to pay their respects following the death of Pope Francis. The Pope, who led the […]

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A Book of Condolences has been opened at St Mary’s Cathedral for those wishing to pay their respects following the death of Pope Francis.

The Pope, who led the Catholic Church for twelve years, died on Monday at the age of 88.

He had been suffering from double pneumonia in recent weeks, but his death still came as a shock to many. Just hours before his passing, he had been seen greeting crowds in St Peter’s Square during Easter Sunday celebrations.

Locally, Bishop Ray Browne has led the tributes. He described Pope Francis as “a gentle shepherd” who brought humility and compassion to his role.

“It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of our Holy Father Pope Francis,” Bishop Browne said. “From the moment he chose the name Francis, rooted in humility, he signalled a papacy of building peace, care for the poor, and love for all of God’s creation.”

The bishop also highlighted the Pope’s focus on protecting the planet and caring for the marginalised, calling him “a voice for the voiceless” and “a witness to the Gospel in word and deed.”

A special Mass in memory of Pope Francis was held at St Mary’s Cathedral on Wednesday.

The Pope’s funeral Mass will take place on Saturday at 10.00am in St Peter’s Square. It will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, and concelebrated by church leaders from around the world.

Due to the Pope’s passing, the special Mass for the canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis, which was due to take place this Sunday has been cancelled.

Mass will still take place at the usual time of 11.30am. A new date for the celebration will be announced in due course.

Blessed Carlo Acutis was due to be officially declared a saint in Rome on Sunda but that has been postponed.

Carlo Acutis had a deep devotion to St Francis of Assisi, and his final resting place is in Assisi, near the tombs of St Francis and St Clare.

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Con O’Leary: Killarney loses a vibrant and popular personality

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the […]

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Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the early hours of Sunday.

Con was a vibrant and popular personality in Killarney where he operated The Laurels on Main Street, a thriving bar and restaurant, which he inherited following the passing of his father, Thado.
The business organisation said from a social perspective, The Laurels became the beating heart of the town and it was a landmark at the Market Cross in the same way as Clery’s clock was in the capital city.
Chamber said Con’s passing really marks the end of an era as he was one of a golden age of inspirational local business people who developed and built Killarney, through hard work, bravery and great commercial flair, and helped create the wonderful tourist attraction and holiday destination it is today.
“Con was very proud of Killarney and he played a very active part in progressing the town at many levels.
“He was a man that was never short of great ideas and his contribution to the business life of the town and as a director of Killarney Race Company was immense,” Chamber said.
“He was ahead of his time in many respects with the introduction by what became known as “the singing lounge” many years ago and The Laurels always led by example through its successes in the annual Killarney Looking Good competition”.
The business representative organisation noted that the O’Leary family has always been very supporting of the town and Con’s daughter, Kate, was a very dynamic Chamber President and is still a very valued member of the executive.
Chamber expressed deep sympathy to Con’s wife, Anne, children Kate, Niall, Tara and Lorna, sons-in-law, grandchildren, sisters, relatives and friends as well as the dedicated staff in The Laurels, past and present, who Con always had great time for and a great rapport with.

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