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St Patrick’s Day parade winners announced

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Killarney Valley Classic and Vintage Club has won the sought-after overall award in recognition of their colourful and action-packed entry to this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in Killarney.

Martina McCarthy Kerry Stars Special Olympics Group Best Voluntary Group award with Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney and PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Also included are Kathleen Fitzgerald Vincent Lacke Clare Rohan Geraldine Burke Siobhan Looney and Jane Curran. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Donie Murphy and Martin Muldoon Killarney Athletic FC Killarney Athletic AFC winners of the John ‘Killer’ O'Callaghan Memorial Trophy for Best Sporting Entry with St Patrick's Festival Killarney Chairman Paul Sherry Cathal Walshe (Grand Marshal ) PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) and Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Teresa Cronin Scarlett O'Sullivan Tracy Cronin Florence Sexton and Ciara Dorgan Art House Killarney Most Imaginative award with Cathal Walshe (Grand Marshal) PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) St Patrick's Festival Killarney Chairman Paul Sherry Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney and Bridget O'Keeffe (Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce Senior Executive) at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Natalia Eismont Ukrainian Community Killarney Most Stylish Entry Award with Cathal Walshe (Grand Marshal) Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney and PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Also included are Vikteriia Tuychenko Tryna Semeniutyna Olga Porokhina Bohdan Pchelnykov Maksym Lukashevych and Tryna Lychuk Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Spa GAA Club winners of Best Sports Club award with PJ McGee from Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) and Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Angie and Aileen O'Brien Christy Healy's New St. Best Window Display with Cathal Walshe (Grand Marshal) PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) and Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Matthew Bowman The Europe Hotel accepting the Best Greened Building Award from Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney and PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Teresa Irwin presents the The Peter Irwin Memorial Perpetual Award for Best Marching Group/Cultural Arts to Gillian McCarthy Millstreet Pipe Band. Also included are Bridget O'Keeffe (Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce Senior Executive) Ciara Irwin Foley Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney and PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) Emir Irwin O'Shea Cathal Walshe (Grand Marshal) and St Patrick's Festival Killarney Chairman Paul Sherry at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney and Mike Courtney present the Michael Courtney Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Interpretation of Theme to Claire Tangney Wander Wild Festival. Also included are Cathal Walshe (Grand Marshal) Laura Tangney Alice Thompson Carol Dempsey and PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Anne O'Keeffe presents the Sean O'Keeffe Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Overall Entry to John Courtney Killarney Valley Classic & Vintage Club. Also included are Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney St Patrick's Festival Killarney Chairman Paul Sherry and PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Anne O'Keeffe presents the Sean O'Keeffe Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Best Overall Entry to John Courtney and Ger Healy Killarney Valley Classic & Vintage Club. Also included are PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) and Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Picture: Eamonn Keogh

Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney Br Pat Lynch OFM Franciscan Friary Guardian (Parade Judge) PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) St Patrick's Festival Killarney Chairman Paul Sherry Bridget O'Keeffe (Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce Senior Executive) and Cathal Walshe (Grand Marshal) at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Shane O'Callaghan Kilcummin Comhaltas winners of the Best Children’s Group with Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney and PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Alice Thompson Claire Tangney Carol Dempsey and Laura Tangney Wander Wild Festival winners of the Michael Courtney Memorial Perpetual award for Best Interpretation of Theme at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Fiona Crowley and members of the Fiona Crowley Stage School winners of the Best School Award with Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney and PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Johnny McGuire Sandra Dunlea Con Duggan and Edyta Hernas Killarney Tidy Towns Most Entertaining Award with Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney and PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Killarney Scorchers Cheerleading and Gymnastics Club Best Activity Group award with Cathal Walshe (Grand Marshal) Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney and PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

Trevor O'Donoghue and Charlene Hickey Liebherr Container Cranes Most Original Entry Award with Cathal Walshe (Grand Marshal) Cllr Niall Kelleher Mayor of Killarney and PJ McGee Daly's SuperValu (sponsor) at the St Patrick's Festival Killarney parade prizegiving function in The International Hotel on Tuesday night. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

The Best Green Themed Building went to the Europe Hotel and Resort. Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan

Delighted club representatives were presented with the Seán O’Keeffe Perpetual Trophy – in memory of the former Mayor of Killarney and parade stalwart – at a gala presentation of prizes in the International Hotel, Killarney on Tuesday night.

The award for the Best Interpretation of the Theme, which was Killarney: Experience More, went to the Wander Wild Festival who received the Michael Courtney Perpetual Trophy which is dedicated to the memory of another former mayor of the town who spearheaded the annual St Patrick’s Day celebrations for many years.

The John ‘Killer’ O’Callaghan Perpetual Trophy for the Best Sporting Entry was won by Killarney Athletic AFC and the Peter Irwin Memorial Trophy for the Best Marching Group and Cultural/Arts Entry went to Millstreet Pipe Band.

The Best Sports Club was Spa GAA, the Best Children’s Group prize was won by Kilcummin Comhaltas and the Best New Entry was Killarney Rugby Football Club.

There was an international flavour to the Best Musical Entry which was scooped by the Glenridge High School Marching Band from New Jersey.

The prize for the Best Voluntary Group went to the Kerry Stars Special Olympics Club, the Best School Award went to the Fiona Crowley Stage School and the Best Activity Group was deemed to be Scorchers Cheerleading Club.

The Most Entertaining Entry went to the Killarney Tidy Towns group, the prize for the Most Original Entry was won by Liebherr Container Cranes and the Most Imaginative Entry in the parade was the Art House, Killarney.

The Most Stylish Entry prize was awarded to the Ukrainian community whose representative said they were delighted to play a part in Ireland’s national holiday and thanked the people of Killarney for the warm welcome they have received.

Other prizes presented on the night included the Best Window Display which went to Christy Healy’s on New Street who were celebrating 100 years in business on St Patrick’s Day, while the Europe Hotel and Resort won the Best Green-Themed Building prize.

The judges for the parade were Br Pat Lynch, Guardian, Franciscan Friary, Pam Brosnan, Killarney Musical Society and Denis McMahon.

The awards were presented by Killarney St Patrick’s Festival Chairman Paul Sherry, Mayor of Killarney Cllr Niall Kelleher, Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce Senior Executive Bridget O’Keeffe, and parade grand marshal Cathal P Walshe.

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Killarney for Palestine film screening

Killarney for Palestine recently held a sold-out screening of the Oscar-winning documentary ‘No Other Land’ at the West End School of Arts, raising €2,100 for Camp Breakerz. The event, which […]

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Killarney for Palestine recently held a sold-out screening of the Oscar-winning documentary ‘No Other Land’ at the West End School of Arts, raising €2,100 for Camp Breakerz.

The event, which took place on July 3, included two screenings, both of which were fully booked. Guests enjoyed cheese and wine before the shows.
‘No Other Land’ depicts the ongoing destruction in Masafer Yatta, a cluster of villages in the Southern West Bank, and shows the experiences of Palestinians under Israeli occupation. The film won in the Best Documentary category at this year’s Academy Awards.
The screenings were organised in association with the West End School of Arts.
All proceeds from the €25 tickets benefited Camp Breakerz Crew, a children’s charity based in Gaza that provides creative outlets through dance and is involved in food distribution programs in Nuseirat Camp and Deir-Al-Balah due to food shortages.
Sally MacMonagle, who recently spent time in Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem, also spoke at one of the screenings.

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Bid to host European Presidency summit meetings gathers pace

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Tourism, Michael Cahill TD, has highlighted Killarney’s suitability to host summit meetings of international Government Ministers during Ireland’s six-month European Presidency tenure in 2026. Deputy Cahill […]

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Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Tourism, Michael Cahill TD, has highlighted Killarney’s suitability to host summit meetings of international Government Ministers during Ireland’s six-month European Presidency tenure in 2026.

Deputy Cahill believes Kerry’s available accommodation, food, and conference facilities are “second to none,” with Killarney as the central location.
“Visitors from every corner of the earth have been coming to Kerry for centuries now, to experience its beauty and serenity and have returned on many occasions because of the fabulous time they have enjoyed during their stay here,” said Deputy Cahill. “Where else would you want to bring the senior Government Ministers of all of our EU counterpart states, to experience Ireland, its customs and heritage?”
The Rossbeigh TD outlined various attractions available for visitors during downtime: “During their downtime, they can visit the Blaskets and Slea Head, Sceilg Mhichíl and the Ring of Kerry, Killarney’s Lakes, Gap of Dunloe, National Park and Sliabh Luachra, all of our glorious beaches from Ballybunion to Rossbeigh, Kells to Ventry, Whitestrand to Inch, Ballinskelligs to Cromane, Waterville to Derrynane.” He also cited Kerry’s golf courses, Listowel Writers Week, the Rose of Tralee, and Puck Fair as potential experiences.
Deputy Cahill confirmed he has raised this matter with An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin; An Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Harris; and Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne.
“If Killarney’s bid is successful in bringing the Heads of State to our county for meetings, conferences and functions, it will be a massive boost to the local economy in Killarney and also throughout the county,” added Cahill.”Iwill continue to push in the coming months for Killarney and Kerry to be included as bases for the rounds of meetings that are to take place from July 1 to December 312026.”

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