Towers Hotel extends Killarney Historic Rally sponsorship to 2029

The future of the Killarney Historic Rally received a major boost this week as Killarney Towers Hotel & Leisure Centre confirmed an extension of its title sponsorship through 2029.

The hotel, part of the O’Donoghue Ring Collection enters its fourth year as title sponsor for the 2026 edition, with the new agreement securing long-term backing for Ireland’s premier historic motorsport fixture across the next three seasons.

This year’s event marks a milestone 30th anniversary for the rally, founded in 1996 by the late Maurice Nagle. His son, five-time World Rally Championship event winner and FIA Safety Delegate Paul Nagle, steps into the Clerk of the Course role for the anniversary running.
“I am very proud to continue the legacy my father started 30 years ago,” said Mr Nagle.
“Killarney Towers Hotel & Leisure Centre are ideal partners for this iconic event. Not just as accommodation partners, they have the required meeting and briefing room space across their properties and offer top entertainment venues in town like Pig’s Lane and The Laune Bar. I thank the O’Donoghue and Ring families for their continued support.”
Managing Director of the O’Donoghue Ring Collection and Killarney Towers Hotel & Leisure Centre, Gemma Ring, commented:
“We are delighted to announce the extension of our partnership with the Killarney Historic Rally through to 2029. As proud title sponsor since 2023, we will continue our commitment for a further three years, playing our part in the next chapter of this much-loved Killarney tradition.
The Killarney Historic Rally is an important part of the fabric of the town, bringing a huge sense of excitement and energy to Killarney while attracting competitors, enthusiasts and visitors from across Ireland and beyond. Its impact reaches far beyond the rally itself, bringing significant footfall to hotels, restaurants, bars and local businesses and showcasing Killarney as a destination at a particularly vibrant time of year. For us as a family-run Killarney business, supporting events like the Historic Rally is about investing in the community we are part of and contributing to the vitality of the town.
We are incredibly proud to continue our association with Killarney & District Motor Club and to support the team as the rally enters its next chapter. We look forward to being part of many more successful rallies over the coming years and to continuing to celebrate this fantastic event, the people behind it and the community that makes it possible.”
The Killarney Historic Rally injects millions of euros into the local economy each November drawing thousands of spectators, crews, and international visitors to the town for the final major event on the Irish rallying calendar.

Planning timeline for N22 upgrade moves toward 2027

The N22 Farranfore to Killarney Road Project remains the most critical long-term infrastructure requirement for Killarney town, offering the only sustainable resolution to gridlock and town centre traffic congestion

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At a recent meeting of the Killarney Municipal District, Kerry County Council officials confirmed that the proposed bypass and strategic route upgrade is actively moving through the essential design and environmental evaluation phases.
Officials said that this detailed technical work will run through 2026 and 2027 to prepare the necessary documentation for a formal statutory application to An Coimisiún Pleanála.

For years, the Killarney Advertiser has highlighted the crippling effect of traffic bottlenecks on the existing N22 network.
Peak morning and evening commutes regularly cause major tailbacks at key junctions such as Coolcorcoran, Lewis Road, and Lissivigeen.
The current road infrastructure handles daily traffic volumes well beyond its intended capacity, blending traffic travelling the Kerry-Cork economic corridor with local commuter traffic and high volumes of seasonal tourist vehicles.

While recent smaller-scale infrastructure proposals such as the Strategic Link Road connecting Park Road directly to the existing bypass could offer localised relief once its completed, council engineers have consistently maintained that only the full N22 Farranfore to Killarney bypass will permanently divert through-traffic away from the urban area.

The project’s advancement into the design phase follows major field developments, including topographical mapping and ground investigation works carried out along the preferred route corridor.

Reaching the statutory planning phase represents the most significant administrative step in the capital project’s lifecycle. A statutory application to An Coimisiún Pleanála entails a comprehensive legal process under national planning legislation.

The submission requires a complete Environmental Impact Assessment Report detailing ecological, noise, air, and heritage impact studies currently being compiled across the route. Furthermore, the council must submit a formal Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) framework to acquire the necessary land along the designated corridor.

Once submitted, An Coimisiún Pleanála will launch a formal public consultation period, allowing landowners, local residents, and civic bodies to lodge statutory submissions or objections. The planning authority may also convene an oral hearing to examine technical evidence before issuing a final binding decision on whether the scheme can proceed to procurement and construction.

With the project included under the National Development Plan’s major infrastructure list, local representatives continue to press national authorities to ensure project timelines remain on schedule through the upcoming planning phase.