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Top 10 Wander Wild highlights
If you are itching to embrace spring with new adventures and wellness activities, then pack your bags for the Wander Wild Festival - Ireland’s great outdoors festival.
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It’s on in Killarney from March 24 to 26 and it's the bucket list festival you don’t want to miss this year! With just two weeks to go, and some events already sold-out, it’s time to get booking!
The unique adventure and wellness festival, set in the lakes and mountains of the UNESCO Killarney National Park has over 120 events for the body, mind and soul. You’ll have the chance to explore new adventures and recharge with a hike, bike, kayak, swim, stretch, ramble, or enjoy yoga, food tours, a concert or live podcast, against a backdrop of stunning scenic landscapes.
We’ve pulled together our Top 10 Highlights of events that you won’t want to miss.
The Nature Valley Mangerton Hike with Roz Purcell
Just announced! Nature Valley, sponsors of Wander Wild, have a special hiking event on Friday March 24. Roz Purcell, founder of The Hike Life, will host a small group up the famous Mangerton Mountain, one of her favourite mountains in Ireland! The four-hour moderate to difficult hike to the summit is suitable to those with good fitness abilities and hiking experience, as it’s one of the most accessible mountains over 800m in Ireland. It promises to be great fun with spectacular views of the Devil’s Punchbowl, MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, Horses Glen, Killarney National Park and, on a good day, South West to Kenmare Bay. Tickets are expected to sell fast.
Sunrise Dip and Outdoor Sauna
Start the morning in an exhilarating way with a sunrise dip in the lake at Dundag followed by a traditional sauna by the calming lakeshore with a panoramic window of the surrounding mountains. Enjoying the soothing therapeutic benefits of a sauna, surrounded by nature promises to be a one-off unforgettable experience.
Unique Gig with Mundy and Friends
Mundy will be joined by special guests for some exclusive performances in the stunning St Mary's Church of Ireland. The beautiful natural acoustics and the spectacular backdrop that the intimate church venue offers will provide the perfect setting for a fantastic night of music from the acclaimed Irish singer-songwriter.
Mountain Trail Runs
Explore new terrain with one of three relaxed and social runs to choose from - terrain covers fire roads, forestry trails, stone trails, and boardwalk trails. Some brave-hearted individuals might even be enticed to take a dip in a waterfall or lake en route! Day and night options available.
Wim Hof Method Workshop
The pinnacle of cold therapy - the Wim Hof Method Workshop will help people to deal with stress better, improve their mental health, and build resilience. During the four-hour workshop you will learn a tailored technique to help you to breathe deeply and fully, get tips on how to improve your concentration and be guided on how to stay calm in a stressful environment (the cold!).
3D Blue Pool Wood Experience
One of the absolute highlights of the weekend promises to be the Blue Pool experience - the immersive 3D light and sound installation around the pool in the heart of Cloghereen Nature Trail by well-known artist Augustine Leudar. It will feature an extraordinary walk-through 3D soundscape that uses many unique cutting-edge audio techniques to turn the forest into a subtly surrealistic sonic wonderland. See nature come alive!
Explore Killarney’s Lakes
Whether you want to get active and kayak, or sit back and relax on a boat trip, see parts of the Killarney National Park that are hard to access by foot as you cruise on the water. Explore the ruins of the 7th century monastery Innisfallen Island where it’s said that King Brian Boru studied. Visit hidden parts of the park on the three lakes, or hike 10km up through The Gap of Dunloe and enjoy a 1.5-hour boat trip back to Ross Castle.
Children’s Programme
From Gruffalo hunts and digital treasure hunts to musical master classes, an escape room and a buzzing ‘Kids Zone’, the little ones (and not so little ones!) are guaranteed a weekend of adventure, nature, music, creativity and most importantly, fun!
Foodie Tour
Join Kenmare foodie Karen Coakley on a daytime or evening food tour sampling small signature dishes and tasting local artisan produce. Scratch beneath the surface and discover Killarney's new and very vibrant local food scene.
Live Podcasts and Premieres
Join Shane Finn as he hosts a live Pushing Limits podcast with special guest former AFL player Brid Stack and mountaineer Killian Buckley or get an exclusive look at two new Irish adventure films as they host their premiers - '1000km Chaos' - the story of adventurer Kevin Leahy, and Alan Corcoran’s 'Unsinkable'.
Forest Bathing
Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the forest on a 2.5 hour forest bathing walk. This health and wellness practice supports participants to relieve stress, to be in the present moment, it creates awareness for the natural environment and connect people with their senses.
The fun won’t stop when the sun goes down as Killarney hosts the electric basecamp for the festival. The town will be buzzing with market stalls, and live entertainment in local bars all weekend.
No need to bring a car - shuttle buses will bring you from the town centre to all the activities out of town. For more info and to book any event go to wanderwildfestival.com.
The festival is sponsored by Nature Valley and supported by Fáilte Ireland, Kerry County Council, and Killarney Chamber of Commerce.
KWD Recycling shortlisted for national environmental awards
Killarney-based KWD Recycling has been announced as a finalist in the 2026 Repak Resource Awards, securing a spot on the national shortlist for environmental achievement.
The local waste management company has been nominated in the Best Recovery Operator Innovation category, sponsored by DNV, for its state-of-the-art residual waste recovery system.
The Killarney facility utilizes optical sorting, screening, and mechanical processing to extract recyclable plastics and organic material from municipal waste. In its first year of operation, the technology recovered more than 10 per cent of plastic packaging from residual waste for recycling and diverted almost 50 per cent of organic material toward composting.
KWD Recycling will compete alongside Dublin operators Panda and Thorntons Recycling for the category title.
Repak CEO Zoe Kavanagh commended the Kerry firm for demonstrating environmental leadership and bringing local ambition to the national awards.
Category winners will be announced at a black-tie ceremony at the Mansion House in Dublin on Friday, October 23, where each winner will also compete for the Overall Repak Resource Award.
Local businesses have a strong track record at the national event, with Killarney town venue The Killarney Park and The Ross previously taking home the overall title in 2023.
Drivers warned as deer rutting season begins
Motorists in Killarney are being urged to exercise extreme caution as the annual deer rutting season gets underway, causing animals to stray far beyond their usual habitats inside Killarney National Park.
The autumn mating season sees deer becoming highly active and unpredictable, leading to increased sightings and collisions on local roads outside traditional park boundaries.
Two separate incidents highlighted the growing hazard on local routes this week. A reader contacted the Killarney Advertiser to warn drivers after spotting a deer roaming near Tiernaboul towards the school on Sunday afternoon around 7.30pm.
Later that same night, in the early hours of Monday morning, a local driver collided with a deer near Kerry Airport around 1am while returning home from an event.
Despite attempting evasive action, the motorist struck the animal, which died at the scene and temporarily blocked the road before local Gardaí were alerted to clear the obstruction.
The driver sustained substantial vehicle damage, requiring repairs to the bumper, headlamp, and internal components, leaving her facing significant garage costs and time off the road.
Gardaí and road safety advocates advise motorists travelLing during early morning and late evening and remain vigilant along tree-lined routes.
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