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Tricel founders bestowed with the town’s highest honour

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A husband and wife who built a hugely successful international business from humble beginnings in a shed at the rear of their home have been inducted into the Order of Inisfallen.

The award is considered the highest honour that  Killarney can bestow.
Con and Anne Stack saw their company grow from very humble beginnings to a multi-national enterprise that now employs over 600 people.
That remarkable success story was recognised at a ceremony in the historic Muckross House on Thursday afternoon when they received the Order of Inisfallen civic honour which is a joint initiative between Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce and Kerry County Council.
It recognises those who have made an exceptional contribution to the local economy and to the tourism industry.
When they moved to Killarney over 50 years ago, Moyvane native Con and his Ballyduff native wife, Anne, set up Killarney Plastics, having identified a market for fibre glass and glass enforced products.
The company later moved operations to an IDA supported, purpose-built unit and the remarkable dedication shown and groundwork put in by Con and Anne Stack paid handsome dividends as Killarney Plastics became global engineering company Tricel.
It evolved into a major family-led firm, delivering performance and innovation-driven solutions across the water, environmental, construction and distribution industries.
With 14 companies within the group, Tricel currently employs 620 people, 200 of whom are based in Killarney, and the company is now run by Con and Anne’s sons Michael, Con, Richard and Robert.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Martin Grady  said the story of Tricel is inspiring as it went from modest beginnings to international innovation, nurtured by vision, hard work, resilience and innovation.
“Despite this remarkable expansion, the Stack family has never lost sight of their roots. They have remained humble and steadfast supporters of local employment, local investment and local opportunity.
“Their commitment has ensured that generations of families in Killarney, Kerry and beyond have had the ability to thrive close to home,” the mayor said.
Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce President Johnny McGuire said all the comments he has heard since it was first announced that Con and Anne Stack were to be honoured had one common theme: It couldn’t happen to a nicer couple or a nicer family.
“No words of mine could adequately describe the impact the company has made, both as a manufacturer and as an employer of over 600 people.
“Everything Con and Anne Stack have achieved in business and in life can be attributed to their dignity, their dedication, their commitment, their will to succeed and their incredible work ethic,” he said.

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Céilí Mór will send ‘em home sweatin’

It will be a case of all around the house but mind the dresser at a traditional Céilí Mór which will be one of the real entertainment highlights of this […]

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It will be a case of all around the house but mind the dresser at a traditional Céilí Mór which will be one of the real entertainment highlights of this year’s St Patrick’s Festival in Killarney.

It will take place on the eve of the big feast day in the Killarney Great Southern and there will be a wonderful party atmosphere guaranteed on the night.
Providing the tunes will be the very highly regarded Uí Bhriaín Céilí Band and they promise to send everybody home sweating after what will be a memorable night for locals and visitors.
The March 16 céilí will commence at 9.00pm and continue right through until midnight and the admission for a wonderful night of pure Irish trad is just €10.00.
Bookings can be made on the festival website or patrons can pay at the door on the night.

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St Brendan’s student Aodhagan O’Sullivan crowned CPR champion

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Aodhagan O’Sullivan, a student at St Brendan’s College, Killarney, has been named the 2026 School CPR Challenge Champion.

The prestigious award was presented on Thursday, 26 February, during a large-scale event at the Gleneagle Hotel, where approximately 300 students from post-primary schools across the county gathered to compete for the title of “who can compress the best.”


Now in its fourth year, the event is organised by the Killarney Cardiac Response Unit (KCRU) Community First Responders.

The KCRU is a volunteer-led group that provides vital emergency response services to Killarney, Beaufort, Killorglin, Firies, Rathmore, and Kenmare.

The challenge focused on “Quality CPR” (QCPR), combining a high-stakes competition with practical life-saving training and the chance for students to engage directly with local emergency and community services.


The competition utilised advanced QCPR technology to measure the depth and rate of compressions, ensuring that students aren’t just learning the motions, but are performing life-saving techniques to a clinical standard.

Beyond the competitive element, the day served as an educational hub, highlighting the “chain of survival” and the importance of immediate bystander intervention in the event of a cardiac arrest.


The 2026 challenge was made possible through the support of the Vodafone Foundation, The Gleneagle Hotel, and First Aid Systems Ltd, alongside a variety of local sponsors. Organisers praised the enthusiasm of the 300 participants, noting that such events are essential for building a “heart-safe” community and equipping the next generation with the skills to save a life.

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