Connect with us

News

“We will bounce back from this” – Killarney hotelier

Published

on

STAYING POSITIVE: Bernadette Randles says the tourism industry will bounce back.

By Sean Moriarty

Bernadette Randles, Chairperson of the Kerry Branch of the Irish Hotels Federation says it is impossible to put a figure on the job losses and unemployment issues the local industry faces in the wake of the current COVID-19 crisis.

Tourism in Kerry employs almost 16,000 people and it contributes over €600 million to the local economy. The Kerry IHF branch has over one hundred hotels and guesthouses as members.

Each job in the sector is responsible for a half of another job in associated trades like the food supply chain and taxis.

A conservative estimate suggests that over 25,000 people in Kerry are affected by the tourism industry shutdown alone and this figure does not include third-party trades like garages who would supply repairs and fuel to the car hire industry.

Ms Randles, who is one of Killarney’s most respected hoteliers, said closing her two hotels and telling her 90 staff she had no work for them was the hardest thing she had to do in a lifetime in the hospitality industry.

Her family own and operate the Dromhall Hotel and Randles Court Hotel on the Muckross Road and as well as her role in the local branch she was recently elected national vice-chair of the Irish Hotels Federation.

As a gesture of goodwill, she made food packages up from leftover supplies in her hotels’ kitchens so her staff would not be without essentials in the weeks ahead.

They repaid the gesture by turning up for work on Tuesday, without pay, and helped prepare for the shutdown by turning off electrical appliances like televisions in all rooms.

“We will bounce back from this,” she told the Killarney Advertiser. “It was very upsetting for me and the staff to have to close the hotels, but we will rebuild and we will come through this.”

Advertisement

News

New Streetscapes murals launched at College Square

Published

on

By

A colourful collaboration between the Kerry Local Creative Youth Partnership (LCYP) and the Architecture Kerry Festival at Kerry County Council launched yesterday evening at College Square.

Titled Streetscapes, the open-air public art installation officially opened at 5pm on Thursday, accompanied by a performance from the Killarney Youth Drumming Band THUMP! under the guidance of Urs Wenk from Drum Dance Ireland.


The public art project features a series of wall murals depicting Killarney through the eyes of local children, exploring freedom, play, and potential future evolutions of the townscape.

The artworks reimagine Killarney’s iconic landmarks and streets, blending youthful imagination and curiosity.


Supported under the Creative Ireland Programme, the installation is mounted on the gable wall of Reen’s Life Pharmacy in College Square, where it will remain on public display until March 2027.


Speaking at the launch, Daniel O’Shea, Youth Development Officer at Kerry ETB, stated: “Streetscapes is a wonderful celebration of how children see things. Their creativity brings new perspectives to the townscape, and we are proud to support their ideas and their art through this public artwork.”


Deirdre Enright, Co-Ordinator of the Local Creative Youth Partnership at Kerry ETB, acknowledged the community support behind the initiative: “We are very grateful to Reen’s Life Pharmacy who have shared their built space with us. Huge credit is due to the artistic team from Me+The Moon whose dedication to creativity and to children’s art shine through in this work.”


The project forms part of the annual Architecture Kerry Festival and receives funding through Creative Ireland and the Department of Education and Youth via Kerry ETB and Kerry County Council.


Victoria McCarthy, Festival Organiser and Architectural Conservation Officer at Kerry County Council, welcomed the continued inter-agency project: “It’s always a great event for Architecture Kerry and we are so pleased with this collaboration between public sector organisations. It remains a key feature of the Architecture Kerry programme.”
See next week’s Killarney Advertiser for full photographic coverage of the event.

Continue Reading

News

Dr Crokes stalwarts enjoy lake cruise

Published

on

By

Dr Crokes stalwarts enjoy lake cruise

Dr Crokes stalwarts enjoy lake cruise

Dr Crokes GAA Club hosted a special day out for its senior members on Monday, this week, taking a group aged between 70 and 90 on a cruise across the Lakes of Killarney.

Organised by the Dr Crokes Healthy Club committee under its Crokes Cruisers initiative, the event was held to recognise the lifetime contribution made by long-standing members who continue to support club activities behind the scenes.
The group travelled on two vessels, including An Cathal, an open boat operated by local brothers Tony and Mike Fleming. Built to preserve the traditional Killarney lake boat style, it is the only purpose-built, fully accessible boat on the lakes, allowing members with mobility issues and wheelchair users to safely join the two-hour trip.
Following the lake tour, the party gathered on shore for coffee and refreshments provided by Derric McMahon and Harry Clifton of the Ross Castle Garden Cafe.
The initiative forms part of the club’s ongoing community work as a Gold Award winner in the GAA Healthy Club programme.

Attachments

Continue Reading

Last News

Sport