KILLARNEY will this week bestow its top honour on former Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, who will be inducted into the Order of Innisfallen on Friday, December 1.
The longest serving TD in Dáil Éireann, his contribution to life in Ireland will be celebrated at a reception in Killarney House which was extensively reconstructed and refurbished, at a cost of approximately €10 million, during his term in office.
The award will be presented by Mayor of the Killarney Municipal District, Cllr Niall Kelleher, and Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce President, Paul O’Neill.
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Mr Kenny has great affection for and close bonds with Killarney. He has a holiday home in Kilcummin and visits the area at very regular intervals, enjoying walks on the mountains, cycling through the countyside, visiting relatives, playing golf and taking part in the Ring of Kerry charity cycle every year.
A native of Co Mayo, Mr Kenny was first elected to the Dáil in 1975 following the sudden death of his TD father, Henry, and over the past 42 years he served as Minister for Tourism and Trade, Minister for Youth Affairs, Minister for Defence and he became the longest-serving leader of Fine Gael, holding office from 2002 to 2017. He was elected Taoiseach in 2011 and remained at the helm until he stepped down in June of this year.
Mr Kenny is married to Fionnuala O’Kelly – who has strong Killarney links – and they have two sons, Ferdia and Naoise, and a daughter, Aoibhinn.
The Cairde Chill Arne Order of Innisfallen awards scheme is a joint initiative between Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce and Kerry County Council. It was established in 2005 to recognise outstanding contributions of people to the economic development of the town and its tourism industry. Those selected for the honour are invested as Members of the Order of Innisfallen.
Previous recipients include actor Michael Fassbender, entertainer Daniel O’Donnell, industrialist Isolde Liebherr, tour operators Brian Stack, Linda Roberts and Brian McColgan, travel writer Susan Poole, former ministers John O’Donoghue and Jimmy Deenihan and tourism official Margaret Cahill.
Innisfallen Island is one of Killarney’s best-known and most historic heritage sites. It began as a place of healing and became a major centre of learning where the Annals of Innisfallen, the oldest contemporary source of the history of Munster, were scripted.