THE Ó Mathúna family, owners of Tralee’s Meadowlands Hotel rolled out the red carpet to many of Ireland’s most loved sports stars for the 20th Anniversary Sports Gala, the centrepiece of their festival last weekend which celebrated the hotel’s 20th year in business and which was all in aid of Kerry Hospice foundation.

A crowd of 200 people gathered for the Sports Gala event, hosted by RTE’s Joe Stack, and which included a star-studded line-up including Paul McGrath, Tomás Ó Sé, Mick Galwey, Cork’s Sean Óg Ó hAilpín as well as pioneering ice swimmer, Dingle’s Nuala Moore.

Paul McGrath commented, “I got a fantastic welcome at the hotel from everyone who made me feel at home. The Ó Mathúna family are lovely for supporting Kerry Hospice and I wish them well for the next 20 years. Anniversaries are full of nostalgia. We are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Euro 88 this week too so I’m also starting to feel old.”

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The sporting community of Tralee got behind the weekend with over 60 cyclists involved in a Chain Gang cycle to Dingle while there was also a Tralee Warriors Free Throw Challenge, an Endurance Bike Challenge on the hotel grounds, a Coffee morning and a sports themed pub quiz which all helped to maintain vital local services through the work of Kerry Hospice Foundation.

Siobhán Ní Mhathúna, General Manager of the Meadowlands said, “We are very grateful for the generous support and supply of prizes from our fellow hoteliers, our service partners and indeed sporting organisations around Tralee as well as our staff for making it happen It was a lovely, relaxed weekend all around that will live long in the memory.” Scroll down for photos…