The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
KILLARNEY STRIKES GOLD AGAIN
WITH 34 NOMINEES AND THREE WINS, KERRY IS TOP OF THE CROP ACCORDING TO PRESTIGIOUS HOTEL AND CATERING ‘GOLD MEDAL AWARDS’
STAFF at Killarney’s Malton Hotel have been in celebratory mood this week after leaving one of Ireland’s top hotel and catering award ceremonies with the vaunted title of ‘Ireland’s Four Star Hotel’ – but they certainly weren’t the only Kerry winners on the night.
The 29th edition of the prestigious Hotel and Catering Review Magazine Gold Medal Awards took place in the Lyrath Estate in Kilkenny last week, and Killarney establishments fared superbly in winning no less than three awards. Kerry went into the ceremony with an extraordinary tally of 34 nominees, more than any other county.
More than 450 professionals from the hospitality sector were present at the glitzy event, which was hosted by TV3’s Martin King, with Aghadoe Heights taking the prize for ‘Ireland’s Five Star Hotel Spa Experience’. There was also a win for Aidan Moynihan of Hotel Killarney, who took the Outstanding Service award.
Malton Hotel General Manager Sinead Marron is a relative newcomer to the Killarney establishment, and she was full of admiration for her team after scooping one of the night’s biggest titles.
“It’s one of the biggest awards we could have won,” she said.
“Everyone’s been congratulating me, but the credit really has to go to my team and everyone at the hotel.
“Our team at the Malton mixes new, enthusiastic, young members with passionate experienced staff, and I think it’s that mixture that has pushed us ahead of a lot of very high-quality competition.
“The secret judges that pick the winners know the industry inside-out, and I suppose that makes the win even sweeter.
Patrice O’Mahony of Aghadoe Heights said the entire establishment is delighted at the winning in the five-star spa category, and she paid tribute to “our Spa’s excellent, highly trained team.
“The staff in our spa always puts the customer first and takes what everyone wants into account,” she said.
“They take a very holistic approach to their jobs in that they see the Spa as a benefit to people in terms of health as well as relaxation
“We’re all thrilled to see them win, because they deserve it. It’s one of the most prestigious awards out there and it’s chosen by secret judges from the industry. The Aghadoe Heights the ‘Ireland’s Five-Star Hotel’ prize previously, so it’s good to see that we’re performing well in the eyes of the industry.”
It was also a terrific night for Hotel Killarney’s Aidan Moynihan, who won the Outstanding Service award after more than 30 years working within the industry.
“We had two nominations but both fell just short of taking the top prizes,” he said. “There are no nominees for the award I won; they just pick one person every year. I honestly had no idea I was about to win.
“Martin King read out a big long, glowing list of everything the award recognises before announcing the winner, and even at that stage it hadn’t crossed my mind that I had a chance. I was shocked when they announced my name, but also very proud. I’ve worked at Hotel Killarney for five years and I’ve been in the industry for more than 30 years in total, so it’s a great honour really.
“To win a prize for something I love doing is a bonus.”