KILL ARNEY TO BEST OW TOP HONOUR ON ENDA

FORMER TAOISEACH TO VISIT KILLARNEY ON FRIDAY WHERE HE WILL COLLECT THE ORDER OF INNISFALLEN AWARD

FORMER Taoiseach Enda Kenny will receive one of Killarney’s most prestigious awards this week when he is inducted into the Order of Innisfallen at a special ceremony on Friday, December 1, at Killarney House.

Mayor of Killarney Municipal District, Cllr Niall Kelleher and Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce President Paul O’Neill will make the joint presentation to the former Fine Gael leader who is the longest serving TD in Dáil Éireann and one of the most experienced politicians of his generation. Friday’s event will also celebrate the contribution made to Irish life by Mr Kenny, while acknowledging his love of Kerry over the years.

Mr Kenny headed the administration responsible for reducing the tourism VAT rate to nine per cent which has helped bolster the tourism industry which is integral to the Kerry economy.

The Order of Innisfallen award is a joint initiative between Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce and Kerry County Council and was established in 2005 to recognise outstanding contributions of people to the economic development of the town and its tourism industry. Previous Order of Innisfallen recipients include actor Michael Fassbender, en- tertainer Daniel O’Donnell, Jimmy Deenihan, and industrialist Isolde Liebherr.

Mr Kenny always expressed his great affection for Killarney where he has a holiday home in Kilcummin that he visits at regular intervals throughout the year.

He is married to Fionnuala Kelly, sister of MEP and former Kerry County Board Chairman, Sean. Mr Kenny enjoys walking in the Kingdom and is an avid cyclist having once again completed the Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle in 2017. He also enjoys golf and visiting friends in the Killarney area.

A native of Co Mayo, he was first elected to the Dáil in 1975 following the sudden death of his TD father, Henry, and for 42 years has served as Minister for Tourism and Trade, Minister for Youth Affairs, Minister for Defence.

He became the longest-serving leader of Fine Gael, holding office from 2002 to 2017, resigning in June.

Former Taoiseach Enda Kenny