Noreen celebrates on home turf

FRESH from celebrating being named as Killarney-London person of the year by the Killarney Reunion Committee, Noreen Looney came home from the British capital to celebrate with family – but was greeted on Saturday by a far bigger crowd than she’d been prepared for.

Noreen is steeped in the Killarney Reunion Committee, which has been in existence for almost 50 years, and last week she was honoured by the committee in London at a ceremony attended by Fr Kieran O’Brien, Sheila Dixon and Cllr Donal O’Grady. Not all of her family were able to attend, however, so she came back to the home turf to continue her celebrations.

On Saturday, she arrived at a surprise party in the Killarney Avenue Hotel to a fine gathering of friends and relations – including her first-cousin Fr Tom Looney, who said all in attendance enjoyed a wonderful night.

“It was a lovely social gathering,” Fr Looney said.

“Noreen was honoured by the Killarney Reunion Committee for her outstanding service throughout all these years, and she spoke on the night of how she’s looking forward to the group’s golden jubilee coming up in 2019.

“There were lots of friends and family there including her mother Peggy, and Councillors Niall Kelleher and Donal O’Grady were among those to praise Noreen on the night.”

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin Noreen Looney (fifth from left) who was celebrating with her mother Peggy, sister Mary, brothers Padraig and Tom, family members Anne, David, Kate, Brenda Looney, Seamus and Shane O’Neill. cousins Looney’s and Coleman’s and friends from Killarney and...