Tourism in Killarney is set for a boost with the news yesterday that the annual Fianna Fáil ardfheis is to be held in the town this autumn. It will be the party's first time to hold its annual conference outside Dublin.
This year's ardfheis is to be a one-day affair and will be held on Saturday, October 11th. Already this year the town hosted the Labour Party conference in May.
Around 3,000 people are expected to attend and many will stay in Killarney for the weekend, a Fianna Fáil spokesperson said.
A major Fianna Fáil rally is planned for next March, before the local and European elections, and it was decided to hold just a one-day event this year.
The choice of Killarney in the heart of south Kerry, a favourite destination of the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, also fulfils a pre-election promise made by the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, that he would bring the Fianna Fáil ardfheis to the 2,000-seat Irish National Events Centre in the Gleneagle Hotel, in the heart of his constituency.
The centre was built by the late Mr Maurice O'Donoghue, a member of Bord Fáilte and former town councillor. His aim was to attract large conferences and concerts to the town to provide much-needed business.
The managing director of the INEC/Gleneagle Hotel is Fianna Fáil councillor Mr Patrick O'Donoghue, a member of the new tourism development authority, Fáilte Ireland, and son of the late Mr O'Donoghue.
A number of hotels also indicated yesterday that there had been inquiries from the Progressive Democrats about a March 2004 conference in Killarney. The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, during a visit to south Kerry last week, confirmed the PDs would run candidates in the local elections in both Kerry constituencies.