A meeting of the country's 120 remaining Franciscan friars is to take place in March to look at the future of the community in Ireland.
This will be the first time all Franciscan friars in the country have been brought together in one place. It comes as the Franciscans in Killarney have announced they are to suspend weekday evening Masses with just three friars available for ministry in the town.
The Killarney Franciscans have a heavy commitment to counselling and to confessions and they had to make a choice between that service and more Masses.
Brother Niall said some of their 16 friaries around the country may have to close. "Part of our charm is that we live in community. We are coming together to see how we can achieve that," he said.
At its peak in the 1960s there were 300 friars in Ireland. The 16 Franciscan centres range from Belfast to Kerry. Limerick, one of the oldest, dates from 1267. They have been in Killarney for 500 years.
Greens reject new McDonald's
Ennis Town Council has been urged to evaluate the health impact on the child population in the town if a proposed new McDonald's restaurant goes ahead. Last month, the fast food giant lodged plans with the council to establish its 68th outlet in Ireland.
However, a spokesman for the Clare Green Party, Mr Brian Meaney, said he was fundamentally opposed to consideration being given to the plan unless the council seeks an Environmental Impact Statement from McDonald's on any health impacts the 90-seater restaurant could have on Ennis's youth population.
In a formal objection lodged with the council, Mr Meaney said the plan to establish a McDonald's will mark a significant departure in the nature of fast food retailing in the Ennis area. A decision is due next month.
Celebrating 250 years of tourism
The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, will officially launch an 18-month programme of events to celebrate 250 years of tourism in Killarney at today's Holiday World Exhibition.
As well as celebrating the humble beginnings of an industry now worth an estimated €200 million annually, the celebrations are likely to prompt a re-examination of old ideas.
In the 1750s a canal linking the lakes of Killarney with the town was proposed by Thomas, Fourth Viscount of Kenmare, the local landlord who is credited with developing tourism. It was never built.
There may also be support for a restaurant on Inishfallen, which catered for visitors who went on guided walks of the monastic island in 1749.