THE MINISTER of State for the Arts, Dr Martin Mansergh, yesterday criticised Killarney’s “very limited performance facilities” for locals and tourists, and called on locals to apply for funding to address the problem.
Dr Mansergh was speaking at the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, decentralised under the tenure of Kerry South TD John O’Donoghue when he was minister of the department. Mr O’Donoghue is now the Ceann Comhairle.
However, Dr Mansergh denied he was critical of Mr O’Donoghue – he was sure Mr O’Donoghue had put in place “lots of things”.
A spokeswoman accompanying Dr Mansergh said Mr O’Donoghue had provided a sports centre for the town.
However, the lack of a theatre/arts and performance centre in Killarney has been the subject of debate for more than 20 years, with historic buildings such as Killarney House, now in disrepair, being spoken about as possible centres, as well as town council property that has been sold to private hands, and new property acquired from the Francicans.
Visiting groups of classical musicians, choirs and poetry groups rely on church buildings, particularly the town’s Church of Ireland and Methodist churches as well as private hotels, to hold performances. Large events are catered for in the INEC entertainment facility, some distance from the town centre.
Broaching the subject to reporters, after a visit to Killarney House, Dr Mansergh said something had been brought to his attention that needed to be addressed and which greatly surprised him.
He said this was the lack of performance facilities, given the nature of Killarney, a major tourist town. Every town in Tipperary had an arts centre and a Killarney facility was needed both for the community itself as well as for visitors, he said.
Dr Mansergh urged local groups to come together and apply for funding for capital projects such as an arts centre. “It’s in the interests of the town to put a programme together,” he said.
Mr Mansergh was also on his first field trip as Minister with responsibility for coastal erosion and visited Rossbeigh spit, which suffered a major breach last winter. Much of Kerry’s coastline is soft and subject to erosion and millions of euro are needed to address the problem, councillor Michael Cahill told the Minister.