Hey All,

My name is Oonagh and I am an Assistant Manager at the Killarney Riverside Hotel.

I will start with how I enjoy every day at my job (even the challenging days). There are various aspects to my job, but I will keep you informed about the things that will help you when you visit killarney.  I love meeting new people and dealing with new and challenging situations every day. I believe that it takes very little to be nice to people. I enjoy making people smile and seeing someone enjoy their holiday. This is my first blog and I will give you continuous updates on different events either in Killarney or in the hotel and activities like hiking, cycling and walking.

First I will share a little about me and what I do. I only recommend activities I would enjoy myself, so you know it’s all worth it. Every guest who stays with us is unique and that is what I love about tourism and hospitality. I studied it in college but the best knowledge comes from personal experience. I have been working with tourists since I was 6 years old. I grew up in a Bed & Breakfast, so sharing our house and talking to people became part of my life. It’s second nature to me now. I just want people to see all that Killarney has to offer in the time that they have here so, no matter what the question, I am always on hand to help. I don’t do my job just for a wage; I love sharing Killarney’s beauty with people.

I love the early spring in Killarney. It’s when you smell the scent of freshly cut grass in the clear air. It just makes you want to linger by the rivers and glistening water and watch the swans and ducks sit on the beautiful calm lakes and inhale all the scents all around. I go jogging in the local demesne and around Ross Castle with my dog Charlie. He likes to go swimming in the river. I find that all the tourists and families that pass enjoy the entertainment he gives. I even hand the leash over to kids who want to take over for me.  I also pass the deer every day; they are beautiful. We have Red Deer and Sika Deer, they are easy to tell apart as the Sika are very small in comparison to the Red Deer.  They ignore people as long as we leave them be, but they dislike the dog (even at a distance). Dogs are not allowed chase them and people are asked not to disturb them by going up close to get pictures as they are in their home. Charlie is a great deer spotter. As the summer kicks in the stags wander alone, hiding and walking in the woods. He will spot them hidden in the trees. They can be closer than you think and you may never notice them.

So come visit Killarney and see what you can spot. Check out the website again soon and I will write about Muckross and the Abbey (which I think is haunted), or I will introduce you to a hike up Torc Waterfall. All of these places are easily accessible from the hotel. The Riverside Hotel is a great spot from which to access various aspects of Kerry. So to keep you reading and coming back I will write when I can and give you something new to follow. It could be my training, a new walk, an event, stories from a local or my attempts at testing new things. You will always enjoy reading and never be disappointed with my knowledge. I am currently hoping to train for the Ring of Kerry cycle in June. I love this cycle and the crowd it attracts to town. It is such a great atmosphere. I can’t wait for the hustle and bustle of all the events and excitement in the Summer.

Until the next time

Oonagh