Three out of the top 10 ‘green hotels’ in Ireland are in Cork. However, concern has been expressed about the poor uptake of the scheme in Kerry, where no hotels made it into even the top 20.

The Americans are back and Kerry tourism interests are smiling as the season hits its annual August peak.

Tourism interests in the South-West are hoping an expected influx of American visitors from the end of May will compensate for a slow start to 2013.

The tide is starting to turn for the hard-pressed tourist industry, according to a leading figure in the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF).

The dream of a Europe-wide free travel scheme for senior citizens has been shot down by Tourism Minister Leo Varadkar, who said there was no such thing as “free travel”.

A STUNNING 18th-century mansion gifted to the state by a billionaire businessman should be converted into a summer residence for the President, it has been proposed.

A LEADING figure in Kerry tourism yesterday said the current season was the worst in his 32 years in the industry.

IT looks increasingly likely that an unseemly row about horse dung in tourist haven Killarney – which likes to be known as the more lyrical Heaven’s Reflex – will be resolved in the courts.

THOMAS DEEHAN scored 10 points to inspire 14-man Clara to a deserved victory over Rathvilly and book a Leinster club SFC semi-final against Portlaoise in the process.

JOHN REYNOLDS was the hero as comeback kings Clara repeated their county final heroics by overcoming an eight-point interval deficit to win this Leinster Club SFC game in Newbridge.

RTÉ is to screen a programme on “growing your own” in Cork which will be presented by celebrity chef Richard Corrigan.

“STAYCATION” — the latest buzzword by tourism marketing brains in America — is now being used in the south-west.

A LEADING figure in the tourism industry in the southwest has urged new Tourism Minister Martin Cullen to “hit the ground running” as the industry struggled to fill empty beds.

A LEADING tourism figure in the south-west, who yesterday warned it would be a “tough year” as far as the American market is concerned, welcomed a new marketing initiative.

KERRY county councillors have done a major U-turn on a vexed rezoning issue, following intense pressure from an angry community.

MEMBERS of Kerry County Council are expected to do a U-turn on a controversial rezoning decision in one of Killarney’s prime tourism areas.

The Chairman of the Kerry Branch of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) today described as "strategically important" the announcement by the Minister for Tourism John O'Donoghue that Kerry is to be unified for the purposes of tourism development.

A Co Offaly man used a homemade shotgun to shoot dead a 20-year-old man at a cider party in Birr, a prosecution lawyer alleged at a murder trial today.

A man has been charged with murdering 25-year-old Michael Rosney in Belmont, Co Offaly last Thursday night.

Gardai are continuing to question a man arrested yesterday evening in connection with the killing of 20-year-old Michael Rosney in Belmont, Co Offaly on Thursday night.

Gardai have arrested a man in connection with the shooting dead of 20-year-old Michael Rosney in Co Offaly earlier this week.