Give the oars a quick rattle in the oarlocks and settle onto the wooden seat before you undertake the 45-minute row from Ross Castle, Killarney, Co Kerry, to a stronghold of early Irish monasticism.

The long and sometimes rocky road to Hollywood began in simple schoolboy settings for actor Michael Fassbender, 36, nominated for an Oscar tomorrow night for his role in 12 Years a Slave.

One of Ireland’s oldest manufacturing companies has given a long-term commitment to Kerry where it employs more than 800 people.

This development is a testament to the Liebherr family’s loyalty to the kingdom, writes Siobhan Cronin