Kingdom call for Gathering events

People around the world with well-known Kerry names are being targeted by tourism interests to visit the county during next year’s Gathering event.

Gatherings being planned for Kerry in 2013 include reunions of major Kingdom families such as O’Sullivan, O’Connell, O’Shea, and O’Connor.

Special Gathering events will form part of Listowel Writers’ Week, Killarney SummerFest, the Rose of Tralee Festival, and the Tralee International Marathon and Half Marathon 2013.

Local Gathering committees have been established in Killarney, Listowel, Castleisland, and Sneem but every town and village community is urged to participate.

Last month, Kerry County Council and Tourism Ireland hosted a briefing for the US travel trade and friends of Kerry on Ellis Island in New York, becoming the first Irish county to do so.

Gathering Ireland 2013 is a national tourism initiative aimed at linking up with the Irish Diaspora.

A public meeting to get Kerry communities involved in the Gathering will take place in the Ballygarry House Hotel, Tralee, tonight.

Kerry County Council’s tourism officer John Griffin said they were looking for ideas on how to invite friends and loved ones overseas to Ireland next year.

“It’s going to be an incredible year in Ireland and we want Kerry to be part of it,” he said.