The O’Donoghue Ring Collection is delighted to announce that three of its popular hotels in Killarney have achieved the prestigious Green Hospitality Eco-Certification. Killarney Towers Hotel & Leisure Centre, Killarney Avenue Hotel, and Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa have each been recognised for making positive strides towards a more sustainable future with their commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible business practices. A luxurious portfolio of Irish family-run hotels, self-catering apartments, independent restaurants & bars, destination spa, and even its own Killarney Urban Farm in Co. Kerry, the O’Donoghue Ring Collection has long placed sustainability at the centre of the group’s ethos and operations. The Green Hospitality Awards is an internationally recognised third-party environmental & sustainability certification awards programme. It requires businesses to implement an Environmental Management System focusing on energy, carbon, waste and water.
Group General Manager Brian Lawlor said: “The Green Hospitality Eco-Certification across these three hotels is a milestone step for our group on our environmental journey. Since 2020, the O’Donoghue Ring Collection has taken a property-by-property approach to minimise environmental impacts or our properties. The group initiative called ‘Our Green Way’ is part of our vision to be the championing leader of sustainable hospitality, locally and regionally, by transparently investing both time and money into coming up with innovative solutions that benefit people and the planet through sustainable and responsible tourism.” ‘Our Green Way’ has resulted in a number of significant environmental wins for the group specifically noting the two new certified hotels

 

Killarney Towers Hotel & Leisure Centre:

 

·       Energy: Reduced energy consumption per sleeper by 22% compared to 2022

·       Food Waste: Reduced food waste per food cover by 67% compared to 2022

·       Water consumption: Reduced water consumption per sleeper by 51% compared to 2022

Killarney Avenue Hotel:

·       Energy: Reduced energy consumption per sleeper by 12% compared to 2022

·       Food Waste: Reduced food waste per food cover by 69% compared to 2022

·       Water consumption: Reduced water consumption per sleeper by 36% compared to 2022

This has led to significant results for the Collection as a whole, with reductions including: 

·       Energy: Reduced energy consumption per sleeper by 22% compared to 2022

·       Food Waste: Reduced food waste per food cover by 53% compared to 2022

·       Water consumption: Reduced water consumption per sleeper by 16% compared to 2022

·       Carbon: Reduced our LPG consumption per sleeper by 7% in comparison to 2022

GHP encourages members to also protect and promote local biodiversity, buy locally where possible and encourage visitors to use local “green” businesses and services, all of which are central to the collection’s ethos. Other ongoing initiatives led by the group’s internal Green Team include: forging partnerships with local suppliers to recycle coffee granules as fertiliser; the introduction of e-chargers at the Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa and Killarney Avenue Hotel; mass reduction of single-use plastics with a focus on replacing traditional bedroom key cards with virtual cards or wooden key alternatives; removal of single-use toiletries in guest bedrooms; and the championing of food sustainability focusing on local legacy dishes including ingredients sourced from the group’s own Killarney Urban Farm.

Commenting on the group’s achievement, Gemma Ring, Managing Director of the O’Donoghue Ring Collection said: “First and foremost, I’d like to express my sincere appreciation to our dedicated Green Teams at each property. Their unwavering passion and hard work have been instrumental in driving our sustainability initiatives forward. This certification is a reflection of our dedication to reducing our ecological footprint while simultaneously enhancing the guest experience.” The certification follows the group’s recent Green Hospitality Award win at the Killarney Looking Good Awards for the Killarney Urban Farm. Proud to be Ireland’s first hospitality hydroponic urban farm, growing for and servicing bars, restaurants, and hotels in the Kerry region, the ultimate objective behind Killarney Urban Farm is to innovatively curtail food miles, produce the freshest produce around, and reduce the carbon footprint of its partners. 

And the group intends to keep up the green momentum, Gemma Ring added: “While we celebrate these fantastic achievements, we also recognize that our journey toward sustainability is ongoing. Our eco-certification serves as a launching pad for further innovations and improvements in environmental practices. Together, with our partners and the communities we serve, we will continue to explore new opportunities to make a lasting, positive impact on our environment and society.”