The History of the Collection

Michael O’Donoghue and Donal Ring purchased the property that became the East Avenue Hotel in 1978. In June the hotel opened its doors with 16 bedrooms and a function room. From the beginning it became a very successful wedding venue and it also had a huge following and was well known for the Friday night Ceile.

On the 10th of April 1986 Revelles Night Club opened in the Killarney Avenue Hotel and was very popular up to its closure in early 2000. 

The old part of the East Avenue Hotel building was demolished and development took place again. The hotel reopened in August 1988 in its current state with 66 bedrooms and known as the Killarney Avenue Hotel. The Killarney Avenue Hotel has two food and beverage outlets; The Druids Restaurant which serves international and local cuisine and The Kenmare Rooms which is a traditional Irish bar with live music and a favourite amongst the locals.

The O’Donoghue Ring family purchased the Imperial Hotel on College Street, Killarney. At that time it was the highest price paid per room for any Irish hotel.

With the exception of the front wall and Scruffys the building was demolished in January 1990 with a phenomenal building programme headed up by Donal Ring. 100 rooms were completed in 100 days, and with that opened The Killarney Towers Hotel and two dining outlets: O’Donoghue Public House and Scruffys.

A further 82 rooms were added to the Killarney Towers Hotel, completing the building with a total of 182 bedrooms.

The River Island was built in Castleisland with 52 rooms and the Night Owls night club. The hotel is able to cater for weddings up to 300 people in the Island Suite. The Shanowen Bar is very popular for guests and locals alike for pre or post dinner drinks and Con’s Bar and Grill is the place to go for a cosy atmosphere and great food. Night Owls night club opens just a few nights a year for the big occasions. It has a large dance floor with two bars and can hold up the 400 people.

The Three Lakes hotel was purchased and was demolished in 2000, making it the third hotel in Killarney owned by the O'Donoghue Ring Collection. It reopened in 2002 as the Killarney Plaza with 198 rooms. The Killarney Plaza has many food and beverage offerings; Café du Parc, The Tan Yard, La Grand Pey, Piano Bar and a number of function rooms. The hotel has an award winning spa and separate leisure centre with thermal facilities and a gym which are open to residents only.

What was once known as the Plaza Bar, Café du Parc underwent a refurbishment and rebrand with a new menu to support is Parisian-café inspired offering. Café du Parc is an all-day dining destination, famous for its funky brunch that is paired with a live DJ.

A casual late evening dining outlet, The Tan Yard in the Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa underwent a rebrand to reopen in 2018.

Part of the O’Donoghue Ring Collection’s sustainability initiative Killarney Urban Farm is Ireland's first hospitality hydroponic urban farm, growing for and servicing bars, restaurants, and hotels in the Kerry region.

After being lovingly restored to an old Irish pub, O’Donoghue Public House offers an authentic traditional experience by honouring tradition and history in Irish culture and cuisine.

The O’Donoghue Ring Collection logo is a combination of elements from the two founding family member crests. A symbol of perseverance and independence, the fox is an element of the O’Donoghue family crest and pays homage to the long-standing family traditions and warm welcome that have become ingrained in the collections culture. A symbol of hope and greater glory, the moon is the symbol of the Ring family crest. To pay homage to the location, the eagle represents a symbol of Killarney, power and strength and is an element of the O’Donoghue crest.

The blue colour reflects the sky and lakes, communicating a sense of place and the natural habitat that surrounds the properties along the Wild Atlantic Way. While the use of bronze resembles the nearby Killarney National Park and warmth of our team.