An icon of Irish hospitality since 1854

A grand opening

Built to serve a new wave of steam-train tourism, the Great Southern Hotel first opened its doors to international fanfare in 1854. It cost £18,000 to construct a hotel designed to “take the guest’s breath away”, a remit it still meets to this day.

Queen Victoria visits

Queen Victoria visited, launching Killarney as an international tourist destination.

Killarney tourism was born

The first organised tours featuring Killarney were launched by Thomas Cook.

The hotel lounge was renovated

The hotel lounge is renovated at a cost of £6,000. The coffee room (now the hotel’s foyer) was a large communal area where guests could meet and discuss the issues of the time. It was flanked on either side by two drawing rooms — one for men and one for ladies, which later became our modern Reading and Writing Room.

The Picture Room opened

In the Edwardian era from 1901 to 1910, a photographic dark room was created within the hotel. A trained technician employed by the hotel helped guests develop and print their photographs. Great Southern was the first hotel in Ireland to provide such a service. This space is now the Picture Room which houses the hotel’s archive of photography.

A spy was captured

In 1912, a German espionage agent, Carl Hans Lody fled the UK and checked into our hotel. Two Scotland Yard detectives arrived at the hotel with an arrest warrant. Lody grabbed a suitcase full of documents and ran to the hotel’s boiler room, where he attempted to burn the documents. The detectives apprehended and arrested him. He was later convicted and executed by firing squad in the Tower of London. Lody was the subject of memorials and commemorations in Germany before and during the Second World War, when a destroyer ship bore his name.

The Great War began

In 1914, World War I broke out which had a catastrophic effect on the Irish tourist industry. Great Southern remained open under difficult conditions throughout the four years of The Great War, which ended in 1918.

The Easter Rising

A rebellion against British rule in Ireland took place Easter week 1916 and was swiftly defeated by the British military response. As a military campaign, the Rising failed, but it became a turning point for the majority of the Irish public towards the concept of a fully independent Irish Republic. On the 17th May 1916, members of the British Army came to stay at Great Southern and posted guards in the lobby.

Irish War of Independence

In 1920 the hotel was seized by the British Military and for the following four years of national strife, the hotel ceased trading and was closed to the public. Barbed wire defences were erected and plush curtains gave way to sand bags. The elegant coffee lounge became a general office and bedrooms were packed with army bunks.

The Irish Free State

The Irish Free State was established in 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty and ended the Irish War of Independence between the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the British Crown Forces. Following the truce, Civil War ensued. The IRA used the hotel for bomb making and vacated in late 1922 when a large rival force of the Free State army were en route to Killarney. The Free State army was the next inhabitant of the hotel and the basement was used as a prison (the bars can still be seen on the windows). The Free State army took control, eventually bringing peace to the island. The hotel reopened in 1924.

The Irish Tourist Board

On the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922, local tourism associations were formed, which combined in 1924 into the Irish Tourism Association (ITA), a private organisation “promoting tourism to the benefit of the nation”. Lobbying by the ITA led to the establishment of Irish Tourist Board in 1939.

A royal visit

Queen Salote of Tonga, who reigned from 1918 to 1965, visited Killarney and stayed at Great Southern in the early 1950s. She also visited London in 1953 for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

100-year anniversary

The hotel very proudly celebrates a century in business, marking an important chapter in a story that includes two World Wars, Irish independence and the emergence of Killarney as a treasured tourist destination for people all over the world.

The Swinging Sixties kicked in

Today two of the hotel’s grand suites are named after famous guests of the 1960s era: Jackie Kennedy and Princess Grace of Monaco. Charlie Chaplin was also a visitor during this time and frequently holidayed in Kerry with his family.

The conference centre was built

The first conference centre outside of Dublin opened at the hotel and thus began the hosting of large-scale prestigious events. Over the years we have welcomed political, academic, diplomatic, commercial and corporate delegates from all over the world.

Hollywood came to Kerry

A cinema screening and editing room was created for use by film director David Lean, while he and his crew were on location in Kerry for two years during the filming of the movie “Ryan’s Daughter”. This now the Picture Room, which is home to the hotel’s rich photographic archive.

At the same time, the Garden Room restaurant was opened to immediate success.

An example of excellence

The state-owned Great Southern brand dominated luxury travel on the island and the group’s hotels became a training ground for national hospitality students.

The event centre was opened

A new purpose built event centre was added featuring the Great Room and the Auditorium, both of which would become go-to venues for international organisations of all sizes.

150-year anniversary

The Great Southern Hotel Killarney celebrates its 150th Birthday. An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was present to unveil a plaque to mark the great occasion.

New beginnings

Local hoteliers, the Scally family became the proud proprietors of the hotel. Today the hotel is led by the third generation of a family dedicated to the art of hospitality.

Hayfield Family Collection

The Hayfield Family Collection brand was created incorporating the Scally’s original hotel, Killarney Royal, Hayfield Manor in Cork and The Malton (which became Great Southern). Each hotel was run with the family’s overarching brand values in mind: Create Happiness, Be True, Do Exceptional.

Return to greatness

Following years of extensive refurbishment, in January 2018 the hotel reopened under its former name of Great Southern Killarney. The new Great Southern resumed its iconic status as Killarney’s premier historic hotel.

165-year anniversary

On the 165th anniversary of Great Southern, the management and staff paid tribute to past guests and colleagues, while looking to the future with a renewed purpose to further and enhance the Great Southern legacy and experience.

"Best Historic Hotel in Europe" award

In 2020 we were delighted to be crowned Best Historic Hotel in Europe in the 2020 Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence.

170-year anniversary