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Conference and event facilities are plen-
tiful, too. Creative gala venues range from castles and opera houses to distilleries and cookery schools. Popular meeting and con- ference venues include Cork City Hall, Cork Opera House, and University College Cork. The city has more than 3,000 hotel rooms, and Cork International Airport directly con- nects visitors with more than 60 destinations in the U.K. and Europe.
DERRY-LONDONDERRY Derry-Londonderry, chosen as the first U.K. City of Culture for 2012, is Ireland’s only com- pletely walled city. On the banks of the River Foyle about 70 miles northwest of Belfast, the city dates back to the 6th century, yet has all of the modern facilities and amenities meet- ing planners require. The city has long been a favorite with visitors for its rich history, but now a recent surge of development has the city gaining in popularity as a conference des- tination. The Millennium Forum, the largest venue in the Northwest, can accommodate 1,020 attendees and offers a conference cen- ter, flexible auditorium, and breakout rooms for events of all kinds. The neo-gothic Guildhall, an imposing red
sandstone building punctuated with mag- nificent stained-glass windows, houses the oficial ofices of the mayor and council cham- ber. The building has recently completed an extensive refurbishment, and offers a unique- ly historic venue for welcome receptions.
KILLARNEY A popular conference destination, Killarney has many of the exquisite landscapes Ireland is famous for, as well as 125 holes of cham- pionship golf. Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, which has hosted the Irish Open, offers three 18-hole courses close to picturesque Killarney National Park, and those looking for some post-con pampering will find a multitude of world-class spa facilities to choose from in the area. Beyond its postcard-perfect views, Killar-
ney is also home to Ireland’s largest dedi- cated conference and events venue — The
Scenic sites Whether it’s the Lakes of Killarney, Ring of Kerry, or Dingle Peninsula, visitors can’t get enough of Kerry’s captivating vistas and views. The best part: The destination is the perfect jumping-off point to explore the surrounding countryside. Killarney is just a 40-minute flight from Dublin and is close to Shannon and Cork airports.
Historic gem (Left) Groups who visit Derry-Londonderry, Ireland’s only completely walled city, can explore more than 1,450 years of history, yet at the same time take in some of Ireland’s most versatile purpose-built meeting venues, like the Millennium Forum.
Killarney Conference Center. The facility offers a 35,450-square-foot auditorium with retractable, tiered seating for 2,500 attend- ees, which can also be converted into ban- quet space for the same number of guests. The venue is located beside the 25,000-acre Killarney National Park — the perfect place to take advantage of the destination’s stunning scenery or to build a custom team-building program that includes biking, hiking, or kaya-
Bridge the gap One of Ireland’s oldest and most popular tours, the Gap of Dunloe tour in Killarney, includes sailing on the three lakes of Killarney, horseback riding (or a horse-drawn carriage ride) through the seven-mile Gap of Dunloe, and a relaxing ending with a cup of Irish coffee at the 150-year-old Kate Kearney’s Cottage.
NOVEMBER 2012 PCMA CONVENE
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