News / Events

  • March

  • Retrace Hugh O'Flaherty's WW2 Rome Steps

    Retrace Hugh O'Flaherty's WW2 Rome Steps

    28 March, 2012

    The Hugh O’Flaherty memorial Society announces details of an exciting autumn trip to Rome to celebrate the WW2 humanitarian works of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, “The Vatican Pimpernel” in October 2012.

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  • May

  • Kerry Choral Union - Fundraising Concert, 13th May 2012

    Kerry Choral Union - Fundraising Concert, 13th May 2012

    09 May, 2012

    As part of the ongoing fundraising drive to build a permanent memorial to Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, the Kerry Choral Union are organising A feast of Choral and Solo Music and Song to celebrate and commemorate the life of Hugh O'Flaherty. The event, which will feature Harpist and Singer, Marina Cassidy and Flautist Miriam O’Sullivan-Long, will take place on Sunday 13th May at 7:30pm at the Killarney Oaks Hotel.

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  • July

  • New Nomination Criteria announced for the 5th Annual Hugh O'Flaherty Humanitarian Award

    New Nomination Criteria announced for the 5th Annual Hugh O'Flaherty Humanitarian Award

    12 July, 2012

    In November 2008, in recognition of his immense humanitarian deeds the people of Killarney posthumously presented the Killarney Humanitarian Award to Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty (a.k.a. The Pimpernel of the Vatican). The Award is now awarded annually at the Memorial Weekend in November and has been re-named as the Hugh O’Flaherty International Humanitarian Award.

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  • Literary & Art Competitions - Memorial Weekend

    Literary & Art Competitions - Memorial Weekend

    28 July, 2012

    For the past two years and again this year, the Memorial Weekend Programme has included a short dramatic performance specifically written and performed for the event. The 2012 Memorial Weekend will include Literature and Visual Art, which will be done through a series of open and confined competitions.

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  • September

  • Youth Participation Committee

    Youth Participation Committee

    18 September, 2012

    A Youth Participation Committee has been formed to "increase awareness of, and participation in, the Hugh O'Flaherty story and commemorations"

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  • October

  • Monastery Presentation and Launch of Hugh O'Flaherty 2012 Memorial WeekendPROGRAMME

    Monastery Presentation and Launch of Hugh O'Flaherty 2012 Memorial WeekendPROGRAMME

    04 October, 2012

    On Monday October 1st, 2012 the Hugh O'Flaherty Memorial Committee presented a commemorative framed montage of the Monsignor and a Patron's Maquette to the Brothers, Staff & Students of the Presentation Monastery on New Road, Killarney.

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  • Hugh O'Flaherty Memorial Weekend 2012

    21 October, 2012

    The Hugh O'Flaherty Memorial Weekend is in it's 5th year from Friday Nov 9th to Sunday 11th in Killarney

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  • Billy Vincent RIP

    Billy Vincent RIP

    21 October, 2012

    The Hugh O'Flaherty Memorial Society was saddened by the news that one of Killarney’s fondest citizens and a most supportive Patron of the Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Society has passed away.

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  • November

  • Art & Literary Winners accounced 2012

    Art & Literary Winners accounced 2012

    20 November, 2012

    The Winners of the inaugural Hugh O’Flaherty Art & Literary Competitions 2012 were announced on Friday Nov 9th at the Official Opening of the Hugh O'Flaherty Memorial Exhibition in Killarney Library. The prizes were presented by the Mayor of Killarney, Cllr. Sean O’Grady.

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  • 2012 Memorial Weekend a Huge Success

    2012 Memorial Weekend a Huge Success

    20 November, 2012

    Every year since the Memorial Weekend was first established in 2008, the highlight of the Hugh O'Flaherty Memorial Weekend is the presentation of the Hugh O'Flaherty International Humanitarian Award, honouring individuals or organisations who have displayed the same ideals and principals of the Monsignor, who during WW2, together with his colleagues in the Rome Escape Line, saved over 6,500 people from the clutches of the Nazis who had occupied Rome at the time. This year the occasion brought together, for the first time at the event, the heads of both Church and State, when An Taoiseach Enda Kenny attended the event together with the newly appointed Papal Nuncio for Ireland, Archbishop Charles John Brown and was also joined by the British Ambassador Dominick Chilcott. This year's deserved winner was Sr. Agnes Hunt who was nominated by the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas and was chosen due to her commitment nd empathy towards Irish Prisoners Overseas and their families. Sr. Agnes was the first woman to be appointed to a chaplaincy in a male prison in the UK, when she began a placement at HMP Wormwood Scrubs, where she remained for 16 years. During her time she formed close ties with many of the prisoners and their families.

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  • Hugh O'Flaherty Memorial Society says "Thank YOu"

    20 November, 2012

    After the most successful Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Weekend to date, the Memorial Committee would like to thank the following Organisations and Individuals for their help in organising, promoting and actioning the Memorial Weekend Programme with sincere apologies for any unintended omissions.

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