THE RETAIL giant Marks Spencer will open its flagship Kerry store in Killarney later this morning in a move that is seen as a feather in the tourist town's cap over its larger neighbour, Tralee. "MS Killarney" will be the company's 18th shop in the Republic and its 35th on the island.
It opens despite a boast by the mayor of Tralee a year ago that Killarney was only for báinín sweaters and donkey-cart rides and the retail giant would never favour it over the Kerry capital.
Originally MS planned to open a €6 million 3,790sq m (30,000sq ft) store with 100 jobs in the Manor West shopping centre at the entrance to Tralee.
A material contravention of the development plan would have been required for the Tralee store.
However, councillors voted it down, believing that by doing so they would force MS into the Austin Stack Park site, nearer the town centre, for which plans were in train by local developers.
However, MS senior management made it clear they had looked at that site and it was not an option.
When it came to a vote, then mayor of Tralee Terry O'Brien rejected warnings from his Labour Party colleague, Cllr Miriam McGillycuddy, that MS would move to Killarney.
He told the meeting of Tralee Town Council that Killarney's market was "the Yanks" and they were looking for "báinín jumpers and donkey-cart rides", and MS would not dream of favouring it over Tralee, the Kerry capital.
Only three of the 12 councillors supported the rezoning.
There were public protests outside the council chamber and the decision was felt to have cost Cllr O'Brien thousands of votes when he ran as the Labour candidate in Kerry North in the general election.
Yesterday, as if rubbing salt into the wound, Bus Éireann took out full-page ads in Tralee newspapers under the headline "Want to go shopping in Killarney . . .", announcing an hourly service from Tralee to Killarney.
The advertisements have pictures of the MS Killarney store alongside the Tralee bus station.
The 2,040sq m (22,000sq ft) store at the Deerpark Shopping Park in Killarney will "welcome customers from all over Kerry", MS regional manager Gordon Scott has said.
The eco-friendly store will operate a cafe as well as a fashion and food store, and will employ up to 80 people.