The 3 Irish Open Golf Championship will be held at Killarney Golf and Fishing Club from Thursday, the 29/7/10 to Sunday, the 1/8/2010. The venue is situated on the outskirts of Killarney Town and urban area about 2 miles from the town centre on the Ring of Kerry Road – the national secondary route, the N72.
The event is being staged on the Kileen Course which is one of three golf courses at the location. Gardai are expecting crowds in the region of 5,000 to 8,000 on the Thursday and Friday of the event and crowds in the region of 10,000 to 15,000 on the Saturday and Sunday of the event.
The Ring of Kerry road, the N72 , which is the main Killarney to Killorglin/ Caherciveen and Dingle Road and bounds the course will remain open to normal traffic during the event and Gardai will be on duty at junctions, roundabouts, the entrance to the venue and the entrances to carparks for the duration of the event to ensure traffic remains flowing at the venue.
Play will commence on Thursday, the 29/7/2010 and Friday, the 30/7/2010 at 7.00am and finish at 7.30am approx. Play will commence on Saturday, the 31/7/2010 and Sunday, the 1/8/2010 at 8.30am and finish at 6pm approx.
The event will be served by 9 car parks which are either adjacent to the venue or the furthest being a 15 minute walk from the venue. The Gardai will control the entrances to the car parks and a car park management company will park the vehicles.
The Gardai will operate a filter lane at the entrance to the venue and only vehicles that have a car park pass for car parks 1, 2 and 3 or a players, staff or PGA European Tour officials pass will be permitted to use this filter lane to either access the venue or car parks 1, 2 and 3.
All official car parks are free of charge and a shuttle bus service will serve an additional 5 car parks in the town of Killarney to bring people to the venue. The additional 5 car parks close to the town centre are expected to be used on the Saturday and Sunday of the event as overflow car parks should access to the venue become congested or the car parks at the venue are full on those days.
Those attending the event are also encouraged to walk to the venue through the National Park from the town of Killarney from the access point opposite St Mary’s Cathedral. It is a walk of 20 minutes to an entry point on the Kileen course close to the Castlerosse Hotel.
Killarney is also hosting the annual Summerfest festival in the town in conjunction with the Irish Open and Gardai expect Killarney to be exceptionally busy over the weekend coupled with normal August Bank Holiday traffic and visitors to Killarney.