SANTA Claus wasn't the only one to whip up great excitement in Killarney at Christmas as he had to share the limelight with a movie superstar.

While Santa was busy steering his sleigh and climbing down chimneys, Michael Fassbender was catching up with old friends and enjoying the Christmas in Killarney festival in the town he calls home.

The actor spent over a week with his parents, Josef and Adele, at their Fossa home.

And he caused quite a stir when he did a bit of last minute shopping in Killarney as well as every time he walked in a busy pub at night.

Reported sightings Michael started in the days leading up to Christmas.

Comments posted on Twitter included:
"Just saw Michael Fassbender in Killarney. Looking very skinny."
"First confirmed #fassbender sighting of the Christmas season. Killarney is on high alert this year. Game on ladies."

Michael was charming with everybody he met and he happily posed for selfies when approached at bar counters or even on the street.

Hostelries he visited during his holiday at home included The Porterhouse and Courtney's on Plunkett Street and, in fact, the latter was familiar territory as it was in that building that the former Sem boy started out his career in amateur dramatics.

One acquaintance he bumped into was former Irish international basketball star James Weldon, of Seamus Weldon Groundcare, who went to school at the same time as Michael.

"He went to Fossa and I went to Two Mile but we grew up together and we were altar boys together. It was great to meet him again after all this time." James told KillarneyToday.com.