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Great Southern tractor goes home

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WIN THIS TRACTOR: This Ford 2600 tractor, once owned by the Great Southern Killarney, is up for grabs in a raffle to raise funds for the Killarney Micro Track and Meningitis Ireland.

 

By Sean Moriarty

 

A tractor that once belonged to the Great Southern Hotel returned to its spiritual home for the first time in 12 years this week.

The 1979 Ford 2600 was used by the Killarney Great Southern Hotel between 1979 to 2007. It was a familiar sight around the streets of Killarney during this time as it was used to transport furniture and other equipment between the hotel and its now closed sister premises the Torc Great Southern Hotel on Park Road with well-known local gardener Con Lyne behind the wheel.

The tractor is now owned by Killarney Valley Classic and Vintage Club, and after a restoration project by the club it is being raffled to raise funds for Meningitis Ireland and the Killarney Micro Track Project.

When the hotel ownership changed hands in 2007 the tractor was sold to a vintage collector near Tralee.

The club bought it back off the collector earlier this year and it is now the centrepiece of its annual fundraising raffle. Over the years the club has raffled other tractors and a Land Rover to raise funds for local causes.

Earlier this week the club returned the tractor to the GSH. It brought back memories for PRO Tom Leslie who worked as the hotel’s leisure centre manager for 16 years.

“This is close to my heart,” he told the Killarney Advertiser. “I would have seen that tractor working every day for 16 years. It is well-known around Killarney as back then hotels would share tables and furniture, depending on who was hosting a big event, and the tractor would be seen around town pulling trailers of furniture. It also transported kegs of beer between the Great Southern and the Torc.”

The club has three more prizes as part of the fundraising raffle; second prize: Bed & Breakfast and an evening meal at the five-star Killarney Park Hotel, third prize: €400 voucher from Killarney Oils, and fourth prize: a two night pitch at Beech Grove Caravan and Camping Park, Killarney.

Tickets can be purchased from www.killarneyvintage.com or directly from the beneficiaries and are €10 each. The draw will take place on November 16 at the Innisfallen Hotel in Fossa.

 

 

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A Celebration of Culture, Community and Talent at St Brigid’s Presentation

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St Brigid’s Presentation Secondary School was alive with music, song and celebration at their recent Trad Night 2026, a wonderful evening that showcased the rich cultural talent within their school and wider community.This special event was a joint fundraiser organised by their Gaelbhratach committee, promoting the Irish language and culture; their Yellow Flag committee, celebrating diversity and inclusion; and their dedicated Music Department. The night reflected the spirit of unity in the school, bringing together students from all year groups in a vibrant celebration of heritage through music, storytelling and dance. The programme featured an impressive lineup of performances including the brush dance, junior and senior set dancers representing local clubs such as Kilcummin and Spa, and a spectacular performance from Irish dancing World Champion Caoimhe O’Halloran. Thri junior and senior traditional groups performed beautifully, alongside the hugely talented Glenflesk Ballad Group, multiple All-Ireland award winners, who brought the audience to their feet. The evening was made all the more special with the generous sponsorship of tea and traditional brack from O’Sullivan’s Bakery, which was warmly enjoyed by all in attendance. The night concluded with a memorable performance from Deputy Principal, Liam McGill, who entertained the audience on guitar and vocals, accompanied by well-known local music teacher Rosie Healy and Aine McCann. St Brigid’s are immensely proud of all students who performed and contributed to making the night such a resounding success. Trad Night 2026 highlighted the extraordinary talent within the school and the strong sense of community that defines St Brigid’s Presentation.

A Celebration of Culture, Community and Talent at St Brigid’s Presentation

St Brigid’s Presentation Secondary School was alive with music, song and celebration at their recent Trad Night 2026, a wonderful evening that showcased the rich cultural talent within their school and wider community.This special event was a joint fundraiser organised by their Gaelbhratach committee, promoting the Irish language and culture; their Yellow Flag committee, celebrating diversity and inclusion; and their dedicated Music Department. The night reflected the spirit of unity in the school, bringing together students from all year groups in a vibrant celebration of heritage through music, storytelling and dance. The programme featured an impressive lineup of performances including the brush dance, junior and senior set dancers representing local clubs such as Kilcummin and Spa, and a spectacular performance from Irish dancing World Champion Caoimhe O’Halloran. Thri junior and senior traditional groups performed beautifully, alongside the hugely talented Glenflesk Ballad Group, multiple All-Ireland award winners, who brought the audience to their feet. The evening was made all the more special with the generous sponsorship of tea and traditional brack from O’Sullivan’s Bakery, which was warmly enjoyed by all in attendance. The night concluded with a memorable performance from Deputy Principal, Liam McGill, who entertained the audience on guitar and vocals, accompanied by well-known local music teacher Rosie Healy and Aine McCann. St Brigid’s are immensely proud of all students who performed and contributed to making the night such a resounding success. Trad Night 2026 highlighted the extraordinary talent within the school and the strong sense of community that defines St Brigid’s Presentation.

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European title for Killarney handball star

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By Con Dennehy

Killarney handball star Owen Brosnan answered Ireland’s call at the weekend with a breathtaking display at the European One Wall Tour in London.

Currow native and Spa Killarney Handballer, Brosnan took on the best players in England, Wales, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, France and Israel and thanks to a superb display returned back to Kerry with a European gold medal following his phenomenal success in the Men’s C Plate competition.
Played at the Westway Sports Complex in London, more than 150 players took part in the competition on six indoor courts with Brosnan and his Killarney team colleague Tim Cronin playing 15 games over the two days. Following earlier round victories, Brosnan was paired with Tim Cronin in a Kerry dominated semifinal clash. This was an exciting high-octane game with both players producing a classic display of handball. Aces were hard fought with just one point separating both players at the end of a pulsating game. Brosnan advanced to the final on a 21-20 scoreline. “I was thrilled with my semifinal game. It was a hard-fought contest with all the training at the Spa GAA Hall helping me edge out a win. We train together and know each other strengths and weaknesses which added to the excitement of the occasion. We both teamed up in the Men’s B Plate Doubles competition reaching the semifinal where we were defeated by Matt Flapan and Gleb Spiridon, a USA/Israel combination,” said Owen.
Brosnan produced a superb display of fast paced handball in the Men’s C Plate final where his opponent was the highly fancied Josh Thomas from Wales. Using the court to his full advantage, the Killarney player produced a brilliant all-round performance to record a 21-18 victory and in the process his first major title.
“Naturally, I was delighted with the success. Both Tim and I started the sport by accident over 12 months ago when we attended an Open Family Day at Spa GAA Club. Brendan O’Donoghue, one of the founders of Spa Killarney Handball Club, was giving a demonstration of handball and invited us to try it out. We both enjoyed the experience and have been playing ever since. We are looking forward to the various domestic competitions over the coming months and really enjoy the training and fun element to the sport in the club.”

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