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Shock at the death of “wonderful community activist”

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There was a great sense of shock over the weekend when news of the death of Yvonne Quill, a Tidy Towns champion and wonderful community activist, became known.

Yvonne, from Barleymount and formerly of the Cafe, College Street, passed away following a short illness on Friday. Requiem Mass takes place this morning (Monday) at 11am in The Prince of Peace Church, Fossa, followed by burial in Aghadoe Lawn Cemetery.

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce President Niall Kelleher said she will be very fondly remembered as an incredibly dedicated woman, a strong personality who led by example and spearheaded the town’s Tidy Towns committee with such passion for over 25 years.

He recalled that her proudest day was when, as chairperson of the Killarney Looking Good Committee, she inspired Killarney to the prestigious overall national award in 2011 which had proved so elusive prior to that.

“Yvonne led by example and she never asked anyone to do something she wouldn’t do herself. You would seldom see her without the yellow bib, playing her part and showing us all what needed to be done to give Killarney the edge,” Mr Kelleher said.

“While winning the overall prize was something special, Killarney has never been far from the top and it has won a gold medal almost every year which is testament to Yvonne’s great ability to organise, her steely determination and her unrivalled ability to rally the troops,” he added.

The Chamber President also remembered her as a great businesswoman, a master baker and confectioner whose café on College Street was a must-visit for a whole generation of Killarney people and visitors.

“Yvonne Quill has left a great legacy in her home town. We thank her for what she has done, we’ll remember her incredible work ethic and we’ll ensure her name will live on in Killarney by continuing the commitment to the Tidy Towns initiative."

Johnny McGuire, a member of the executive of Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, who worked alongside Yvonne at the helm of the Tidy Towns committee, said she was a born leader who inspired the whole community and always led by example.

“Killarney would never have won the All-Ireland Tidy Towns award without her. She was the inspirational captain of the winning team. Yvonne worked night and day and, when it came to Tidy Towns, there was no downtime for her,” Mr McGuire said.

“Her commitment to the cause brought her into every school and every housing estate in Killarney. Working closely with the late Fr Michael Murphy, her great friend, Kathleen Foley, and others, they really put Killarney in contention for the top awards every year. The name Yvonne Quill was known and respected in Tidy Towns circles throughout the entire country – she really was a legend and everything she turned her hand to,
she succeeded. Killarney will miss her,” he added.

She will be deeply missed by her husband John, children Peter, Sandra and Sean, her son-in-law Peter, daughter-in-law Mairéad, grandchildren Anna, Jake, Ted, Abby and Luke, sister Angela Mulvey, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and extended family, friends, neighbours and the community.

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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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