Accomplished golfer Joey Sheehan scooped the Dr Crokes GAA Club Golf Society Captain’s Prize for the sixth time following the outing at The Killeen Course at Killarney Golf Club on Friday.

Society Captain Niall Botty O’Callaghan and his mother Eileen O’Callaghan hosted the prizegiving function in The Failte Hotel, where Joey was presented with a painting of the fourth hole at Killeen by local artist and Dr Crokes member Paul Downey.

Joey Sheehan won his first Dr Crokes Captain’s prize back in 1997, which was the start of an historic four-in-a-row.

He collected his fifth Captain’s prize in 2006 before adding his sixth with the 2026 title last Friday.

Over the years, he has also won two Dr Crokes Presidents prizes, numerous other society outings, and the Eddie Barry Memorial Cup three times as player of the year.

The prize giving function in The Failte featured speeches from society officer Brendan Keogh, Captain Niall Botty O’Callaghan, and overall winner Joey Sheehan.

During the speeches, a number of recently deceased local people and others from recent years associated with the Dr Crokes Golf Society were remembered.

Among those fondly remembered were Brian O’Regan, John O’Mahony, Ewan MacIndoe, Gerry Collins, Paudie O’Callaghan, Malachy Walsh, and Seani McCarthy.

The Dr Crokes Captains Prize was once again sponsored by Mike Buckley of Kerry Coaches. Following overall winner Joey Sheehan, the full list of prize winners included John Lynch in second, Finian Moran in third, and Liam Hartnett in fourth. Sean Brosnan took fifth place, followed by Maurice O’Donoghue in sixth, John O’Leary in seventh, Paudie Sheahan in eighth, Colm Galvin in ninth, and Eamonn Fitzgerald in tenth.

The consultant psychiatrist who blew the whistle on the South Kerry CAMHS scandal, Dr Maya Sharma, is officially opening a new private children’s assessment clinic in Killarney town centre.

The development follows reports in the Killarney Advertiser in May that Dr Sharma was seeking a return to Kerry.

The clinic is now confirmed to open within the next two months after suitable town centre premises were successfully secured.

The facility will provide a range of specialist assessment services for children, giving local families an alternative option within the county to bypass long public waiting lists.

Dr Sharma previously exposed the over-medication and inappropriate treatment of young patients within the South Kerry Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

Her disclosures led to a major state investigation which revealed hundreds of vulnerable children had been harmed or put at risk by unsafe clinical practices.

Councillor Martin Grady, who assisted in finding the town centre location, welcomed the finalisation of the plans and praised Dr Sharma’s bravery and dedication.

“I am absolutely delighted that we were able to work together to secure suitable premises for Dr Sharma here in Killarney,” Cllr Grady said. “She is a tremendous asset to our town and to County Kerry. The work she has carried out over the years has made a real difference to so many children and families. Personally, I want to sincerely thank Dr Sharma for her bravery and honesty in coming forward and speaking the truth for the betterment and protection of vulnerable young people receiving treatment. Her actions required immense courage, and many families throughout Kerry and beyond recognise the importance of what she did.”

Cllr Grady noted that Dr Sharma has a strong personal connection to the area, particularly her love for the local National Park, and is eager to begin practicing in Killarney again.

“There are massive waiting times for children requiring assessments through the public system,” Cllr Grady added. “While this private clinic won’t replace public services, it will provide families with another option and will greatly increase local capacity. We are fortunate to have someone of Dr Sharma’s calibre choosing to establish her practice here.”