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300 visitors enchanted by stunning birds

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FALCONRY: Dan Loughlin showing of the birds to Noah Crawley from Killarney at the interactive falconry demonstration at Ross Castle on Sunday: Pic: Dylan Clifford

On Sunday a falconry display was held at the courtyard of Ross Castle as part of a programme of national events for Heritage Week.

Liam Regan from Falconry Kerry brought a hawk, a peregrine falcon and some beautiful tawny owls to enchant almost 300 visitors over the one and a half hours.

“Seeing the falcon swooping from the turrets brought us all back to a time when the O’Donoghue Chieftains might have been partaking in that very same pastime,” Majella Starrett, Head Guide of Ross Castle, said. “There were a lot of enquiries about this event during the week and it is an area with great potential, though the local duck population were not too impressed.”

The fine weather encouraged a great turnout. Members of the public were given a chance to interact with the magnificent birds as well as learn amazing facts about them from Liam and also Dan Loughlin. It was a wonderful opportunity for adults and children alike to get close to birds normally only seen on wildlife documentaries, she added.

Falconry Kerry can arrange hawk walks and opportunities to free-fly and meet and hold birds for private groups. Please email falconrykerry@gmail.com or call 087 127 9745 to pre-book.

[caption id="attachment_27914" align="aligncenter" width="1028"] Emma O'Connor from Killarney with the African Spotted Eagle Owl at the interactive falconry demonstration at Ross Castle on Sunday: Pic: Dylan Clifford[/caption]

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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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