Racing fans are invited to the McSweeney Arms Hotel on Tuesday, March 3, for an expert preview of the upcoming Cheltenham Festival.

The event kicks off at 8.30 p.m. sharp and promises a wealth of tips and insights ahead of the famous festival which begins on Tuesday, March 14.
An expert panel has been assembled for the night, moderated by MC Vince Casey. Speakers include Racing TV pundit Johnny Ward and top professional punter Paddy Wilmott. They will be joined by leading trainer Eric McNamara, up-and-coming trainer Eoin McCarthy, and local bookmaker Brendan Tyther to discuss the best bets and dark horses for the week.
While there is no formal admission fee, attendees are encouraged to support a raffle on the night in aid of Kerry Palliative Care. The top prize is a dual membership for the Killarney Racegoers Club for the year, covering 13 days of local racing plus several reciprocal days at other Irish tracks.
The night offers a great opportunity for local enthusiasts to gather and prepare for one of the biggest weeks in the sporting calendar while supporting a vital local charity.

Top tips at McSweeney’s Cheltenham charity preview night

Racing fans are invited to the McSweeney Arms Hotel on Tuesday, March 3, for an expert preview of the upcoming Cheltenham Festival.

The event kicks off at 8.30 p.m. sharp and promises a wealth of tips and insights ahead of the famous festival which begins on Tuesday, March 14.
An expert panel has been assembled for the night, moderated by MC Vince Casey. Speakers include Racing TV pundit Johnny Ward and top professional punter Paddy Wilmott. They will be joined by leading trainer Eric McNamara, up-and-coming trainer Eoin McCarthy, and local bookmaker Brendan Tyther to discuss the best bets and dark horses for the week.
While there is no formal admission fee, attendees are encouraged to support a raffle on the night in aid of Kerry Palliative Care. The top prize is a dual membership for the Killarney Racegoers Club for the year, covering 13 days of local racing plus several reciprocal days at other Irish tracks.
The night offers a great opportunity for local enthusiasts to gather and prepare for one of the biggest weeks in the sporting calendar while supporting a vital local charity.

Killarney-born actress Jessie Buckley celebrated a historic weekend by securing Lead Actress awards at both the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) and the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA).

Buckley was honoured for her role as Agnes in the film ‘Hamnet’, becoming the first Irish woman ever to win the BAFTA for Leading Actress.

The weekend of success began on Friday night in Dublin, where she was presented with the IFTA for Lead Actress by Stephen Rea.

Buckley, who grew up in Killarney, described the homecoming as deeply emotional, stating that the recognition meant a great deal because of her love for mothers and women.

She also paid tribute to her co-star Paul Mescal, who won Supporting Actor at the same ceremony.

On Sunday evening, Buckley jetted to London for the BAFTA ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall, where fellow Irish actor Cillian Murphy presented her with the Leading Actress award.

During her acceptance speech, she admitted she never imagined as a little girl that she would be allowed to make a film.

Buckley dedicated her win to the women who have inspired her and encouraged her to break traditional moulds. “This really does belong to the women past, present and future who taught me and continue to teach me how to do it differently,” she said.

In a moving moment, she also shared the award with her young daughter, who has travelled with her throughout the production of the film.

She described being a mother as the “best role” of her life and promised to remain “disobedient” as a parent.

Her goal, she explained, is to ensure her daughter can belong to a world in all her “complete wildness” as a young woman.