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Champagne Football author was “flabbergasted” by Healy-Rae’s praise for Delaney

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5 years ago

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Champagne Football co-author Paul Rowan says he was “flabbergasted” by Michael Healy-Rae’s infamous defence of John Delaney at the Oireachtas Committee for Sport in April of last year.

Delaney, who was the Executive Vice President of the FAI at the time, was appearing before the committee to answer questions about serious allegations of financial mismanagement. However, the Kerry TD instead used his three minutes to praise the embattled administrator, assuring Delaney that he would get “the mother of all welcomes” in Kerry.

“If you’re guilty of anything,” Healy-Rae added, “you’re guilty of trying to help an Association in the best way you saw it at that time.”

Delaney was subsequently forced to resign from the FAI as the allegations against him continued to mount.

Rowan addressed the Kilgarvan politician’s remarks at a virtual launch for Champagne Football, an explosive new book which explores Delaney's ill-fated 15-year reign at the FAI.

“I was flabbergasted, frankly, by Michael Healy-Rae’s whole performance,” Rowan told launch co-hosts Eoin McDevitt and Ken Early.

“I’ve been living in London so I don’t really know that much about the Healy-Rae family, but they are obviously a colourful bunch of people.

“And John O’Regan (Secretary of the Kerry District League), I was just speaking to him last week and he’s as pro-Delaney as ever. He was pointing out that they wouldn’t have grounds there [in Kerry] if it wasn’t for John. You hear a lot of that.

“So, what do I think about those two gentlemen? John O’Regan is obviously immersed in football. [But] I’m not too sure how much interest Michael Healy-Rae has in football.

“I would say that of all the people I know in Kerry, they would be two individuals who I would find particularly funny in this particular case.”

Both Healy-Rae and O’Regan are mentioned in Champagne Football. The book, which Rowan co-wrote with his Sunday Times colleague Mark Tighe, is out today.

Listen to the virtual book launch on the Second Captains website.

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Regatta Queen crowned at annual dance

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3 hours ago

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4 October 2025

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The annual Killarney Regatta Dance took place on September 25 as rowers, families and supporters came together to celebrate their successful year.

The racing was cancelled in September due to bad weather.

The Killarney Regatta is one of Ireland’s oldest rowing events, having first begun in 1788.

The dance took place at the Killarney Oaks Hotel where there was a lot of excitement and fun. Six rowing clubs, Fossa, Workman’s, St Brendan’s, Commercials, Flesk Valley, and Muckross, came together to celebrate the community and its shared history.

Amelia Counihan was crowned as the Regatta Queen.

The Queen represents the spirit pride and grace of the rowing community and has been a tradition in the club for generations.

Workman’s Rowing Club congratulated Amelia and described her as a woman who embodies everything that their tradition stands for.

The club said: “Queen is more than a title — it is a celebration of history, community, and the spirit of Killarney rowing.”

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Killarney Looking Good competition celebrates community pride

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11 hours ago

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4 October 2025

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The annual Killarney Looking Good competition took place at the Great Southern Hotel on Wednesday night where Kerry GAA captain Gavin White presented the awards to the deserving recipients.

Killarney Park Hotel came out on top with the overall prize being awarded to the newly refurbished five-star hotel.

The judges were impressed by the stylish new entrance and driveway and their spectacular display of flowers and window boxes. Killarney Park won the same award back in 1992.

The best large commercial premises award went to Killarney Racecourse, and the best small commercial premises was awarded to Sheahan’s Pharmacy.

Charlie Foley’s won the best public house; best restaurant was 40 Main and Walsh Bros Shoes was named best retail.

In the residential categories, the best private residence was Tomies View, Ross Road, best large estate went to Countess Grove, and best small estate was won by Coolgreane Park.

The winner of the 2025 Fr Michael Murphy Memorial Pride of Place Award was presented to the Killarney Asylum Seekers Initiative while the Yvonne Quill Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award winner went to Margaret Curtin.

The Killarney Looking Good competition is organised by Killarney Municipal District Council and Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce and sponsored by MD O’Shea’s & Sons and O’Mahony Media.

The competition aims to encourage residents and business owners to keep the town looking well through the use of flowers, hanging baskets, colour schemes.

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