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Fossa Youth Club’s 1975 World Record to be marked 50 Years On

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The 50th anniversary of a Guinness World Record set by Fossa Youth Club will be celebrated later this year.

In August 1975, members of the club played five-a-side soccer for 57 hours non-stop over the bank holiday weekend.
The marathon effort set a new world record and regained the title for Fossa, who had originally set the record at 55 hours before it was beaten by the Duke of York’s Royal Military School in Britain a short time later so they had to have second go a bring the record to 57 hours.
The original match was played at Fossa GAA grounds, with players rotating in and out but keeping the game going for more than two days and nights without a break
The players were eventually hosed down with cold water after the final whistle.
At the time, the achievement made national headlines. RTÉ News broadcast a report in August 1975 under the headline: “A Kerry youth club sets about creating a new world record for non-stop five-a-side football.”
The Killarney Advertiser also carried full coverage. Writing in his report, journalist Eamonn Fitzgerald said:
“Members of Fossa Youth Club [in Killarney, County Kerry[ spent the August bank holiday weekend breaking the world record for the longest game of five-a-side football. They played for 57 hours. The Fossa Club recaptured a record they had set originally at 55 hours which was broken by the Duke of York’s Royal Military School in Britain.”
He described the remarkable scenes at the finish:
“Players cooled off after the marathon game as onlookers gathered around the pitch to witness history being made. The club sent details of their latest 57-hour effort to the Guinness Book of Records for ratification.”
The feat was later confirmed by Guinness World Records.
Now, 50 years on, two of the original participants, James Houlihan and Noel Fitzgerald are contacting former club members who took part with the aim of organising a reunion later in the year.
Funds raised at the 1975 event went towards the construction of the new Prince of Peace Church in the village.

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Shane Doolan to play Movember benefit concert

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Killarney’s rising indie folk/rock musician, Shane Doolan, will perform a special Movember benefit concert at the ANAM Killarney Cultural Centre on November 29.


The concert is scheduled just one week after the release of Doolan’s highly anticipated second single, After The Bells, which drops on November 21.


Attendees on November 29 will be among the first to hear the new track performed live, alongside favourites from his expanding catalogue.


The intimate evening sees Doolan return to the venue where his band previously won the Battle of the Bands competition earlier this year.


His sound blends the grit of folk rock with the intimacy of indie folk, featuring emotional, reflective, and raw storytelling.

Doolan cites influences such as Walking on Cars, Bon Iver, Kingfishr, and Kodaline.


The young musician continues to build momentum following his September 2024 debut, The Ruins.

He has more music planned with a debut EP set for January 2026.


Proceeds from the concert will go towards supporting Movember’s vital work in men’s health awareness.


The concert begins at 7.30 pm at the ANAM Cultural Centre. Tickets are priced at €5 and can be booked on the door.

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Killarney-distilled whiskey offers personalised gift option

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A Killarney-made whiskey is offering businesses and individuals a new personalised gift option in time for the Christmas season.

Maurice and Francesca O’Connell, the husband-and-wife team behind The Liberator Irish Whiskey range, have been producing their award-winning spirits in Fossa since 2018.

The brand is named after Maurice’s ancestor Daniel O’Connell, The Liberator, whose 250th anniversary was marked this year.


The Liberator range has built a strong reputation for quality, with many of the whiskeys finished in fresh Port casks — a style the producers describe as giving a “Christmas in a glass” character.


This year, the distillers are offering personalised labels for corporate or group gifts, with a minimum order of 12 bottles.

Labels can feature a company name, logo or message.


For those looking for smaller quantities, The Liberator whiskeys are available in hampers through Der O’Sullivan’s The Mall, Castle Off Licence in Tralee, and Killarney Carryout Off Licences.


Enquiries about personalised orders can be made by contacting Maurice O’Connell at specials@waywardirish.com

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