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Handball continues to shine in Killarney

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By Con Dennehy

Handball in the Killarney region can look back at 2022 as a year of continued progress, the promotion of handball in East Kerry and the introduction of the sport to a new generation.

It has been a phenomenal and successful year for the Spa Killarney Club. At the Annual General Meeting of the club this week, one of the highlights of the year singled out for mention was the hosting and promotion of a One Wall National Tournament which attracted players from all over Ireland to the Killarney venue in March.

There was joy for the home club at the tournament when Currow native and Spa Killarney Club member Aoife Walsh had an impressive victory in the highly competitive Ladies B championship.

There was also an international dimension for the club in 2022 when four players took part in the European One Wall Tournament in London. At this event Eoin O’Donoghue won gold in the Open Doubles B championship where he partnered with John Joe Quirke from Glenbeigh and Brendan O’Donoghue won a silver medal in the Over 40 Doubles final.

“As a new club we were delighted with the success we achieved in 2022. In January Aoife Walsh and Sinead Moriarty took home silverware in the highly competitive She’s Ace competition in Tyrone. This really was our springboard for success during the year and resulted in some of our players competing in the One Wall national finals in Roscommon in July. We are looking forward to an exciting 2023 and hopefully welcoming new members to the club,” said Eoin O’Donoghue, PRO of Spa Killarney Handball Club.

The club rounded off a memorable year in October when they hosted the Munster One Wall championships and the Kerry Handball Board AGM in November where club members Kieran O’Brien was elected president of Kerry Handball and Brendan O’Donoghue was appointed delegate to the Kerry GAA Board.

Officers Elected for 2023/2024: Brendan O’Donoghue (Chairman), Sinead Moriarty (Vice Chairperson), David Gillespie (Secretary), Eoin O’Donoghue (PRO) and James O’Brien (Treasurer).

Open Night

Spa Killarney Handball Club will host an Open Night at the Spa GAA Club on Monday night (February 6). This will be an opportunity for attendees to savour the thrill of handball, have a taster game and meet the club players. It commences at 7pm and all over 18s are welcome.

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World domination for Áine Murphy dancers in Chicago

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Six dancers from the Áine Murphy Dance Academy in Gneeveguilla have returned from Chicago following a massive haul of medals and titles at the World Irish Dance Championships.

The highlight of the trip saw Marcus O’Sullivan from Milltown crowned World Champion in the Under 13 Boys category.

This is Marcus’s third consecutive world title, a feat that follows his All-Ireland win in Killarney earlier this spring.

His year has been further marked by a personal invitation from Michael Flatley to perform at the 30th-anniversary opening of Lord of the Dance.

In the Under 19 competition, Kilcummin’s Caoimhe O’Halloran secured a podium finish, bringing a coveted World Globe back to Kerry.

Her success is particularly notable as she missed last year’s event due to injury and is currently preparing for her Leaving Certificate.

Eleven-year-old Isabelle O’Sullivan from Rathmore also reached the world stage podium, finishing 6th in the Under 12 category.

Her sister, Grace O’Sullivan, and Kayla Fleming from Brosna both successfully made the final recall in their divisions, while Killarney’s Grace O’Leary achieved a personal best in her first-ever World Championship appearance.

The Academy expressed their gratitude to the local businesses, families, and communities whose fundraising efforts made the trip to the United States possible.

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Bowling alley approved for Killarney Outlet Centre

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Killarney Outlet Centre has secured planning permission to transform six vacant retail units into an eight-lane bowling alley and entertainment hub.

The development will occupy units 43 to 48, a section of the building that has remained empty since the shopping centre first opened in 1999.

Alongside the bowling lanes, the new facility is set to include an interactive games area, significantly expanding the town’s indoor leisure options.

This approval follows a separate planning grant last year which cleared the way for a major redevelopment of another part of the centre.

Those plans involve converting units 63 to 68 into a dining area, while unit 69 is earmarked for a dedicated events space focused on Irish music, dancing, and craft fairs.

The overall project also includes the redevelopment of the main concourse to incorporate a bar and seating area.

Kerry County Council has given the green light for the latest expansion with eight conditions attached to the permission.

Once completed, the combined leisure, dining, and event spaces represent a shift in strategy for the Outlet Centre, moving towards a night-time entertainment and social destination.

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