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Handball stars shine brightly in London

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3 years ago

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Spa Killarney handballers Aoife Walsh, Brendan O'Donoghue, Eoin O'Donoghue and Sinéad Moriarty. Photo: Con Dennehy.

by Con Dennehy

Irish eyes were smiling in London at the weekend following phenomenal performances by Killarney’s handball stars at the prestigious United Kingdom Open One Wall Championship.

The standout players of the championships were Eoin O’Donoghue (Killarney) and John Joe Quirke (Glenbeigh) who were the pride of the Irish on Saturday and Sunday. They put in a devastating display of skill and passion to win the extremely competitive Men’s Doubles B Championship. After prevailing in a number of their opening games, they progressed to the semi-finals where they defeated the French duo of Tom Dutheil and Florina Vaujany 21-11.

In a hard-fought final, the Kerry players beat Naoise Green and Fionn Ó Súilleabháin (Ireland) 25-20 thanks in part to some great play from O’Donoghue.

“I was delighted with the win – it’s a great boost for handball in Kerry,” Eoin said. “We had to use all our experience and skill to edge past the Irish duo and win the title. It’s a great honour for my club, Spa Killarney. Many Kerry people living in London and our own families supported us on both days and this made winning the title very special.

“My doubles partner, John Joe, had a great weekend, winning the singles final and a silver medal in the over 40s doubles event.”

Teams from Ireland, England, France, Italy, USA, UK and Israel competed in the championships with four players from Killarney taking part.

In the Men’s C Singles competition, O’Donoghue finished mid-table in Group B following victories over Irish players Ger Scahill and Ray Carthy and defeat at the hands of James Toop (England) and Declan Keenan.

There was more success for Killarney in the over 40s competition as Brendan O’Donoghue and John Joe Quirke finish runners up in this hotly contested category. They were narrowly defeated by the American team of Carlos Torres and Jay Sanchez.

Elsewhere, Aoife Walsh and Sinéad Moriarty from Spa Killarney Handball Club both reached the semi-finals of the Women’s Singles competition. Walsh defeated Isabel Power (England) 21-4 but lost to Catherine Vos (England) and fellow Irish players Aoife McCarthy and Sinéad Hanley. She lost to Siobhan Prentice 21-16 in the semi-final.

Moriarty was defeated by Anastasya Spiridonov (Israel) and Irish players Sabrina Hughes and Siobhan Prentice while in the semi-final she was defeated by Catherine Vos (England) in a very exciting contest.

There was some consolation for the Killarney pair in the doubles competition where they finished a very credible third overall and just out of the medals after a classic encounter with the English duo of India Blaksley and Becky Connell.

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Kerry coaches firm honoured with All-Ireland title

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1 day ago

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14 June 2025

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Kerry Coaches named All-Ireland All-Star Bus & Coach Company of the Year 2025

Killarney-based Kerry Coaches has been named All-Ireland All-Star Bus & Coach Company of the Year 2025 by the All-Ireland Business Foundation. This recognition also marks Kerry Coaches’ second Business All-Star Accreditation, having received its first accolade in 2024.

Founded in 1957, Kerry Coaches has established itself as a leader in the Irish transport industry, known for its exceptional service and commitment to quality.  With a fleet of over 100 modern chauffeur vehicles, mini-buses and coaches the company provides a wide range of transport services, including corporate travel, executive golf transportation and bespoke tours throughout Ireland and Scotland.

 Speaking on the achievement, Mike Buckley, Director of Kerry Coaches, said:

“We are incredibly proud to receive this national recognition from the All-Ireland Business Foundation. It’s a true reflection of the dedication, professionalism, and passion shown by every member of our team. Our mission has always been to deliver exceptional travel experiences, and this award reaffirms our position as a leader in the industry.”

Announcing the news of Kerry Coaches’ achievement, Deputy Chair of AIBF’s Adjudication Board, Kieran Ring, said: “It is my pleasure to commend Kerry Coaches for its outstanding performance in achieving the Business All-Star accreditation. After a thorough review, the firm has been honoured with All-Ireland All-Star Bus & Coach Company Of The Year 2025. Kerry Coaches is distinguished not only for its superior fleet but also for its exceptional team, some of whom have been with the company for over 25 years. This seasoned team brings an extraordinary level of knowledge and expertise, ensuring that every client experience is exceptional.”         

Managing   Director   of   the   All-Ireland   Business   Foundation, Kapil   Khanna, said:  “The accreditation, which is now held by over 700 firms, is needed by the thousands of small and medium businesses which operate to their own standards but have nothing to measure them by.”

He   added: “We   evaluate   a   company’s   background, trustworthiness and performance, and we speak to customers, employees and vendors. We also anonymously approach the company as a customer and report back on the experience. The business goes through at least two interviews and is scored on every part of the process against set metrics.”

About The All-Ireland Business Foundation

The All-Ireland Business Foundation is an autonomous national accreditation body tasked with enterprise development and the promotion of Best-in-Class Irish businesses.

As the accreditation body for the Business All-Star mark, the AIBF recognises Best-In-Class Irish 

businesses.   Companies   that   merit   recognition   based   on   an   independent   audit   of   their performance, reputation, and customer-centricity.

Business All-Star Accreditation Is The Nation’s Symbol Of Trust. Currently, there are over 700 

companies that are accredited by AIBF. Since 2014, over 5000 companies have participated in their programmes.

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Trainee Blacksmith forging a career at Muckross Traditional Farms

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1 day ago

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14 June 2025

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Phillip Pestor-Young, a trainee blacksmith from County Kildare, is currently gaining experience under Master Blacksmith Tom Allison at Muckross Traditional Farms.

Pestor-Young is enrolled in the All-Ireland Heritage Skills Programme. This programme is a cross-border educational initiative by the King’s Foundation, The Heritage Council, and the Historic Environment Division in Northern Ireland. 

Prior to moving to Ireland in 2019, Phillip trained as an engineer and fabricator in the UK. He is now developing his blacksmithing skills in Kerry.

For more information on the program, visit https://kings-foundation.org/study/all-ireland-heritage-skills-programme/.

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