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Historic Rally secures three-year sponsorship deal with Rentokil

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The Killarney Historic Stages Rally takes place on the weekend of
Friday, November 30 to Saturday, December 1 and is included as counting rounds of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, The Kingdom of
Kerry Rally Championship and The Plasticbags.ie Southern 4 Rally Championship. The event is expected to attract over 150 crews from all over Ireland, the UK and Europe.

Rentokil Initial has been sponsoring the Killarney Historic Stages
Rally since 2013 and this new deal will ensure the financial security of Ireland’s only event to cater solely for historic rally cars.

Rentokil Initial are the world’s leading commercial pest control and hygiene service providers, employing over 36,000 people throughout 70 countries worldwide. The Irish company’s Managing Director Michael O’Mahoney announced the renewal of its sponsorship of the Killarney Historic Stages Rally in a deal that will run for the next three years.

Diarmuid Cronin Chairman of Killarney & District Motor Club proudly welcomed the deal. “We as a club are delighted to have the commitment, financial support and backing of a global company such as Rentokil Initial,” he said. “We appreciate Michael O’Mahoney’s vast interest in the sport of rallying and his contribution to numerous club events. The signing of a new three-year deal is a real testament to the strength of the rally, the workmanship of the event committee and our
club members.”

Michael O’Mahoney said: “On behalf of Rentokil Initial, I am delighted to extend our agreement as title sponsor of the Killarney Historic Stages Rally for a further three years. The renewal builds on a successful five previous years, our relationship with the Rally & Killarney and District Motor Club has never been stronger. The Killarney Historic Rally is recognised internationally as Ireland’s premier historic rally. It attracts a huge amount of quality competitors every year which generates a welcomed out of season boost to tourism in the region.

“It is for this reason and my long time association with rallying and desire to support the local community, that we have sponsored this event. It is a perfect example of a global company supporting a local event. It’s a great opportunity to give something back and support the businesses in the area that have so loyally supported us over many years.”

The organising committee has carried out its initial route survey and has promised to offer competitors and fans the best of classic rally stages in the southwest.

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Parnell commemorated in Beaufort on 125th Anniversary of Land League meeting

A special ceremony was held in Beaufort to mark the 125th anniversary of Charles Stewart Parnell’s historic visit to the village in 1880, when the Irish nationalist leader addressed thousands […]

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A special ceremony was held in Beaufort to mark the 125th anniversary of Charles Stewart Parnell’s historic visit to the village in 1880, when the Irish nationalist leader addressed thousands at a pivotal land reform meeting.

The commemoration, which took place beside the Beaufort Bar, honoured the legacy of the former MP and founder of the Irish National Land League.
The original meeting was held in a field belonging to Patrick O’Sullivan and attracted a crowd of approximately 3,000, defying the orders of local landlord ‘The O’Mahony’ of Dunloe Castle, who had threatened eviction to any tenant who supported the gathering.
Padruig O’Sullivan, proprietor of the Beaufort Bar and a direct descendant of Patrick O’Sullivan, addressed attendees at the unveiling of a new monument to mark the occasion.
The stone was designed by renowned uilleann piper and artist Tomás O’Sullivan, who also composed a special piece of music titled Parnell’s Blackbird to honour the occasion.
The original 1880 meeting was reported in publications such as the ‘Dundalk Democrat’, which gave a vivid account of the powerful speeches delivered that day.

Extract from the Dundalk Democrat – May 1880

The meeting, held on Sunday, May 16, 1880 in Patrick O’Sullivan’s field south of the Beaufort Hotel, was arranged in defiance of local landlord ‘The O’Mahony,’ who warned tenants they would be evicted for taking part. Nevertheless, the turnout was overwhelming.
Parnell arrived by special train and travelled by carriage from Killarney with fellow MP ‘The O’Donoghue’. The two were met by a band and a large welcoming crowd. Police and a Government reporter were present, but the atmosphere remained peaceful and spirited.
Speakers rallied against the unjust land laws of the time. ‘The O’Donoghue’ praised Parnell as the “shining star” of Irish nationalism and stated that “Kerry desired that her meeting should partake of a national character.”
When Parnell spoke, he described it as “the largest land meeting he had attended since County Mayo” and declared the movement to reclaim Irish land as one of the greatest undertakings in Irish history. He condemned the laws that allowed landlords to evict tenants and seize food as rent payment, noting that 600,000 farmers were subject to the whims of just 10,000 landlords.
He called for legislative reform, including the suspension of evictions and Government-backed tenant purchase schemes, warning that if Parliament failed to act, “the people will do for themselves what the Legislature refuses to do for them.”
He concluded by proposing the first resolution.
“That in the opinion of this meeting, the eviction of occupiers of land for non-payment of rent arbitrarily fixed by the landlord is unjust, subversive of the true interests of the country and calls for the emphatic condemnation of all lovers of justice.”

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St Pauls sign American Maisie Burnham

Killarney’s Utility Trust St Pauls women’s basketball team has announced the signing of American player Maisie Burnham for the upcoming 2025/2026 season. The club, who performed strongly in the latter […]

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Killarney’s Utility Trust St Pauls women’s basketball team has announced the signing of American player Maisie Burnham for the upcoming 2025/2026 season.

The club, who performed strongly in the latter part of the recent season and reached the league final, is looking to build on that success.
Maisie Burnham, a 24-year-old, six-foot-tall guard from Spangle City, Washington, comes to Killarney with a strong playing record. During her time at Liberty High School, where she also played volleyball, she was a high-scoring player.
She then went to Eastern Washington University, where in the 2020/2021 season, she led the team in scoring with over 14 points per game, a record for a freshman player at the university.
Burnham later moved to the University of Portland, where her scoring average continued to improve, reaching a peak of 16.3 points per game in the 2024/2025 season.
Utility Trust St Pauls say they are looking forward to welcoming Maisie to Killarney well in advance of the new season.

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