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“In a town like Killarney, betting is rampant”

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In an interview on RTÉ Radio One last Sunday, President Michael D Higgins said he was in favour of banning the promotion of betting in sports.

“I'm very concerned about gambling for example, which if I had my way, I wouldn't have advertising of any access to gambling platforms in sport at all,” he said. “I really worry when I read cases of people who have come through [gambling problems].

“I visited the Hope House in Mayo recently who have been a great assistance to some people who have got over what is, hopefully, a terrible temporary problem. I think in a way we should protect our sports by keeping them free from this kind of stuff.”

A couple of days later, a Kerry councillor admitted that he has been battling a gambling addiction. John Francis Flynn from Killorglin opened up about his betting and alcohol problems this week in the hope that others might learn from his mistakes.

A number of high profile athletes have done the same in recent years but despite all these case samples highlighting the perils of gambling, and all these pleas for reform, the situation in this country seems to be getting worse, not better. Online gambling has made it so easy to get sucked in and once you're in, it can be difficult to get back out.

Sports and betting are intrinsically linked and being involved in sports my whole life, gambling is something that's always been there in the background. And in Killarney, which is such a sports mad town, betting, and talking about betting, is rampant.

“Who are the favourites?” is a question I've heard asked, and asked myself, in the build up to countless games down through the years. From a young age there's an understanding that the bookies are a reliable source of information when it comes to analysing sport (which perhaps shows how foolish we are in thinking that we can beat them).

I wouldn't be a big gambler myself but I do enjoy the odd bet on a soccer or football game. My betting would be sporadic and the sums involved small. It can add another element of excitement to the occasion and it’s nice when you get it right but, realistically, the house always wins eventually.

Casual gambling like that might not seem like a big deal but, as with anything, some people get hooked. A fiver on a soccer accumulator can quickly turn into 20, which can turn into 50, and next thing you know you're talking about hundreds or even thousands of euro.

From the outside it's easy to say, "Jesus, that's mad money," but it's like telling a fella he's drinking too much. It's a genuine problem and it's not something that’s easily fixed. There is definitely a culture of betting in Ireland and there are people suffering as a result.

Ads for betting sites are everywhere: TV, online, on billboards and on jerseys... Everywhere you turn you're being urged to put on a bet. This normalisation of something so problematic is wrong in my eyes. How can you tell a young person to avoid gambling when their favourite player is running around with a betting company plastered across his shirt?

We’ve reached the stage where up to the minute prices are displayed on electronic advertising hoardings at Premier League games. Even if you have no interest whatsoever ever in gambling, you can't get away from it. For some people all it takes is one bet to set the wheels in motion. And for those who already gamble heavily, the last thing they need is further invitation to put on a bet.

Gambling advertising isn't as highly regulated as alcohol and tobacco advertising but the president is right, it should be. The effects of smoking and drinking might be more conspicuous but gambling addictions can be just as harmful. I don't think removing ads from sporting events is the silver bullet but it would be a step in the right direction.

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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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