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International darts tournament a bullseye for Killarney

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7 years ago

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WORLD CHAMPION: Newly crowned BDO Masters champion John O'Shea (right) from Cork is the top entry for this weekend's Killarney Darts Festival

By Sean Moriarty

Some of the biggest names in World Darts will compete in Killarney this weekend in the new 2019 Killarney Darts Festival.

The three-day festival is jointly organised by the Irish National Darts Organisation and British Darts Organisation (BDO).

The biggest darts event in Ireland, and also one of the newest events on the BDO calendar, will get underway today (Friday) and will run until Sunday. There is a guaranteed prize fund of €28,000.

Newly crowned BDO World Champion, Cork man John O'Shea, is one of the star attractions.

Last weekend he produced one of darts' greatest upsets after he won the BDO World Masters at the famous Circus Tavern in Essex.

He defeated former two time BDO World Masters champion Scott Waites in the final 6-4 in sets.

Top overseas seed for the Irish Open element of the competition is English visitor Andy Hamilton. The Stoke-on-Trent based player enjoyed a professional career between 2004 and 2015, with one of his most memorable performances coming in 2007 when he lost the World Darts Matchplay semi-final to Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, arguably the biggest name in the sport.

His main opposition will come from rising Scottish ace Ryan Hogworth, a professional for five years. Hogworth made it to the last 32 of the World Masters last season. The third seed is Englishman David Evans, a quarter-finalist in this year’s British Open.

Nearly 400 competitors will take part in various competitions over the weekend.

Saturday’s singles tournament will count towards BDO rankings next season and Sunday’s Irish Open will be the flagship event of the weekend.

Another top Irish entry (eighth) is Francis Carragher, a semi-finalist in both the Swiss Open and the Antwerp Open championships this season.

“It is great for the town,” Kerry Darts Team Manager, Gary McCormick, told the Killarney Advertiser. “There are 380 entered for it, some very big names. Keep an eye on Corkman John O’Shea who just won the BDO championship in England.”

The 32 strong Irish Open entry list includes dart players representing France, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium.

The Women’s Open is led by English star Fallon Sherrock and Aileen de Graff of the Netherlands. The entry also includes Russian Anastasia Dobromyslova who finished second in last weekend’s BDO World Masters.

 

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Sinn Féin to host public meeting on cost of living at Killarney Heights Hotel

Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm. […]

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19 hours ago

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25 May 2026

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Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm.

The Donegal TD will be joined by Kerry TD Pa Daly to discuss the economic pressures facing local households and the policy changes needed to provide financial relief. The main focus of the evening will center on the barriers preventing local people from buying their own homes, alongside broader costs of living challenges.
Speaking exclusively to the Killarney Advertiser ahead of his visit, Deputy Doherty said workers and families across Kerry are being squeezed from every direction by rising weekly shops, high energy bills, increasing insurance premiums, and substantial housing costs.
“Young people are losing hope that they will ever own a home in the county where they were raised,” Deputy Doherty said. “And while all of this is happening, the government is sitting on billions in budget surpluses while telling struggling families to wait. It is simply not good enough.”
The Sinn Féin finance spokesperson highlighted specific regional factors making the crisis acute in County Kerry, particularly regarding home heating costs.
“Almost 59% of homes in Kerry rely on home heating oil, which is nearly double the state average of 34%,” he said. “That means families across the county are far more exposed to soaring fuel costs than households in many other parts of the state. Yet the government withdrew supports that were helping households keep the lights on and heat their homes.”
Deputy Doherty noted that the housing situation in Kerry has moved beyond a social issue and is now impacting the local economy and communities. He pointed to figures showing average rents in the county have reached €1,493 per month, with exceptionally low market availability.
“At the time of writing, there were only 27 properties available online to rent across the entire county. Only 19 were below €2,000 a month and just five were available for less than €1,500. A county the size of Kerry, and only five rental properties affordable to someone on an ordinary income,” he said.
He also raised concerns for first-time buyers, noting that average house prices in Kerry have climbed to €296,000, representing an increase of €33,500 in a single year.
During the meeting, the Sinn Féin representatives will outline their party’s alternative proposals. These include a state-led program of affordable home building, a ban on excessive rent increases, enhanced protections for renters, and immediate energy credits and tax relief for workers.
“The resources exist to do this,” Deputy Doherty added. “The government’s own figures show billions in surplus funds available to the state. The issue is not a lack of money. The issue is political choice.”
The meeting is open to all members of the public, and a discussion session will follow the main presentations.

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National Park hosts weekend Bioblitz for National Biodiversity Week

Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment. Today, Friday, […]

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20 hours ago

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25 May 2026

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Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment.

Today, Friday, May 22, marks the UN International Day for Biological Diversity, and a series of free events will run across the park until the national celebration concludes this Sunday, May 24.
The highlight of the weekend is the Killarney National Park Bioblitz. This event brings families, nature lovers, and community volunteers together to find, identify, and record as many different plant and animal species as possible across the park’s diverse habitats over the next three days.
Christopher O’Sullivan, Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, encouraged locals and visitors alike to utiliSe the final days of the festival to experience the area’s unique wildlife, referencing Killarney’s native habitats as key areas the state is working to protect.
Niall Ó Donnchú, Director General of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), noted that the week is designed to remind people that native plants, woodlands, and rivers are vital systems that make life possible. OrganiSers are encouraging anyone in the locality to head out to Killarney National Park before Sunday evening to participate in the species count and support local conservation efforts.

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