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It’s business time in the Kerry Senior Football Championship

by Adam Moynihan
The Kerry Senior Football Championship is expected to burst into life this weekend as eight teams enter the knockout phase of the county’s most prestigious sporting competition.
Three of the four quarter-final ties take place in Killarney with the other game fixed for Tralee.
Let’s start with the champions.
East Kerry v St Kieran’s
Saturday 4.30pm
Austin Stack Park
Live on Clubber
The holders, East Kerry, made light work of Group 1 and comfortable enough wins over South Kerry, West Kerry and Templenoe saw them clinch the top seed with plenty to spare.
That achievement is admirable enough but the fact that they managed it without several of the stars who fired them to glory in 2022 makes it even more remarkable. Most notably, the Clifford brothers were rested for the first two group games and they only played a few brief minutes at the end of the Templenoe match a fortnight ago.
With the safety net no longer in place – this is now knockout football - the Fossa duo will surely return to the starting lineup against St Kieran’s.
Draws against Rathmore and Kenmare and an easy victory over Feale Rangers saw Kieran’s advance from their pool as group runners up. Brosna man Paul Walsh (2-5) was in his element as his side dismantled Rangers.
The East Kerry machine will be much harder to take down.
VERDICT: East Kerry by five.
Rathmore v Spa
Saturday 2.30pm
Fitzgerald Stadium
Live on Clubber
All-Ireland Intermediate champions Rathmore have been something of a surprise package in this year’s championship. Their impressive win away to Kenmare Shamrocks two weeks ago earned them a deserved spot on the group winners’ side of the draw, and they will be full of confidence ahead of Saturday’s match against Spa.
Tricky corner forward John Moynihan pulled off two outrageous goals in the group phase, and the powerful Ryan brothers (Cathal, Mark and Shane) have also caught the eye.
For their part, Spa have staked their claim as the top team in Killarney so far this year by making it past the group stage and they will have been happy to have avoided East Kerry and Dingle in the draw. Victories over Kerins O’Rahillys and Shannon Rangers saw them through to the last eight.
If key players Dara Moynihan, Evan Cronin and Dan O'Donoghue are at their best, they will put it up to an in-form Rathmore side. This one could go down to the wire.
VERDICT: Rathmore by one.
Dingle v Templenoe
Sunday 1.30pm
Fitzgerald Stadium
Live on Clubber
Since losing to Dr Crokes in the Club Championship group stage on August 12, Dingle have embarked on a whirlwind, seven-game winning streak that has without question established them as the main candidates to dethrone the favourites, East Kerry.
Much has been made of their attacking prowess – in particular Conor and Paul Geaney, who have been superb – but their success has been built on a miserly defence that has kept five clean sheets in their last six outings.
Templenoe are blessed with intercounty talent like Tadhg Morley and Killian Spillane, but Adrian Spillane has been out since limping off against West Kerry four weeks ago.
They are undoubtedly a solid outfit with good character but all the signs point towards a Dingle win.
VERDICT: Dingle by four.
Mid Kerry v Na Gaeil
Sunday at 3.30pm
Fitzgerald Stadium
Live on Clubber
Despite their recent five-point defeat to Dingle, which consigned them to the runners-up spot in Group 4, newcomers Na Gaeil can be proud of their efforts to date.
Beating Dr Crokes was a massive result and an opening day victory over their divisional neighbours, St Brendan’s, also went down well in Killeen.
Mid Kerry will be a very different prospect, though. They have real County Championship knockout experience having reached two of the last three finals, and they should realistically have enough about them to progress to the last four.
Jack O'Connor will be watching this one with great interest. Stefan Okunbor was Man of the Match against Crokes and if he can stay fit and maintain that kind of form, he will certainly be an option for Kerry in the New Year. O'Connor's two starting midfielders, Jack Barry and Diarmuid O'Connor, will also line out for Na Gaeil.
Cillian Burke of Mid Kerry is a promising young player who could potentially earn a call-up if he carries on playing the way he has been for club and district.
VERDICT: Mid Kerry by four.
Follow @AdamMoynihan on Twitter for all the latest updates.
News
Carols by Candlelight
St. Mary’s Cathedral, will be filled with music and glowing candles, as choirs from all over Killarney Parish gather for a community of voices together to celebrate Christmas […]

St. Mary’s Cathedral, will be filled with music and glowing candles, as choirs from all over Killarney Parish gather for a community of voices together to celebrate Christmas 2023, December17, at 7.00pm. Admission is free.
Ten Choirs from Killarney parish will join together and sing some of the world’s most beloved Christmas carols.
The carol service is directed by accomplished Musician and Choral Director, Paula Gleeson. Originally from Cork, her family have been involved in all aspects of choral and church music for 50 years.
“This is the best experience as director, working with Fr. Kieran O’Brien, and St. Mary’s Cathedral Choir, I get to work with so many talented people in Killarney. The commitment of Teachers, Principals, and the hundreds of students from the Primary and Secondary Schools is inspiring. The generosity of our sponsors, who were so willing to contribute has helped to make this night a reality. We are all so truly grateful,” she said.
Choirs include:
St. Mary’s Cathedral Parish Choir, organist Anita Lakner
Holy Cross Mercy School Choir
St. Oliver’s Primary School Choir
St. Brigid’s Secondary School Choir
St. Brendan’s Secondary School Choir
Killarney Harmonisers
Killarney Community College School Choir
Lissivigeen National School Choir
Gaelscoil Faithleann School Choir
Presentation Monastery School Choir
News
The same but different – A tribute to three great Irish musicians

Driving home from work last Friday, tributes for Shane McGowan were pouring out across the radio stations and while listening in, I got a strong sense of déjà vu.
It was only a few months earlier that we got the sad news that the talented Aslan front man Christy Dingham had passed away, and a short few weeks after that – Sinéad O’Connor. The loss of three iconic Irish musicians that left music fans across the country reeling.
When I think about each artist individually, their personalities couldn’t be more different. Yet, for days after the passing of the Pogues frontman, I found myself wondering why I was so drawn to all three.
And then, over the weekend I stumbled across a completely unrelated article which led with a headline:
“In a year dominated by artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and disingenuity, “authentic” has somehow emerged as Merriam-Webster’s word for 2023.”
And there was my answer. The one characteristic that embodied all three of these great Irish musicians.
It was my mother that first introduced me to Aslan’s music. She grew up during their peak and loved all sorts of rock music. I regularly watch their Vicar Street performances back on YouTube and still get mesmerised by Christy’s intense stage presence. Using elaborate hand gestures to evoke a greater meaning behind the words, he always looked like he was away in his own world. Off stage, and particularly later in his career, I admired him for his honesty when talking about his struggles with addiction and mental health. He was talking openly about these issues long before it was the norm.
Sinéad O’Connor was another original soul who, because of her talent, was catapulted into a music industry consumed by artificiality; she was almost too pure for it all. I always admired her unwavering commitment to her beliefs. Her authenticity was evident in every aspect of her artistry. The way she unapologetically embraced her shaved head and boy-ish style, she challenged conventional opinions around beauty. Her music reflected her personal struggles and she never shied away from addressing issues of social injustice, religion, and gender equality. Her stances often drew criticism and controversy, but she always remained true to herself.
Shane MacGowan will always be remembered for his unfiltered nature, and while the lyrics of many songs were dark and gritty, there was also an element of empathy and compassion in what he wrote. Like Christy, he too struggled with addiction and mental health issues throughout his career. While his demons sometimes spilled over into the public eye, his honesty and vulnerability just endeared him even more to us Irish.
So isn’t it apt in a year we lost three great musicians, the word of 2023 happens to be the one undeniable trait that they all shared. Thank you Christy, Sinead and Shane for showing us that authenticity is not just about being different to everyone else; but also about possessing the courage to challenge the established, to question the norms, and to keep going, even when the going gets tough.