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EXCLUSIVE

By Sean Moriarty

Killarney sports clubs have not received the same amount of funding as other clubs across the county, a Killarney Advertiser study can exclusively reveal.

On Monday, Sport Ireland announced €74,000 had been allocated to 59 Kerry-based grassroots sports clubs as part of a COVID-19 resilience fund.

The money was allocated to clubs all over the county but it seems Killarney based clubs have either lost out on the chance to get the funding or did not apply in the first place.

A total of €26,889.08 was handed out to GAA clubs across the county, but the only town team on the list is Dr Crokes who bagged the €1,500 maximum.

In the wider Killarney area Gneeveguilla GAA received the maximum and Glenflesk came close on €1,420.08, while St Pat’s East Kerry Hurling Club bagged €600.

Killarney Badminton Club was one of three clubs in the county from this discipline to secure money while Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club (€1,400) was the only cycling club in the whole county to make the cut.
Only Fossa and Flesk Valley rowing clubs in the Killarney area were successful. They will receive the maximum of €1,500 each despite a total €15,897.17 being handed out to rowing clubs in the county.

SOCCER

Not one of the town’s soccer clubs were included in the funding despite a total of €3,050 being distributed to such clubs across the county.
Killarney has a huge basketball tradition but St Joseph’s Basketball Club in Listowel was the only club in the county to qualify for funding.
Killarney-based rugby, athletics, camogie, gymnastic and ladies football clubs were not included but other clubs from these sports across the county were.
The Ring of Kerry Golf Club was the only golfing club on the list while Tralee Pitch and Putt is set to benefit to the tune of €1,500. None of the golf or pitch and putt clubs in the Killarney area were on the receiving end of the funding.
Likewise, in motorsport, Killarney and District Motor Club were not included but Tralee-based Kerry Motor Club received €1,500 to be put towards COVID-19 expenses.
These funds were handed out on a local level and are separate to the multi-million Euro governing body funding that was also announced on Monday.