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Lakers strengthen squad ahead of new season

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Following a successful debut season, Scotts Lakers St Paul’s are looking forward with optimism to the new basketball campaign which is only weeks away. After an absence of nearly a decade, top flight National League basketball returned to Killarney last season and the Scotts Lakers attracted record crowds to the Killarney Sports Centre for their home games.

It was a case of Saturday Night Fever in Killarney as the biggest crowds in the division flocked to see their heroes play. Indeed, the attendances were consistently larger than any Super League venue in the country, apart from the ones attracted by our neighbours the Tralee Warriors. The Killarney Sports Centre hosted a crowd of 950 people for the Lakers’ clash with Killorglin last October. This was a record crowd for any National League or Super League game in the history of Killarney basketball.

Scotts Lakers didn't disappoint in their opening season, enjoying a good cup run before bowing out at the semi-final stage to eventual winners Ballincollig. They then went on the secure the Division 1B Shield title.

Team coach Cormac O'Donoghue is in charge of the Lakers again for the new campaign and his squad has been boosted by some exciting new signings.

American Harrison Deneka is a native of Memphis, Tennessee and has just graduated from Birmingham Southern College, Alabama. At 6’7” he is very versatile and can play the shooting guard or small forward role. In his final season, he led the Birmingham SC Panthers in total points (474), total rebounds (250), points per game (17.6) and rebounds per game (9.3). He also dominated the conference in rebounds and finished top 10 in five categories, recording 13 double-doubles and scoring a career-high 37 points in one match.

Another significant new signing for the Scotts Lakers is Dutch power forward Papito Hersisia, who has experience from playing in Holland and Germany. His huge 6'8" frame and ability to dominate under the boards will give the Lakers extra strength this season.

Exciting point guard Dailian Mason from Birmingham is back with the

Scotts Lakers again after joining the squad during the middle of last season. An outstanding three-point shooter, Mason will give the Lakers that extra outside scoring threat.

Cormac O'Donoghue and his squad of players have been in pre-season training for a number of weeks and it has been announced that Mark Greene will captain the side this year. The Killarney native was the Lakers most consistent Irish player last season and will have another huge role to play in the campaign ahead.

 

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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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