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Local talent to be showcased in three new plays

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By Michelle Crean  

If you're looking for a night out with a difference then a visit to see some hilarious short plays by a local group is ideal.

PLAYS: Killarney based amateur drama group Four Esquires Productions will be performing their new series of short plays in the Gleneagle Culture Club. Pictured are: Danny McClure Annie Burns and Paddy Osborne.

Killarney based, amateur drama group Four Esquires Productions, which was formed in 2019 by Brian Bowler and Paddy Osborne, will be performing their new series of short plays on May 25 in the Gleneagle Culture Club.

The ethos of the group is to encourage and showcase local talent.

“We’ve held several casting calls over the years for anyone who wanted to get involved even if they’d never acted before,” Paddy Osborne explained. “We are always open to new writers and ideas, our focus being on original plays, generally comedic and light-hearted.”

The Four Esquires had a three night sell out show in Courtney’s, Killarney just before the lockdown where they performed 'Every Picture Tells a Story' by Brian Bowler, Rent O’Killers by Dennis Earlie and Bar Flies by Paddy Osborne.

“We had planned to put on more shows but COVID put everything on hold,” Paddy said. “There’s a wealth of talent in this county. We are also very fortunate to have several actors who are training in the West End House School of Arts, New Street, involved in the new show. It is great for them and it is fantastic for us.”

The three new plays are 'The Letter D' – an elderly man endeavours to sell his recent inheritance of carpets and rugs online with hilarious consequences. 'The Deal' – a disillusioned hospitality worker prepares for a night out while reflecting on his chosen career path. Both are written and directed by Brian Bowler. The third play is 'Bin Wars' written and directed by Paddy Osborne and is a dark comic tale inspired by true events about two neighbours fighting over their wheelie bins.

Paddy is the author of the hilarious 'Baxter’s Boys', a novel about a neglected Dublin inner-city community and a dysfunctional pub football team who might just be their only hope! The Irish Independent likened it to Roddy Doyles’ Barrytown Trilogy. Paddy has just finished co-writing a feature length screenplay called 'No Time For Cowboys' and is in the process of securing funding.

Brian Bowler is a member of the Killarney Dochas Drama group and West End School of Arts. He has written and directed a number of plays and short films including the award winning 'Under God’s Sky' about the Spanish Armada.

Tickets are on sale from Ticketmaster priced €10.25 excluding booking fee.

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Adventure runner completes all Dublin streets

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Adventure runner completes all Dublin streets


Killarney native Seanie Clifford has completed an extraordinary 25-day endurance challenge that saw him run all 4,400 named streets in Dublin while sleeping rough on the city’s pavements every night.



The local athlete completed his final stretch in the capital on Saturday, August 29, after covering a total distance of 2,000 kilometres. Running under the project banner 4400 Streets & Nowhere to Go, Clifford undertook the gruelling schedule to raise vital funds for Focus Ireland, Liberty Soup Run, and Dublin Homeless Awareness.

To mirror the reality faced by thousands of individuals across the country, the Killarney man spent 25 consecutive nights sleeping out on the very streets he ran during the day. Averaging close to 80 kilometres every 24 hours, he navigated heavy traffic, intense asphalt heat, and constant route adjustments alongside his partner and sole support crew member, Alicja.

Reflecting on the experience, Clifford praised the overwhelming backing he received from members of the public throughout the capital. He stated that he went into the challenge with extreme positivity and was rewarded with extraordinary kindness from people across Dublin, with residents from Ballymun to Donnybrook coming out to offer support.

Local support carries



By the midpoint of the challenge, physical exhaustion presented severe hurdles. However, local running clubs and individuals joined Clifford on various sections of the daily routes to assist his progress.

On Day 12, runners from Artane Beaumont Running Club and local supporters joined him on the road, allowing him to complete his daily 80-kilometre target ahead of schedule as community support carried him through the toughest miles.

The final stage of the run coincided with the release of official monthly figures from the Department of Housing, which recorded a record 17,527 people living in emergency accommodation across the country, including 5,659 children.

During the closing days of the project, Clifford was invited into Leinster House to meet with TDs and discuss the conditions he witnessed while sleeping on the streets. He stressed throughout the campaign that while his temporary homelessness would end with a return home to Kerry, thousands of families across Ireland remain without permanent shelter.


Triple Crown completed



Following his arrival at the final street, members of the national ultra-running community confirmed that Clifford had achieved what is widely regarded as the Triple Crown of Irish Endurance.

A former student of St Oliver’s Primary School and St Brendan’s College in Killarney, Clifford first set a national record in 2024 by running all 275 Irish mountains over 600 metres in 21 days. In 2025, he ran the entire 2,700-kilometre length of the Wild Atlantic Way from Malin Head to Kinsale in under 30 days.

Despite his previous mountain and coastal records, Clifford described the urban street challenge through Dublin as his most difficult undertaking to date.

Clifford, who now organises trail running retreats and uses endurance projects to highlight mental health and social issues, finished his final street run on Saturday afternoon to complete the historic trilogy of Irish endurance challenges.

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Kerry Stars volunteer appreciation night

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Kerry Stars volunteer appreciation night


Kerry Stars Special Olympics Sports Club hosted a volunteer appreciation night at the International Hotel on Monday, August 31, ahead of the upcoming sports season.


The event brought together both new and long-standing volunteers to celebrate their contribution to the club, which provides sporting opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities across the region.
Run entirely by volunteers, the club relies on helpers who dedicate an hour each week from September through May. The gathering provided a chance to recognise their effort following a successful summer where four Kerry Stars athletes secured a haul of gold, silver, and bronze medals at the Special Olympics Ireland Summer Games in June.
The club caters to both competitive athletes and members who participate primarily for the social aspect and inclusion. With the new season resuming in mid-September, Kerry Stars is inviting new volunteers and athletes to join its weekly training schedule.
Weekly sessions take place at various local venues, including Monday athletics at Spa GAA from 6pm to 7pm, Wednesday basketball at Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre from 7pm to 8pm, and Thursday soccer at the same location from 7pm to 8pm. The club also runs therapeutic horse riding and swimming programs in Killarney and Tralee, both of which currently operate waiting lists.
Anyone interested in getting involved as a volunteer or athlete can contact the club directly at kerrystars63@gmail.com.

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