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Relegation battle has town divided

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By Sean Moriarty

This is bigger than the county final itself - with the main prize on offer being bragging rights in the town.

After an unprecedented run of events during this year’s Kerry Senior Football championship Killarney's two biggest clubs, Dr Crokes and Killarney Legion are set to face off in a relegation battle that is sure to divide the town.

In sporting terms, the outcome of the big game, set for December 5, is simple enough. The winner stays in the Senior Championship next season and the losers will have to play in the Intermediate Championship.

Fans of the black and amber or the green and white face an anxious week. Winning the county title is one thing – consigning your cross town rivals to second division football in football is altogether a bigger prize.

Senior officials from both clubs are being very guarded on a potential outcome as both sides know the significance of this play off.

“It is a pity that two Killarney clubs, with a long tradition of playing football in the top tier, find themselves in the position of having to play off to avoid relegation,” Matt O’Neill, Cathaoirleach of Dr Crokes, told the Killarney Advertiser.

"Both teams will fight tooth and nail to stay in the senior ranks. I am confident that on Sunday week our lads will do themselves and the club proud, as always, and give their all in the quest to keep the black and amber to the fore.”

Crokes are based off the Lewis Road with Legion a short distance away on the other side of the bypass.

“Everyone has an opinion on this,” Legion PRO, Elaine O’Donoghue, told the Killarney Advertiser. “Both sides will be nervous – may the best team win. There are a lot of questions, are the Crokes suffering after defeat to Kerins O’Rahillys [in the semi-final]? Are our lads suffering after losing to St Brendan’s for the third year in a row?”

Every football fan will be keeping a close eye on next weekend’s Intermediate County Final too which takes place on December 4.

The winners of the match between Beaufort and Tralee side Na Gael will be automatically promoted to replace the losers of the Killarney play-off in the Senior Championship next season.

Should Beaufort prevail, a (relatively) local team could replace a town team in the top flight.

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Kia 261 preview event at McElligott’s

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McElligott’s are hosting The Kia 261 Preview Event on Saturday, October 11 from 10am to 5pm.

The one-day-only showcase will feature five of Kia’s newest and most anticipated models for 2026.

McElligott’s will be the first Kia dealership in the country to showcase these brand-new models.

This exclusive event offers visitors the chance to get up close with Kia’s latest innovations in both design and technology.

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Local families at risk of homelessness

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Fourteen families in Killarney are at risk of homelessness after eviction notices were issued.
The termination letters were sent by Xerico Ltd., a foreign landlord registered in Cyprus.

Every home in the Loreto Convent Estate has been served with a Notice of Termination which will make more than 40 people homeless. This includes infants, schoolchildren and people with disabilities.


The residents have set up a petition on change.org to fight against the eviction. ( Petition · Prevent a Mass Eviction by a Foreign Landlord – Protect Families and Killarney’s Heritage – Ireland · Change.org)


13 children currently attend the local national school, some of those students require additional supports.


Three of those students are looking to apply to secondary schools, however now they don’t know where to go.

For years, the neighbours have built a small, supportive community which is now under threat due to the eviction notices.


If the families are forced to move elsewhere, local businesses will lose also their employees.
Dorota Kowalczyk has lived in the estate for ten years and she described the situation as “very hard”.


“It’s a terrible thing to happen. We worry about it every day, especially for our children. We have loved living here; we love our neighbours. We looked after each other during Covid, we have barbecues, we celebrate birthdays, it’s our home.” She told the Killarney Advertiser.


The neighbours received their letters in stages, some in June and July. Dorota’s letter arrived in the mailbox at the end of September.


Ms Kowalczyk explained her life is in Killarney and she doesn’t want to go elsewhere, however it’s impossible to find a place to rent in the town.


In the current housing climate, Killarney faces a huge crisis, with limited stock available and soaring rents.


The residents say that forcing dozens more people into homelessness is not just unethical, it damages the towns stability and economy.


The families are calling on Kerry County Council and Killarney authorities to act immediately.


They believe the situation can be resolved by a Tenant-in-Situ purchase, an Approved Housing Body partnership or any other available mechanism.


They are urging the council to protect their families, safeguard their community, support local businesses and preserve Killarney’s heritage.


It is not the first time that the Cypriot property company has evicted several tenants.

The Dublin Inquirer reported last October that RTB figures revealed that tenants of Xerico Ltd. were issued eviction notices at a much higher rate than other landlords.

They also found that 191 eviction notices were issued in 2023, with a chunk of them cited as Part 4 tenancy ending.


The Killarney Advertiser has contacted the Home Club and Xerico Ltd. for comment.

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