Members of Killarney Judo Club travelled to Dublin on Sunday, March 22, to participate in the National Judo Grading.

The event serves as a critical milestone for martial artists progressing toward their Black Belts, testing both technical skill and competitive ability.
Among the successful candidates was Kevin Casey, who recently returned to the club after several years away. Casey earned his Blue Belt after completing a demanding technical assessment that required him to demonstrate a diverse range of traditional throws.
Two of the club’s younger prospects, 15-olds Patrik Polubnak and James Maher, delivered standout performances to secure their Brown Belts. A highlight of the day occurred when Maher executed a high-amplitude throw on an opponent significantly larger than himself, earning a perfect score from the national examiners. Both teenagers are now beginning an intensive training block in preparation for their Black Belt grading this September.
Ciara Forde also continued her ascent through the senior ranks. Following her performances in Dublin, Forde is now just three contest wins away from her Black Belt. If successful, she will become the 26th person in the history of the Killarney club to achieve the rank.
Coaches and supporters from the club made the trip to the capital to oversee the grading, which marks another successful chapter for the local club as it continues to develop athletes across all age groups.

Muckross Rowing Club hosts successful Head of the River trials

Muckross Rowing Club hosted its annual Head of the River rowing time trial on Saturday last, March 21, at the National Rowing Centre in Farran, Cork.

The event took place under clear skies after being rescheduled from its original December date due to previous weather cancellations. As a key fixture in the winter rowing calendar, the event attracted 458 crews from 29 different clubs across Munster and Leinster.
The competition featured a specialized course length of 1950 metres, adapted from the standard 3km distance to help athletes transition toward the upcoming regatta season in April. This event remains the only time trial hosted at the sport’s national headquarters.
A composite Men’s Masters Eight, featuring rowers from six clubs across Cork, Kerry, and Tipperary, recorded the fastest time of the day at 6 minutes 39 seconds. Killorglin RC secured the title of fastest women’s crew, with their Junior 18 Quad finishing in 7 minutes 12 seconds. In the coastal categories, top honours went to Rosscarbery’s Men’s J16 Coastal Quad and Kilmacsimon RC’s Women’s J16 Coastal Quad.
The host club, Muckross RC, recorded five category wins during the meet. Victories came in the Women’s J16 Quad (Marissa O’Connor, Cara Spillane, Julia Weglarz, Orla Forde), Men’s Intermediate Single (Cillian Leslie), and the Men’s J14 Quad (Daire Murphy, Cian Whitty, Max Dorrill, Joe Hickey). Further success was seen in the Women’s J14 Octuple and the Women’s J16 Single, where Lauren O’Donoghue took the top spot. The club also secured three second-place and four third-place finishes.
Other Kerry clubs including Workmen RC of Killarney, Tralee RC, and Killorglin RC also showed strong form on the water. Speaking after the conclusion of the races, Event Secretary and Club Vice Chairman Tim O’Shea expressed satisfaction with the turnout and thanked the volunteers, parents, and sponsors who supported the event. With the time trial season now concluded, clubs will move their focus to the regatta season starting next month.