Badminton in the Blood as Grace and Kate Claim Doubles Title for Kingdom Club

Kingdom Badminton Club, Castleisland players and Kerry Badminton Association Juvenile U-14 Doubles Championship title winners: Kate Harmon (left) and Grace McGovern with Listowel club players and runners-up: Kate Nolan and Sinéad Kelly. Photograph: Tom Bradley

Two young ladies from the Castleisland based Kingdom Badminton Club won the Kerry Badminton Association U-14 Doubles Championship title recently.

Grace McGovern and Kate Harmon overcame the challenge of the Listowel club’s pairing of Kate Nolan and Sinéad Kelly in their final.

Between the two Castleisland players, their inherited dedication and love of the game goes back many generations.

Several Generations Back

Well beyond mothers and fathers playing, but grannies and grandads, great grandfathers and grandmothers, gran-aunts and uncles it goes back several generations in both families with many Kerry and Munster titles between them all.

On Kate Harmon’s mom’s side, the Kerry and Munster roll of honour is peppered with the Hannon name and Grace McGovern will find her grand-dad, Ger McGaley’s name alongside that of Ballymac’s Murty McEllistrim as they won a Kerry minor doubles title in the early 1970s.

The Old Library

Carnegie Hall, better known as the Old Library, which also sat the Castleisland District Court for many years, is still a favorite badminton hall among all local Kingdom club players and throughout the county.

It is blessed with its beautiful high ceiling and original wood floor and a ghost or two.

Back into Training

After a quite couple of seasons, and being away from the sport, the girls jumped right back into training as soon as restrictions were lifted.

“My auntie Lorna is great for giving me tips. We were delighted with the win – and although it was close – we knew we could do it,” said Kate.

You can contact The Maine Valley Post on…Anyone in The Maine Valley Post catchment area who would like to send us news and captioned photographs for inclusion can send them to: jreidy@mainevalleypost.com Queries about advertising and any other matters regarding The Maine Valley Post can also be sent to that address or just ring: 087 23 59 467.