The Kerry District League (known as the Denny Kerry District League for sponsorship reasons) is an association football league featuring amateur and junior clubs from
County Kerry
County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...
. The KDL is a winter league run by Adrian Casey. Its top division, the Premier A, is a seventh level division in the
Republic of Ireland football league system. The league is regularly featured in the local newspapers – ''
The Kerryman'' and the ''
Kerry's Eye
''Kerry's Eye'' is a weekly local newspaper in County Kerry, Ireland. It is published every Thursday and, as of 2010, had a claimed circulation of approximately 25,000. ''.
History
The league was formed in 1971 with eight teams competing in its first season. Its founding members included
Tralee Dynamos and Killarney Athletic, both of whom had previously played in the
Limerick Desmond League. Other founding members included St Brendan's Park. Tralee Dynamos were the inaugural champions and subsequently became the league's most successful team.
Mounthawk Park
The KDL purchased Mounthawk Park in
Tralee in the mid–1990s. It now serves as both the headquarters of the league and as home ground for the Kerry League representative teams. Several KDL clubs, especially those in the greater Tralee area, also use Mounthawk Park as their home pitch.
In August 2015 a new all-weather pitch was opened at Mounthawk Park by
Martin O'Neill
Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, (born 1 March 1952) is a Northern Irish professional football manager and former player who played as a midfielder.
Starting his career in Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playi ...
and
John Delaney.
It will be the home ground of newly formed
Kerry F.C. in the
2023 League of Ireland First Division
The 2023 League of Ireland First Division season is the 39th season of the League of Ireland First Division, the second tier of the Republic of Ireland's association football league.
Overview
The First Division has 10 teams. Each side plays ea ...
.
Representative teams
A senior Kerry League representative team regularly competes in the
Oscar Traynor Trophy, playing against teams representing other leagues.
In recent seasons they have also competed in the
League of Ireland Cup. In 2016 a Kerry League U17 team will play in the
League of Ireland U17 Division
The League of Ireland U17 Division is the under-17 division of the League of Ireland. Like the Premier Division, the First Division and the National U19 League the National U17 League is currently sponsored by SSE Airtricity and as a result i ...
.
Kerry now have both U17 & U19 teams competing in both the SSE Airtricity National U17 & U19 respectively.
Clubs
Premier A
List of winners by season
[https://www.kerrydistrictleague.ie/about/kdl-facts/roll-of-honour/]
References
{{Football in Ireland
7
Association football leagues in Munster
1
1971 establishments in Ireland
Sports leagues established in 1971