‘We’re over the moon’ - Kilkenny Stars determined to shine on national stage

Local basketball will be back in the country’s focus after the Kilkenny Stars were welcomed into the national league.

The Stars will be one of 10 teams who will compete in the Domino’s Women’s Division One for the 2025/26 season after their application to join the second tier was approved by the National League Committee (NLC), along with fellow newcomers the Dublin Raiders.

It’ll be the first time that Kilkenny Stars or Dublin Raiders feature at Basketball Ireland National League level, but the two teams are no strangers to one another. The sides faced off once in the Basketball Ireland Development League (BIDL) regular season last year. Kilkenny Stars came out on top on a 61-57 scoreline.

Former Ireland senior men’s assistant coach Lawrence ‘Puff’ Summers has been appointed head coach for Kilkenny Stars’ inaugural season.

Head coach Puff Summers will lead Kilkenny Stars in their first season in the league Picture: Mark Desmond

“From day one of being a part of this wonderful club, our goal has been to aspire to more and to put ourselves on the national map as far as basketball is concerned,” said Summers. “It’s been a long process—a lot of long hours in the gym, a lot of learning and unlearning for both players and coaches. But to get to this level shows not only an unbelievable commitment to excellence by the players, but also by everyone in our club to join together and to push to give our ladies every opportunity to maximise themselves.

“We are over the moon about how we literally grew from the dirt, and now our next goal is to solidify ourselves as a team that can compete at the National League level,” he added. “It’s an honour for me to help lead us to the next phase of development for our club. Whether it goes swimmingly smooth or disastrously bad, I’m all in, and I just want all of our players to rock with that kind of energy all year.”

The club is just 14 years old, having been established in 2011, but enjoyed a very fruitful spell at underage level in recent seasons reaching three AIG All-Ireland Club Championship (AICC’s) finals, as well as an Under-18 Women’s National Cup Final and Under-20 Women’s National Cup Final. The 2024/25 season was their first in the Basketball Ireland Development League - finishing fourth in their conference with a winning record.

Kilkenny Stars is home to several former Irish underage internationals Faye Scanlon, Ava Coogan (pictured above), Aoibhin Dunphy and Elena Lauhoff, as well as current Irish underage internationals Aimee O’Reilly and Caoimhe Timmons.

“Our club has gone through an accelerated growth process over the past three seasons putting all of the building blocks in place from the Academy up with the ultimate goal of competing nationally,” said Stars chairperson Damien Brett. “Through the hard work and dedication of our committee, coaches, parents and players, we have achieved our initial goal a year ahead of schedule with our acceptance into the Domino’s Women’s Division One for next season.

“Our goal now is to compete and to ensure our long term participation in this league and we are ready for this new challenge now,” he added. “We are very excited for all of our club members to be able to enjoy National League basketball right here in Kilkenny where the game is currently thriving.”