======Kestrels======
=====Team Information=====
  * **Full Name:** The Kenmare Kestrels
  * **Type:** Professional [[Quidditch]] Team
  * **League:** [[British and Irish Quidditch League]]
  * **Home:** [[Kenmare]], [[Ireland]]
  * **Team Robes:** Emerald-green robes featuring two yellow 'K's placed back-to-back on the chest (//Quidditch Through the Ages//).
  * **Mascots:** The team is famously supported by [[leprechauns]] (//Quidditch Through the Ages//).
=====History and Reputation=====
The Kenmare Kestrels are a highly popular and successful Irish [[Quidditch]] team, founded in 1291 (//Quidditch Through the Ages//). They compete in the [[British and Irish Quidditch League]] and have a large and enthusiastic international fan base, particularly among Irish supporters.
The team is renowned for the lively and entertaining displays put on by their [[leprechaun]] mascots during matches. The Kestrels have achieved significant success over their long history, including winning the League cup twenty-one times (//Quidditch Through the Ages//). Their most celebrated player is [[Darren O'Hare]], who served as the team's [[Keeper]] and Captain from 1947 to 1960. O'Hare is credited with the invention of the [[Hawkshead Attacking Formation]], a significant contribution to [[Quidditch]] strategy (//Quidditch Through the Ages//).
=====Role in the Story=====
The Kestrels are mentioned once in the primary novels, during the summer before [[Harry Potter]]'s fourth year at [[Hogwarts]]. In a letter to [[Sirius Black]], [[Harry]] recounts a conversation where [[Ron Weasley]] discusses the gambling debts of [[Ludo Bagman]], the Head of the [[Department of Magical Games and Sports]].
[[Ron]] explains that his father, [[Arthur Weasley]], believes [[Ludo Bagman]] is in financial trouble with [[goblins]]. Ron states, "He wants the Kestrels to win, he's in a real state." This implies that Bagman had placed a significant bet on a Kestrels match and that their potential loss was causing him considerable distress. This brief mention serves to characterize [[Ludo Bagman]] as a reckless gambler early in //Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire//.
=====Known Members=====
  * **[[Darren O'Hare]]:** Captain and [[Keeper]] for the team between 1947 and 1960 (//Quidditch Through the Ages//).
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * The team's name is derived from the kestrel, a small species of falcon. This follows a common naming convention for [[Quidditch]] teams, which are often named after birds of prey or other powerful creatures, such as the Falmouth [[Falcons]] and the Montrose [[Magpies]].
  * The Kestrels' association with [[leprechauns]] as mascots reinforces their Irish identity, drawing from prominent figures in Irish folklore. These same creatures served as the official mascots for the Irish National Team during the 1994 [[Quidditch World Cup]].