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).
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.