Kestrels

• 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).

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.

• Darren O'Hare: Captain and Keeper for the team between 1947 and 1960 (Quidditch Through the Ages).

• 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.