West Kerry bids farewell to adventurer Ger Kavanagh

West Kerry bade farewell to a true hero last weekend as Ger Kavanagh (pictured right on his 80th birthday earlier this year with his wife Bridget)of Gorta Dubh, Ballyferriter was laid to rest in Dún Úrlann cemetery on Saturday, October 25th.

The Ballyferriter native became the first man to circumnavigate the Irish Coast in a man-made 'Naomhóg' leaving his home in Ballyferriter on the 29th of June 1975 with the aim of rowing 1,200 miles around the Irish Coast. Ger completed the momentous task in six weeks and six days arriving home on the 12th of August. Here is an excerpt from an interview with Ger Kavanagh on his 80th birthday earlier this year.

"From Kerry I travelled northwards facing into the Atlantic, the seas around Mayo were tough but from growing up in West Kerry I knew the seas and I knew what to expect.

I made my way around the coasts of Donegal and Antrim and down into the Irish sea towards Dublin, where I encountered busy traffic around the ports and around Rosslare where I passed the ferry that crosses the Irish sea. I had made my plans and was able to manoeuvre around any ships or trawlers. I pulled into a small harbour in Arklow, where a man from West Kerry (who had relocated to the area) was astonished to see a Naomhóg from his homeland pull into the harbour. He said he thought he'd never see such a sight, a Naomhóg from Beál Bán pulling into Arklow! The vessel which I used was over thirteen years old I had to make any necessary repairs on leaks or cracks at sea. I also studied the tides carefully as the sea doesn't give you a second chance so you had to be on the ball. Some people thought I was mad at the time, but I did it to show I wasn't and that it could be done. If you set your mind to anything it can be achieved."

The trip made national news at the time and his five children and wife Bridget, who looked after the family farm in his absence, listened to Ger's progress on the 'wireless' at home also reading about his journey in the national newspapers who looked after the family farm in his absence.

"I had my first Naomhóg when I was eight and discovered I had a love of the sea in the blood" he also recalled. "It was in me, the sea was calling and I had to answer the call."

Ger completed the amazing test of human endurance on the 12th of August when he pulled into Beál Bán near his home to a heroes welcome. During the voyage, he had suffered a perforated ulcer and had to be rushed to hospital in Tralee.

"After travelling around the coast of Ireland in a Naomhóg, it was only a small thing in comparison!" said the hardy sea-farer.

He went on the write a book about his experience, Cogarnach ar ár gCósta, which went on the become part of the Leaving Cert Syllabus and went on to publish a further three books, Bhí mo lá agam, Nár chlos ár namhaid and An Giorria san aer. It was the first and last time this amazing journey was completed.

"If something is calling to you then you must answer the call and be true to yourself" he said, "if something is in your heart, go after it full steam. There is no point in waiting because like the sea, time wait for nobody. You only have one chance in this life and you have to take it!"

Dingle's 'Lord Baker' named National Host of the Year 2009

The host with the most

John Moriarty (pictured left) has always been a hit with patrons at his restaurant Lord Bakers in Dingle; his local knowledge, wit and charm has been the talk of the town for many years. Now the Dingle man has received a national distinction for his warm welcome as renowned food critic Georgina Campbell named John the 2009 Host of the Year at the Féile Bia Awards at Bord Bia's headquarters in Dublin last Thursday at a ceremony hosted by RTÉ's Derek Davis. "This is a great honour and we're absolutely delighted" said John after receiving the award. "We established Lord Bakers in 1990 and have always felt that spending quality time with our patrons is essential." The Féile Bia Awards recognise the commitment of Irish restaurants to the use of local produce with Georgina Campbell herself visiting hundreds of restaurants the length and breath of the country in order to access them. According to John this factor is crucial if the restaurant industry in Kerry is to survive the current recession. "We have to set ourselves apart from the rest, the best way to do this is to play to our strengths by sourcing quality produce from local suppliers" he said. "In Kerry we have the best local beef and lamb as well as access to some of the best seafood in the world, throw in a bit of local knowledge and a warm welcome and you have a winning combination." Lord Bakers is also set to feature in an upcoming edition of the National Geographic. More information on Lord Bakers is available at www.lordbakers.ie.

Paris exhibit for West Kerry artist

An exhibition of new artwork by
Micheal Flaherty
Dingle & Paris 2008
Greenlane Gallery Paris
17th October 2008 - 24th October
Greenlane Gallery Dingle
Saturday 25th October 2008.
Opening by Dick Spring (cheese & wine reception)Saturday 12 noon

Renowned West Kerry artist Michael Flaherty will open two highly anticipated exhibitions this month which will run concurrently at the Greenlane Gallery in Paris and Dingle. Flaherty has been an intense observer of the land and seascapes of the Dingle Peninsula for over fifteen years, in particular it is the unique character of the area below Mount Brandon. This is where Flaherty grew up and still lives, and where he has produced the work for which he has become world-renowned. Working in layers of thick impasto his use of colour is bold, vibrant, daring and unconventional making the scene more intense and the sense of movement more vital. One of West Kerry’s true stars. Pictured left, Marooned on the Cross Hairs by Michael Flaherty. View Michael's, and other West Kerry artists work at www.greenlanegallery.com

From Dingle-Iran

Dingle-Tokyo cyclists reach Iranian border!

Father and son team Mark and Sam Swain (pictured right), who left Dingle on Saturday July 26th with the intention of cycling all the way to Tokyo, Japan, managed to make it to the Iranian border this week. Follow their progress online at their travel blog; www.bugbitten.com/father_son_cycle

Plans for Dingle's first distillery

Planning permission is currently being sought to replace the former Kerry Co-Op Creamery building with a distillery, which is said will cost in the region of €8 million to construct. The building, located on the Spa Road which leads on the Connor Pass, across the way from the Hillgrove Hotel, has been derelict for a number of years. Jerry O'Sullivan of Southbound Properties is behind the project which plans to establish a distillery, visitor centre, shop, tasting rooms, a bar and function room at the site.

Sex and the City Gala Benefit to take place in Dingle

Dingle does Manhattan!
Sex and the City hits West Kerry
It's time to don the Jimmy Choos and mix the cosmopolitans as Dingle prepares to emulate downtown Manhattan with a special Sex and the City themed Gala Ball Benefit which will take place at the Dingle Skellig Hotel on Saturday, November 1st. This fantastic New York night is currently being organised by Maria O'Mahony and Catriona Begley (pictured left) in aid of community childcare centre Áiseanna na hÓige.
Since Áiseanna na hÓige opened its doors two years ago, the community centre, based in Dingle's Árd na Gréine, has revolutionised childcare services in the area with state of the art childcare and Montessori facilities. Their after schools service has been widely lauded and the centre also hosts numerous drama, musical, horticultural and cultural activities during the week. In an effort to continue the availability of these services the management team at the centre decided, following the furore caused by the release of the Sex and the City Movie earlier this year that a SATC themed event would be a fantastic way to support the centre. The event promises to be truly 'fabulous' as Dingle's Skellig Hotel will be transformed to represent a New York night with guests treated to a cocktail reception while the local paparazzi photograph the bold and the beautiful on the Red Carpet! With the cosmopolitans flowing, a gourmet four course meal will follow. Several great prizes will also be awarded on the night, including some luxurious breaks at a variety of Talbot Hotels. Outfits inspired by the style of SATC's Carrie Bradshaw, Samantha Jones, Miranda Hobbs and Charlotte York are encouraged on the night, which will be recognised by style guru Elaine Sheehy of La Bohéme who will be on hand to present boutique vouchers and specially engraved martini glasses. The meal will be followed by entertainment from the highly acclaimed group The Promise with DJ Edward Hutchinson rounding off the event with Club NYC. And of course, no Sex and the City event would be complete without a Mr. Big and this event is no different as RTÉ Football Pundit and former All-Ireland winning captain Dara Ó Cinnéide lends his talents for the evening as the Gala's MC. The SATC Gala Benefit takes place at Dingle's Skellig Hotel on Saturday November 1st. All-inclusive tickets for the event are €75 and tables may also be purchased, with all proceeds raised going towards Áiseanna na hÓige. Tickets may be booked by telephoning Áiseanna na hÓige at 066-915 1938. Enquiries after six may be made at 085-7551950.

Cumann Rugbaí Corca Dhuibhne prevail in season opener

Corca Dhuibhne 16 – Kanturk 0

A strong and focused performance by Cumann Rugbai Corca Dhuibhne saw them in the driving seat on home turf against a Kanturk side who failed to capitalise on their possession in the season opener of the South Munster Junior 2 league in Carrig, Baile na nGall last Sunday. A couple of pre-season defeats for the West Kerry side obviously paid dividends with Corca Dhuibhne displaying an organised defensive line which managed to contain several strong attacks by the Cork men throughout. The first half saw a physical Kanturk side launch several strong offensives however Corca Dhuibhne displayed organisation and poise in successive line-outs. Corca Dhuibhne Captain, Dingle man Johnny Curran (pictured above right) saw the West Kerry side take the lead with three conversions at the half time whistle leaving the half time score at 9-0. Kanturk forged a series of attacks in the opening minutes of the second half winning scrums and turning over line-outs however failed to capitalise on possession. Corca Dhuibhne remained tight in the back line, forcing successive mistakes from the Cork men whose frustration saw them lose focus. Mid-way through the second half Corca Dhuibhne Captain Johnny Curran lead by example once again, breaking through the Kanturk back-line. A sharp and speedy run by the West Kerry captain left the Kanturk men in their wake, shell shocked by the excellently executed try which Curran laid dead-centre between the posts. Curran converted bringing Corca Dhuibhne's lead to 16-0 going into the final quarter. Kanturk seemed determined to put up something on the score sheet and the dying minutes saw a late push on the Corca Dhuibhne's line which seemed destined to result in a late try. However Corca Dhuibhne's Ciarán Slattery put in some big hits and stopped what looked like a certain try for Kanturk when he covered half the pitch to take their man out. The game finished with Corca Dhuibhne recording impressive win in their first game J2 League. Overall Corca Dhuibhne's performance was understated yet effective, their speed, fitness level and use of possession giving them the upper hand against a more noticeably sluggish Kanturk side. Despite keeping a clean sheet, the West Kerry men's approach to their season opener would seem to indicate that there is a lot more to come from the Corca Dhuibhne side with a young, sharp and physically fit first fifteen. It is a good start for the season for the West Kerry man who now face the daunting prospect of facing Cork Constitution away from home in a fortnight. This entertaining and hard fought game in Carrig last Sunday will definitely encourage the West Kerry men and their coaching team in their next encounter.

Permission granted for Blasket Island Café

Planning permission has been granted for a new cafe on the Great Blasket Island by An Bord Pleanala.Earlier this year the planning appeals authority held an oral hearing in Dingle to discuss the application.An Blascaoid Mor Teoranta, the largest landowner on the island, had applied to build a cafe and service building, comprising a kitchen, stores, toilets, first aid and ranger room, and a laundry.Kerry County Council gave it the go ahead last November, but it was appealed to An Bord Pleanala.Opponents feel the island should be left as it was when evacuated in 1953.The permission granted is subject to 10 conditions.The first condition is that a new pier is built on the island.Other conditions include; amendments to the development ensuring the external finishes match adjoining buildings in the interest of architectural heritage.Water supply and drainage arrangement are to comply with the requirements of the planning authority in the interest of public health and the prevention of pollution.Another stipulation of the planning permission is that oil is stored properly in order to control pollution in the sensitive environment.The developer, An Blascaoid Mor Teoranta is also required to make a financial contribution to the planning authority in respect of public infrastructure and facilities. Source: Radio Kerry

Dingle singer sets sights on Tanzania

Making a difference
A talented singer from Dingle is set to make the trip of a lifetime this month as she travels to Tanzania in an effort to make a difference in one of the world's poorest countries. Pauline Scanlon, whose latest album Hush (recorded in Nashville) has received national acclaim, is travelling to Tanzania from October 14th to 24th with Playing For Life, a voluntary charitable group established by sports broadcaster Tracey Piggott following her life-changing experience visit to Ethopia in 2004. According to Pauline, who has previously toured with the likes of Sharon Shannon, Playing for Life focuses on helping people to help themselves through education, health and sport. "Our group of volunteers will work with local communities, bringing skills, which can then be used to generate income from home industries, crafts and tourism" Pauline explained. Those travelling in Pauline's group this October will include Nationwide Presenter Mary Kennedy and Irish singer Eleanor Shanley. "Some of the group will be involved in building a community centre, others will be training people in crafts and business skills" Pauline added. "We have made arrangements to bring a Sound Engineer with us to capture the choirs there, which have to be heard to be believed. Having recorded them we will make an album for them which will be for sale in Ireland. We will also be making the album available to the choirs for them to sell for many years to come" she said. Each volunteer embarking on this trip has to raise €5,500 for the project. Donations may be made online at www.mycharity.ie/event/pauline_scanlons_event, or for more information check out www.paulinescanlon.com.

€15K and counting raised by Mount Brandon Cancer Walk

On top of the world

The Irish Cancer Society received a major boost this week following the announcement that the West Kerry cancer fundraiser, Siuloid Leigheas- held on Mount Brandon last week from the Dingle side, managed to raise over €15,000 on the day. The walk, organised by local man Jaeici Ó Muircheartaigh, attracted a record number this year with over 500 taking on the climb to the summit. The walk also attracted many well-known personalities such as Kerry Captain Paul Galvin, former Kerry captain and RTÉ pundit Dara Ó Cinnéide, Bishop of Kerry Bill Murphy, Kerry football legend Ger Power, RTÉ's Eileen Whelan and Garda Superintendent Pat O'Sullivan. The tally of €15,000 was arrived at this week and funds are still coming in. This brings the overall amount raised by the West Kerry walk over the past seven years to €140,000. For more information on Cancer Fundraising and Awareness visit www.cancer.ie

Dingle Peninsula Food and Wine Festival a great success again this year

Food for thought
Good food was on the tip of everyone's tongue in Dingle last weekend as the town swelled to capacity welcoming record crowds to the second annual Dingle Peninsula Food and Wine Festival.
From Friday to Sunday the town's culinary heritage came to the forefront as a wide variety of food based activities took place hosting everything from tastings, food producers conferences and exhibitions to a food trail and wine tastings at a variety of restaurants and pubs around Dingle.
Tutored tastings and chef demonstrations were among the festival highlights and Dingle's Farmers Market was expanded for the festivals duration transforming the town into Ireland's largest outdoor food market for the weekend. The Dingle Peninsula Food Festival will also hosted the inaugural Blas na hÉireann- Irish National Food Awards -over the weekend which drew an unprecedented 700 entires from all over the country. The Blas na hÉireann Awards celebrated the quality and imagination of the best Irish food producers with gold, silver, and bronze medals awarded in 24 categories by a judging panel which included chefs , food writers, representatives from Tralee IT, retailers and professors from UCC. Blind tastings and sensory analysis were used to select the winners. According to festival organisers, the standard of entires was extremely high and Kerry 's food producers scored well with the Supreme Champion Award going to Castlegregory based Dingle Peninsula Cheeses. The Specialty Meats category saw Killarney's German Butcher Shop awarded the gold medal for their Kassler (mild cured smoked pork) while in the Sausage category Dingle based Jerry Kennedy Butchers were awarded the bronze medal for their Blasket Island Lamb Sausage with Rosemary & Garlic. In the Seafood category, Kerry reigned supreme as Kenmare Bay Seafoods took gold for their Mussels Marinade of Honey & Herbs with Dingle's Iasc Uí Mhathúna Teo coming in second and third place respectively for their Oak Smoked Organic Salmon and Hot Smoked Mackerel. The festival was a resounding success according to the festival's organisers. “We were expecting around 200 entires for the Blas na hÉireann Awards but ended up with around 700!" said Kieran Murphy, one of the organisers.A detailed run-down of the Blas na hÉireann awards is available at www.irishfoodawards or www.dinglefood.com.

Gaeltacht man raises funds for Ski Lankan orphanage

An Ghaeltacht to Sri Lanka...with love
As An-Gaeltacht squared up to opponents Feale Rangers in their eagerly anticipated county championship clash last Saturday in Galluras, a man from Baile an Lochaigh was also hoping to make a real difference on the sidelines by raising funds for a children's orphanage in Sri Lanka.
Dónal MacGearailt of Baile an Lochaigh is currently committed to raising as much as he can for St. Anthony's Children's Orphanage in Columbo, Sri Lanka, a region devastated by civil war and the 2005 Tsunami that killed thousands in South East Asia. Dónal witnessed the devastation first hand when he travelled there last May to act as groomsman at the wedding of one of his best friends Tony Arulanndam whom he met while working in London. Tony Arulanndam and his wife Kumudu DeCosta, who is a nurse, moved back to Sri Lanka from London to help aid workers cope with the fallout of the immense natural disaster that
killed, maimed and left thousands homeless. At their wedding this year, the couple asked that their guests forego giving them wedding presents and rather make a donation towards St. Anthony's Children's Orphanage.
Dónal travelled to the orphanage with his friends to present the wedding money raised to the nuns who run the orphanage and was moved by what he saw. He returned to West Kerry where he promptly raised €1,600 for the orphanage, the equivalent of 300,000 Rupees. Returning to Ski Lanka last June, Dónal brought with him a box filled with sweets, taytos and treats for the children who were stunned and exhilarated when presented with the gifts. "Their faces just lit up" explained Donál "many of these children have no one left in the world and receiving even just a small gift means the world to them." The children were brought to a games arcade as a treat and were totally mesmerised by the lights and figures on they saw on the computer screens. "They had never seen anything like it" said Dónal, "they didn't realise that you could actually play the games by inserting some coins, when we got the games working for them they were absolutely enthralled." "Its amazing when you consider the world we live in; they have so little and we have so much." The West Kerry man hopes to return to St. Anthony's Orphanage in Sri Lanka this year with the money raised in West Kerry. Cumann Caide an Gaeltacht have also come on board by allowing Donal and other local volunteers to collect funds during the Gaeltacht-Feale Rangers clash in Gallarus last Saturday. "It costs only €3 to feed a child at the orphanage for a week; our Euros really go a long way out there" said Donal, "we really want to raise as much as we, it can make a huge difference to the lives of these children."
If anyone would like to contribute to the cause, a special account has also been opened in the Dingle Credit Union for St.Anthony's Orphanage. To donate to the cause contact Dónal on +353 (0)87 7900690.