Dingle Wren on Song

One hell of a party!

Dingle exploded in a blaze of colour and song lastF riday as the wren boys took over the town for the annual celebration of Lá an Dreolín, or Wren's Day as it is also known. The tradition, which has been going strong in the town since the late 1800s, draws hundreds to Dingle every year to witness the spectacle for themselves. The Dingle Wrens, dressed in traditional straw rigs and brightly coloured costumes marched through the town engaging all with the powerful sound of the fife and drum. The Wrens collected funds for several worthy causes on the day as well as paying a visit to the patients in the Dingle hospital. The town's streets are home to several different wrens; the world famous Green and Gold headed off from Tigh Tabhairne Uí Flathbheartaigh on Bridge Street around midday followed by the Goats Street Wren from McCarthys Bar, the John Street Wren and the Quay Wren from the Marina. The town will also welcomed wrens that came in from the surrounding countryside west of Dingle and 'below the hill' in Cloghane, culminating to create a colourful spectacle which has to be seen to be believed with the celebrations going on into the small hours of Saturday morning. Those interested in learning more about this fantastic tradition can join the Dingle Wren Group on Facebook.

Christmas sean-nós in Ballyferriter this Saturday

For a true old-time Irish Christmas join Páidí Mhárthain MacGearailt and co for an amazing evening of Sean-Nós in Ballyferriter at the Smerwick Harbour Hotel this Saturday, December 27th, starting at 9pm.

High Court action against Dingle school may be avoided

Leading SC to act as mediator in Dingle Pobalscoil talks

An end may be in sight in the saga surrounding the all-Irish teaching policy at Dingle secondary school Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne as local parents group Concerned Parents of Corca Dhuibhne (CPCD) have suggested mediation talks in an effort to resolve the problem out of court. "We suggested meditation talks and both the Department of Education and the Pobalscoil agreed to take part" explained a spokesperson for CPCD. "The talks will take place in the school in either early or late January and will be mediated by Dr. Gerard Hogan Senior Counsel (pictured left). A practising barrister and a member of the Governing Council of UNIDROIT, Dr. Hogan is currently Chairman of the Law Reporting Council of Ireland. He is a former member of the Constitution Review Group, Competition and Mergers Review Group and the Offences Against the State Acts Review Group. He is currently a member of the Committee on Court Practice and Procedure and is a former member of the Competition Authority’s Advisory Panel. He is also a Judge of the OECD’s Nuclear Energy Tribunal, the author of several books and numerous articles on topics including Irish constitutional law, administrative law, conflict of laws and European Community law. Dr. Hogan has also appeared in and argued many important cases in the High Court, Supreme Court, European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights.

Concerned Parents of Corca Dhuibhne lodged high court proceedings against Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne earlier this year in an effort to tackle the all-Irish teaching policy at the new Pobalscoil (which opened in September 2007 amalgamating Meánscoil na Toirbhirte and Meánscoil na mBráithre) and encourage bilingual teaching methods as, according to CPCD, children who weren't proficient in the Irish language were being sidelined. "The High Court proceedings will run parallel with this mediation, hopefully we can arrive at a solution through talks at the school but if not we will have no choice but to revert to legal action" the spokesperson added. "We are currently looking at a court date in February if these talks fail, we sincerely hope that doesn't happen and that we can come to a solution." The parents group are seeking bilingual teaching as they feel that many of their children cannot achieve their full academic potential unless teaching in English and in Irish is available as the Pobalscoil is Dingle's only second level public school. The schools Board of Management have maintained that additional Irish classes have been made available to those who need extra help and the school's Gaeltacht status dictates the necessity for a strong Irish language policy. However following a series of public meetings, the signing of petitions and a sit out by some students at the school last year the Concerned Parents felt that legal action was the only avenue left for them to take with some students from the Dingle catchment area leaving the school to seek out second level education in Castlegregory and Tralee. "The best way to solve any problem is to sit down and talk about it' said Seán Ó'Suilleabháin of the school's Board of Management, "we warmly welcome this development and will give our full support to there talks."

Visit www.dingleparentsforjustice.com for more background on the issue.

Mick Galwey presents new jerseys to Cumann Rugbaí Chorca Dhuibhne

Munster rugby star and former Irish Captain Mick Galwey was in Dingle last week to present West Kerry Rugby Club, Cumann Rugbaí Chorca Dhuibhne with their new jerseys which are this year being sponsored by Siopa Londis Uí Fhlaithearta (O'Flaherty's Londis) in Milltown-Dingle. Pictured, l-r, Seán Páidí Grummel and Mick Dooley (Cumann Rugbaí Chorca Dhuibhne), Mick Galwey, Gene O'Flaherty (store proprieator and Cumann Rubgaí Chorca Dhuibhne player) and Mary Begley of Londis-Dingle. Check out Cumann Rugbaí Chorca Dhuibhne's website at http://www.rubgaicorcadhuibhne.blogspot.com/.

Siopa Uí Fhlaithearta, O'Flaherty's Londis-Dingle in Milltown-Dingle is open seven days a week, Mon-Sat 7am-10.30pm and Sunday 8am-10.30pm offering great fuel services, grocery, newsagency, Lotto, ample parking, wine, stamps and post services as well as freshly ground Coffee and the best Deli in Kerry. Tel: 066 - 915 0628 for more info; gift vouchers now available for Christmas.

Local family electrify Dingle for Christmas

Light up, light up

There was great celebration in Dingle last Sunday as local stalwart Vin Houlihan officially switched on the town's Christmas lights on behalf of Dingle Business Chamber. Vin's father Johnny made history in the early part of the twentieth century as he manged to build an electrical generator in Dingle before electricity was widespread in Ireland. Vin himself joined his father in lighting up the town bringing electricity and street lights to West Kerry for the first time long before other towns and villages in the county. The lighting of the Christmas lights marks the beginning of the festive season in the town as Dingle Business Chamber launch their annual Christmas Shopping Promotion. For the month of December to January 31st people may avail of a range of discounts on local services by using the vouchers available in local shops and businesses. Day trippers to Fungie can avail of a two for the price of one to see the world famous dolphin as well as discounts in the swimming pool at Dingle World of Leisure and the Peninsula Spa at the Dingle Skellig Hotel. Two of one deals may also be accessed using the vouchers at the new climbing wall Play at Height in Ballinaboula. Visitors to Dingle are also looking forward to the annual Wren's Day celebrations on December 26th as well as a mighty fireworks display on the Marina on New Year's Eve.

Lighting the Christmas lights on the pier in Dingle last Sunday were, pictured l-r, Gillian Sheehy, Dearbhla Sheehy, Ciarán O' Neill, Caoimhe Sheehy and Rachel O'Neill. Back, l-r, John Sheehy (Dingle Business Chamber), Marion Kavanagh, Tom O'Neill, Gráinne Kavanagh, Vin Houlihan and Veronica Houlihan-O'Neill.

Club Óige Breannáinn raises funds for Ski Lankan orphans

The gift of love

Feothneach Youth Club, Club Óige Breannáinn are sending their best wishes to Ski Lanka this Christmas as they have managed to raise almost €400 for orphans in St. Anthony's Orphanage in Ski Lanka in an effort to give them the things that we take for granted. The youth club which operates totally as Gaeilge for 11-16 year olds raised the funds through bag-packing and other activities, aware of the fact that €3 feeds a child at the orphanage for a week. The conscirntious young people presented the funds to Dónal MacGearailt of Baile an Lochaigh who is currently running a massive fundraising drive for the Orphanage in Columbo, Sri Lanka, a region devastated by civil war and the 2005 Tsunami in South East Asia.Dónal himself will travel to the orphanage in the New Year to present the funds, including €1,300 that was raised in Gallarus earlier this year when An Ghaeltacht took on Feale Rangers earlier this year. The West Kerry man was motivated to take on the task of fundraising when he travelled to Ski Lanka to act as best man at the wedding of his best friend Tony Arulanndam.The newlyweds had asked that their guests to make a donation to the Orphanage instead of giving them presents. The wedding party, including Dónal, then went to the orphanage to bestow presents on the children. "Their faces just lit up" said Donál "many of these children have no one left in the world and receiving even just a small gift means the world to them."Dónal hopes to return to the orphanage in the New Year with the funds raised in West Kerry. He is urging local people who wish to do something different for a Christmas gift this year to think of the orphanage. "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.

An account has been opened Credit Union in Dingle for those who wish to contribute to St.Anthony's Orphanage; A/C 4996 D.

Club Óige Breannáinn presented funds raised for St. Anthony's Orphanage in Ski Lanka last Friday night in Halla na Feothneach to Dónal MacGearailt of Baile an Lochaigh. Pictured front, l-r, Alanagh Johnson, Ellen Ritson and Katie Fitzgerald. Back, l-r, Dónal MacGearailt, Shonagh Begley, Sorcha Ní Bhruic, Edel Breathneach, Natalie Johnson and Róisín Breathnach.

Zambian cake-sale fundraiser organised by Dingle Med student

A student doctor from Dingle is off the Zambia next year in an effort to provide life-saving medical assistance and supplies in the Mpongwe region.
Vanessa Ní Churráin (pictured left) from Cnoc a'Brogín, Dingle is currently a 5th year medical student at NUI Galway and as part of her training she is to travel to Mpongwe in Zambia next summer for two months with Voluntary Services Abroad, (the voluntary organisation in the university) along with three other medical students and two nurses.
"We organise numerous VSA fundraising events throughout the year and last year's group raised a phenomenal E254,000 which was distributed amongst seven groups who volunteered throughout Africa and South America" Vanessa explained. "The money is used to buy medical supplies and basic equipment for the various clinics and hospitals. In Mpongwe, where I am travelling to, a group of three final civil engineering students volunteered there last year and built an out-patient's clinic."
Our plan this year isto get the clinic fully up and running and also to purchase whatever equipment that is needed."
In preparation, Vanessa has organised a fundraising cake sale in Dingle's Gháirdín Mhuire on Green St, on Sunday the 21st of December after 9am Mass.
"All contributions would be greatly appreciated be it through donations or by bringing in cakes!" Vanessa added.

"A Euro spent locally comes back twenty-fold"

"A euro spent locally comes back twenty-fold"

Dingle Business Chamber urges shoppers to support local business this Christmas

A prominent Dingle publician has spoken out about the importance of supporting local industries in the run up to Christmas in light of a recession and an uncertain economic future. According to John Benny Moriarty, Vice-President of Dingle Business Chamber, a euro spent locally will come back twenty-fold in terms of benefiting the local economy. "Its a way of injecting capital into the area which is vitally important in all small towns at the moment as we face a period of uncertainty in the marketplace" said John. "Towns like Dingle, and indeed other small towns throughout the county, offer a lot more when it comes to Christmas shopping with local artisan food producers, arts, crafts, pottery, jewellery or knitwear; you will often find unique gifts which you cannot get in the bigger towns."John also pointed out pitfalls to those travelling abroad, to New York for example, with the intention of doing a lot of Christmas shopping. "The airports are employing more customs staff than ever before and all goods being brought into the country are being scrutinised for payment of excise duty, it may end up costing even more than it had at home if you care caught with too many items" he said.

"Kerry's smaller towns offer a fantastic charm all their own and in addition you will find that there are great accommodation and restaurant deals available something you will not find in the bigger cities as they up their rates in the run up to Christmas."

"Now more than ever before small businesses have their backs against the wall; Christmas shoppers can do their part by looking at their own area's shops, food producers and services when it comes to gifts."

http://www.tripadvisor.ie/Travel-g211861-c97377/Dingle:Ireland:John.Benny.Moriartys.Pub.html

Louis Mulcahy Pottery launches Christmas web-order service

You can now purchase a range of Louis Mulcahy's bespoke pottery made in Corca Dhuibhne online at www.louismulcahy.com. To receive them in time for Christmas; for Europe order by noon Tuesday 16th, for UK order by noon Wednesday 17th, for Ireland order by noon Thursday 18th. Happy Christmas from all at Louis Mulcahy Pottery, Baile an Fheirteáraigh, Co. Ciarraí.