Siulóid Leigheas raises over 30,000 for cancer support

There was great cause for celebration in West Kerry on Monday, April 6th, as Siulóid Leigheas committee members (pictured left) presented Julie Harris of the Irish Cancer Society with a cheque for €30,175 at Ionad Poiblí Scoil Naomh Breandán in Baile an bhFionnurach.The funds were raised through the annual Siuloid Leigheas - Walk for the Cure which is held on Mount Brandon every September which last year saw thousands converge on the mountain in aid of cancer research. The 2008 walk was dedicated to the memory of local lady Bernie O'Connor. Plans are already underway for the 2009 walk, which will take place on Saturday September 27th 2009. The following appointments were also made for the 2009 committee at the first official meeting of the year; Broadcaster Micheal O Muircheartaigh -President, Jaeici O Muircheartaigh -Chairperson / PRO, Mairin Nic Gearailt -Secretary, Dara O Cinneide and Lisa Ni Mhurchu -Treasurers, Tom Hutch, Conchubhair O Beaglaoi and Muiris O Conchuir - Social Organisers along with Tomas Mac Gearailt and Sean O Mhuircheartaigh -Logistics. "We hope that the 2009 walk will be the biggest and best to date" explained Chairperson Jaeici O Muircheartaigh, who is off to Slovenia this May to part-take in another sponsored walk in aid of the Irish Cancer Society. There was another first on the night as the newly renovated Ionad Poibli Scoil Naomh Breandan was also in use for the first time. The new community centre, funded by Roinn na Gaeltachta, is located within the old Scoil Naomh Breandan school house which was founded in 1895 and closed in 1967. It is hoped that the centre will provide a valuable asset to the local community. Over 100,000 was spent on the renovation however the integrity of the school house's bespoke stone work was preserved and maintained. For more updates on the 2009 walk visit www.cancer.ie.

Dingle has the Last Word!

A Dingle man got the better of Ireland’s best known solicitors live on the national airwaves last Friday as Sraid Eoin's Sean Granville (25) (pictured left) took on, and defeated, celebrity solicitor Dr. Gerald Kean (50) (pictured far left) in a test of wits on the The Last Word of the Week News Quiz. As part of Matt Cooper’s The Last Word Show on Today FM, the idea behind the quiz is that a member of the public takes on an Irish celebrity in a quiz based on the weeks current events and news items. Dingle's Sean Granville applied for the quiz a few weeks ago, getting the call last Friday that he would be taking part in the quiz against one of Ireland’s top solicitors, Cork native, Dr. Gerald Kean. Kean's practice, Kean & Co represents the likes of Simon le Bon, Ronan Keating, George Michael, Jerry Lee Lewis and the late Johnny Cash; clients also include more than 40 Premiership League footballers. Kean enjoys a celebrity lifestyle and he and his partner Lisa Murphy (Michael Flatley’s ex-girlfriend) can be often seen gracing the society pages of many magazines and newspapers. However, the Corkman’s knowledge was no match for the Dingle man’s keen intellect; over three rounds of questions, Matt Cooper announced Sean was the winner with double scores, beating the solicitor 14 points to seven, the double scores securing a solid victory for Kerry over Cork. Sean was delighted with the outcome and friends and well-wishers all over the county have been getting in touch all week following his triumph on the airwaves. The quiz can be heard at: http://audio.todayfm.com/audio/20090403170010.mp3.

Birds and Beasts at Greenlane Gallery

Joint Exhibition of the works of Sculptress Fidelma Massey and Artist Liam Holden; Greenlane Gallery, Holy Ground, Dingle,
11 – 30th April 2009.
FIDELMA MASSEY - The Spring exhibition at the Greenlane Gallery finds renowned sculptress Fidelma Massey in ebullient form, working with new base materials which have allowed her to introduce the colour she has been craving for into her work. Animals and birds and variations thereof are the focus of her new collection, with the main piece, a bronze, titled ‘The Queen of Beasts’ ( the guardian of all the animals), who holds a tiny embryonic animal in her hands.
“I’ve decided to take a rest from trees” says Fidelma, “and the rookery outside my studio has been a great source of inspiration. It is very busy this time of year, so I thought they might need a little rest, so one of my new pieces is called ‘Rook Lullabye’! As well as being humourous and uplifting, using new and less expensive base materials has meant that some of Masseys new work is very affordable -good news for her avid group of collectors!
LIAM HOLDEN - Artist Liam Holden returns to Dingle, the area which first inspired him to paint, for an exhibition of his new work. Holden, who describes his style as ‘abstract expression’, visited Dingle in the early 80s at the invitation of local fisherman, Danny Sheehy, to spend the summer lobster fishing. This experience was to provide the trigger for the artist to paint, which up until that point had been missing in his life. Even today Holden’s work stems from those days fishing in a small boat around the islands and water in all its incarnations continues to be his main inspiration. His new paintings differ from earlier work in that the application of the paint has a much looser and wilder feel to it but the subject matter is always constant, each new canvas representing a different search to open doors to the imagination. Holden’s Show will comprise between 20 – 30 works, mainly oils with some drawings. It will also feature a lifesize Naomhog (or Curragh) which he is in the process of making with his old fishing partner, Danny Sheehy; a bridge between the past and the present. For more information visit http://www.greenlanegallery.com/.

The Wire comes to Dingle

Among the thousands that thronged the streets of Dingle in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade was actor Aidan Gillen, who many will know as Tommy Carcetti from HBO TV series The Wire. The Dublin-born actor took to the streets alongside Maurice Galwey, festival director of the annual Dingle Film Festival, (www.kerryiff.com). Aidan has clocked up some major performances on stage and screen during his career starring in The Wire, which has been syndicated around the world as well as movies such as Circle of Friends and Some Mother’s Son in which he starred as Gerard Quigley, alongside Oscar-winner Helen Mirren. He is also well-known for his role as Stuart Alan Jones in the ground-breaking British television series, Queer as Folk which earned him a BAFTA nomination. Kieran Murphy of Murphy’s Ice-Cream on Strand Street papped Aidan as he and Maurice soaked up the atmosphere during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Check out www.flickr.com/photos/icecreamireland.

St. Patrick blesses Dingle with glorious sunshine

Dingle awoke to the beat of the drum and the lilt of the fife on St. Patrick's morning as the Dingle Fife & Drum band took to the streets at 6.15am as dawn broke across the Corca Dhuibhne Peninsula. At 6.3oam over 500 people attended a dawn Mass at St. Mary's Church with the band marching up the aisle, raising the rafters with traditional music.

Crowds began to flock to Dingle during the morning in anticipation of the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade which took to the streets at 12.45pm. The event was blessed with glorious sunshine as temperatures reached up to 18 cenigrade in what was the sunniest day of the year to date. Record numbers lined the streets to enjoy one of the largest parades in recent years. Banna Ceoil Lios Poil, the Dingle Fife and Drum Band and young musicians from Scoil an Ghleanna in Glens (pictured above left) were among those who brought the streets alive with traditional music. Local businesses created a number of humourous floats, included the staff at Benners Hotel on Main Street who created their own re-enactment of 'Father Ted', which received a great reception. St. Patrick's Day in Dingle also blessed local businesses with some much needed business as the town was packed with visitors who came in great numbers to witness the celebrations. The festivites in pubs and restuarants around town are sure to keep going into the night! Young and old enjoyed the great atmosphere, all in agreement that this was certainly one of the best St. Patrick's Day in Dingle yet!

Dingle gears up for St. Patrick's Day!

Unique traditions set Dingle apart on St. Patrick's Day
The Dingle Fife and Drum Band traditionally welcome St. Patrick's Day as they march around the town at 6am on Tuesday, March 17th. This time honoured tradition will also see them enter St. Mary's Church on Green Street, where Mass will be celebrated at 6.30am, where they will fill the church to the rafters with sound of the fife and drum. This is unique to Dingle, a practice long since lost in other parts of the country. If you want to witness the real St. Patrick's Day, this is the way to do it! This year the Dingle Business Chamber are looking forward to hosting another excellent St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dingle town (click on route plan above to enlarge image).While these smaller parade in rural parts cannot obviously match the pomp and ceremony of the larger cities, these more intimate affairs really enable participants and visitors alike to get into the real spirit of St. Patrick's Day by creating a sense of community on the day. In keeping with this, this year's parade in Dingle is devoted to efforts in the community, with many local groups and businesses working for many hours to create celebratory floats. There will also be a review stand placed outside Garvey's at the Holy Ground with live traditional music and Irish dancing. So the day will go as follows:

6am: Dingle Fife and Drum Band welcome St. Patrick's Day by taking to the streets.

6.30am: Special St. Patrick's Day Mass at St. Mary's Church on Green Street (with an appearance and performance by the Fife and Drum Band who will march through the Church).

12.45pm (aprox): Dingle's St. Patrick's Day Parade begins at the old Dingle Hospital.

The route is as follows: Parade leaves the old hospital, continuing down Green Street and Main Street. It will take a right onto the Mall and at the end take another right onto Bridge Street past O'Flaherty's Pub and the Garda Station. It will then continue on past the Review Stand outside Garvey's at the Holy Ground before continuing along Strand Street, past Paddy Bawn Brosnan's Pub. The parade then will head towards the head of the Pier, towards Dingle Marina where it will turn at the Car Park and come back along Strand Street, before taking a left up Green Street. At the top of Green Street it will again turn left up Goats Street where it will conclude, where it begun, at the hospital. The festivities will them continue on for the rest of the day with traditional Irish music, dancing and Dingle's unique brand of 'Craic' in pubs all over the town.

DOUBLE-CLICK ON IMAGE ABOVE TO ENLARGE, PRINT OR VIEW PARADE ROUTE

Dingle divas reveal their inner artists

The art of female expression
Sisters were doing it for themselves in Dingle last Sunday as female artists from the Dingle Art Group unveiled an exhibition of new works at the Monastery Hall on John Street in celebration of International Women's Day.
The budding artists, who have been attending art classes at the Dingle Art Group under the guidance of teacher and mentor Claire O’Halloran, presented a wonderful range of paintings and photographs of local landscapes, scenes and still lives, as well as some very attractive abstract pieces. "We really enjoy art" explained local artist Stella Doyle who contributed an atmospheric portrait entitled The Wooden Bridge, Bull Island to the exhibit. The DIngle Art Group get together every week, working in an informal atmosphere with the goal of developing their personal creativity. Men are also free to join the group; one local man attending the exhibit, John Moriarty, was keen to celebrate his wife Ann's artistic achievements. Ex-army officer John set up his own art gallery in recent times in what was once his father's butcher shop 'Patty Attys' on Green Street. According to John, women have always had a hand in the arts in Dingle. "Dingle may now have a lively cluster of galleries but it wasn’t always so," John explained, "the first to display artworks was Kathleen Griffin, who used put pictures in her shop window in Holy Ground." "Perhaps the first gallery proper was set up by Pat Moore in Green St, she used to display Maria Simmonds-Gooding’s work" he added. “At that time you could have bought one of her painting for £50 that’d be worth maybe €5,000 now.” This very special art exhibition, hosted by Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta will run in the Monastery Hall until the end of the month. Pictured above left, Stella Doyle and John Moriarty at the new local art exhibit which is currently being showcased in the Monastery on John Street.

Major media seminar to take place in Dún Chaoin

Ealaín na Gaeltachta - Publicity Seminar for the Arts Sector

Ionad an Bhlascaoid, Dún Chaoin, Saturday April 25th (9am-1pm)

What is the best way to attract publicity for your Art event or Arts group? How do you go about organising an effective publicity campaign? The answers to these questions will be found in Ionad an Bhlascaoid, Dún Chaoin on Saturday 25th April as part of a Publicity Seminar, which is being organised by Ealaín na Gaeltachta. The speakers on the day will be Natasha Fennell (Stillwater Communications), Harry McGee (Irish Times) agus Tomás Hardiman (Parzival Productions). Ways to approach and network with journalists and the media, in order to ensure press coverage for your event, will be outlined. Also discussed will be the steps to be considered in putting together an attractive press package. Emphasis will also be placed on opportunities for audience development and ways to attract more participants to your event. Emphasis will be placed on the requirements of those arts groups and artists who will be participating in the seminar. There will be a feedback session at the end of the speeches. Participants will also get an opportunity to discuss their projects with the guest speakers, who will advise them on particular challenges facing them. “I am delighted to have such an expert panel of speakers who will be available to share their experiences with artists and groups that are working in the cultural sphere”, commented Eibhlín de Paor, Arts Facilitator, “there is wonderful work going on in the Gaeltacht and participants will have an opportunity to learn from one another.” All arts groups, cultural administrators or managers, along with individual artists would all benefit hugely from attending. A fee of €15 is applicable to individuals attending with €30 for groups. It is necessary to book your place in advance. Contact Eibhlín de Paor on (066) 9150100 or e.depaor@udaras.ie or visit www.ealain.ie.

Dingle de-stresses at stress clinic

Local hypnotherapist and nutritional therapist to host 'stress' workshops in Dingle

Given the pessimistic economic outlook facing the country at the moment, stress is very real and prevalent factor in many of our daily lives - something which two Dingle based therapists are keen to tackle with a series of unique stress work-shops. Nutritional therapist Irene Ní Fhlannúra and clinical hypnotherapist Julí Ní Mhaoileaoin, have come together to offer these workshops at their joint practice, Slí na Sláinte, on Dingle's John Street. "These workshops will be ideal for anyone who is suffering from stress or stress related conditions" said nutritional therapist Irene Ní Fhlannúra, "we will show people how to identify the stress in their lives, give them solutions to manage the stress and prevent the damage stress can cause." Irene can identify foods that cause stress and contribute to stress related illnesses - such as fatigue, digestive problems, blood pressure, hormone disorders and mood disorders with the aim of looking at foods that prevent and minimise its effect. Julí will then use her skills as a clinical hypnotherapist by imparting relaxation techniques which will also enable those participating to reduce stress in their own lives. "Using a combination of both nutritional therapy and relaxation techniques we are giving people comprehensive solutions to successful stress management" Julí added. The next Stress Workshop takes place on Wednesday, March 11th from 6pm-10pm. Irene and Julí also have also launched a private therapy room service which available for other practitioners or local groups to host meeting and workshops. Contact Irene at 086-1662562 or Julí at 086-1660035 for more information. Pictured, l-r, nutritional therapist Irene Ní Fhlannúra and clinical hypnotherapist Julí Ní Mhaoileaoin.

Hanafin confirmed as Labour candidate in Dingle local elections

Patrick Hanafin (50) a native of Beenbawn, Dingle will officially launch his candidacy in the Dingle local area elections this Sunday at 3pm in the Dingle Skellig Hotel, as a candidate for the Labour Party. Patrick, a second generation Emergency Medical Technician, was the President of the national Ambulance Association of Ireland with nearly a decade and is still involved as their PRO. He also runs a local plant hire business and has been associated with many local community initiatives over the years. Mr. Hanafin had been a Fianna Fail party member for over 33 years and was overlooked in their party selection process recently. Patrick Hanafin and his wife Debbie have three children; their family were recently bereaved with the passing of Patrick's father Tom, who was also an EMT with the local Ambulance services, which saw an outpouring of grief from the local community. Patrick told Dingle News this week that he felt the Fianna Fail party had changed and he was disappointed in recent times with, what he described as their 'lack of focus' on local and rural issues in Kerry. Following the decision to allow Breandan Fitzgerald run as the local Fianna Fail candidate, Patrick entered into discussions with local Labour Party officials. He will formally announce his Labour Party candidacy at a press conference in the Dingle Skellig Hotel this Sunday at 3pm. Rural planning issues, unemployment, tourism and road signage and agriculture, were some of the issues that Mr. Hanafin cited as "extremely important". "I will be sitting down in the coming weeks with local people to discuss issues which are of importance to them, I will fight tooth and nail to protect the people and interests of Dingle and West Kerry" he added. He joins sitting councillors Micheal O'Shea (Fianna Fáil) Seamus Cosaí Fitzgerald (Fine Gael) and new candidates Breandán Fitzgerald (Fianna Fáil), Brendan Griffin (Fine Gael), Bridget O'Connor (Independent) and a Sinn Féin candidate as they battle it out for three seats in the Dingle Local Council Elections this June. The Dingle News will be following this in the coming weeks and months and watch out for interviews comparing the candidates policies and plans for the future regarding key issues. Pictured above left, Kerry members of the Association of Ambulance Personnel attending their annual conference at the Dingle Skellig Hotel, l-r, James Lynch, Seán Griffin, Patrick Hanafin, Joseph Lynch (Dingle Paramedic) and John Kelliher.