Dingle makes a comeback

Dingle's back, along with Daingean Uí Chúis!

So the week's big news, the names Dingle and Daingean Uí Chúis are to receive official status! Minister for Environment John Gormley TD made an announcement last Tuesday that he was about to amend legislation which would allow the bilingual names of Dingle and Daingean Uí Chúis to be officially recognised at the town's offical english and irish names, demoting the name An Daingean which had been imposed as the town's official name by the Offical Languages Act. Locals held a plebiscite in the town 555 days ago where over 90% voted for Dingle/Daingean Uí Chúis, rather than An Daingean. However the Government had not, until this week, made any moves towards recognising the result of the plebiscite. A year of lobbying and meetings by South Kerry TD, Jackie Healy-Rae and Senator Joe O'Toole and a deal struck with Taoiseach Berite Ahern all contributed to Mr. Gormleys undertaking this week. "I'm delighted to be able to keep my promise to the people of Dingle" said Deputy Healy-Rae from his offices in Dublin last Tuesday. "I also want to thank An Taoiseach Berite Ahern for keeping his commitment to me on his last day in the cabinet."
Locals are delighted with the announcement which will see Daingean Uí Chúis sign posted in An Gaeltacht and Dingle/Daingean Uí Chúis everywhere else. "We are absolutely delighted with this announcement and wish to thank everyone who has supported this, in particular Deputy Healy-Rae for all his efforts in the Dáil in finding the key to unlocking this solution as well as Senator Joe O'Toole and the members of Kerry County Council who voted to present the plebiscite to Government" said Fergus Ó'Flaithbheartaigh of Coiste Dingle-Daingean Uí Chúis. "Dingle and Daingean Uí Chúis has a proud heritage and we are delighted the names will now receive the proper recognition they deserve.
READ THE FULL STORY: www.dinglename.com

Féile na Bealtaine 30th April - May 5th

Féile na Bealtaine
Dingle Peninsula Arts Festival
April 30th-May 5th
Feách ar www.feilenabealtaine.ie do liosta iomlán de eachtaraí áitiúla.
Check out www.feilenebealtaine.ie for a full and comprehensive listing of events taking place during Féile na Bealtaine, the Dingle Peninsula's annual arts festival, April 30th - May 5th.

Dingle and Galicia to forge links this summer

Dingle and Galicia to forge links this summer
Spanish lessons for 'El Dinguel' as offical visit looms

Dingle will hope to further extend its links with the Spanish region of Galicia in north western Spain this summer as the West Kerry town prepares to welcome a group of dignitaries from the northern Spanish cultural authority, Xacobeo, this May. Preparations for a number of cultural exchanges and civic receptions are currently underway and is hoped that the group, which will include many Ministers from the region and tourism heads, will arrive in Dingle on Saturday May 3rd for an official two visit, where they will meet with Dingle Business Chamber, Udaras na Gaeltachta and other local authorities. The exchange has arisen from the trip made by 28 pilgrims from West Kerry to Santiago De Compestela last year aboard the tall ship built in Tralee, the Jeanie Johnston, where they revived the tradition of walking the pilgrim of St. James, a event which had at one time, been an annual event. One of the sea-farers, Colm Bambury, made a number of contacts while in Spain and it is now hoped that a link may be forged between Dingle and Galicia. There has always been a strong Spanish influence in Dingle due to its harbour port and the Church of St. James on the Main Street which was built by Spanish settlers in the area. It is also said that the name of the town of Dingle has been derived from Spanish, El Dinguel. "The Jeanie Johnston trip and the walk of St. James reignited a link that had existed between Dingle and Spain for centuries" Colm explained. "We now hope to further encourage exchanges between the two regions in terms of business, language, the harbours, music and culture."
Colm and six others will travel to Galicia region in Spain this Saturday where they will undertake a three-day walk from Santiago De Compestela to Fisterra, which will involve walking 94 kms in three days. Upon the walks completion they will meet with a number of prominent figures in the area to finalise the official visit to Dingle.

Public Notice - Tracing Roots

Hello, my name is Mary Garvey, and I am going to be coming to Dingle in late May I hope. I would love to meet any relatives, no matter how distant. I am a descendant of Timothy Garvey of Ballyferriter, who left the area during or after the famine, with his brothers Dan, Pat and John. A sister, Mary, married John Fitzgerald and stayed behind. Some of you might recall that other descendents of Timothy Garvey returned here a few years ago. They would be my second cousins. It will just be a short trip, but I am sure it will be great. I hope to hear a lot of music, perhaps do a bit of family research (we have known almost nothing for so long), and meet some of the clan. I’ll try to bring some family trees, as well as those of other Dingle families who seemed to travel and work with my relatives. Hope to meet you soon. You can email me at maryogarvey@yahoo.com if you would like. M. Garvey

Gardening workshops in Burnham every Saturday

Innovative gardening workshops to take place in West Kerry

Some have a Midas touch when it comes to wildlife and gardening, none more-so than Burnham based horticulturalist Julí Ní Mhaoileoin, who launches a series of gardening workshops at the Dingle Seaside Garden Centre, Gairdiní an Daingin, this Saturday. Julí hopes to encourage both novices and those with an existing knowledge of horticulture to spring into summer by making their gardens come alive, be it in a window box, vegetable patch or full scale garden, either in a rural or urban setting.One of West Kerry's best known and colourful characters, Julí has over 15 years of experience, harboring a dedicated knowledge and passion for gardening and wildlife.
Such is her flair for the outdoors, she even shares her home with a robin (pictured above) who built a nest in her kitchen! "He lives here" said Julí, as the robin hopped around Julí's home, "he built a nest here last year behind one of my kitchen shelves!" Julí is keen to extend an invitation to all to join her in West Kerry this Saturday. "I would like to invite everyone, no matter how much knowledge they have, to come along and take part in this workshop" said Julí. "Gardening fulfills the soul, there is no better feeling than producing your own vegetables or growing your own flowers and its something anyone, of any age, can achieve successfully."Julí will touch on a number of areas this Saturday, in the beauty of her West Kerry home overlooking Dingle Harbour in the picturesque area of Burnham, such as organic vegetable growing, setting, wildlife gardening (encouraging wildlife to come to the garden), information on trees and shrub planting, how to cater for coastal gardens, using natural fertilizers, companion planting, making organic natural pesticides among other areas of horticultural interest. "We will also touch on encouraging bio-diversity in the garden which is very important" Julí added.
Saturday's workshop will mark the first of many upcoming workshops that include flower arranging, basket making, art workshops using nature and a special horticultural workshop for children. Anyone interested in taking part in the workshops over the next few weeks can do so by contacting Julí at 086-8337733 or visit www.julimalone.com

Dingle's Gaeltacht status uncertain

Dingle's Gaeltacht status uncertain

Dingle could lose its Gaeltacht status if the criteria suggested by a new linguistic study, which was released this week, is implemented.
A report on the status of the Irish language, A Comprehensive Linguistic Study of the Use of Irish in the Gaeltacht was commissioned by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in 2004.
Its findings have now been examined by Connemara lecturer Donncha O hEallaithe and the implications arising from the study could signal the end of Dingle's all-Irish status. If strict linguistic criteria were to be implemented, as laid out by the study, the population of designated areas in Ireland could drop by 51,000, as areas previously recognised as Gaeltacht areas, such as Dingle, Belmullet in Mayo, Galway City and parts of Donegal would not fall within the guidelines designating a Gaeltacht. According to the study, the current national Gaeltacht population stands at 95,500. If the new criteria is implemented, that would drop to 44,000. This would deem areas such as Dingle ineligible for certain types of grant aid allocated to official all-Irish areas. In addition, infrastructural aids for housing, roadworks and marine facilities could be jeopardised. Civil servants such as teachers and members of the Gardai are also afforded additional payments for the execution of their duties in Gaeltacht areas.Data was compiled using statistics compiled by the the Central Statistics Office and from the Dept of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in assessing each Gaeltacht area.
During Mr. Ó'hEallaithe's examination of the data he found that only 17,000 Irish speakers nationwide fall into Category A., the strongest Irish-speaking areas. 10,000 live in Category B, while 17,000 live in areas where Irish is used on a sparse basis. Consequently, 51,000 individuals, currently living in so-called Gaeltachts, would no longer satisfy the criteria, as Irish would no longer be deemed the primary community language. In addition the influx of immigrant workers means that a large proportion of those living and working in Gaeltacht areas, such the West Kerry Gaeltacht, means that many workers in construction, bars, restaurants and hotels, have no experience or knowledge of the Irish language. A recent census survey indicated that up to 2% of Kerry's population is Polish-born however this does not account for the thousands who travel to the county in the summer months to engage in casual labour.

Cuilneach brother and sister pass away within hours of each other

Brother and sister pass away within hours of each other

Sadness as elderly siblings, who lived together their entire lives, are buried on the same day

A sense of sadness descended over the rural townland of Cuilneach, near Dingle, last week as an elderly brother and sister, who had lived together at their family's farmhouse all their lives in the countryside, passed away within a couple of hours of each other. John and Mary Martin, who were both in their eighties, passed away on Friday March 15th. John had taken ill earlier in the week and was admitted to St. Mary's Hospital in Dingle. Sadly, he took a bad turn on Friday morning and his sister Mary, with whom he shared a house in Cuilneach, was sent for. John, or Jack as he was also known, passed away around lunchtime on Friday and his elderly sister Mary made her way, accompanied by relatives, to the home they had shared to make preparations for the funeral and get some clothing. Sadly, Mary herself took ill at the Cuilneach farmhouse and passed away that afternoon, less than a few hours after her brother's passing. Friends and neighbours described John and Mary as very kind, gentle and giving people and their sudden demise has left a deep sense of sadness in the local community. Dingle's Parish Priest Canon Tom Looney paid tribute to John and Mary at Masses over the weekend, speaking of their kind and gentle demeanor, describing them as 'true old stock'.
John and Mary's removal took place last Sunday evening from O'Connor's Funeral Home, Dingle, to St. Mary's Church. Following Requiem Mass on Monday morning, John and Mary travelled together in procession to their final resting place at St. Brendan's Cemetery at Milltown-Dingle, where they were laid to rest with their late brother Tom. They are survived by their sister Anne McDonnell, relatives, neighbours and friends. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anamacha dilís

Féile na Casca opens in Ballyferriter

Amtje Dimgels agus ealaíontóir áitiúil Helen Wynne ag breathnú ar oibre Helen ar an bhfalla ar chlé ag taispeántas ealaíona Féile na Casca i mBaile an Fheirteáraigh Dé Luan seo caite.

Dún Chaoin's Tigh Krugers open once again!

Tigh Krugers ar oscailt arís: D'Oscail na dóirse ar Tigh Kruger i nDún Chaoin an tseachtain seo tar éis é bheith dúnta le dhá bhliain anuas. Bunaigh Muiris 'Kruger' Ó'Caomhánaigh an Tigh Tábhairne cailiúil i gcroí-lár na Gaeltachta, caoga bliain ó shin. Tá beirt deatháir, Brían agus Niall Ó'Conchúir (ar chlé) ón Ghráig i mBaile an Fheirteáraigh tar éis é oscailt arís. Tá Tigh Krugers suite in aice Reilig Dún Chaoin agus uaimh Peig Sayers ar bhruach na faillte ag féachaint amach ar na mBlaoscaóidí.

Celebrating the culture and history of West Kerry's 'Bibeanna' (a group of mature ladies who published a book about their experiences growing up in Corca Dhuibhne), on a special float in the Dingle St. Patrick's Day Parade. Front, l-r, Mary O'Sullivan, Máire and Mathew Ó'Grifín (all Lispole). Back, trad musicians from the Lispole and Annascaul area.

Ian Grahan and Gerry Curran flying the flag during the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dingle.

Young musicians from the Dingle's Fife n' Drum Band enjoying a tune with St. Patrick during the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dingle last Monday.

Dingle jewellery presented to US President on Paddy's day

Dingle's Date with the White House....

Dingle eyes were smiling this Paddy's Day as one of their own made their mark at the White House when a pair of Brian De Staic designed cuff links were presented to US President George W. Bush, as part of the St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Washington last Monday. The presentation was made on Brian's behalf by his friend Fiona O'Sullivan, who is a sister of the famous Irish tenor Ronan Tynon and a personal friend of the US President and his family. The presentation came about when Brian, a member of Dingle's Rotary Club, met with Fiona, a fellow Rotarian during the year. "Fiona thought, as the Bushs will be soon leaving the White House, it would be nice to give them a uniquely Irish gift" said Brian. As it happens, Brian was developing and designing a new range of personal jewellery from his workshop in Dingle and agreed to custom make a a set of 14 ct gold cufflink for Presient Bush as well as a gold brooch from the same collection for the First Lady. Former President George Bush Senior and his wife Barbara Bush were also presented with the same items designed by Brian, made in Dingle. "There's an Ogham inscription on the President's cufflinks which reads Moladh go deo le Dia, which means, Praise be to God forever" Brian explained. It is not the first time Brian has made an impression on the White House with his work. In 1994 he presented some of his unique Ogham Collection to the then US President, Bill Clinton and his First Lady, Hillary Clinton who is currently battling it out with Senator Obama Barack for the Democratic Presidential nomination. In 2000, Brian himself travelled to the Vatican to present a silver pilgrim bell to the late Pope John Paul II.Some of his other famous clients include actors Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts. Brian himself is delighted that his work has made it all the way to the White House, especially on St. Patrick's Day.""It's a great honour to see your product's being presented to the world's most influential man," he said. More information is available at http://www.briandestaic.com/.

Scottish football boss behind Dingle job losses

Scottish football mogul behind Dingle job losses

It has emerged that the man behind the Contact 4 operation in Dingle, which laid off 40 workers without pay or notice on February 28th, Mr. Pearse Flynn, is also the Chairman of Scottish Premier League Club Livingston FC. 108 workers were laid off in Dingle, Achill and Gaoth Daobhair on February 28th when the Scottish tele-sales company terminated their employment with a conference call. The workers, 40 in Dingle alone, had to pack up and leave immediately. To add insult to injury, the workers are still owed an entire months wages, holiday pay and bonus payments for targets reached in work. Contact 4 received €3 million in grant aid to set up in Ireland from Udaras na Gaeltachta and the Dingle call-centre had operated from the Udaras buildings in Milltown. A car-park and an extension was also built to facilitate Mr. Flynn's company.Mr. Flynn is also reportedly a shareholder in Celtic FC and his Glasgow call-centre, Contact4U has also gone into liquidation. He is also involved in a legal dispute with Callpoint Europe. Udaras na Gaeltachta are currently pursuing the matter and a redundancy fund is to be set up for the non-payment of the staff's wages.

West Kerry artists exhibit in NYC

West Kerry artists bite the Big Apple

The work of six West Kerry artists will be among the work of twenty-seven Kerry artists which will be showcased in the Big Apple this Thursday and Friday night (March 20th/21st) in a special exhibition at the Magnan Projects Art Gallery in New York City. West Kerry artists Deirdre McKenna, Liam O'Neill, Pat Hennessy, Carol Cronin, Mary Neville and Michael Flaherty will all submit work to the exhibit, which was organised by North Kerry TD (and former Kerry Football great), Deputy Jimmy Deenihan along with Tralee-born artist Padraig Tarrant, who is now based in NYC. The exhibition is being held in conjunction with the Seán MacCarthy Festival weekend, as all the artists exhibiting participated in last years festival held in Finuge. "Hopefully this exhibit will give out a strong message to the artistic community in New York that Kerry is not only one of the most beautiful parts of the world to visit but also one with a thriving visual arts community" said Deptuy Deenihan. More information on the exhibit is available at the Magnan Projects website:www.magnanprojects.com and at the Seán MacCarty Festival website, www.finugeweekend.com.

Storm hits West Kerry

Atlantic storm hits West Kerry

A bout of severe weather hit West Kerry last night, Sunday the 9th, as an intense Atlantic Storm centred itself over the South West coast of the country. This picture, taken yesterday at approximately 4.30pm at Clochar Strand in the Dún Chaoin area over looking An Fear Marbh of the Blasket Islands, shows the arrival of the storm, which weather experts had predicted would hit the country on Sunday night. Preparations for storm damage were rife throughout the rest of the country, however a knowing calm had settled over West Kerry as people waited for the arrival of the storm, not an uncommon thing in the West by all accounts. Ferocious gusts, bearing southeast to east, later shifting west to northwest battered Dingle and the West, reaching speeds of up to 170km per hour between 6am-8pm this morning. Some structural damage was reported,to sheds, outhouses with a lot of debris, however the area escaped relatively unscathed. A severe gale warning was issued by Met Eireann at 11pm on Monday 10th for overnight gales, however in West Kerry the winds have appeared to abated, for now. There is still a risk of heavy rain and sleet with a risk of local flooding in coastal areas at high tide.

40 Jobs lost as Contact 4 closes

Wage fears as sudden closure of call centre results in 40 job losses

40 employees at the Dingle based call centre Contact 4 lost their jobs last Thursday when centre manager Imelda McCracken received a phonecall indicating that all operations were to be halted immediately and that everyone employed there was to pack up and go home.
The Glasgow telemarketing company established call-centres in Dingle, Achill Island (Mayo) and Gaoth Daobhair (Donegal) almost three years ago with over €3million euro in grant aid received from local Gaeltacht authority Udarás na Gaeltachta.
The employees, who were paid on a monthly basis, now face an anxious wait to determine whether or not they will receive their wages for the past five weeks, in addition to other monies owed such as outstanding holiday pay, bonus payments for sales targets reached during work and, in some cases, redundancy payments for full-time employees.
"It was a normal working day, we were pushing on the phones to reach our daily sales targets when at 3pm I received a call from head office in Glasgow to say that the centre was closing there and then and that everyone had to go home immediately" explained centre manager Imelda.
The immediacy of the shock closure has devastated those who had been employed there, many of whom have young families, mortgages and were 100% dependent on the centre.
It is also a tough blow to the many employees who had received skills training in the centre, having returned to work after long-term unemployment.
"You would never expect that something like this would happen in 2007, its like something out of the 1970s" added local man David O'Neill who, as a senior employee, is owed several weeks holiday pay as well as bonus payments for sales targets he achieved during work.
Other employees at the Dingle centre are disgusted at the way they have been treated. "We have been shown absolutely no respect," said Michael Smurfwhite, who has been employed with the company for the past two years. Major building had been undertaken at Dingle's Udarás buildings in Milltown to facilitate Contact 4's arrival including the construction of a large extension and car park in an area of scenic beauty beside a river bank.
Some criticisms have been levelled locally towards Udarás na Gaeltachta who brought originally brought the company to the area.
However a statement released by Udarás na Gaeltachta this week indicated that they too had no prior notice of the closures which resulted in the loss of 108 jobs in Dingle, Achill Island and Gaoth Daobhair.
"These closures are a serious setback for employment in the Gaeltacht but it is worth noting that Údarás na Gaeltachta has shown its ability to source modern service investment, which generates substantial employment for Gaeltacht locations and will endeavour to build on the skills base built up in this sector over the past number of years" read the statement.
However this has done nothing to quell the distain felt by many of the employees. "We cannot believe that an agency of the Government, who invested so much money in this, would allow something like this to happen where employess are just told to pack up and go home" said Mr. Smurfwhite.
"This is not like Dublin, you can't walk down the road and get another job. What are we supposed to do now?"

Dingle celebrates Glen's Oscar!

Dingle celebrates Glen's Oscar win

There were celebrations in Dingle this week as West Kerry toasted the success of Frames front man Glen Hansard whose collaboration with Czech singer/songwriter Marketa Irglova earned them the Oscar for Best Original Song for Falling Slowly in Hollywood on Sunday night. Presenter Jon Stewart presented Glen and Marketa with the Oscar at the ceremony in Hollywood where they also performed the song live to millions worldwide.
Glen has many connections with Dingle and West Kerry, he is a long-time friend of renowned traditional musician Eoin Duignan and local man Philip King, who founded the Other Voices concert series in the town.
Glen is a regular visitor to Dingle and was down just over a month ago, where he performed at Other Voices 2008 in St. James' Church.
One of his favourite pubs is McCarthy's Bar, where he has played many impromptu gigs. He even lived in Ballydavid for a time.
"Its an amazing achievement, we are so delighted for him" said local concert promoter Tríona Duignan, who also happens to be the daughter of musician Eoin Duignan.
Tríona has a special place in her heart for Glen as two years ago, during a gig in McCarthy's Bar, Glen came up with the lyrics for the song Kachina, which he and her father performed.
Eoin joined Glen on stage, who spontaneously came up with the words for the melody, which was then dedicated to Tríona.
Following that performance, Glen, Eoin and local musician Jon Saunders formally recorded the song with backing vocals from lcoal singer Eilís Kennedy. The song was released following an offical launch at Dingle's annual arts festival, Féile na Bealtaine.
"We are so excited for Glen, its hard to believe that he now has an Oscar, he is practically considered a local around here" said Tríona who is hoping to welcome him back to Dingle later in the year.
"Its an amazing achievement, we are all very proud and can't wait to see him to congratulate him!"

Milltown to welcome the Chieftians this summer

Milltown date for Chieftains

Momentum is gathering in Milltown this week as the organisers of the World Bodhrán Championships, which will take place this year from May 30th to June 2nd, confirmed the addition of trad maestros The Chieftians to this years line-up. In its third year, the World Bodhrán Championships has put Milltown on the map, establishing itself as one of the most exciting new festivals in the cultural calendar. According to the organisers, the involvement of The Chieftains in this year's entertainment programme is testament to the high regard in which the event is held. "The inclusion of The Chieftains in our concert programme this year is a wonderful boost for our event and takes the festival to a whole new level" said Festival CEO, Owen O'Shea. "The fact that the best known and most renowned Irish music group in the world have agreed to perform at the Championships is an acknowledgement of the investment by our committee and our sponsors in the event over the past three years" . Further information on the festival may be obtained at www.worldbodhranchampionships.com.

Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh

Ceol,

Craic &

Cultúr at Scoil

Cheoil an Earraigh

Baile an Fheirteáraigh (Ballyferriter) became the epicentre of the traditional music world last week as musicians and students of traditional music of all ages converged on the west Kerry village to experience five days of craic, ceol agus cultúr at Irish music school festival, Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh.
Almost 200 students, from children to senior citizens took part in traditional music masterclasses in a rang of instruments; accordion, bodhrán, uileann pipes, fiddle, tin whistle, flute, concertina, bag pipes, mouth organ, banjo and mandolin. Sean-nós singing and dancing was also on the menu as well as a host of concerts featuring some of Ireland, Scotland and America's best trad maestros. According to festival director, Niamh Ní Bhaoill this year's Scoil Cheoil was a resounding success, indicative of the growing interest in traditional Irish music, language and culture.
"We have had an amazing response once again this year" said Niamh. "The concerts were packed every night and we have more students attending the classes than ever before."

More information is available at www.scoilcheoil.com

IRDA to host public meeting

"Is Kerry rural life is at risk?"

The plight of those living in rural areas who cannot gain planning on one off sites is to took centre stage in Tralee last Monday night (February 25th) as the Irish Rural Dwellers Association (IRDA) hosted a public meeting on the issue.
"Rural Ireland is at risk, people are being forced to move out of their own areas and in to developments in towns as they cannot get planning, even on their own land, to build a house" said Bridget O'Connor of the IRDA.
"Rural areas are experiencing a decline in population especially in parts of Kerry where country life has been so important for generations."
"It seems ridiculous that developers can gain planning for large housing developments, sometimes up to 40 houses, and that a local family cannot gain planning for a house on their own land."
GAA officials have also raised concern about the depopulation in rural areas in parts of Kerry with many parishes reporting difficulties in fielding teams and this will be one of the key issues discussed at the meeting this Monday, saying
it is wrong to expect people to leave their own native areas just because they cannot get planning for one house when developers it seems have a carte blanche. More information on the IRDA may be obtained from Bridget at 087-2359304.

Dingle drums up support for You're A Star's Deirdre

"You're a Star Deirdre!"

As the competition heats up and the selection process gets tighter on RTE talent search, You're a Star, the Kerry roots of one contestant has prompted her relatives in the town of Dingle to rally up some support for their cousin.
"Deirdre's grandmother was Lizzie Brown from the Colony, who was also my aunt" explained Ann O'Connor of John's Street, whose mother Margaret Moran was Lizzie Brown's sister. "Deirdre has a lot of cousins and relations all over the town and we are doing our best to support her, she is a great girl with a lot of talent and hopefully she will go all the way!"
"There is a great connection family connection in Dingle, I have loads of cousins down there, the Connors, the Morans and the Flannerys" said Deirdre. "I have a lot of work to get through before this Sunday night's programme but the support, especially the support in Dingle and the West has been great." People can vote for Deirdre this Sunday night by calling 1513 71 71 09 or by texting 'star 9' to 53125.

West Kerry TV personality nominated for VIP style award

Daithí's style turn

The men of West Kerry are often associated with their prowess on the football pitch rather than their sense of style, however this may be set to change as TG4's Daithí Ó'Sé has been nominated by VIP magazine in its annual Style Awards.
Debonair Daithí, originally a native of Kilquane says he is delighted, if not a tad surprised, by the nomination.
"It's always great to be nominated for something" he said, "style isn't something the West Kerry lads are renowned for normally but maybe we're changing with the times!" The TG4 Presenter has enjoyed another successful year following his stint on Celebrities Go Wild and his recent TG4 series Daithí ar Route 66 where he travelled across the USA, meeting and greeting the locals. "I had a great 2007 and this nomination is a great start to 2008" he said. Daithí is up against several other dashing gentleman in the VIP Style Awards, including Michael Flatley, Westlife's Nicky Byrne, Ronan Keating, Ryan Tubridy, Keith Duffy, Phil Coulter and Senator David Norris who have all been nominated in the same category. People can vote for Daithí in the VIP Style Awards by texting vipman 10 to 53150 before the closing date on March the 5th.

Local artist launches new online gallery

New on-line gallery launched;
http://www.ventrybeach.com/

West Kerry artist Jenny McCarthy has launched a new online gallery, www.ventrybeach.com, showcasing her range of works in oils, water colours, pastel, stained glass, pen & ink and pencil, drawing inspiration from the landscapes around her; sometimes violent seas and weather around Dingle Bay, the merciless rocks off the west coast of Ireland, including the Blaskets Islands and the Ventry Beach series. For more local artists, check out www.greenlanegallery.com or www.deirdremckenna.com.

Inch Beach Clean-Up a great success

Inching ever closer to cleanliness

Community spirit prevailed once again in the Inch area last Saturday as locals came together to spruce up the local beauty spot Inch Beach in the annual cleanup, organised by Brendan Griffin of the Castle Inn. Despite stormy conditions, locals gathered bags and bags of rubbish, returning the beach to its former glory. Organiser Brendan said that the beach looks very well again after the clean-up operation and that it's important that beaches such as Inch are kept looking their best at all times."Kerry's beaches are very special amenities and must be given the attention that they deserve. It is a pity that our beaches sometimes become spoilt and dirty" he said.
The Keel native is also calling on the Council to establish a Best Beach Competition in Kerry to encourage the maintenance of beaches and raise awareness regarding the environmental concerns created by the illegal dumping of litter and refuse. "I will be approaching Kerry County Council in the near future to propose the establishment of a Best Beach Competition along the lines of the Tidy Towns Competition, perhaps the new Minister Gormley will look at the proposal positively. For further information on community clean-up initatives in the area, Brendan may be contacted at 087 652 8841.

First man to row around Ireland in a Naomhóg (currach) celebrates birthday

Ballyferriter adventurer celebrates 80 years a growing
First man to row around Ireland in a naomhóg recalls momentous voyage

There were celebrations in Gorta Dubh, Ballyferriter on Wednesday (January 30th) as the first man to circumnavigate the Irish Coast in a man-made 'Naomhóg' celebrated eighty years a-growing.
Family and friends gathered to pay tribute to local hero Ger Ó'Cióbháin who entered the history books on the 29th of June 1975 when left his home in Ballyferriter in a Naomhóg to row 1,200 miles around the Irish Coast, completing the momentous task in six weeks and six days arriving home on the 12th of August. As he celebrated his eightieth birthday, Ger recalls the amazing adventure of his youth as if it were yesterday.
"From Kerry I travelled northwards facing into the Atlantic" said Ger. "The seas around Mayo were tough but from growing up in West Kerry I knew the seas and I knew what to expect" he said.
He made his way around the coasts of Donegal and Antrim and down into the Irish sea towards Dublin, where he encountered busy traffic around the ports and around Rosslare where he passed the ferry that crosses the Irish sea.
"I had made my plans and was able to manoeuvre around any ships or trawlers" said Ger, who travelled without the aid of a back-up vessel, pulling into various ports and harbours to rest. He 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!" said Ger.
The vessel which Ger travelled in was over thirteen years old and the Gorta Dubh man had to make any necessary repairs on leaks or cracks at sea. He also had to study the tides carefully before he went and his sea-faring knowledge came into play when dealing with unexpected changes in the weather.
"The sea doesn't give you a second chance so you had to be on the ball" said Ger.
"Some people thought I was mad at the time, but I did it to show I wasn't mad 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 absense, 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" the eighty year old recalled. "It was in me, the sea was calling and I had to answer the call."
After coming around the coasts of Wexford, Waterford, Cork and the south coast of Kerry, 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, Ger 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.
Ger 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 and despite suffering from ill-health in recent years, Ger holds the memories of his voyage in his heart. "If something is calling to you then you must answer the call and be true to yourself" said the proud Kerry man.
"If its 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 girls win national basketball final

Dingle's Pobalscoil clinch national basketball title
Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne: 38

St. Patrick's Academy, Tyrone: 34

Kerry added another all-Ireland victory against Tyrone to its repertoire yesterday as the U-16 ladies of Dingle's Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne seized the National Basketball Schools Cup B Championship in a tense and thrilling match against the girls of St. Patrick's Academy, Dungannon, Tyrone at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght. The atmosphere was electric as the Dingle girls lined out against a physically stronger Dungannon team, eager to take the prize this year after being cruelly denied last year's title by one point in the final minute against Dominican College, Galway in the 2007 final.
Dingle's physical disadvantage soon became their advantage as their slighter builds gave way to a faster paced game which Dungannon struggled to contend with, as the West Kerry women exerted pressure on Dungannon's ball handlers. Despite this surge by Dingle, Dungannon lead by one basket, 17-16, at the culmination of the first half.
Dingle drove at Dungannon at the commencement of the second half, taking advantage of fast breaks. Stalemate continued into the last minute and the game tightened, each team aware that the next score could decide the outcome.
Pobalscoil's Roisín Ní Shíthigh was then fouled, with 38 seconds on the clock. She calmly executed the free throw shot, putting Dingle ahead by one point.
With 32 seconds to go, she was again fouled and converted the two free throw shots, affording Dingle a further two points. The game became a tense one on one situation at this point, with the final minute extending to almost five minutes real time duration. With two seconds on the clock, Pobalscoil's Emma Prendiville converted an astounding three pointer which sent the Kerry supporters, that travelled en-masse with the team, absolutely wild!
Dungannon responded with one more basket but it proved to be too little too late as Dingle's Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne took the title with four points to spare, winning 38-34 points.

US University begin semester at Dingle's Díseart

Dingle academics welcome US students

Connecticut University students begin semester at Dingle's An Díseart

Dingle became an international centre of learning this week as a large group from prestigious American College, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield Connecticut attended the first classes of their Spring Semester at third level institute An Díseart, located on Green Street in the West Kerry town. Students from the University, established in 1963 as America's first Catholic third level college, will attend lectures on local custom and culture, Irish literature and poetry, the Irish language, West Kerry's archaeological sites theology and Celtic spirituality in the coming months in An Díseart, which was established in Dingle in 1996 at the old Presentation Sisters Convent building by former Dingle Parish Priest and former Maynooth Professor, Monsignor Pádraig Ó'Fiannachta.
The semester at An Díseart forms part of Sacred Heart University's study abroad programme where students pursuing degrees have the option to spend a semester studying in Dingle's Díseart, the American University in Rome, University of Notre Dame in Freemantle, Australia, the University of Granada in Spain and the only U.S. accredited MBA program in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg .
Dingle's study abroad programme has proven itself to be one of the most popular choices at the American University and the President of Sacred Heart, Dr. Anthony J. Cernera along with faculty member Julie Savino visited Dingle last week to assist in the orientation programme along with Monsignor Ó'Fiannachta and Díseart campus course director Seán Pól Ó'Conchúir.
"It is a great honour to be associated with Sacred Heart University in this way" said Monsignor Ó'Fiannachta, who as a College Professor, will be conducting several of the course lectures himself.
"It is an esteemed and noted centre of learning and its wonderful to have ongoing international academic third level education in the Dingle and West Kerry area."
As well as attending classes at An Díseart, the American students will embark on several field trips throughout the West Kerry area exploring Christian and Pre-Christian archaeological sites, with curator of Museum Corca Dhuibhne in Ballyferriter, Isobel Bennett.
They will also be exposed to local culture and custom engaging in set dancing, traditional music and the Irish Language.
"We have had a wonderful association with An Díseart for the past five years" said President of Sacred Heart, Dr. Anthony J. Cernera at a special orientation dinner at Lord Bakers last week.
"The students always enjoy their time immensely in Dingle."
An Díseart offers courses in Irish Folklore and Anthropology, the Irish Language, traditional Irish music, song and dance, theology, native spirituality and Irish a rcheology and is also the location of the world famous Harry Clarke stained windows, located in the institute's chapel.
Further information on An Díseart may be accessed at http://www.diseart.ie/.

Dingle woman's passion for fashion

A passion for fashion
Dingle student shortlisted for major fashion award

A young Dingle woman is set to take the Irish fashion world this season as one of her designs has been shortlisted as one of the top eight in the country which have been selected to compete in the prestigious Persil Fashion Awards which will be showcased on a special edition of the Late Late Show this April.
Karen Clarke (23) from Lady's Cross, Dingle is a fourth year student at renowned fashion institute the Limerick School of Art and Design. She has been named as one of the top eight fashion students in Ireland, selected from over 200 students who entered the competition hailing from fashion colleges all over Ireland. The eight top designs will be on display in Dunnes Stores outlets throughout the country and the winning outfit will be manufactured and distributed in their shops nationwide. The winner will also receive a prize of €10,000. Of the eight finalists that will compete in this year's award, five were selected from Karen's class in the Limerick fashion college.
"My house-mate Michelle Wilson from Clonakility has also been selected, we are over the moon to be competing together" enthused Karen.
"We have been working towards these awards since day one in first year and for five of us from the same class to be competing together on the Late Late show is fantastic!"
The Persil Fashion Awards will be televised live on the Late Late Show this April where the young designers showcase their outfits on the catwalk.
The brief for this year's awards was to create size 12 woman's outfit for the spring/summer season inspired by fashion trends of the 1980s. Karen, a past pupil of Scoil Naisiúnta Ceann Trá and Meánscoil na Toirbhirte Dingle, is currently busy at work on her garment in Limerick. "The theme for my garment can be described as Madonna meets Strawberry Shortcake! explained Karen.
Bucking the size zero trend, Karen is also happy that the garment is to be made to fit a size 12 , making it accessible to more women.
The panel of judges that will select the winning design include Irish fashion designer Joanne Hynes and Dunnes Stores head of fashion Dermot Colgan.
Top Irish designer Paul Costello is also involved in the project, having launched the Persil Fashion Awards earlier in the year.
The judges are are looking for individuality and an understanding of today's fabrics and current fabric development in relation to machine washing. Designs will also be accessed on workmanship, design skills and potential to develop a career in fashion.

Parents to take legal action against Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne

West Kerry Parents to take legal action against Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne

A group of parents in West Kerry are taking legal proceedings against Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne for the enforcement of their all-Irish policy at the new public school which opened last September in Dingle. Concerned Parents of Chorca Dhuibhne (CPCD) have been lobbying for a change in school all-Irish teaching policy for several months, requesting that a bilingual stream be made available for students.
A solicitor's letter, dated December 7th, has been issued to the Board of Management and the Trustees of the school stating:

"You will be aware if our' clients grave concerns with regard to their children's education arising from the enforcement of the strict all-Irish teaching policy in Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne."
"Despite discussions, communications and extensive correspondence with the Board of Management the Trustees and the Minister for Education or clients urgent concerns have not been addressed."
"We are putting you on notice that after the expiration of seven days from the date of this letter we will proceed to commence High Court proceedings against which will include the seeking of injunctive relief."
The move towards legal action has been described " inevitable" by many local parents. A number of public meetings have been hosted on the matter over the last few months highlighting the problems experienced by several students at the school.
Concerns arose from the parents of children with learning difficulties who felt their children could not cope with the all-Irish policy.Some other students who moved to the area from other countries said it was impossible for them to do well in school through Irish alone while students from the Annascaul area said they felt they were being ignored in the debate, as they are in the Dingle school catchment area, but are not in An Ghaeltacht.
In October, up to 80 students staged a sit-out at the school for two days, refusing to attend classes unless a change in policy was implemented.
Minister for Education Mary Hanafin ordered that a survey be conducted on students and parents in the school in an effort to resolve the situation, however since then no survey has taken place.
In a statement released by the group last week CPCD last week, they claimed that several students at the Dingle school have resorted to 'grinds' in Tralee several times a week as they do not understand what is happening in class, calling for "compassion for children who are unable to reach their potential due to the all-Irish policy enforcement at the school" as there is no other public school in the area.

Potential multi-million euro development for Dingle

Garvey eyes Dingle as location for multi-million euro development

Planning is currently being sought at Emlagh in Dingle for a multi-million euro development by local businessman Tomás Garvey, includes the construction of a shopping and parking complex along with a large residential development at the entrance to the town.
Plans have been submitted to Kerry County Council by the Garvey Group and Bricklin Ltd for the development at the juncture of Mail Road and Emlagh on the Tralee side of Dingle.
If planning is granted at the site the project is anticipated for completion in the summer of 2009. The shopping complex outlined in the plan will cover almost 6,000 square feet and will be three storeys high. Garvey's Supervalu, which is currently located at Holyground will move there along with several other shop units, a restaurant and staff accommodations.
A large parking unit will also be included in the site if planning goes ahead with over 300 parking spaces for shopping and general usage in the town.
The plans also includes the proposed construction of 33 housing units made up of apartments and terraced housing at the Emlagh site, which is close to the waterfront where the Dingle Skellig Hotel is situated. Developers anticipated the creation of over 200 jobs if the project goes ahead. Plans for the development were submitted to Kerry County Council this week and a decision is anticipated in two months time. Submissions regarding the project will be accepted over the next five weeks.

West Kerry artist to exhibit in Paris

Paris match for West Kerry artist
Liam O'Neill to exhibit in French capital

One of the county's most celebrated artists, West Kerry man Liam O'Neill, is set to take the European art world by storm this Spring as as prepares to unveil a new collection of work in Paris. Details of the exhibition were announced this week which will take place at the Greenlane Gallery-Paris between February 9th and 29th. Dingle native Susan Callery is the gallery's curator and owner and the Parisian location is the sister gallery of Greenlane-Dingle, where some of Ireland's leading artists, including Pauline Bewick, have shown their works. Considered by many art critics as one of Ireland's most talented and sought after contemporary artists, Liam's Parisian exhibition will focus largely on his unique figurative work, including large portraits of Irish writers such as James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, Brendan Behan and Oscar Wilde. After Liam's showing in Paris his exhibition continues at Greenlane Gallery- Dingle with some large scale oils of his home place Corca Dhuibhne (West Kerry) from March 8th to the 20th.

Sam Maguire on ward duty in Dingle Hospital!

Sam Maguire on ward duty!

Patients delight as Kerry stars visit Dingle Hospital

The patients of Dingle Hospital received a lovely surprise last Thursday (27th December 2007) as their day was interjected with a call from a very special visitor, none other than the Sam Maguire Cup! Kerry football stars, footballer of the year Marc Ó'Sé, his brother Tomás, along with Dingle's own Tommy Griffin brought Sam Maguire on a visit of the wards, making time to stop at every bed to chat and share the cup with the community hospital's elderly patients.

Fungie the Dingle Dolphin changed my life

"Fungie changed my life"

Couple dedicate life to dolphin after witnessing experience with cancer patient

A Dutch couple have dedicated their lives to documenting the exploits of Fungie the Dingle Dolphin after witnessing the effect he had on a young cancer patient who went to visit him after being told she had only six weeks to live.
Jeannine Masset and Rudi Schamart, who moved to Dingle from Holland during the 1990s, brought a 14-year old girl with terminal leukemia to see the wild dolphin, who has now been resident in Dingle Harbour for almost 24 years, after she was told she had only six weeks to live.
"She had been to see dolphins in Miami and had heard about the wild dolphin in Dingle" said Jeannine.
"She had been told she had only six weeks to live so we organised to take her out in our small dingy."
What Jeannie and Rudi witnesses that day changed their life forever as Fungie displayed real affection and gentleness towards the young girl.
"It seemed like the dolphin could sense that there was something special bout the young girl; he stood up in the water and she put her arms around him and hugged him, it stirred something deep inside our hearts."
The young girl defied the doctors following the experience and lived for another year and a half after that, passing away in 2003.
"She said that it was one of the best moments of her life, she had been to visit trained dolphins in the States but this was an experience like no other as Fungie does what he wants. He is not trained and he is free to come and go if he wishes, his interaction was totally genuine."
Moved by the experience, Jeannine and Rudi decided that they wanted to spend their lives documenting Fungie and his adventures who has been a Dingle resident for 24 years.
The result is The Fungie Forever Collection, a series of one-on-one photo portraits of Fungie in his day to day life, fishing for salmon, interacting with people, swimming and playing in the harbour with the boats.
Experts believe that Fungie is about 29 years old, the average lifespan of a bottle nose dolphin being 40 years.
"It seems that he has a real understanding sometimes, when small children or elderly people go to see him, he is very gentle" said Jeannine, "he can also be very naughty and sometimes doesn't want to play, he really has his own mind."
Jeannine is keen to stress that Fungie doesn't have magical healing powers, its the feeling that he instills in people.
"He has had such an amazing effect on the lives of so many people" she said, "its just that special sense of joy he instills, especially to those who are ill, his effect on people is amazing."

Dingle Delegation meet Minister Gormley

Dingle Delegation meet with Minister Gormley
Dingle-Daingean Uí Chúis names may be restored

The people of Dingle may get an early Christmas present this year as Deputy Jackie Healy Rae lead a delegation to Leinster House to meet with Minister for the Environment, John Gormley on Thursday December 6th in an effort to resolve the issue surrounding the name of the town. Deputy Healy Rae confirmed that a meeting took place with the Minister and that he, along with other delegates from the town, spoke with the Minister in an effort to have the bilingual names of Daingean Uí Chúis and Dingle restored before Christmas.
"I am confident of a favourable outcome" said Deputy Healy-Rae.
Since the town name's was officially changed to An Daingean by Minister Eamonn O'Cuiv overa year ago there has been public outcry among locals.
Kerry County Council hosted a plebiscite in the town 13 months ago and over 90% of people voted in favour of the names Dingle and its historical Irish name Daingean Uí Chúis.
The then Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche and Minister for the Gaeltacht, Eamonn Ó'Cúiv, failed to implement Kerry County Council's recommendation to change the names.
Deputy Healy Rae cut a deal with Fianna Fáil delegates following the General Election last May, making the restoration of the West Kerry town's bilingual names one of his key demands to enter Government.
"People needn't worry, this is in hand and we are working hard to make this happen and restore the town's names as soon as possible" said Deputy Healy-Rae.
"We are behind Deputy Healy-Rae and are grateful for his time and support" said PRO of Coiste Dingle-Daingean Uí Chúis, John Moriarty. "Hopefully we, with his efforts, we will get our name back."
The meeting has been welcomed in Dingle where local people anxiously await an outcome.
Initial reports suggest that the meeting went well and that the delegates are confident that Minister Gormley will facilitate a resolution in the coming weeks.

Josh Hartnett's Dingle roots

Hollywood star discloses Dingle Peninsula roots

Josh Hartnett's family tie with West Kerry

One of Hollywood's hottest young actors, Josh Hartnett, disclosed a close tie with West Kerry as this week as he revealed that his stepmother's family originally hail from the Dingle Peninsula.
The 29-year old American actor, who has starred in Hollywood blockbusters Pearl Harbour, Black Hawk Down and Sin City revealed his Kerry lineage in an interview in Dublin last week while promoting his new movie, 30 Days of Night currently playing in Cinemas throughout the country.
"My father is half-Irish and my stepmother is fully Irish, and I've spent quite a bit of time in Ireland" he said.
"I've been on the southwest coast a few times, because that's where my family is from originally."
"My mom's family is from the Dingle Peninsula" he said.
Josh Hartnett, who spent some time in Ireland earlier this year at the Oxygen Festival in Punchestown during the summer, was born in 1978 in Minnesota .
He was raised by his stepmother Molly, an artist, whose family hail from the Dingle Peninsula and his father Daniel, who also claims Irish Ancestry.
He is currently starring in the Vampire movie 30 Days of Night, currently on release in Cinemas throughout Kerry.

His most successful movies include WW II epic Pearl Harbour starring alongside Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale,The Black Dahlia starring alongside Scarlett Johanssen and Sin City with Bruce Willis and Jessica Alba.

Cairdeas Idirnaisiúnta Chorca Dhuibhne, a Dingle based group dedicated to establishing links with the Dingle Peninsula and the USA have expressed excitement at the news and have extended an invitation to the actor.

"If Mr. Hartnett would like to explore his ancestry on the Dingle Peninsula, we would accommodate him in any way we could" said Cairdeas spokesperson, Dingle Restaurateur John Moriarty

"It just goes to show the far-reaching influence people from Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula have had across the world."

"The late Gregory Peck also had connections with the Dingle Peninsula, he he spent a lot of time here over the years and we've always been keen to welcome people to come back and search their roots" said Mr. Moriarty.

Dingle & USA celebrate decade of prosperity

Home and Away

Dingle and US celebrate a decade of prosperity

International relations were at an all time high in Dingle this week as local business and cultural group Cairdeas Idirnaisiúnta Corca Dhuibhne celebrated ten years of trans-Atlantic co-operation between West Kerry and the United States at their AGM in Benners Hotel last Thursday night.
Cairdeas also hosted a group from Santa Barbara, Dingle's twin city that included renowned Hollywood director Bob Lally, well known for his work on hit TV sitcoms Silver Spoons and his role in producing the Academy Awards, also known as The Oscars.
Cairdeas Idirnaisiúnta Corca Dhuibhne (CICD) hosted the group at a Civic Reception in Lord Bakers in advance of the AGM where renowned musicians Tony Small and Eoin Duignan performed.
"Its wonderful to celebrate a decade of Cairdeas this year" said Dingle jeweller Brian De Staic.
Cairdeas was founded by Dingle auctioneer Pádraig Lynch, restaurateur John Moriarty and Mícheál De Mordha of Ionad an Bhlaoscaoad in 1997 in the hope of promoting intercultural links between West Kerry and the USA.
A very successful economic link was subsequently established between Springfield, Massachusetts and West Kerry through The Big E, a large trade show which takes place each year in Springfield, and a number of traders from Kerry now take part every year.

As more links were established throughout the years, Dingle twinned with Santa Barbara in California and since then, both areas have enjoyed an open business and economic exchange with groups travelling back and forth each year.

There are many benefits to joining " explained Brian, who established a branch of his jewellery franchise, Brian De Staic, in Ventura, California last year.

"We are keeping a cultural connection alive with the US, where so many from West Kerry have emigrated to over the years, as well as opening new trade and cultural opportunities."

"We welcome people from all walks of life on the Dingle Peninsula and the USA to get involved, it has been an exceptionally fruitful and enjoyable experience over the years, the more people involved, the merrier!" he added.

More information is available from Brian at 00 353 (0) 66-915 1298.

New Community Hospital for Dingle

New community hospital for Dingle

Following ten years of negotiations and planning an end is finally in sight for the completion of Dingle's new Community Hospital, as construction began at its new location last Monday.
Corca Dhuibhne breathed a collective sigh of relief this week as construction began on new 72-bed hospital at a site donated by the O'Connor family at Farran, Dingle early last Monday morning.
According to the Health Service Executive an estimated construction period of 18 months is envisaged.
Plans for the hospital include a mental health day care centre, a day care centre for senior citizens and an ambulance base. Many stumbling blocks had stalled progress on the project since the HSE's original decision to build a new hospital in 1997. Original plans were for a 60 bed hospital, which upon review in 2000 was amended to include 72 beds.
Due to this increase, new staffing negotiations had to take place.
In 2005 Minister for Health Mary Harney instructed that tenders be sought with a view to the commencement of building at the site.
However, Kerry County Council's plans to construct a link road as part of the Dingle Development Plan conflicted with the project.
Further negotiations took place and a new planning application was submitted, which was granted in 2006.
This is a great development for the town and surrounding area" said local councillor Seamus Cosaí Fitzgerald at the site last Monday.

The Polish Connection

The Polish Connection

Almost 2% of Kerry's population is now Polish-born

1.64% of Kerry's population is now Polish according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office this week.

With Kerry's population standing at 134, 782, the number of officially registered Poles living here, according to the 2006 census report, is 2,201.
This is a modest figure however, as it only accounts for those immigrant Polish workers who are offically registered.
The number may be greater as many take up seasonal and casual working positions throughout the county during the summer months, returning to Poland once the summer is over.
According to CSO figures there are 420,000 foreign nationals living in Ireland. This reflects a startling increase of almost 100% in just under four years as the number stood at 224,000 in 2002. There is a population of 63,000 Polish nationals alone living in Ireland, the largest migrant group.
"Kerry is a nice place to live" said Dana Misiewicz, a Polish national now living in Ballyferriter in West Kerry.
"The people are very friendly and the countryside and culture is very beautiful, we are very happy here."
The Polish effect is evident countywide with many local shops and supermarkets now stocking extensive lines of Polish grocery products.

In addition many Parishes throughout the county now have regular Polish Masses on a weekly basis.

"Polish people have a great sense of spiritually" said former Maynooth Professor and Monsignor Pádraig Ó'Fiannachta of Dingle.

They are keen to exercise their faith here and are a welcome addition to our congregations."

Sam Maguire scales Mount Brandon

Walk for the cure!

Jaeicí Ó'Muircheartaigh and Judge Michael Pattwell on their way to the top of Mount Brandon with the Sam Maguire last Saturday.
Hundreds turned out to join Jaeicí as they scaled Cnoc Breannainn to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society.