Festival Time in Kerry has started!

To help you plan your summer festival activities we have produced a handy little calendar highlighting a number of festivals taking place around the county. So keep your eye out for one.


Starting with this month the Samhlaíocht Easter Arts & Children's Bumblebee Festival takes place from the 11th – 13th April. The festival has all the usual favourites a parade, fireworks, puppet shows and street entertainment but two musical events caught our attention here at the find. This year the festival co-ordinators have organised for musicians from the National Concert Hall to run workshops for budding classical musicians. The workshops are themed by age group with workshops aimed at under 3’s and their parents and at 3 year olds – 8 year olds and their parents. The workshops take place at Siamsa Tíre on Easter Saturday and Sunday.

The other event Rock for Experience provides an opportunity for bands to perform in front of an audience using a professional PA system. This event takes place in the Syndicate Rooms in Tralee on Monday 13th. 10 bands have already signed up and according to the festival organisers one of the hottest up and coming acts Philtre will also be performing (I am not going to even pretend to know who these guys are but the age group this event is aimed at will!). We just think the two events in this festival give musicians a great opportunity to show their talent.

For more information about the festival please log onto www.samhlaiocht.com or call 066 712 9934.

December Listings

The December listings are now available on the website and as usual there is lots to do over the coming month. The Carnegie Arts Centre in Kenmare has recently opened its doors and they have organised a wide variety of events beginning with a Group Show exhibition which runs from the 5th December – 30th January and features artists such as Pauline Bewick, Christine Bowen, Gearóid O’Shea, Joe Thoma and Claudio Viscardi.

Pauline Bewick is also one of 13 artists who generously donated a piece of artwork to the Setsoto Design in Lesotho who then recreated the artwork into woven tapestries. The tapestries will be auctioned in the “Woven Art Auction” in Tech Amergin, Waterville on 13th December at 7.00pm. The money raised goes towards Setsoto Design a community-based business established in 1956 in Teyateyaneng (usually known as TY) in Lesotho, where 72 women are employed as spinners, dyers and weavers.

Ballet Ireland will be in Tralee on the 13th December performing Swan Lake, Sharon Shannon and Mundy will be playing on New Year’s Eve at the INEC in Killarney and the annual Wren Festival takes place on the 26th December in Dingle. Other holiday events include the Kerry Choral Union Christmas concert on the 14th December, craft fairs in Tralee, Listowel and Killarney and of course what is Christmas without a Panto or two. There is plenty to choose from this December.

In addition to the listing for Kerry you will also find information on events from the University Concert Hall in Limerick, the Everyman Palace Theatre in Cork and the Cork City Limits Comedy Club. Enjoy...

Knocknagoshel Halloween Festival

Here are some photos we took of the bonfire. A very dark night. Guess who forgot to bring her tripod! But the unplanned effect does give the photos an eerie feel.

Knocknagoshel Halloween Festival

The Knocknagoshel Halloween Festival took place this weekend. It was my first time at the festival and I have to say I was very impressed. The popularity of the Ghost Trail & Haunted Maze was incredible! We arrived at 6.00pm and the queue was very very long, nearly out the village. However, the headless horseman, the ghostly rider and the other devilish ghouls kept the crowds entertained until the huge sculptures were set on fire.

Obviously, with the horrible weather we have had lately, it did take them a bit of time to get the bonfires going. I was over-ruled with regards to the haunted maze because the queue was just too long. So I didn’t get a chance to see what it was like. So if anyone has any comment about it let us know.

The one thing that did impress me was the organisation. I thought it was very good and the one way system was a dream. Will definitely visit again!

Busy weekend in Kerry

The International Chamber Music Festival, the Dingle Food & Wine Festival and the Annual Threshing Festival in Blennerville all took place last weekend. On Saturday we headed over to Miltown for the lunchtime performance at the food markets. Having never been to the Miltown food markets I was pleasantly surprised to find them indoors in an old church. I got the distinct impression this was also a new experience for the musicians. I suspect they never had to move out of the way while playing to let a shopper pass by. As one musician said “one day the Royal Albert Hall the next Miltown food markets!” Listening to beautiful classical musical with the lovely aroma of warm soup and bread wafting in the air was a nice way to spend an hour on a Saturday.

Interestingly enough while shopping in Ballyseedy Home and Living Centre later that day I picked up a flyer advertising “Sunday Classics.” On the first Sunday of every month between 2pm and 5pm classical artists including pianists, string quartets to ensembles will be performing at Ballyseedy. Another nice way to spend an afternoon - cappuccino and live classical music!

On Sunday we headed over to Dingle for the Food & Wine festival. There was plenty of food to savour at both sets of food markets and the demonstration hall was jam-packed. Unfortunately, being a vegetarian the choice for me at these events is fairly limited but the rest of my group enjoyed it immensely.

Tag Rugby - Banna Beach

Last Saturday, I headed out to Banna to watch the finals of the Sony Ericsson beach tag rugby competition.

Could the organisers have asked for a better location or a better day, do these people have a direct line to the weather god, because if so I want to be friends!! No less than 35 teams took to the beach on Saturday in glorious sunshine and the atmosphere was fun and good-spirited, not even the surfers and the lone kitesurfer were put out by the invasion of be-tagged rugby players onto their domain. The locals walking and running the beach also took time out to watch and cheer. There was always a sense of rivalry about and this spilled over into a very competitive tug of war – it looked like great craic.

Indeed, standing on the beach with the heat of the sun on my face and a light breeze off the sea, watching people playing rugby, surfing, kitesurfing, walking, running, sitting, knocking sliotars back and forth and flying stunt kites, it just reminded me how great this country is when the sun is shining – ah if only we could roof it!

The latest edition of the find magazine - out now!

The latest edition of the find magazine is now available. The magazine once again includes information and program guides on the many harvest festivals taking place in the county, as well as articles on the Listowel Races, the Sheen Falls Lodge sommelier and the International Chamber Music Festival.

This edition also includes a voucher for the harmony wellness suites and leisure club at the Manor West Hotel, Tralee as well as two fantastic competitions for you to enter. You could win a 2 night break at the luxurious Radisson hotel in Limerick or a €600 voucher for Louis Mulcahy handmade pottery. Details of both these competitions can be found on the website and in our magazine.

So check out your local supermarket, petrol station or newsagent for your free copy of the find magazine today!