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The Dingle News archive: March - 201121 March 2011
The vacancies which arose following the election of four Kerry County Councillors as TDs in the recent General Election were filled today with the co-opting of four new councillors to the chamber. The son of Cllr. Danny Healy-Rae, Johnny Healy-Rae will replace his uncle, newly elected independent TD for Kerry South, Micheal Healy Rae. Cllr. Johnny Healy Rae will now be the youngest councillor at 26. Taking the council seat of Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin is his cousin Matt Griffin. Replacing Independent Kerry South TD Tom Fleming is John-Joe Culloty. Cllr. Culloty was co-opted by the Fianna Fáil party (as Tom Fleming was a party member when elected to the council). Tralee Mayor Gillian Wharton Slattery will fill the vacancy left by fellow Labour Party colleague and TD for Kerry North, Arthur J. Spring. Other political developments in Kerry today include the shortlisting of former GAA President and Ireland South MEP Seán Kelly as a possible presidential candidate for Fine Gael. The Kilcummin man has been shortlisted alongside fellow MEP Mairead McGuinness and former Taoiseach John Bruton. Visit www.kerrycoco.ie/en/allservices/councilmeetings/councilminutes/#d.en.1109 to access minutes from Kerry County Council meetings. 20 March 2011
by Jon Wright
Jon Wright is a singer-songwriter and journalist based in Lispole on the Dingle Peninsula. A former music engineer at Ocean Recording Studios, he has worked with such acts as Nick Cave and Lloyd Cole. This week he reviews The Vaccines debut album as part of a special series of music reviews for DingleNews.com
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Don’t you just love warm evenings and sunny days; a time when you feel like something new. Well what a fresh, and have to say pleasant, feeling it is to hear an album that symbolizes this. ‘The Vaccines’, are a band based in London and believe it or not are only together since June 2010!! To be honest I’d almost lost all faith in today’s music.
That feeling of hearing songs with more effects than a blockbuster movie! I decided to turn to my old Stones’ vinyl to get my fix of decent guitar music, but just as the needle was falling into the crackling groove of Can’t Get No Satisfaction low and behold an album comes out to satisfy my needs! Merci beacoup Les Vaccines!
The 11–track album, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? was recorded in a couple of weeks during the autumn of 2010, at the 'in place' to record these days, RAK & Miloco Hoxton square studios, London with Dan Grech.
Anyway firstly one should ignore all the hype surrounding the band and focus on what’s important, the music.
A lot of critics have compared them to the Ramones/Jesus and Mary Chain and also that they aren’t a true 'rock' band as they don’t self indulge themselves with alcohol and drugs (known to drink herbal tea post gigs!) But any cynicism will be quickly obliterated, as this album really is very good. With lead singer Justin Young’s baritone voice full of loud and clear attitude in opening track Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra) which is only 84 seconds long! You know they’re here to make a statement though not really a seriously lyrical one. There’s nothing too deep going on here with songs about fancying a 17-year-old girl, Norgaard nothing really here to make them distinct from the crowd. But that said they sure did cram some power chords into the songs. There are some lovely tunes crying out to be singles, if the charts would allow, such as the brilliant Wetsuit with its deliciously addictive chorus and implausibly catchy tune and the Strokes flavored Blow It Up. With the fun filled madness of the thrashing three chords guitar and crazy harmonies on Wolf Pack it really is an album to enjoy for the fun of it. Ending with the beautiful Ramone–esque ballad style Family Friend with the truthful lyric ‘you wanna get young but you just getting older’ we can cheerfully say that at a time when the music industry appears to be seriously lacking from any creativity. That it takes an old indie rock formula of guitar driven sound to make something fresh and new! Is something the industry heads should look at. In a post–Britpop world where music lovers are looking for something better, here we have found a fairly decent indie band with a more than fairly decent debut album to blow those instantly manufactured “pop” stars back to where they belong i.e. nowhere! Welcome back guitar driven rock, it’s been too long. 19 March 2011
by Marian O'Flaherty
Maureen O'Hara, one of Hollywood's legendary leading ladies, will be in Dingle tonight to attend a special screening of 'Dreaming the Quiet Man' at the Phoenix Cinema as part of the 2011 Dingle Film Festival. There are cinematic milestones that have left a marked impression on the landscapes in which they were filmed. John Ford's take on his idealised vision of Ireland, 'The Quiet Man', in which Ms O'Hara starred alongside John Wayne, is one such film. When it was released 'The Quiet Man' became a monster hit all across the world and won Oscars for Best Director and Best Cinematography. Its impact went way beyond the Irish Diaspora and it has resonated with international audiences for over 50 years now. The documentary 'Dreaming The Quiet Man' delves into the story of the making of the film and features a narration by Gabriel Byrne along with contributions from well known commentators and film makers including Peter Bogdanovich, Martin Scorsese, Jim Sheridan and, exclusively, Maureen O' Hara who will make the journey to Dingle tonight for its screening.The film's director Sé Merry Dole will also introduce the film. 'Dreaming The Quiet Man' which will be screened at The Phoenix Cinema at 9pm. For more information on the 2011 Dingle Film Festival which will run until March 20th, visit www.dinglefilmfestival.com/. Photo courtesy of Maureen O'Hara Magazine www.moharamagazine.com 19 March 2011
Ireland 24-8 England
England saw their Grand Slam aspirations shattered by rampaging Ireland in an afternoon of high drama at Aviva Stadium. Brian O'Driscoll broke a 78-year-old championship record with his 25th try after Tommy Bowe and four penalties from the magnificent Jonathan Sexton had given Ireland a 17-3 half-time lead. Steve Thompson came off the bench in the second half to snatch an intercept try but England's quest for a first Grand Slam since 2003 came to a crashing halt. Ireland unleashed all the anger and bitterness following last week's controversial defeat to Wales on a young England side who played like rabbits caught in the headlights. Martin Johnson's men lacked composure, a failing epitomised by Ben Youngs' first-half sin-binning for throwing the ball away into the crowd. Ireland's scrum dominated the set-piece, their back row tore into the breakdown, tackled and carried the ball with an intensity England could not match. Bowe was too hot to handle on his wing whereas England's game was riddled with mistakes and dropped balls. Put simply, it was a horror show of a performance. England still had one hand on the Six Nations title but would not be crowned as champions - however hollow that may feel tonight - until after France had played Wales in the evening kick-off. Wales had to win in Paris by 27 points to be certain of snatching the title from England's grasp. England have been here before. In 2000 and 2001 England were crowned champions after losing the Grand Slam deciders against Scotland and the Ireland. That team grew to become the best in the world by 2003 and this young England generation still boast the potential to hit those heights. But all their inexperience and deficiencies were exposed today by an Ireland side for whom victory ensured they finished a difficult campaign with a winning record. Nick Easter captained England after Mike Tindall was ruled out with ankle ligament damage and Matt Banahan took over at outside centre. Ireland brought Sexton back at fly-half and started with Andrew Trimble on the wing, while scrum-half Eion Reddan recovered from concussion to play. England's early enterprise was undone by a huge Irish shove at the first scrum and some quick-thinking from Sexton, who took the tap penalty. Earls turned England on their heels with a hack downfield and Sexton's beautifully judged kick into the corner earned Ireland a platform. England's backs were penalised for coming up too quickly at the lineout and Sexton slotted the penalty to give Ireland an early lead. Ireland were fired up. England were rattled. They made mistake after mistake and conceded five penalties in the first 20 minutes. A careless offside at the kick-off gifted possession back to Ireland, and even when Reddan knocked on after a charge from Sean O'Brien, England lost the scrum. Chris Ashton was penalised for a high tackle on Sexton and the Leinster fly-half landed his second kick of the game before Ireland carved England open beautifully. Bowe burst onto Jamie Heaslip's off-load and broke through two defenders but his pass later in the move was judged forward and O'Driscoll's try was disallowed. England tried to gain a foothold. Ashton looked for an opening, Alex Corbisiero took it on and Ireland were penalised for hands in the ruck. But Toby Flood hooked the penalty wide left and Ireland continued their onslaught, roaring back downfield and England's defence was in pieces. Ben Foden mopped up after Donncha O'Callaghan had fly-hacked into the England 22 but England failed to retire and so were offside when Heaslip charged forward. Referee Bryce Lawrence awarded Ireland a penalty on the 22. With England's defence in chaos, Sexton took it quickly and Bowe crashed over for the try. England finally got themselves on the board with a Flood penalty but Ireland were in complete control and could have scored twice more before the interval. When Shontayne Hape was stripped of possession, David Wallace broke clear. England scrambled well with Flood tackling him into touch but Youngs threw the ball into the crowd and was sin-binned. Sexton landed his fourth penalty of the afternoon before Wallace went close again, only for referee Lawrence to rule O'Connell had knocked the ball forward in the build-up. Youngs did not return, replaced by Danny Care, but nothing else changed after the interval as England botched a lineout on their own five-metre line. O'Callaghan dropped the ball in a tackle from Louis Deacon but O'Driscoll scooped it up and darted over in the corner for his record-breaking try. England made four more changes, with Thompson, Jonny Wilkinson, and Paul Doran-Jones all sent on. Almost immediately, Thompson picked off a pass from Reddan to gallop over for the try but Wilkinson missed the conversion. England enjoyed some possession in the final quarter but they lacked penetration and direction. Simon Shaw was stripped of possession by Heaslip as England drove from the line while England's back division were so lateral that Ireland's lead was never under threat. Report courtesy of RTÉ Sport: www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/sixnations/2011/0319/ireland_england1.html 17 March 2011
Newly appointed Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Finuge's Jimmy Deenihan TD, will officially open the 5th annual Dingle Film Festival at the Phoenix Cinema tonight at 8pm. "The Dingle Film Festival has gone from strength to strength over the past five years and I am delighted that so many gifted film makers and talented film industry people are taking time to sample the delights of Dingle and to share their expertise with others" said Minister Deenihan. "We have a rich, diverse creative energy in the area and I am sure having so much happening over this festive weekend will help inspire more directors, writers and producers. I want to wish the organisers and all of the local people involved in this great festival every success this weekend.” The Dingle Film Festival runs from March 17th - 20th this year and has gained a reputation for bringing together diverse and creative minds to discuss and experience film. This year’s event is no exception, opening on St. Patrick's Day with a world premiere of the Festival’s very own documentary We’ll Always Have Dingle (www.alwayshavedingle.com) made by Grammy award winning director Geoff Wonfor. Present at tonight's inaugural screening and contributing to a Q&A following the film will be: Geoff Wonfor, Director, Diane Namme, Writer, Debbie Vandermeulen, Producer, Eugene O Connor, DOP and Eric Mofford, Supervising Producer.
Dingle Film Festival’s Gregory Peck Award: For Excellence in the Art of Film continues to award higher achievers in the field of filmmaking, and celebrates the festival’s friendship with The Gregory Peck Family. This year Anthony Wall, BBC Arena, will present the award, design by Brian de Staic, to Jean-Jacques Beineix in The Phoenix Cinema on Friday 18th March. The Award Ceremony will be followed with a screening of the wonderful Betty Blue.
Special guests at this year's festival in Dingle shall include Jean-Jacques Beineix (Betty Blue), Sé Merry Doyle (Dreaming The Quiet Man) and Sophie Fiennes (Over your City Grass Will Grow), who will take part in a discussion on ‘Creativity’ & ‘being here’ in the beautiful location of the chapel in An Díseart, surrounded by Harry Clarke Windows. This event is in partnership with MEDIA Desk Ireland and will be chaired by Producer Michael Ryan.
Some of the best screenwriters in the business will be part of the Creative Screenwriting Panel. Panellists include Emmy Award and Writers’ Guild Award winner Lisa Albert (producer and writer on Mad Men), Richard Scobie (66 Degrees North) winner of this year’s The Producers Guild of America Awards and in talks with Cruise/Wagner Productions; leading Irish scriptwriter Mark O’Halloran (Adam & Paul, Garage); Emmy Award winner Marc Flanagan (The Tracy Ullman Show); and award winning producer Edwina Forkin (Headrush, Sugar). This event is in association with Fás: Screen Training Ireland.
A special screening of Dreaming The Quiet Man will take place in The Phoenix Cinema on the Saturday night and will be introduced by the wonderful Maureen O' Hara and its Director Sé Merry Doyle. The film will play in MOMA in May as part of Gabriel Byrne’s curated programme Imaging Ireland. The film exclusively features Maureen O Hara and has contributions from Martin Scorsese and Jim Sheridan. Dingle Film Festival will close with Treacle Jr, its star Aidan Gillen (The Wire) and its director will be present for the screening. For more information on the festival visit www.dinglefilmfestival.com 17 March 2011
In a great morale boost for the country on St. Patrick's Day, US President Barack Obama has confirmed that he will visit Ireland this May. He made the announcement today while receiving An Taoiseach Enda Kenny in the White House for the annual St. Patrick's Day presentation of the shamrock in Washington. President Obama said he is looking forward to visiting Ireland and that he intends to visit his ancestral home in Moneygall, Co. Offaly. Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he could assure the president of a rapturous welcome, adding that if he wanted to play golf he would be happy to join him. President Obama said he had heard Mr Kenny was a good golfer, so he himself would "have to practice". President Obama also said he was sure the United States would continue to co-operate with and to give practical assistance where possible in relation to Ireland's economic recovery. The Taoiseach had earlier met with Vice President Joe Biden and addressed guests at the annual gala dinner of the American-Ireland Fund last night. Speaking at the dinner, Taoiseach Kenny said "Ireland was far from finished" and that the recent election marked a new dawn for the country. An Taoiseach also repeated his Government's determination to conclusively address the reduction of the budget deficit and reform of the banking system. The news of President Obama's visit follows the announcement earlier this month that Britain's Queen Elizabeth II had also accepted an invitation from President McAleese to visit Ireland this summer. The dates and the programme for the visit will be announced jointly by Áras an Uachtaráin and Buckingham Palace. The Queen's grandfather, George V, was the last British monarch to visit Dublin in 1911. Pictured: Taoiseach Enda Kenny meeting President Obama earlier today. Additional reporting & image courtesy of: RTÉ News: www.rte.ie/news/2011/0317/kenny.html. 16 March 2011
by Ciarán Williams
The annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations will get underway at the crack of dawn in Dingle as the Dingle Fife & Drum Band take to the streets at 6am in keeping with a long tradition which is usually supported by hundreds of enthusiastic followers. The band will march from the Old Hospital, around the town bringing a magical start to the day. There is then a 6:30am stop at St. Mary’s Church where Mass is offered by the local parish priest for the band who provide various tunes during the ceremony. The morning session finishes around 7:30am at Ashmount Terrace with national anthem Amhrán na bhFiann. The theme for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is Corca Dhuibhne Beo – the Spirit and Tradition of our People. The annual St. Patrick's Day parade is scheduled to start at 12:45pm from Ashmount Terrace following the traditional route through the streets of Dingle, passing through Goat Street, Main Street, The Mall, Bridge Street, Strand Street, turning at the Quay and returning to the Old Hospital via Green Street and Goat Street. Individuals, groups, business outlets, clubs, schools and music groups from West Kerry, and indeed any part of the world, are most welcome to take part on the day. The parade has been very well supported in recent times and is now regarded as one of the highlights of the year in Dingle for participants and onlookers alike. The Dingle Fife and Drum Band will lead the Parade which will be reviewed from a stand at Holyground where a traditional group will be on stage from 12:30. At least three other bands including Banna Ceol Lios Póil will provide music for the occasion. Registration forms for the parade are available locally from Fergus Flaherty or Richard Williams. Participants are asked to ensure they are covered by their own insurance policy and need to sign an indemnity form before the start of the parade. More info from Richard Williams on 0868641340 or ciaranwilliams@gmail.com .After the day’s events night is still to come! St Patrick’s Night in Dingle is one of the busiest nights of the year in the town with many traditional sessions held in various pubs throughout the town and the Hillgrove Nightclub and An Droichead Beag being suitable party venues. Young and old alike will enjoy the entertainment and spirit in Dingle on the day and a great day’s entertainment is assured once again this year enthuasists 'wet the shamrock'. The annual Dingle Film Festival will also be launched on St. Patrick's Day in Dingle with a number of events taking place. For more information visit www.dinglefilmfestival.com 14 March 2011
Féile nua is ea an Dingle Tradfest (Féile Traid.an Daingin) atá tarraingteacht do daoine óga go háirithe. Léireoidh an féile Ceol nuálach traidisiúnta agus Ceol Chumaisc. Tabharfaidh an fhéile seo ardán do Cheoltóirí/Ealaíntóirí Éireannacha agus ceoltóirí ó thíortha eile a scíleanna a léiriú laistigh de cheoldhreach traidisiunta Iarthar Dhuibhneach. Tosnóidh an féile i mbliana ar 8ú Meán Fómhair agus leanfaidh sé go dtí 11ú Mean Fómhair, 2011. Sa chlár tá sraith coirmeacha cheoil chomh maith le Session Trail agus imeachtaí lasmuigh le oilritheacht ceoil dhá-theangach go Cnoc Bréanainn (Guinness World Record Attempt), faoi stiúr na ceoltóirí/luthchleasaithe John Meade (Buatóir Maratón an Daingin , 2010) and Michael Meade. Príomh imeacht an Sathairn ná an grúpa nuálaíocht KAN ag fógart Brian Finnegan & Aidan O Rourke in Ostán an Hillgrove (www.myspace.com/kanmusic) agus Discó Traid ina dhiaidh. A thuilleadh eolas ag dingletradfest@gmail.com nó www.dingletradfest.com. 13 March 2011
Kerry 0-16 Galway 0-08
Colm Cooper showed his class once again as Kerry condemned Galway to their fourth straight league defeat in Killarney.
Cooper scored 0-08, including five points from play, as the Kingdom got back to winning ways.
Gary Sice and Cormac Bane had Galway ahead early on, but Cooper helped Kerry move 0-08 to 0-03 ahead for half-time.
Bryan Sheehan kicked a long range free to give Kerry the lead after just 35 seconds. Galway, who lost to Connacht rivals Mayo last time out, replied with a fine 50-metre effort from Sice.
Bane, one of the Tribesmen's best players in their early season games, added a second point for a fifth minute lead.
There was little between the sides until Kerry opened up a 0-05 to 0-03 lead in the 25th minute. Cooper floated over a couple of frees, David Moran added his name to the scoresheet and Donncha Walsh fisted over to finish off a fluid team move.
Concannon, who led the Galway attack from centre-forward, opened his account with Galway's third point, but Jack O'Connor's charges, who were playing into the wind, took over in the lead-up to the break.
Kerry scored the last five points of the half, including four from the classy Cooper. The Dr. Crokes clubman delighted the crowd with one particular effort which saw him pick up possession 45 metres out, break away from two defenders and create space for a sublime individual score.
Galway goalkeeper Adrian Faherty saved his side when producing a terrific stop to deny Kieran Donaghy as Kerry hunted for the opening goal.
The hosts kept their foot on the gas at the start of the second half. Captain Cooper continued to lead by example, picking off two more points, and Sheehan landed his third of the afternoon to make it 0-11 to 0-03.
Concannon answered back with a point from play and a well-struck free and Bane also raised a white flag, with Galway stringing together three scores in the space of two minutes.
Concannon, who was the pick of the Galway forwards, finished with 0-04, but there was no danger of Kerry being overhauled in front of a crowd of over 4,000.
O'Connor unloaded his bench, bringing Anthony Maher, Declan O'Sullivan, Tom O'Sullivan, Gary O'Driscoll and David Geaney into the fray.
Cooper kept the scoreboard ticking over and hard-working midfielder Seamus Scanlon scooped over the final point of a one-sided but entertaining encounter.
Report: RTÉ Sport: www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/0313/kerry_galway.html 11 March 2011
A giant shark from Dingle's Oceanworld has found a new home in Scotland after getting too big for his tank in West Kerry. The shark arrived at his new home at Deep Sea World in North Queensferry, Scotland on March 8th. The 100 kilo, two-metre sand tiger shark was welcomed on Tuesday after travelling 1000 kilometres having been transported from Dingle across Ireland, then on the Belfast to Stranraer ferry and across Scotland in an epic 18-hour journey. In a fortnight he will be put into the Underwater Safari display to join the six other sand tiger sharks already in the aquarium. “We received a call from Dingle late last year to see if we would be able to re-home one of their sand tiger sharks which had outgrown its display," said Deep Sea World’s Tina Aydon. "The transfer was extremely complicated and it has taken months of planning to get to this stage – it has been very exciting but also a little nerve-wracking and extremely tiring. I led a team of divers from Deep Sea World who travelled out to Ireland to assist with the capture of the shark. We then travelled back with the shark on the Belfast to Stranraer ferry, whose wellbeing was constantly monitored throughout the journey. He’s in excellent condition and is happily swimming around the quarantine tank.” Pictured: The two-metre sand tiger shark from Dingle's Oceanworld that has found a new home in Scotland courtesy of © Deep Sea World. For more info visit news.stv.tv/scotland/east-central/233579-giant-shark-arrives-in-scotland/. For more on Dingle Oceanworld visit www.dingle-oceanworld.ie/
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