Ice Cream Ireland

After such a wet summer, it truly is balm to the soul to have a run of weather that’s lifting all of us in Dingle into realms of giddiness. Perfect warmth in the sun, no wind, blue skies. It’s heaven!

Depending on your viewpoint, it’s either sweet or bittersweet, since the kids are back in school, most of the tourists gone home, and most of the enjoyment going to locals, catching their breath after the busy season.

For us, in the world of ice cream, it’s also a bittersweet time, as we say “good-bye” to many of our staff who have worked so hard, given us and our customers so much joy all summer, and are heading back to their courses and universtities both in Ireland and abroad.

Of course there is a core team who will stay, and in fact we’ll have to hire if we can (It’s only easy to find staff during the summer months).

So anyone who knows a good driver or baker, send them our way!

What I really wanted to say, though, is thanks to everyone who worked at Murphys Ice Cream this summer - in Killarney, Dingle, and Production, and I wish you all the best in the coming year.

Now I’m off to the beach!

Technorati tags: Dingle, staff, summer, sun

For those interested, here’s the full programme for the Dingle Film Festival…

Programme: September 6th September 9th 2007

Thursday, 6th September

The Phoenix Cinema

9pm

2 Days in Paris Directed by Julie Delpy Sir Alan Parker to open festival

Friday 7th September

Ioand An Bhlascaoid Mhoir

Feature Film Premier, 12 noon
AZUR AND ASMAR: THE PRINCES’ QUEST (age 7+)Director Michel Ocelot

Ryans Daughter Evening with Sarah Miles,  7pm

Screening of On Location Documentary With Godfrey

The Phoenix Cinema

3pm-7

Competition Shorts 3  35mm Feature Film

9pm - 8

Saturday 8th September

Hilery House

10am - 4pm - 25 Workshop Programme 3, The 3 Principals of plot, a master Class with Eoghan Harris

Krugers

10am - 1pm Free

Screen Test with Artist Andrew Duggan

St. James Church

10am - 12noon

Workshop programme 1 & 2, Brian Nolan & Owen McPolin Shorts Programme 1

12 noon

Feature Film - Ten Canoes

2.30pm

Competition Shorts

2 5pm

Premier The Running Mate

6.30pm

The Phoenix Cinema

9pm

The Killing of John Lennon directed by ANDREW PIDDINGTON

Sunday 9th September

St. James Church

10.30am

Workshop programme 4, Production, a Master Class with Ned Dowd(Last of the Mohicans, Apocolypto

Family Feature Premier Film

12noon - 4

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

Shorts Programme 4

2.30pm

Shorts Programme Local Local

5pm

Benners Hotel

Awards Ceremony Reception

Technorati tags: Dingle, film, festival, cinema, movie, Kerry

Even though it’s crazy this time of year, there are still preparations going on for the Dingle Peninsula Food and Wine Festival in October. So many people are helping including local artist June McIntyre, who did the painting for the logo.

There will be food trails in the shops, tasting menus in all the restaurants, a kitchen set up in St. James’ Church for demonstrations, lectures, stalls, and even food films in the Phoenix Cinema.

It should be lots of fun for anyone into food, Dingle or both, and you can check out the festival website here.

I will add more information as it becomes available!

Technorati tags: Dingle, food, festival, wine, feile, gourmet

For those of you who need an excuse to visit Dingle, there will be a film festival in town from the 6th - 9th of September. Opening the festival and serving as adjudicator will be Sir Alan Parker. There’s a lively lineup of shorts and feature films as well as workshops. Definitely worth checking out! Website here.

Technorati tags: Dingle, film, festival, cinema, movie, Kerry

When Colm, the farmer who supplies us with Kerry Cow milk and who owns the Dingle Corn Maze told me yesterday that he had hired a helicopter to take aerial photos of his maze and that there was a chance I could go up, I was excited indeed.

Today he rang telling me the helicopter was on its way, and although I was in the middle of production, I dropped everything and headed over to the Skellig Hotel, which has a helipad. I’ve never been in a helicopter before, and was dying to take a look at Dingle from above.

What an experience! It was breathtaking. There should be someone offering helicopter tours of this area.

The best part was that I was able to bring along my nephew, Conor, who is mad about helicopters.

My brother Sean (right with Conor) wasn’t able to come up with us, but he was there when we landed, and Conor was speechless with excitement.

What a great day!

Technorati tags: Dingle, corn, maze, helicopter, aerial photo

You know it’s summer, rain or shine, when the Dingle Corn Maze is open again for business.

Planted across five acres by the farmer who supplies us with Kerry Cow Milk, the maze has a Harry Potter theme this year. It’s located right in the centre of town and was laid out with computers and lasars, although the plucking of weeds and trimming is very much done by hand.

There are also picnic tables, a brand new bridge (see photo above) and other bits of entertainment.

At the end of the season, the majority of the corn will go to feed the cows, but for now, especially in this wet summer when the beach is so rarely appealing, the maze is a very attractive option for humans of all sizes.

Technorati tags: Dingle, corn, maze, summer, tourism

Cian (far left), our shop manager for the summer in Dingle, decided a good way to beat back the rain that’s been afflicting us in these parts (and to cheer everyone up) was to throw a Hawaiian day in the Dingle shop. So on Saturday, the whole staff dressed up, and we put decorations about the place.

It really worked. Yesterday the sun shone brightly, so we kept it going today. Still no rain! Maybe it will have to become permanent…

Technorati tags: Dingle, Hawaiian, day, shop, ice cream

I can hardly say the ice cream we gave him when he visited on the campaign trail played any part in it, but the Examiner reported today that one of the demands from Jackie Healey Rae in lending his support to the Government was that Dingle be given back its name and that the official name would reflect the will of the townspeople and be “Dingle/Daingean Uí­ Chúis.”

Apparently the Taoiseach has agreed, and all going well, the fractious and divisive battle over the name should soon be a thing of the past. Let’s just hope it happens fast enough to change the signs back to stop confusing tourists over the busy summer season!

Technorati tags: Dingle name, change, Jackie Healy Rae, Kerry, ice cream

I had a rainy day off, and what better way to spend a few hours of it than a trip out to Tig Aine’s in Graig, Ballyferriter.

Aine is a woman of many talents, and besides running a cafe serving a range of foods including her famous warm scones and tea, she also finds time for painting and weaving. So there’s lots to peruse.

It’s a great afternoon stop for anyone taking a tour of the Slea Head and needing a bit of refreshment. The view is stunning, and the atmosphere is tranquil.

She has a brand new restaurant under construction, so there will be full evening meals soon.

Anyone who knows Aine can be fairly certain that the new addition will be a very special place to eat. You’ll have to ask her if the ducks will be on the menu…

Technorati tags: Ballyferriter, food, Tig Aine, cafe, restaurant

I’ve been involved with a group planning for a Dingle Food and Wine Festival for this coming October (12-14th). It’s a very exciting prospect, indeed!

It will consist of tasting menus in restaurants, cooking demonstrations, and food trails. There is still much to finalise, but we did get Valerie O’Sullivan, a Killarney-based photographer, for a photo shoot with about 20 Dingle chefs, so we could start putting some marketing materials together.

The festival website is here, but it is still under construction. Stay tuned!

Technorati tags: Dingle, food, festival, wine, feile, gourmet