Dingle

Dingle has a few new eateries this year, and one of them is An Canteen on Dykegate Lane, just beyond the Hideout Hostel.

Having a little, fussy baby, I haven’t eaten there yet, but my brother has had several meals and was quite pleased with his experiences. The food is locally sourced, the prices are very reasonable, and the flavours are intense. So many people ask for a reasonable place to get good food in Dingle – well, here is one, so check it out!

And, in case you’re wondering, they are child-friendly, and the atmosphere is relaxed. It’s just that my baby isn’t yet restaurant-friendly!

Technorati tags: Dingle, restaurant, food, an canteen, ireland

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 We now have a little Murphys shop in Tig Aine’s in Graig, Ballyferriter for the summer, and we’ll be serving ice cream, coffees, and some ice cream desserts in a cafe with one of the most beautiful views in Ireland.

Hopefully it will make a pleasant stop for anyone heading around the Slea Head Drive. We hope you can stop in!

Technorati tags: Ballyferriter, ice cream, Tig Aine, cafe, Ireland

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 The other day, when driving from Killarney to Dingle, I noticed that the road signs had been spray-painted again. Some helpful graffiti artist had decided once again to try to help tourists find the town without a name. (For anyone who doesn’t know about the controversy, where the Irish government claimed that Dingle no longer existed, there’s a whole archive of news articles here). 

It’s been four years now, since the Dingle signs were first taken down, and we still don’t have a resolution. It’s almost been two years since there was a referendum in Dingle (93% voted for naming the town Dingle/Daingean Uí Chúis). Still, nothing. Every few months, the Kerry Country Council tape over the offending name, and every few months, someone puts the name back again. 

Politicians from John Gormley to Jackie Healy Rae have promised action. Still, nothing. Thousands of tourists have been lost and frustrated trying to find a town that exists in their guidebook, but not on road signs. It seems the government hopes that in the end the people of Dingle will give up and accept a name (An Daingean) that only 70 out of 1030 voters want. It’s a shameful situation.

(Note: A lot has been said and written about this issue, much of it very heated, because of the Irish language, which is under threat. In my mind, however, the issue is not that complicated. The people of Dingle voted on a name for their town, and their wishes should be respected.)

Technorati tags: Dingle, An Daingean, sign, name, tourism, Kerry

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Here are some photos I took of the Feile na Bealtaine parade in Dingle today. It’s really wonderful to see the care that goes into it. It gets more elaborate every year! Here’s also a video my brother took:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEKQ7iIRIlY

Technorati tags: Dingle, music, festival, bealtaine, feile

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There’s a good buzz around town as Feile na Bealtaine is now in full swing in Dingle. I spent yesterday evening with a group over from the Basel Fastnacht in Switzerland.  We have a relationship with them because the John Street Wren travelled over to Basel some years ago, and they hosted us as sort of a musical exchange (our tradition is whistles and drums, theirs is piccolos and drum, and both have costumes on the day). It’s interchanges like this that make Feile so special.

Technorati tags: Dingle, basel, festival, bealtaine, feile, fastnacht

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 Anyone thinking of heading to Dingle in the near future would do well to schedule their trip to coincide with Feile na Bealtaine, which runs from Wednesday, 29th April, to Monday, 4th May 2009. Although I’m naturally partial to the Dingle Food Festival, Feile na Bealtaine is my favourite festival of all. It’s so eclectic, with such a range of interesting things from all over the world, while at the same time being very, very local in feel.

 Some of the highlights this year include Nuru Kane from Senegal, Jack L, Michael O Suilleabhain, and a political symposium with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Lesotho and the head of the Palestine Delegation. However, it’s really all of the small events around the place, from literature to art to short films, that make it special, and any one of them might be something one might remember for decades to come. 

You’ll find a schedule of events here. Come on down if you can!

Technorati tags: Dingle, music, festival, bealtaine, feile, literature

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Here’s what happened when the Today Show visited Dingle recently:

Technorati tags: Today Show, msnbc, Dingle, Irish, Ireland

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