In the beginning, there was the first one

Good Morning and Welcome,

This week there’s a list of all the candidates running in the upcoming local elections. A few details on the Sci-Fi film festival kicking off today, an unusual but welcome visitor to a Waterville garden & a warm welcome back to Cahersiveen’s Mountain Roots festival.

South Kerry by the numbers:

• 13417: The average cost per acre of good quality agricultural land in Kerry.

• 19: Days so far this year with more than 10mm of rain recorded in Valentia observatory. They must have a microclimate surrounding the observatory.

• 3250: The monthly cost of the only available rental property in the area on daft.ie

A well a don’t you know about the bird?

What’s that? Well, it’s not a fine example of expert level wildlife photography (difficult to do whilst holding a spaniel the photographer would like to make known), but it is, a Bittern. Spotted last week in a Waterville garden. Up until the middle of the 19th Century they were commonplace, likely prevalent in South Kerry, Bonane, a village outside Kenmare would be An Bunán, Bunán can be translated as Bittern. According to local birding experts, it’s one of only two spotted in Kerry for many years and the only living one spotted in living memory.

Mountain Roots Music Festival

This weekend sees the 8th instalment of the festival come to life in Cahersiveen. If you are wondering what kind of music to expect, the organisers explain “…the idea that Roots music is a part of local identity, Irish identity and part of the identity of countries and cultures worldwide”. Highlights include; ‘Two Time Polka’ (see above) who’ve been described as “It’s Irish-Cajun, bluegrass, rockabilly neo-folk with requisite Swamp sizzle.” on Sunday night in The Shebeen. Before that at 7pm is the Sean Garvey concert featuring a host of musicians in aid of Gaeil Ar Son Gaza. Gracing the Fertha on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon is award winning Cork Jazz regular Fiona Kennedy and band. All info here.

Lightsaber Friday

The May the 4th be with you Sci-Fi film festival graces Portmagee & Valentia this weekend, beginning on Friday with the rare opportunity to get your lightsaber on. The festival continues throughout the weekend with 34 Sci-Fi family friendly film screenings, an achievement in itself, and culminates with the Sci-Fi film awards at The Royal Hotel on Sunday. Saturday sees a Comic Con, with cosplay competitions, LEGO building, the lot. All info here

Local Election Candidates

The following are our 16 candidates for the upcoming local elections on June 7th. These 16 candidates are competing for 6 seats on the council, two current councillors, Patrick Connor-Scarteen (Fine Gael) & John Francis Flynn (Fianna Fáil) are stepping down and a few new candidates/parties throwing their hats in, will we see change on the council? I’d be interested to get an elevator pitch from each of these, so I’ll ask them.

•  Damien Quigg Sinn Féin

• Stephanie O’Shea Sinn Féin

• Tim Clifford Social Democrats

• Cleo Murphy Green Party

• Oliver O’Neill Independent

• Patrick Lyne Independent

• Johnny Healy-Rae Independent

• Dan McCarthy Independent

• Podge Foley Independent

• William O’Brien Irish People Party

• Michael Cahill Fianna Fáil

• Norma Moriarty Fianna Fáil

• Ken O'Sullivan Fianna Fáil

• Teddy O’Sullivan Casey Fine Gael

• Tony Donnelly Fine Gael

• Catherina O’Sullivan Aontu

Best of the rest;

• Printmaking workshop in Cahersiveen library Thursday 9th

• Waterville Golf Club invitational at Waterville Links 4-5th

• Table quiz for the Sneem Summer festival in Rineys Bar Sunday 5th

• A new sauna starts in Derrynane this weekend

• The Valentia ferry will run till 8pm for the rest of the month

• “A middle-age love story with a country twang”. “He’s a widower from Limerick, she’s a divorcee from Arkansas”. “Dolly and Mick is a funny, engaging story with a poignant denouement and several well-known songs”. I mean, what more do you want? Tech Amergin, Waterville, Wednesday 8th

Thanks

Thanks for reading, enjoy the bank holiday, if you know anyone who might like a review of Dolly and Mick send them on this email, they can join below. If there’s anything I’ve missed, you’d like to contribute or think should be covered, just hit reply.

Good luck, be well

Dave

southkerryoracle.ie