Issue 104. Year 2: just when you thought it was safe to go back in your inbox

FOLK FEST, NOTIONS OF NOSTALGIA, EXPENSIVE BEDROOMS

April 24, 2026

Good Morning and Welcome,

To issue No.104. Two years ago 21 of us received the first South Kerry Oracle into our inboxes, today, 20 of those will get this email along with 800+ others. Thanks.

We’ve had a lot of votes, poked fun at a good few councillors, feasted on Tim’s visual creations & been cleansed by Agnes countless times. It’s been fun, hasn’t it?

South Kerry by the numbers

  • 650,000: € p/bedroom makes this, making it the most expensive house currently for sale in South Kerry. It’s nice and all, but imagine spending €2million on a house & sharing a bathroom?

  • 392,500: € p/bedroom makes this the second most expensive house in South Kerry, it comes with it’s own private island, but still only 1 bathroom.

  • 20,000: € p/bedroom makes this, the cheapest house in South Kerry, though I don’t fancy your chances of staying dry whilst sleeping in those bedrooms.

First, a word from this week’s sponsor

Its the recycling event of the year! Don’t miss it.

It’s The Signs of South Kerry 🎺🎺🎺

As a nod to the heritage of the newsletter, here’s our first ever sign, where is it?

Congratulations to last week’s winners

  • Maureen 

  • Dee Garv 

  • Noreen K 

  • Niall O Driscoll 

Congratulations to all, who correctly identified that it was, of course, the sign for the Delpac, Ballinskelligs.

Auntie Agnes’ Angle

For the week that’s in it, a flashback to the very first time Auntie Agnes healed our woes

Q: I know all the signs except the ones that appear in the quiz. Well I know them too obviously it's just that for some strange reason I never get them right. This is causing me a lot of sleepless nights and I am sinking into a deep depression from which there is no sign of escape. Can you help?

Thank you for sharing your woe, Reader!

This sounds like a frustrating predicament. Sleep deprivation and deep depression are no fun at all.  However, it is not the inability to name the sign that is causing you difficulty , it is more your reaction to the not knowing that has impacted your wellness and by the sounds of it your confidence. It would be helpful to look at this from another angle. I would suggest looking at this as a challenge. Get out there with your senses sharpened, maybe use a camera or sketch pad, get really familiar with all these signs that are causing you this unnecessary stress. Use this opportunity to become more observing of what is around you, this will help in developing your mindfulness skills which will lead to being more in the present moment which then results in sleep returning , confidence rising,  depression lifting and prizes galore from the South Kerry Oracle. I hope this is helpful, please let us know how its going !!! Happy Sign Watching 

Thanks Agnes.

The Oracle Cartoon

This week, Tim presents… The Gathering storm.

Thanks Tim. A difficult time for all of us

Best Coffee in South Kerry

OK so, this week, you got your vote on, more votes than the last three weeks combined. An Bothan, flying up the ranks, leapfrogging their way from 6th to third in a week, with Beachcove seeing off a strong challenge to maintain second place. Impressive to note Fox in The Box consistently in the top 10, but yet to open for the season (I think). Can anyone catch The Watch House?

Although it was a week to forget for Ahamore Tearooms in the overall rankings, they solidified their place as purveyors of the finest Hot Chocolate.

Only a couple of weeks of voting left, don’t spare the horses

Everything Else

  • The lineup for Folk Fest Cahersiveen is out & it looks juicy

  • Creams of Freedom are in Frank's Bar this evening

  • Enjoy a bit of honouring body, land and the rhythms of nature this Bealtaine, Friday 1st of May at 6PM. With the Skellig Sauna crew, more here

  • Get your Jedi on & May the $th be with you, more here

  • 5km Fun run/walk in Ballinskelligs next weekend, more here

Job?

Thanks

For reading. For two whole years, well done! A morning one to celebrate.

As you can imagine, I’m full of celebratory feelings, but am mindful that some of us are may not feel the same way this week.

Specifically, I’m thinking of Cllr Jackie Healy-Rae, who explained to The Kerryman this week the loss he has recently suffered; “it was a blow to lose the job I loved & felt I was excelling at so quickly” he said, modestly. He lost his job as special advisor to his father, a job he has strived towards for his whole existence, wading through fights outside chippers, ironing 1000’s of flat caps & attending potentially millions of funerals. Fear not, though, this product of fervent nepotism will not be wallowing in self pity for too long, far from it “Nobody is dead, and I will have to pick myself up, dust myself down and I’m sure I won’t be idle,” he said.

Bravo Jackie! Valiantly facing the hardship of being removed from working for his father in a Special Advisor role (a salary between €75-104,000) to return to the lowly drudgery of working for his father in a Parliamentary Assistant (a salary between €47-59,000) role. Whilst at the same time working tirelessly as a local Councillor (a salary circa €30,000). Aren’t we lucky to have them?

Thanks to Tim & Agnes, we would never have got here without you.

Good luck, be well. Here’s to year 3.

Dave