Issue 35. What's Another Year?

Good Morning and Welcome,

To issue No.35: This week, you get another week off voting, Agnes continues to heal, our year in review & your chance to support the Oracle in 2025 (you lucky people).

South Kerry Oracle by the numbers:

• 16,236: Emails delivered since 21 of you received the first email on the 3rd of May.

• 35,712: Words written.

• 43,100: Emails opened. That’s right; many of you fanatics open these emails more than once. Mad, Ted.

• 4,141: Links clicked.

• 812: Votes/Competition entries across Pints/Signs/Smells/Mince Pies.

• 13: People healed by Agnes.

• 14: Glorious high art moments from Tim.

• 3: Council departments annoyed into silence.

First, a word from this week’s sponsor

Good luck to long term Oracle supporter Eileen & friends. Next week, this could be YOU! Advertise yourself, it’s cheaper than you think

Remember this?

May: Remember our irate Facebooker & long-term Oracler Ruth kicked off the newsletter as a political force with her complaint about election posters? After a decent bit of counting, this was one of the most read posts of the year & probably my personal favourite picture.

June: Who could forget, June was when Danny Healy-Rae exposed himself as a manhandler of the truth when he advised us that he’d been using the above phone since 1997! Isn’t he gas! The phone was not released until 2002.

July & August: Saw our first foray into the depths of Kerry County Council’s planning system, August seeing the first loss of a subscriber due to the use of the term ‘blow in’. For those of you who missed it a few weeks ago, the request for further info expires on the 18th of next month so watch this space to see what happens.

September: Saw the birth of in-house healer Aunt Agnes & Tim’s first cartoon based contribution. I have nothing but heartfelt thanks to both for all their genius this year.

October: Saw yet more plumbing into the depths of Kerry Council’s planning department. Having been passed through three council departments, I’ve now been waiting for a response since the 25th of October on a consultation that ended on the 20/11…

November: Saw us meet our resident Erinaceinae ‘Hoggy’ soon finding that he had friends a plenty. Huge thanks go to Oracle wildlife correspondent Chris for all his contributions since this started.

December: saw the crowning of The Lobster as the inaugural winner of the ‘Best Pint in South Kerry’, thanks to all of you who voted & voted & voted again. Also to @keepherlitcandles & @msprlaserengraving for their excellent work on the trophy. Congratulations likewise to all at K&T’s Bakery for taking home the ‘Best Mince Pies in South Kerry’ title.

I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I have. I’m looking forward to reviewing 2025 already.

It’s The Signs of South Kerry 🎺🎺🎺

A week off this week.

Congratulations to last week’s Winners 🍰🍰🍰

• David fitz

• A.N. Other

Twice on the trot for David Fitz, and hearty congrats to the mystery winner, next time, claim your glory

Auntie Agnes Answers

This week a reader gets in touch with probably the most topical question to date;

Dearest Agnes

How long has Christmas been on the go and before Christ and Christianity how did people celebrate the period we now call Christmas? Also I tend to spend the whole Christmas totally bladdered as this helps make the relatives just about bearable. Is this a good idea? Can you suggest any other ways of making the unbearable (my own family and all connected) bearable?

Dearest Reader 

Thank you for your woe. 

Christmas is on the go since the early ad calendar when some fellas high up in the beginning of Christianity decided that the seasonal timetable could tie in with the Bible story of Jesus and a winter celebration could be had. 

Before Christianity, the Germanic peoples celebrated Yule as a solstice celebration, taking part in rituals to celebrate the return of the sun. 

Despite when or what Winter Solstice is celebrated, family and socialising with family is all part of it! We all see the ads with families laughing, playing games and enjoying delicious mealtimes filled with laughter and love! The truth is, this is the exception. For many, it is strained, stressful and difficult. You sound like you find this time very challenging. You share how you spend the time bladdered to make family time bearable. A common coping strategy. However, my main concern with this approach is the impact on you. Being bladdered for significant lengths of time impacts your mental, physical and financial health. There are easier ways like having your own timetable. Do what makes you feel good and happy, maybe stay in separate accommodation. Get walks in, meet friends, sea swim. Limit family get togethers to an hour or two a day. Make yourself a priority. You may get some slack for putting yourself first but ultimately you will feel a whole lot better.

Maybe try this out and when you get more comfortable looking after yourself, you could explore why your family drive you so nuts. 

Go gently Reader, it ain’t easy 

Let us know how it goes 

Everything Else

• Dance to the sensational Jack Keogh at Foilmore Community Centre on 28th December at 9.00. All proceeds go to Palliative Care. Raffle with great prizes. Admission €10

• Join Dani for a New Year ritual on 5/1, more here

• What could be better than a New Year’s Pizza? How about pizza + music + desert + prosecco more here

• The Moorings, Portmagee have a GAA quiz on the 29th, kicking off 8pm.

• Aidan’s Dip is happening New Year’s Day in Knightstown at 3.30pm, info here 

• Go loco for bingo @The Royal Hotel Valentia on Saturday, starting 7pm, all proceeds going to Valentia Community Hospital.

• Fancy a swim on New Year’s Day? Head to Kells Bay for 1pm.

Want to help?

So, this is that bit. I assure you, I’ll only ask once a year.

Whilst I love doing this, I’m constantly reminded that man cannot live on a sunny disposition and questionable puns alone. I’m keen to do more with the newsletter, potentially the odd deep dive into something, attend the odd council meeting, dig up a few gems from the archive, keep Agnes in fine flouncery, start a colouring pencil fund for Tim, that sort of thing.

I need your help to do it though, so if you’ve enjoyed it and want to see more of this sort of thing, then click the button below and help me make it happen. There are two donation options a fiver to say thanks & €50 for the year. Any of those generous enough to go for the latter option will get themselves a quarterly feature length issue & a fridge magnet that money simply cannot buy.

For everyone else, nothing will change, still free, still fun, still every Friday.

Thanks

So that’s 2024 done and dusted. Not for a minute did I think I’d manage to send one of these every week, nor did I think we’d be pushing 650 active subscribers by the end of the year, so massive thanks to each and every one of you.

Good luck, be well & HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

Dave

southkerryoracle.ie