Issue 36. Well, here we are now, 2025

Council, Cats, Ritual Fingers.

January 03, 2025

Good Morning and Welcome,

To issue No.36: This week, Agnes helps some newer residents settle in, Eric & Ernie need a new residence, rapido & a look at what our municipal district has been up to.

For those of you who chose to support this publication last week, I’m humbled by your generosity, and your magnets are on their way. If anyone feels they missed an opportunity to support, (I wouldn’t want you to miss out!) you can do that here.

South Kerry by the numbers:

  • 6: Ospreys spotted in Kerry in 2024.

  • 7: Breeding pairs of White Tailed Sea Eagles in the county.

  • 4: Species; Little-ringed Plover, Savis Warbler, Black Stork & South Polar Skua spotted for the first time ever.

  • 3: Species spotted in South Kerry last year appeared less than 10 times in the county. Specifically; Little Bittern, (our back garden) Waterville. Hawfinch, Derrynane. Montagu’s Harrier, Glencar.

Thanks to Edward Carty’s 2024 Birding in Kerry report & to all the Kerry Birders for this week’s numbers.

First, a word from this week’s sponsor

Meet Eric & Ernie

These two are about to be homeless, as their current fosterers are moving in the coming days. Given the time of year, have you room in your inn for two very small ones? Have you? Of course you have, just get in touch with KLAWS.

What did our municipal district do for us in November?

You’ll find this report in full here but it’s no pageturner, “highlights” include;

  • 3 projects in Kenmare MD have received funding under Measure 1 of the 2024 CLÁR Programme. New toilets for Staigue Fort, New playground for Tulloha NS & funding for Sneem Co-op to create a community hub.

  • 785 people applying to be housed within Kenmare MD.

  • 42 new tenancies were provided in 2024

  • Works are well advanced on a 5km section of the Greenway between Glenbeigh and the N70 road overbridge.

  • Between Jan-Oct 2024 there were 502 litter complaints. 309 waste, 132 water, 19 air investigated. These amounted to a combined 41 fines paid to date & 12 court convictions.

The next council meeting is scheduled for 28/1, if you want me to look out for anything specific, just hit reply.

It’s The Signs of South Kerry 🎺🎺🎺

Another week off this week. Will we have a new game for the new year? Suggestions welcome.

Auntie Agnes Answers

This week readers get in touch with probably the best question we’ve had so far;

Dear Agnes,

We would like to salute the Kerry greeting on the road!


It’s so nice to greet each other when driving the narrow roads in South-West Kerry.

Irrespective of whether we know the people we pass, we greet and are greeted back. We have studied the gestures and definitely have a few favorites: the slow lifting of the whole hand from the steering wheel, fingers slightly bowed, a truly royal gesture! Typical for the elderly Kerryman who has all the time in the world and is a good storyteller, we think. The quick extension of just the index finger, from a busy and hurried worker? The enthusiastic whole hand, fingers spread wide: a happy go lucky young lady? And of course we greet when we’re on the road. My husband does the index finger, I do the whole hand with fingers spread. Although he isn’t busy and hurried and I am not young.


But Agnes, when and why does it stop? As soon as we reach a town, no greetings anymore. On the wider roads: no greetings. Suddenly it becomes weird to greet when you are the only one who does it!


Is it because of the increasing number of cars that pass? Or because of the decreasing chance that the driver knows the person he passes? Is there a correlation with the width of the road? Is there some definition or formula for when to greet and when not to greet? A critical cut-off point?


We are blow-ins (as you may have guessed), we love the greetings and we love living here.
We hope that you have the answers for us, Agnes. Thank you, and a happy New Year!

Dearest Reader 

Thank you for your woe. 
Welcome! Yes, your observation of the greeting rituals are spot on. I smiled reading them as I could picture them. Another criteria is the mood of the saluter and the season!! 

You are also correct in that there is a relationship between the wider roads and the lack of salutes. It seems the bigger the town-land or the wider the road, the less community spirit is shown.  I think about Krishnamurti who wrote that not having enough space impacts on the human spirit, causing us to become more cut off.  My recommendation is that in the larger towns and roads, smile at those who make eye contact and pass those who don’t with compassion and grace. We don’t know what people have on their minds or in their lives.

Wishing you and your husband a peaceful 2025. 

Everything Else

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

  • Foilmore Community Centre have Irish lessons starting on the 17th more here

  • The Siopashoo HALF PRICE SALE is now on!

Thanks

Quiet enough isn’t it?

If you have any ideas, events, suggestions, feedback, stories, characters, or dramas that you think should be in this email, just hit reply.

Good luck, be well & HAPPY 2025

Dave