Issue 57. Return to Agenda

Pouches, Prices, Prizes, Rapálaí

May 30, 2025

Good Morning and Welcome,

To issue No.57. I hope we all enjoyed summer. Loads happening, if there was anything more going on we’d probably all get arrested. Most importantly, WE HAVE A NEW ORACLE CONTRIBUTOR!! She’s Alyssa, she’s 12 & has opinions…

South Kerry by the numbers:

  • 6,193.60: € is the cost of a full-page colour advertisement in The Kerryman, South Edition (he had both, so I bought both).

  • 101.84: € is the cost of a single 30-second ad spot on Radio Kerry

  • 6,200: € is the cost of a 30-second ad spot on RTE1 in the middle of Fair City.

*Alternatively, like these wonderfully gifted, brilliantly savvy local businesses below, you could support the only publication devoted to South Kerry.

First, a word from this week’s sponsor

And Another

You might be thinking, Siopashoo opening? Wasn’t it alread… Well, wonder no more, head down tomorrow and find out. Official opening rescheduled to 1pm, but the fun continues tomorrow too. Gift voucher giveaways, the lot

And Another

Long-term Oracle devotee Alison has just launched Invitation To Rise, with an extensive range of offerings to have you well on the way to wellbeing. Botanical foot pamper anyone?

Best Beach in South Kerry?

Movement in the top 5 this week, turns out somebody really, really likes Glanleam.

Still, we have swimming as the top activity? There are more of you swimming than anything else? That’s just not true, is it?

Alyssa’s Editorial

Phone pouches, let's talk about them

So as you may have heard the department of education has had the idea to make these phone pouches that will cost around 7 million euro!

The idea behind these pouches is that they keep students' phones away from them and not cause distraction during the school day.

The students phone will be sealed in the pouch and only taken out at either the end of the day or during designated times.

Now obviously this caused a lot of controversy.

Like, why cant the phones just be put in a box at the top of the classroom if they are causing that many problems? Why do we have to spend so much money on specific pouches for each student's phone?  I understand that mobile phones do cause many issues in school, from distraction during learning times and also things like students being videoed and such without them being aware. 

I know that just telling the student to put it in their bag or just not to bring it in doesn't work, so why not just put it in a teachers desk and give the phones back at the end of class but 7 million euro on phone pouches is a waste of money.

So could the money be spent in a better way?

Definitely, while yes that is my opinion, here me out.

First thing the money could be spent on is repairs that could be something like a leaking roof,damaged flooring and broken desks, chairs etc.You could also spend the money towards new gym equipment or educational technology like chromebooks for students.  

I understand the reason behind this and I agree with it. Phones are too much of a distraction in school settings. But there is no need to spend this amount of money on an issue and to be frank it can be solved easily.

Thanks Alyssa, mighty stuff! If you’ve any comments for Alyssa or have a topic she should be writing about, just hit reply.

It’s The Signs of South Kerry 🎺🎺🎺

So, this might look difficult, but it isn’t when you think about it, where is it?

Congratulations to last week’s winners

Whilst many of you were correct in identifying last week’s a pier, for the second time ever, none of you correctly identified Ballinskelligs Pier, hard lines.

We will start a directory

It’s almost done, it really is, would have been done this week if it wasn’t for the council meeting. If you want your business to be top of the list, click that button below

Auntie Agnes Answers

This week, Agnes has no problems to solve. You can fix it, just

The Oracle’s 32nd Cartoon

This week, Tim’s work has got stuck in content moderation. No doubt he’ll be back with gusto next week.

Council Meeting No. 2

As I’m currently mid way through listening to my second ever meeting of Kenmare Municipal District Council, I think it’s safe to consider myself a veteran of local politics. Through my extensive experience, I now know that these council meetings, not unlike many other meetings I’ve attended, consist almost entirely of individuals reading out loud their respective paragraphs in documents already circulated, then waxing lyrical upon them.

To save any of you this torture, here are the highlights;

  • Thanks to Cllr O’Sullivan-Casey & Cllr Cahill for asking, at the Oracle’s request, for further info on the South Kerry Greenway. It’s not great news. Essentially, the council have advised that works are progressing well, but it’s a challenging project. Cllr O’Sullivan-Casey specifically requested a completion timeline, but was not given one. What has been confirmed is that there will be no staged opening of any part of the greenway. So, bearing in mind that 5km of the greenway has no proposed route, the most challenging part of the challenging project has yet to go to tender, when do you think you’ll be taking your first steps on the South Kerry Greenway? Before the end of the decade? Will we have a sweepstake? I’ll ask them again of course.

  • Political activism is rife on The Island. Valentia traffic measures feature in 6 different motions from 4 different Councillors. I’m delighted to hear there is such a badgering of Councillors going on & shocked to hear Valentia has such serious speedy driving issues.

  • There is a proposal to turn the ‘Old Council Cottage’ in Waterville into a venue for cultural & civic activities. The council have agreed to support IRD Waterville, NASC Uibhrathach and Tuismitheoiri Uibhrathaigh in this proposal. If anyone knows anything at all about the proposal, or even where the ‘Old Council Cottage’ is, just hit reply, I’d love to know more.

Full disclosure: I could wait to find out if anything more is discussed about the ‘Old Council Cottage’ but I’m an hour and 40 minutes in, we’re on motion 10 of the agenda & the cottage motion is light years (17 motions) away. We’ve just had a full 9 minutes on the possibility of installing a drinking water fountain in Killorglin, the conversation went on to discuss whether there were any drinking fountains in South Kerry? Kerry even? I’m not dismissing the value in the provision of public drinking water fountains, but it has pushed me over the edge a bit. To clarify, I would do anything for the South Kerry Oracle readership, but I won’t do that.

Everything Else

  • Looks like a brighter morning tomorrow, you should start it with some Yoga and a Sauna in Derrynane, 10.30am, more here

  • Caherdaniel Country Market is on now what are you waiting for?

  • Maeve Ellen is in The Lobster, Waterville tomorrow from 9pm

  • USH MUSH x SÚIL AMHÁIN igniting the whels of steel tonight Cafe Cois Tra Ballinskelligs 8pm more here

  • TG Disco at the Moorings, Portmagee Saturday evening from 9pm

  • There’s music all weekend in Cable O’Leary’s more here

  • Skellig Michael is still closed, sign the petition

Thanks

Long enough now, wasn’t it?

Enjoy it at your leisure over the long weekend. As ever, anything strange or wonderful, just hit reply.

Good luck, be well

Dave