KMEG reports…

Kenmare Logo .ie as last monht

What a busy month April has been …with Easter being early this year we were hopeful that the weather would be warmer as we greeted the lighter evenings but we are still waiting for sunnier days. The weather may not be sunny but the events in Kenmare have certainly brought sunny smiles to faces to brighten fun filled days.

Easter Musical Camp and Show. Once again George McMahon and his team returned to Kenmare to produce a special version of the musical Grease. The show was full of local talent at the wonderful performance in the Carnegie Arts Centre. The Easter Campers, as they are affectionately known, played to a packed house. All the rehearsals and hard work paid off every one of the performers had fun and were brilliant.
George will be back again in October with the Halloween Camp as part of the Halloween Howl programme so be sure to book places early to avoid disappointment.

Easter Egg Hunt. The organisers of the Easter Egg Hunt held their breath on Easter Sunday morning as the rain poured down and the wind blew. But the intrepid Margaret McCarthy and her team were determined that the event should go ahead so that the children would not be disappointed. ‘Even if it’s me and five kiddies it will happen’ announced Margaret as another shower soaked her and the volunteers as they prepared for the Easter Bunny’s arrival. At 3pm the sun shone and stayed shining for the event that brought a crowd of over 400 people out in force. Chocolate for every child ensured lots of smiling faces and the Easter Bunny was in great form as he entertained. This event has become a family must for Easter Sunday afternoon – thanks to all who work hard to ensure it is a huge success every year.

Feile Neidin. Another year of Feile Neidin is over and what a festival it was! This year the pubs were packed to capacity with musicians and listeners, impromptu sessions were springing up everywhere and the twenty two visiting French musicians hit town. Richard Dwyer opened the festival on Thursday night with the launch of his book ‘In a Creative Mood’, it was a gathering of old friends with fans of his travelling from near and far to listen to him. Virtuoso musicians Zoe Conway and John McIntyre took to the Carnegie stage on Friday night mesmerizing their audience with stunning performances of traditional and jazz pieces. After a brief nights sleep they were back up the next morning and off to join the other tutors for the instrument specific workshops in Pobail Scoil Inbhear Sceine. The classes were very well attended by adults and kids alike who seized the opportunity to learn from some amazing musicians. On Saturday afternoon, Cormac Begley, Libby McCrohan, Aidan Coffey, Geraldine O’Callaghan, Brain Mooney and Eamonn O’Riordan performed in an acoustic concert in St. Patrick’s Church. It was the first year since the festival’s inaugural year that the Church Concert resumed, both the music and the setting were beautiful and the event very memorable. The festival returned to the Carnegie that night with a double bill concert from the legendary Matt Cranitch and Jackie Daly who delighted the audience with their sparkling polkas and slides not to mention Jackie’s puns and jokes. Pipers union took to the stage after the interval – Donal Clancy (son of Liam), David Power and Ciaran Somers are all well-known musicians in their own right but perhaps lesser known in this newly formed trio.  They performed a superb blend of tunes and ballads with a wonderful combination of instruments and vocal harmonies and even had the audience joining in on the sea shanties. The concert was thoroughly enjoyed by all. There was a great crowd in attendance at the Brook Lane on Sunday afternoon for Matt and Jackie’s Sliabh Luachra repertoire workshop which went down a treat. This was followed by the kids session in the Atlantic bar and once again the kids wowed everyone with their talent. The music continued in the pubs for the evening, finally closing with Eamon Casey and Dave Shapiro leading an army of local and French musicians in the Coachman’s. What a night!

A big weekend is planned for the May Bank Holiday. Go to Kenmare.ie for all the details. It’s going to be a great weekend make sure you are part of it !

Tidy Towns. The dedicated group of people who work tirelessly to keep the area tidy and looking beautiful are admired and respected by us all. As the Chairperson of KMEG, Sarah Durkin presented a cheque for €1000 to members of the hardworking Kenmare Committee she said, “We are all very grateful for all you do and this cheque is a contribution and thank you from all KMEG members.”

If you are not yet a member of KMEG why not consider joining for 2016? There are many advantages, and the marketing team would be happy to discuss the befits with you. Contact Lynne Brennan or Irene Carey on 064 6642615 or email marketing @kenmare.ie
Thank you to all KMEG members for your continued support and we wish you all a prosperous 2016.

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