Blessing of the Boats

I thought I would stick up a little video (very little, only 1:04 mins!), I made today of a beautiful tradition here in my town. The Blessing of the Boats is an old Dingle tradition, and you know I like my traditions!

Post Valentia Festival!

Only a Kerry island can offer what Valentia Isle Festival offered. The most fantastic location, facing the Atlantic, with distant view of the Skellig islands. Its one of my favourite things about Kerry. So much sky! Getting to spend a few days sitting out in sunshine, watching fluffy clouds roll by.

Some photos from Fís/Imagine Corca Dhuibhne 2033

Everyone was invited to write their ideas, hopes and dreams of the future on postcards and the walls.

I'd written a very brief post about an upcoming Fís/Imagine Corca Dhuibhne (see here) - An instillation by Transition Towns Corca Dhuibhne in a derelict building for our Arts festival, Feile na Bealtaine.

Fís Corca Dhuibhne opened its doors on Thursday, the beginning of the festival, and quickly became the highlight of the festival. I know I'm a bit biased, being one of the participants, but it truly was a magnificent project, and a perfect example of transition towns ethics. People coming together, to share ideas, work, and possibilities of the future.

 Stones and sods were gathered from all over the peninsula. I had to quickly do up the 'Please step on the grass sign' as people were not stepping on the grass

Fís Chorca Dhuibhne and the Plarn Workshop

It's been all go since I got back from Italy, because Feile na Bealtaine takes place, this coming weekend! I've been busy out making props for the parade, and also for Fís Chorca Dhuibhne. An incredible project brought to you by Transition Towns Corca Dhuibhne. 

We have, basically, taken over a derelict building, and with the help of over 50 local artists, poets, gardeners and general fantastic hardworkers, transformed the inside of the building! More info below...

I'll be doing a Plarn workshop on Friday, 2nd May, at 3pm, part of Fís Chorca Dhuibhne.

In this workshop, I'll be showing how to recycle those horrible plastic bags, turning them from rubbish, to yarn. For the past 3 years, I have been hoarding nearly every plastic bag that has come into my house, and am now about to embark on an ambitious plarn lace project. For those of you who can crochet, I'll be showing how to make Irish Crochet Lace from plarn. This workshop is free.

Fís/Imagine Corca Dhuibhne 

We had a Really Rather Very Good Time - Tiki Tiki style!

The car has just been unpacked, and packed again. I'm heading away on a road trip of sorts for a week or so. I thought I better get a blog post in before I get embroiled in another project.
The Really Rather Retro Romp Vintage Market and Disco took place last Saturday in McCarthy's Bar, Dingle. And PHEW! it was a long day and night, but a good one. I won't post all the pics here, you can see them either on Facebook  or on Flickr 

Brandon Bay Surf Classic 2012

Well, my ranty posts seem to be popular, lots of readers, few emails and some nice chat on Facebook about toughening up. Should moan more often...but no, life's too goddamn short, and the sun is shining. Yes, for several days now the sun has been shining in Ireland, and its so nice to see people going round with smiles on their faces. It just reminds us all what a beautiful country we live in, despite what our politicians get up to. So, I've been offline, tidying up the garden, beach walks, picnics, and making some decorations, that thankfully are drying fast in the sun....Remember I said I was going to give up craft fairs, and doing stuff for free...well, I don't mean to be hypocritical, but I have just one more to do. I know I'm being hypocritical, but I had agreed to this before my rant, so its gotta be done. Anyway its a fun one. I'm making some stuff to help jazz up the marquee of the Brandon Bay Surf Classic. Very cheap, very cheerful, and of course very last minute. I'm thinking bunting, flowers, ribbons, driftwood and maybe a bicycle wheel, we'll see...Yup, its for tomorrow, so gotta get crafting. And I get to try flog my latest obsession, knots. Need to make some money to buy some new string! But thats for another blog post.

 The Brandon Bay Surf Classic! 

31st March - 1st April 2012

As well as the Surf competition there will be:

Surf Expo - Surf expo will be running from the Marquee with local shapers and retailers displaying their wares and happy to handle your passing queries.

Local Arts & Crafts - Mingle with the friendly locals and take the time to view and enjoy some of the local arts and crafts.

Environmental - Wise up to some of the local and national issues affecting you and your environment!

Give a little - volunteer and recruit your mates to participate in the Maharees Annual Beach Cleanup. Drive awareness of how precious and fragile our coastal regions truly are. It's for the greater good and you're conscience is guaranteed some Stoke for sure!

Myoilandgas.org will be present at The Marquee to discuss the issues surrounding the exploitation of our countries natural resources by Big Oil and other large commercial interests with no dividend or benefits to Irish Citizens during a time of National recession. Why are we giving it all away?

http://brandonbayclassic.com

https://www.facebook.com/brandonbaysurfclassic

Pan Celtic Festival 2011

Whenever people ask me what am I up to, I can't think of anything to say. But I know I have been up to something as I suffer from fiddlyitus, I am always up to something. But lately, it's been more a case of thinking. I've been doing a lot of thinking. And yes, it involves thinking of yarnie things, day-dreaming about possible yarnie projects, (and how to take over the world, of course).

So, what have I been thinking about? Well, for once one of my schemes/projects has come into fruition. I was chatting to the lovely Máire Treanor at the last Clones Lace workshop, about a possible trip to Brittany in the Spring to do crochet lace workshops. I love Brittany, having spent a month there, years ago, (drinking cider, dancing at Fez Noz, and generally having a ball). This book has sparked it off for me...

Available on Amazon

And also Maire has just re-printed her wonderful book

Breton Lace and Irish Lace are interlinked. Though technique, nuns, common historical disasters (famine) and general Celticness...So, when I hear the Pan Celtic Festival was going to be in Dingle again in 2011, I contacted the committee about doing a possible textile event, (I think I scared them with my enthusiasm)... Long story, several emails later, we have official approval!!

Here's what’s planned so far:

(a) an exhibition of lacework from the Celtic countries,

(b) a talk on the history of lacework and

(c) a demonstration of the national styles of lacework.

If anyone has intrinsic knowledge of lacemaking in Celtic countries get in touch! Otherwise you can just join up here for a chat:

Ravelry http://tinyurl.com/23k85ep

The poor underused Woolly Way Forum: http://tinyurl.com/2cm6smh

World Wide Knit in Public Day

We got a great venue for the Kerry WWKIP day this year. We are meeting in The Crafty Alley, a craft shop in Killarney. They have just started doing yarn, and are possibly going to start a regular knitting group. So if you can get an hour free, come on over! We need to show them, and the rest of the world that knitting (and crochet!!) is alive and kicking in the South West!

Its also a great way of putting faces to avatars, meet people you have been chatting to in textile forums such as Ravelry...

All the details are on the WWKIP website, but here they are for you again, so you have no excuse!!


Location: The Crafty Alley Shop, 6B Scotts Street, Killarney
Time: noon-ish
Date: June 13, 2009
Hosted by: The Crafty Alley Shop

How to get there: Located on East Avenue Road at the Scotts Street development (Heatons and Peter marks). Carparking available beside and below the shop.

Please bring: Water, a chair, umbrellas, snacks, etc. Your knitting bits and bobs!

The backup plan is: If it rains dont worry as we will move into the shop to knit away!

This KIP is not knitting exclusive. So, please fellow crocheters, embroiderers, general stitchers, come along too...