Dingle Feile na Bealtaine

I spent a wonderful few days down in Dingle in Co. Kerry at the Dingle Feile na Bealtaine Festival, which involves the whole town and local community in a celebration of writing music, art and literature for all ages and interests.

Dingle is such a special town. It is one of the most stunning places  to visit in Ireland as the landscape and ocean and sea and sky and cliffs and fields and golden beaches and mountains all combine to take your breath away.

I visited two great schools one overlooking the ocean in Clochan and then on to the wonderful Bunscoil Bricluin, in Annascaul.

Bookshop owner Camilla Dinkel organised a wonderful event in her lovely Dingle Bookshop, where I got to meet and talk with so many lovely readers both young and old.

Later I was in the Dingle Courthouse for a packed court session with  Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen, the two very talented authors of the bestselling novel  ‘Oh My God What a Complete Aisling.’

I loved the book and was delighted to act as interviewer with the three of us adjourning from the judge’s bench to conduct the proceedings.

The fact that Aisling happens to admit in the book that she is a big fan of my books and takes comfort from reading them is great.  Emer and Sarah are so good to give me such a lovely mention in their novel.  Like everyone else I can’t wait to see Aisling up on the big screen.

Saturday night was a real treat getting to a concert in the famous St. James’ Church where the wonderful singer Cat Dowling performed. Then Kerry poet Brendan Kennelly who was in the audience, gave us a few of his poems, before singer Camille O’Sullivan took to the stage and blew us away with an amazing performance.  Thanks to Rachel Ni Fhionnáin, for organizing such a lovely visit.