Pictures: Don MacMonagle
Officially launched at the weekend the Kerry Homecoming Festival is a county-wide initiative presented by Kerry County Council as part of the Global Irish Festival Series, which is a joint initiative between Fáilte Ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs, targeting the diaspora.
The festival got underway on Friday night with a two-day Global Gaelic Games Social Festival in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney. It involved a gathering of 1,000 GAA enthusiasts from far and wide taking part in non-competitive nine-a-side games that emphasize inclusiveness and integration.
The festival programme features close to 50 free events and activities such as Samhain spectacles, storytelling, Jack-o-Lantern carving, genealogy workshops and heritage talks, star-gazing and an American Wake at the Kerry Writers Museum.
The legendary Cailleach (hag/witch), will be the centre-piece of a thrilling Samhain spectacle in Listowel, Dingle, Kenmare and Tralee. The Cailleach is the goddess of the winter months and her season begins on Samhain, October 31, when the Goddess Brigid hands her staff over.
The Cailleach is associated with many locations across the Celtic lands and her ability to form the landscape and mountains means that many prominent mountain landmarks are attributed to her. In Kerry she has given her name to the Hag’s Glen in the MacGilliycuddy Reeks mountains where the Hag of Corrán Tuathail plunged to her death in the area known as Hag’s Lake.
The Samhain Spectacles will be supported in the run-up by a series of workshops in 16 towns and villages, by Juli Ní Mhaoileoin, the Dingle Druid, in which people of all ages will learn how to make traditional Samhain masks and Jack-o-Lanterns and they in turn can take part in the spectacles wearing their masks or bearing their lanterns.
Genealogy and family research feature heavily in the programme with talks and workshops being presented by experts in the Killarney and Tralee libraries and in Castleisland and Killorglin.
Kerry’s tradition of storytelling, particularly of the other-worldly kind at Halloween, is also honoured through a number of storytelling sessions from Niall de Búrca and Tom Dillon throughout the county.
All of the existing seasonal Kerry festivals – and some new ones – will also be joining in the fun – including an Féile Eile in Killorglin, the Kenmare Halloween Howl, the Patrick O’Keeffe Music Festival in Castleisland, the Skellig Coast Archaeology Festival, the Kerry International
Film Festival celebrating its 25th anniversary and Oireachtas na Samhna, both taking place in Killarney, as well as Tralee’s annual National Circus Festival and The Tralee Half Marathon.
Mayor of Kerry, Cllr Breandán MacGearailt, said despite being a small country on the edge of Europe, on the edge of the Atlantic, Ireland has developed a global network of Irish-diaspora, who are embedded into business, culture and society across the world.
“This is our way of welcoming our first, second, third and fourth generation of Irish back home, and showcasing our culture and history,” he said.
Ciara Sugrue, Head of Festivals and Events at Fáilte Ireland, said festivals and events play a crucial role in showcasing the rich cultural tapestry of Ireland, attracting visitors from around the world to come and discover Ireland.
“The Kerry Homecoming Festival is a perfect example of how we can celebrate our heritage as the Home of Halloween, engage our diaspora and create unforgettable experiences for all. By bringing together diverse activities and traditions, we not only boost tourism but also strengthen the bonds within our communities,”she said.
Programme details are available on the Discover Kerry website: www.discoverkerry.com/live/homecomingfestival/.
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