Kenmare has Christmas all wrapped up

There’s so much going in Kenmare during December that you won’t know where to start. There’s something to suit everyone and every age. Firstly our very own little theatre – the Carnegie Arts Centre - is showing a variety of films, a pantomime that the kids will love, various music gigs including Abba Forever and that perennial favourite ‘A Christmas Carol’. Then there are Christmas crafts & food markets, Santa’s Grotto, storytelling, arts & crafts, Carol singing and various walks organised by Kenmare Walking Club. You’ll be spoilt for choice! Don’t miss the Ho Ho Ho Parade and turning on of the lights on Friday, 2nd December. Stay a night or 2 at the Kenmare Bay Hotel to make sure you get to do everything you want to. Check out our Christmas page on the website, which includes details of our all-inclusive family Christmas package, our Party Nights and the full programme for Christmas in Kenmare. http://www.kenmarebayhotel.com/christmas/
Contact us on 064 66 41300 or info@kenmarebayhotel.com for the best accommodation rates.

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THE 2011 Kerry Film Festival

THE 2011 Kerry Film Festival drew to a successful close on Saturday with a star-studded awards ceremony at Tralee's Siamsa Tire.

The ceremony, hosted by radio and TV personality Dave Fanning, was the climax of a weeklong programme of events held in venues in Tralee, Killarney, Kenmare, Listowel and Dingle.

At Saturday's event guests were shown screenings of the winning short films as selected by this year's judges director Paul Greengrass, Norton Virgien and rising Hollywood star Cillian Murphy.

The highlight of the afternoon's proceedings was the presentation of the Kerry Film Festival Maureen O'hara Award.

The award, sponsored by Killarney Crystal, acknowledges women who have excelled in film and is named in honour of O'hara one of Hollywood's best-loved actresses.

Past recipients include Juliette Binoche, Rebecca Miller, and Brenda Fricker.

This year's award went to Fionnula Flanagan, whose lengthy film and TV career includes roles in hit TV show Lost and a part in recent Irish box office success The Guard.

"I am delighted and very honoured to be to receive the Maureen O'hara Award," said Flanagan.

"It is fitting and generous of Maureen to lend her name to an award that acknowledges the work of actresses following in her footsteps, who are as passionate about film as she herself proved to be in her long and successful career as a true Hollywood film star. I am proud to be able to support the Kerry Film Festival since in these troubling economic times, not just for Ireland, but for the whole world, I believe it is important to keep the arts alive," she said.

For her part Hollywood legend Maureen O'hara said she was "thrilled" to present Fionnula Flanagan with this year's award at the Kerry Film Festival.

"It's a pleasure to honour such a remarkable actress who epitomises all that the award has come too represent over the last four years," Maureen O'hara said.

The winning films at this year's festival were The Life, Death and Suffer Story by Anna Fitzsimmons which won the animated category.

Best Documentary went to Guy Natanel for his film Scent of Strawberrys. Best Narative Short went to Steve Earles for Bulldog.

The top prize, best short film, went to It's Natural to Be Afraid by Justin Doherty. RIGHT: Winners of the Kerry Film Festival Children's Art Competition Jack Nolan (left) and Darragh Goulding (right) with Maureen O'hara, Jason O'mahony, Dave Fanning and Fionnula Flanagan at the 2011 Kerry Film Festival awards at Siamsa Tire on Saturday

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News and thoughts

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Trip Advisor Update

Vacation spots chosen for you plus rants & raves Trouble viewing this e-mail?

Vacation spots chosen for you. Here are a few places we think you'll like. See all photos Kenmare, Ireland With 8 hotels, you'll be sure to find the perfect one. Plus, don't miss any of the attractions. Will Kenmare, Ireland be the next trip for you? Explore Kenmare See all photos Dingle, Ireland Perched on the hem of the Atlantic in Ireland's southwest, charming Dingle looks out over Dingle Bay to the Blasket Islands. Chock ful... See more See all 10 hotels See all photos Doolin, Ireland With 6 hotels, you'll be sure to find the perfect one. Plus, don't miss any of the attractions. Will Doolin, Ireland be the next trip for you? Explore Doolin See all photos Cork, Ireland Plan to cross many bridges when in Cork. Ireland's third-largest city began life as an island and now spans both banks of the River Le... See more See all 38 hotels See all photos Adare, Ireland With 3 hotels, you'll be sure to find the perfect one. Plus, don't miss any of the attractions. Will Adare, Ireland be the next trip for you? Explore Adare

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Lansdowne Arms Hotel: Traveler Reviews

Lansdowne Arms Hotel:

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Kenmare, Province of Munster

Property Details

Somerton is a contemporary architect deseigned home. Somerton is a vacation rental with a difference, we are a family run business and we offer our Guests a

personalised service. The house is situated in the south west of Ireland just outside the beautiful town of Kenmare. Somerton overlooks the sheltered Kenmare Bay and has fabolous views of the highest mountains in Ireland. Somerton is a detached home on 2 acres of gardens. See our web site for more details somertonkenmare dot com. the house itself is a bright spacious house and will accomodate eight people comfortably.

From Trip advisor

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In-door Market for Christmas

Micky Neds Old Pub

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Paul Kelly, to retail in Brown Thomas...

Kenmare goldsmith now retailing in Dublin The work of Kenmare goldsmith Paul Kelly will be retailing in the prestigious Dublin department store Brown Thomas in the run up to Christmas, after he was invited by the store to add his range to its jewellery counter. The moves bucks the recessionary trend for the craftsman who has been selling unique pieces of jewellery from his small workshop and retail outlet at Henry Street, Kenmare for the past 15 years under the brand name PFK. "It's a great opportunity," says Paul. "We get a lot of visitors from Dublin here in Kenmare during the summer months but being able to reach that market at this time of year is a real boost." Over the years, the talented jewellery designer has built up a steady following locally, with many people coming to him for individually designed wedding rings or specially commissioned pieces to mark anniversaries and other occasions. He often combines gold and silver to create simple, elegant pieces in clear lines and uses precious and semi-precious stones in his unique designs. His work has been presented to such luminaries as the outgoing President Mary McAleese and the Hollywood actress Maureen O'Hara. This latest recognition of his designs will see jewellery that was previously unique to Kenmare being made available to a wider market and provides him with an additional sales outlet. If you would like more information about Paul and his work, you can view his website at www.pfk.ie or contact him at 064-663-2590 or by email, pfk@indigo.ie

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Lower drink limits hit the spot with Kerry drivers

THE new lower drink driving limits appear to have had an instant impact on drivres across the county.

Over the bank holiday weekend just seven people were arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.

Gardaí, who rolled out extra checkpoints across the county, said the number of arrests was down on previous bank holidays and attributed the dip to the new lower limits.

In the Killarney garda district there was just one arrest for drunk driving all weekend and local gardaí said the new limits had "obviously frightened people."

In the Cahersiveen district, which covers the majority of south Kerry, there were no drunk driving arrests at all, which local gardaí said was "unusual" and that people were "obviously a bit more aware of the law."

The Tralee District, which also covers West Kerry, saw two drunk driving arrests, which was described as "a slight drop."

The most arrests were made in North Kerry where gardaí in the Listowel District arrested four suspected drunk drivers. While much higher than in the rest of the county, local gardaí said the figure was "not unusually high for a bank holiday."

The new legislation, which came into effect from midnight last Thursday saw the introduction of a new breath test limit of 22mgs of alcohol - down from 35mgs - per 100mls of breath for an experienced driver, and nine mgs of alcohol per 100mls of breath for learner and professional drivers.

The new blood test limit has been set at 50mgs of alcohol - previously 80mgs - per 100mls of blood for experienced drivers, and 20mgs of alcohol per 100mls of blood for learner and professional drivers, while the new urine test limit is 67mgs of urine - reduced from 107mgs - per 100mls of urine for experienced drivers, and 27mgs of alcohol per 100mls of urine

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