www.dingle-peninsula.ie

The Phoenix Restaurant in Keel Castlemaine has started an innovative free lunch movement.

The idea started as a response to the age old cliché 'there is no such thing as a free lunch'. Oh yes there is and it takes place on Mondays at 1.15pm at the Phoenix. It's a fantastic buffet of dips and vegetarian pates, garden fresh salads and home made organic produce from the award winning Phoenix Restaurant. What's happening is people are coming together, connecting, networking and showcasing themselves.

This week lunch was accompanied by passionate piano and viola tango pieces by the Café Jazz Group, two local puppeteers met for the first time, and several neighbours who had never tried a pineapple and puy lentil salad flavoured with fresh chilli and coriander enjoyed the unique food, company and music at ease in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Life is not all about making money it is about fun, friendly faces good food and conversation and above all enjoyment. Let's see where this movement goes and who it picks up on the way, join us, drop in and enjoy.

Dingle's Castlewood House has won an award for "Best Service" as one of Europe's top ten guesthouses.

The award, based on traveller reviews at the website tripadvisor.com, follows Castlewood's awards from the Bridgestone Best in Ireland Guide.

• Read the traveller reviews of Castlewood House at tripavisor.com.
• Read The Kerryman's report.

The 4th Dingle Film Festival was a major success on many levels this year including; Box Office, Irish Industry attendees, Major guests, the workshop programme, the educational and family programmes, the press coverage achieved and the impact made on Dingle itself, both in terms of business and income to the town and in promoting the town as a destination. This success is due to the festival managing to deliver an extensive, well curated and comprehensive programme that offered a wide choice to its audiences – both within the industry and without.

Change of dates

The change of festival date from September to March was an outstanding success, as was proved over the weekend of the 4th festival. Although it was incredibly hard to compile a festival programme in such a short time frame, it was important to move from the September date, as September sat on the dates of Toronto Film Festival and we found it hard to secure Irish prints. This year we screened 6 Irish film titles. Furthermore, the festival box office doubled on last September’s figures.

Kicking off the season in Dingle was a major boost for the town, coming into the season when businesses were fresh and eager to welcome guests. Local businesses were very happy with the volume of people in the town and the attention Dingle achieved in the press.

Box Office

The box office of the festival doubled on its takings in September 2009. Again, an endorsement on holding the festival in March and a sign of the growing awareness of the festival with people visiting the festival nationally and internationally.

Our Family and educational programmes were sold almost to capacity on every screening, along with many events running at 70% capacity and the Opening night being completely sold out.

Press

The festival gained excellent press coverage, both post and pre-festival with 11 national features and 14 local features being written on the festival. These included half page photographs in the Irish Examiner and The Irish Independent, along with major photos in The Star, The Sunday Business Post, The Kerryman, Kerry’s Eye and The Kingdom.

• A major 2 page feature in The Irish Times on Dingle listed The Dingle Film Festival in its top five ‘where to go in Dingle’.
• A feature on Cillian Murphy in Cara magazine by Tony Clayton-Lea in the June edition
• In conjunction with Fáilte Ireland, Dingle Film Festival was part of a major giveaway on Newstalk spanning all 5 major programmes: The Breakfast Show, Tom Dunne, Lunchtime, Moncrieff and The Right Hook on Friday 11th March.
• Tom Dunne on Newstalk interviewed Director Maurice Galway and special guest to the festival, Cillian Murphy on Friday 19th March.
• Lyric FM and Ian Dempsey on Today FM gave major coverage to the festival
• Wheeshie Fogerty, the most listened to show on Radio Kerry, interviewed Maurice Galway, director of Dingle Film Festival, for an hour on his show ‘In Conversation’.
• ‘Talk About’ with Deirdre Walsh on Radio Kerry also had Maurice as a special guest.

On Line features were reported on by Irish Film & Television News, Film Ireland, Irish Film Board and National Papers, and a number of International News websites covered Stephen Frears receiving The Gregory Peck Award and Cillian Murphy opening the festival.

International Guests

The festival aim, to bring to Dingle internationally acclaimed actors and film makers, was again achieved this year with special Guest Cillian Murphy opening the festival and the premiere screening of his lastest film Perrier’s Bounty launching the festival. Renowned director Stephen Frears, (films include: The Snapper, Dangerous Liaisons and The Queen) received The Gregory Peck Award: For Excellence in the Art of Film. The award, designed by jeweller Brian de Staic and based on The Aglish Pillar, was presented to Frears by producer Ned Dowd, (Last of the Mohicans, Veronica Guerin, Apocalypto) in a ceremony in The Phoenix Cinema which also included Frears giving a public interview, conducted by Film Critic John Maguire.

Tom Johnson, (Titanic, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland) the sound artist, gave an incredible talk on The Power of Sound; the “red hot” RED Camera was represented by RED head of Europe Alan Piper; and Laura Castelli from A ssimilate presented SCRATCH to an audience in The Phoenix Cinema - each presenting their work through a 4K projector supplied by HoloVis in the UK. Kevin Smart gave an introduction into the work of HoloVis. The panel also included Eric Mofford, Eugene McCrystal(Dublin) and Conor Horgan. All of this was an incredible first for Ireland; these guests and this technology never before being seen in Ireland, a world class event. The event was put together with Brian Nolan and Fás: TV & Production Unit Tralee.

Heiko Sparenberg gave a talk and introduction to DCP file creation. Apple Educators attended the festival and there was an excellent presentation on Apple Final Studio - RED workflow given by Chris Grey.

Eric Mofford introduced his film ‘Houston we have a problem’, Anthony Wall, BBC Arena, introduced his film ‘Harold Pinter: A Celebration’ and Oli Hartbottle from DOGWOOF introduced their films ‘Mugabe and the white African’ and Crude’.

The festival attracted Director Sir Alan Parker and actress Sarah Miles in 2007; Cultural Ambassador of Ireland and Actor, Gabriel Bryne in 2008; and actress Saoirse Ronan and director Jim Sheridan in 2009.

Irish Film Industry

The Irish film industry was well represented at the festival in a number of events and screenings. A point of note here being that the numbers of Irish industry guests quadrupled on last September.

Brendan Touhy, chaired a group of experts on ‘The Future of Film in Ireland’ and the panel included; Head of Business, The Irish Film Board, Teresa McGrane; MD of Ardmore Studios, Kevin Moriarty; Producer, Ed Guiney (Zonad, Five Minutes of Heaven, Garage, Adam & Paul); Director, Paddy Breathnach (I Went Down, Man About Dog); Writer, Marc Flanagan (Tracey Ullman Show); and Film Critic, John Maguire.

Following the RED seminar Conor Horgan introduced his film ‘One Hundred Mornings’ which was shot on RED. Edwina Forkin, Zanzibar Productions introduced her film ‘Swansong’, Director Margaret Corkery, introduced her first feature ‘Eamon’ and Paddy Breathnach gave a Q&A following a retrospective screening of his ‘I Went Down’. Otto Schlindwein and performers from ‘Descendants’ were present at their screening and performed live before and after the screening.

A number of Irish shorts were also represented including Aideen O Sullivan and Ross Whitaker Directors of ‘Buy Buy Now’ and Steph Green, Director of ‘New Boy’.

Photo Journalist, Padraig Kennelly opened the international exhibition ‘Wisdom’ (featuring Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, Judi Dench, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu) by Andrew Zuckerman in the Siamsa Gallery which ran until April 17th and which received a tremendous response from visitors to the gallery. The exhibition moves on to be exhibited in New York later this year.

Business people of Dingle

The feeling in Dingle during and after the festival was of major positiveness towards, and genuine excitement about, the festival – in particular the buzz and business it created over the weekend. The festival clubs were a major networking opportunity and proved what a sociable event the festival is, with each club night being packed to capacity and facilitating close proximity with all guests in a open and friendly environment. As one guest commented when asked why he repeatedly attends the festival, “there is no ego.”

We’ll Always Have Dingle

Taken from the classic line ‘We’ll always have Paris’ spoken by Ingrid Bergman in the film ‘Casablanca’ this is the title for a documentary being made on the festival in conjunction with this year’s event. Directed by Geoff Wonfor (Beatles Anthology), who was a guest of the festival in 2009, and was so impressed by the passion and the energy of the festival at that point that he promised to return and shoot a feature documentary on the festival in 2010. The documentary captured the festival throughout weekened and then continued to film following the festival for another 6 days.

The documentary pays homage to classic feature films and great film makers including David Lean, recreating some of the most compelling movie scenes of all time. It also pays tribute to festival organiser and founder Maurice Galway, who is playing a starring role in the film. The film will show how difficult it is to put on a festival and the dedication needed. The film is produced by Diane Namm and Debbie Vandermeulen, with Line Producer Eric Moffard (24), and Director of Photography being Eugene O Connor (Beatles Anthology, Killanaskully). The documentary interviewed guests at the 2010 festival, including Cillian Murphy and Stephen Frears. Musician and music buff Jools Holland and Fashion Designer Stella McCartney will also star in the film. One of the guests at this year’s festival, the singer Mary Coughlan, has also come on board to provide music for particular scenes.

Closing note

The 4th Dingle Film Festival was organised within a 5 month period and on very limited funding. No one is being paid at this point and all work is being achieved on a voluntary basis. This is an incredible achievement for any small company, but unrealistic for the sustainable future of the company. The festival has grown significally in the the past 4 years, but in order for it to be maintained and for such growth to continue, it needs investment.

This is essential: the value of the event both locally and nationally has been proven without any doubt at this point. The festival is being and has been endorsed by numerous International and National film personages; has achieved premiere screenings of major films; and has gained international press each year. It now needs to be valued by the State from a funding point of view and needs to attach itself to a number of sponsors who can understand the festival and share in the festival’s passion in what it is currently achieving on this beautiful peninsula on the south west coast of Ireland - a known film location, a major tourist destination and a place deep in the history of film.

A very special thank you to all our sponsors, funders and supporters

"The fact that you sit on sugán chairs at The Chart House gives you some idea of how homely and Irish this restaurant really is. This is, in a sense, the heart of Dingle where the local produce is really seafood. It is a restaurant that is designed to have a wide appeal while never losing sight of good cooking. Away from the sea you can expect local black pudding from Annasaul and the Kerry lamb that alwys seems to have its own flavour, that possibly comes from all that heather that grows so abundantly in the hills and mountains outside the town.

This is an honest place that does honest food, the sort of establishment to which you will wish to return time and time again."

Mount Brandon has been included in the "Irish Times" ''Book of Irish Walks'', a collection of the best walking routes in the country, chosen by contributors to the paper's travel supplement.

The author of the article on the Dingle Peninsula walk, Harry McGee, stated that walkers experience "the amazing phenomenon of feeling you are standing on the top of the sea."

• Dingle, Ireland, called "most beautiful place on Earth" by National Geographic
• Travellers can escape summer crowds by traveling to Dingle Peninsula during winter months
• Cottage rentals are cheaper in winter, and periods are more flexible
• Winter temperatures in western Ireland average 46 degrees F (7 Celsius)

Dingle was chosen as a best destination in the Top 100 World and Top 25 Europe categories by TripAdvisor® in the 2008 Travelers' Choice® Destinations Awards.
In its inaugural year, the TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Destinations Awards honor the world's top destinations, earning their distinction from those who know them best - real travelers.

Only TripAdvisor's Destinations Awards represent the opinions of millions of travelers.
The winners were determined by a combination of TripAdvisor's travelers' favorite places and overall popularity on TripAdvisor.

"Whether it's for their unique beauty, or abundance of attractions, the 2008 Travelers' Choice Destinations Awards honor the most beloved destinations from around the world," said Michele Perry, vice president of global communications for TripAdvisor. "Determined by millions of travelers, the Travelers' Choice Destinations Awards are unique because they single out not just popular places but truly exceptional places that enthrall travelers and keep them coming back."

For reviews on the Dingle Peninsula, go to this page

For the complete 2008 Travelers' Choice list, go to www.tripadvisor.com/TCDestinations