A fairy good idea in Kilflynn

WHILE it may go down as one of the most unique years in the history of the Kilflynn Fairy Festival, organisers are most certainly making the most of whole situation.

Not only have they enjoyed a virtual festival over the past two weeks, but they have also been doing their part for charity by raising much-needed funds for the Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice.

Speaking to The Kerryman about the 2020 outing, Mick Brady, who is the Chairman of the popular annual festival, said that it is the magic of the festival that people remember and love every year.

This year, organisers have had to get creative, and they have done this by asking the local community to get out and get involved.

For the past few weeks, Mick and his team have asked locals to undertake a series of creative challenges designed to keep the fairy magic alive; some of these challenges have included: the best-dressed enchanted family, which included themes such as fairies, knights, mystical people, superheroes, trolls, elves and more; the most enchanted magical garden/plot; and the best magical-themed Tik-Tok video.

To enter their chosen idea, each family was asked to donate just €5 to the Laura Lynn Hospice, a charity that Mick said was a no-brainer to choose to benefit from their funds; at the time of writing, they have raised €875.

“It was children-oriented. The kids at Laura Lynn, they are coming to the end of life.

It’s a very worthwhile cause,” he said.

“It’s a small group as well and that’s one of the things that we liked about it, the fact that it’s a small organisation that doesn’t deal in huge numbers. You can see more clearly where the money goes, you know,” said Mick.

Asked how they have been coping with having the festival in virtual form this year, Mick joked that it’s certainly been quieter for organisers but that he likes the fact that the challenges have been ones that have gotten the kids thinking and outdoors, away from phones and tablets, which he joked that the kids are probably sick of looking at after three months of lock-down.

Finishing up, he wanted to reassure all fans of the festival that, if everything’s back to normal next year, the 2021 festival will be one to remember.

“2021 will be the biggest and best fairy festival ever,” he said.

ABOVE: RIGHT: Fairies Pearl and Ruby launch the virtual Kilflynn Fairy Festival recently. Poppy the Fairy, Pearl (Queen of the fairies) Ruby the Rainbow Fairy and Bell at the launch of the 2020 Virtual Kilfynn Fairy Festival, which will this year be raising funds for the Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice.

Photos by Domnick Walsh.