The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Going wild in a coastal paradise
ACTION-PACKED WEEKEND OF WONDER AND FUN IN FENIT WITH INAUGURAL ENVIRONMENTAL FESTIVAL WILD MIND
MICROPLASTICS, collapsing bird populations, mounting litter on land and shore, and a warming climate – it gets heavy, fast, thinking about the damage we’re doing to our precious planet and our fellow creatures.
But one community campaigning brilliantly to re-connect us with Mother Earth is laying on a festival set to blow minds in an explosion of film, music, outdoor activity and much, much more.
Wild Mind Nature Festival takes place in Fenit over four days from Thursday, April 26 to Sunday 29 – following the success of a biodiversity event held in the stunning port in recent years.
“The festival is about getting a positive message across on the very serious issue of the environment and the damage we’re causing to it,” organiser Mike O’Neill said.
“We can’t keep pretending everything is fine with the impact of human behaviour on our planet.
“The way we’re treating it at the moment it’s not going to last very long for us, but there are so many positive things we can start doing now. It is never too late and Wild Mind is all about emphasising the positives,” Mike said.
The range of expert speakers on the way to Fenit alone is staggering with the man behind upcoming doc Ireland’s Deep Atlantic film-maker Ken O’Sullivan – whose family hail from Fenit Island – first on the programme in a talk at the Community centre.
Champion surfer Easkey Britton will meanwhile arrive to Fenit to discuss our many connections to the sea at Mike’s own Beach Café on Saturday at 12noon.
“Niall Hatch of Birdwatch Ireland is also coming for a Q&A session around the screening of a US film called The Messenger focusing on our relationships with songbirds and the drastic impact of human behaviour on their numbers.
“Niall will also lead a free birdwatching tour the following morning, Saturday, from 10am,” Mike said.
Film is a huge part of the programme – with two gems screening for school pupils at the Tralee Omniplex on Friday 27: ‘A Plastic Ocean’ narrated by David Attenborough (10am) and ‘Éire Fhiáin’ at 12noon.
“Éire Fhiáin is a stunning piece made by Eoin Warner that actually beat the BBC’s Blue Planet 2 to win Best Natural History Documentary in the Grierson Awards, which tells you how good it is.
“There are two versions, English and Irish but we’re screening the Irish one as we are very keen to promote the native language in Wild Mind too.”
There’s simply too much going on to offer a comprehensive synopsis of what promises to be an incredible celebration of nature right in the heart of one of the wildest coastlines in Europe, with so much for all the family.
Check it out on www.wildmind.ie or get your hands on a brochure.