Festival matches music, love, and an island setting

As if Kerry didn’t have enough excuses for a knees-up, here comes another — but this one is sited on the island of Valentia (next parish New York).

It’s billed as a boutique music festival which seeks to draw music lovers to the picturesque island off south-west Kerry to what has been deemed Europe’s only “music and mingling” festival — M&M for short.

The Valentia Isle Festival, co-funded by the Rural Development Programme, takes place from Sep 14 to 16 and is set to attract music fans, lovers of the outdoors, and those in search of a partner to mingle and mix for the three-day event.

The festival will see special dating and matchmaking workshops mix with some of Ireland’s top musicians performing to more than 1,000 people. The island will be home to three stages, with headliners performing in The Big Top, while the Paddy Mirage tent will host roots/folk/reggae and traditional talents.

Ireland’s modern matchmaker Avril Mulcahy — aka Miss Singlelista — will shake-up the singles scene with power-flirting workshops and dating activities. The festival site will also host an array of fringe activities such as local crafts, arts, holistic therapies, and an artisan food village.

Speaking at the launch, Anthea Murphy, local businesswoman and Valentia Isle Festival director, said: “I have always wanted to set up a festival on the island. The local support so far has been amazing and we look forward to working with local businesses in the coming weeks to ensure the festival will bring a boost to the local economy. We are enormously grateful for the support of the South Kerry Development Partnership for making our dream a reality and to Bavaria for coming on board as a sponsor.”

Tickets for the festival go on sale this Saturday through valentiaislefestival.com.

If you can’t wait for Valentia, head to Féile na Gréine, a summer solstice arts festival which gets underway near Waterville tomorrow.

The longest day of the year will be marked with Ceol na nGallán, Music at the Megaliths, at the Íochtar Cua Standing Stones, a 4,000-year-old alignment overlooking Ballinskelligs Bay and Lough Currane.

The festival, based in Tech Amergin, Waterville, will run until Saturday night.

Meanwhile, a spectacular flower festival is taking place in Clonakilty this week. Tomorrow, more than 200 flower arrangers will present elegant displays exhibited in the town’s three churches from Friday to Sunday.

The event, which is set to raise more than €30,000 for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, is expected to attract 2,500 visitors from around the country.