Our guide, Maeve, lives in Kenmare and is active in Kenmare voices. The first evening we had the privilege to enjoy "an evening with Kenmare Klassics." The concert featured young musicians, as well as their teachers and mentors and the Kenmare voices. It included works by Haydn, Mozart, Debussy, Stravinsky, Bach, and a charming rendition of "The Cat Duet" by Rossini. The concert was held in St. Patrick's Church, a Church of Ireland church.
St.Patrick's Church
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| St Patrick’s church was consecrated and dedicated to St Patrick on 31 August 1858 |
Carnegie Players Production of Agnes of God
We had the pleasure of seeing a local production of Agnes of God that was outstanding. The actors were amazing. Agnes of God is a play by John Pielmeier. The title is a pun on the Latin phrase Agnus Dei (Lamb of God). Summoned to a covent, Dr. Martha Livingstone, a court-appointed psychiatrist, is charged with assessing the sanity of a young novitiat accused of murdering her newborn. Miriam Ruth, the Mother Superior, determindly keeps young Agnes from the doctor, arousing Livingstone's suspicions further. Who killed the infant and who fathered the tiny victim? Livingstone's questions force all three women to re-examine the meaning of faith and the power of love leading to a dramatic, compelling climax. A hit on Broadway, the play was adapted for a movie in 1985, starring Jane Fonda, Anne Bancroft, and Meg Tilly.
In the background you see some artwork on display. For the 150th Birthday of WB Yeats, eleven local schools were given a poem and a blank canvas to depict the poem.
Carnegie Arts Centre http://www.carnegieartskenmare.ie/
"The Carnegie Arts Centre was established in 2008 as a cultural centre for the people of South Kerry and the Beara Peninsula. It is envisaged as a hub for artistic activity in the local community for present and future generations. Since its foundation in 1670 Kenmare, the “Jewel” in the ring of Kerry, has been a haven of artistic and cultural activity. The centre aims to foster the creative arts in the local community and to attract national and international arts performers to the splendid surrounds of Kenmare.
This multi-purpose arts centre has a 140-seat theatre, a full-size cinema screen, a performance area and a gallery space for art exhibitions. Technical features include high-quality stage lighting and sound system fully equipped for concerts, lectures, drama and exhibitions. Kenmare in Irish (Neidin) means “little cradle” or “little nest”. The Carnegie Arts centre will nurture the artistic child in the little cradle that is Kenmare.
Carnegie Arts Centre Story
The old Carnegie Hall is a fitting location for the new centre as the building is steeped in history. Andrew Carnegie was the Scottish-American benefactor of libraries throughout Ireland. Between 1897 and 1913 Carnegie promised over £170,000 to pay for the building of some 80 libraries in Ireland, of which 62 survive to the present day, including Kenmare.
Like the present Board of Directors of the Carnegie Arts Centre, the enthusiasts of the early 1900’s, who saw the need for a library and associated community centre, met with many obstacles with regard to plans and feasibility of a library. However, like the present Board, they persisted and their plans were eventually approved. A grant of £1,500 was sanctioned and building work was started in Aug. 1913 under the supervision of Anthony Scott.
The library and community hall were opened in 1916. As well as a library the building was multi-purpose. Cumann Na mBan held first-aid sessions and the Irish language enthusiasts held classes on the premises. Concerts and dances were also common events. But its purpose was short lived as the political events of the 1920’s unfolded. It was taken over and occupied by the British Army for a period of seven months in 1921 and later was burned down during the Civil War on the 12 Sept. 1922.
By the end of the Civil War the building was a burnt-out shell. £3,000 was awarded for its refurbishment and it was reconstructed in 1924 under the direction of R. M. Butler. Some changes were made to the original, but the new building retained the two storey part to the front and the single storey to the back. The latter section was extended to almost three times its original length and a stage was an addition in the new plan.
By 1926 the Carnegie had returned to its original purpose, supporting the cultural life of the area, hosting a variety of events from dances to card games, concerts, Saturday night ceiles for the youth, FCA training centre, etc. The reading library was confined to the upstairs section. However, with the progress of time, it began to fade as a venue with the Silver Slipper Ballroom opening in the mid ‘60’s and, later, the Riversdale and Kenmare Bay Hotels being more attractive venues. The hall slowly deteriorated into a ghost venue and became defunct as a social outlet for the wider Kenmare area."
Tom Crean - Antartica Explorer
Tom Crean's descendents have a restaurant in Kenmare.
Born 1877 in Kerry, Ireland. Joined the Royal Navy at 15 years of age. Served on “Discovery” from 1901 – 1904 and “Terra Nova” 1910 – 1913 under Captain Robert Scott and from 1914 – 1916 served on “Endurance” under Sir Ernest Shackleton.
Survived for months trapped on the ice floes after the ship was crushed and journeyed with Shackleton and four others in a 21-foot lifeboat, across the South Atlantic (800 miles). They scaled the uncharted glaciers of South Georgia to reach help for their stricken colleagues left behind. Received the “Albert Medal” for bravery.
Returned to UK in 1916 to serve out the remaining time of WW1 and was medically discharged in 1919. He married a local Irish girl from Annascaul called Nell, and returned home to Ireland. They brought up two daughters Mary and Eileen. Sadly their middle daughter Kate died aged 4 in 1924. He remained in Annascaul, where he ran a public house with Nelle, until his death in 1938 of a burst appendix, aged 61.
