Feile na Bealtaine in Dingle will begin today and run until May 3rd next. It has a lot to offer and seeks to involve almost all of the 6,000 people who live in west Kerry. Tonight the students of the girls' Presentation School in Dingle will perform Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
During the week, Beckett will be discussed and there will be poetry and song and much interaction. Eileen Battersby of this newspaper will give a talk on African literature, and there will also be a talk on the excavation of the rath at Baile an bhFionurach.
The festival, as its name implies, is a celebration, after the fashion of the Celts, of the coming of summer. Some years ago, the organisers decided not to accept sponsorship from drinks companies - a brave decision but one that has brought with it some problems. It costs £20,000 to put on and the money has to be found somewhere. Udaras na Gaeltachta has agreed to become the main sponsor. Some funding is also available under the EU's Leader Programme and the Arts Council has recognised its importance to west Kerry by rowing in as well this year.
The theme of this year's event is Africa and on Monday next, a political symposium will be held to discuss the continent's problems. It will involve the Bishop of Kerry, Dr William Murphy, former Tanaiste Mr Dick Spring and Ms Bernie Ni Chuinn of Radio na Gaeltachta, Later in the evening, there will be readings by John McGahern and Jack Mapanje, the Malawian poet who was imprisoned for five years because of his political views, and who is now the writer in residence at UCC. Ar aghaidh leis an gceiliuradh!