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Heritage Week 2017

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Event: Blackberry Jam Demonstration
Date: Tuesday 22nd August 2017
Time: 10.30am – 12.00pm
Venue: The Bakehouse Café, Rerrin
In late August the hedgerows of Bere Island are abundant with wild blackberries. Join islander Edel Murphy for a demonstration on the best way to make homemade blackberry jam. Booking is essential call 027 75099 or email bereconservation@gmail.com
 
Event: Beekeeping on Bere Island
Date: Wednesday 23rd August 2017
Time: 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Venue: Bere Island Heritage Centre, Ballinakilla
Honey has been a source of food and healing for millennia. Enjoy a talk by Bere Island beekeeper Barry Hanley on the basics of beekeeping and the mysteries of the hive.
 
Event: Bere Island WW1 Military History Walk
Date: Thursday 24th August 2017
Time: 11.00am – 1.00pm
Venue: Meet outside Murphy’s Shop & Post Office, Rerrin
Islander Chris Sullivan will lead a guided walk around Bere Island’s WW1 military fortifications as he recounts Bere Island’s strategic role in world history and what life was like for the islanders during this period.
 
Event: Turf Projects: Bere Island Colour Palette
Date: Saturday 26th August 2017
Time: 6.00pm – 7.00pm
Venue: The Lookout, West End
Turf Projects is a unique art project by Paula Barrett which is creating site-specific photographic colour palettes based on Bere Island’s landscape and it’s historical place names. Paula has developed a range of paints based on these colour palettes which is already being used to paint farm gates throughout the island. Paula will showcase her work on Turf Projects to date.
 
Event: The Moon from Bere Island
Date: Saturday 26th August 2017
Time: 7.30pm – 10.00pm
Venue: The Lookout, West End
Join the Cork Astronomy Club for an illustrated talk on the moon and the history of lunar exploration. Following the talk there will be an outdoor viewing session of the moon.
All events are free.  For further information contact 027 75099 or email bereconservation@gmail.com

Bere Island Midsummer Run

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Bere Island Midsummer Run
The  winners of the Bere Island Midsummer Run were:

Men’s 5K
1st  John O’Shaughnessy
2nd Billy Murphy
3rd Chris O’Connell

Women’s 5k
1st Lorna Santry
2nd Andrea McNamara
3rd Lorraine O’Sullivan

Men’s 10k
1st Frank Hayes
2nd Shane Harrington
3rd Vincent O’Sullivan

Women’s 10k
1st Alice Coppinger
2nd Kate O’Brien
3rd Sarah O’Brien

The full list of results can be found here:

www.bereislandmidsummerrun.wordpress.com

The Bere Island GAA Club thanked all those who took part in the island’s Midsummer Run and all their sponsors especially the main sponsors Chris and Lorraine Downey at Murphy’s SuperValu, Castletownbere.

Bere Island Events 2017

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Bere Island is home to wonderful festivals and events throughout the year

Check out our events calendar to find out about everything from our weekly island parkrun to our annual Festival of Music and Silence. Whether you’re looking to enjoy the activities an island has to offer, or escaping to enjoy the island’s enduring peace, our events offer you wonderful ways to connect with our landscape, heritage and local community.

Monday 17th July – Saturday 22nd July

Swim Week hosted by Irish Water Safety
Includes swimming lessons, lifesaving, water confidence and water safety.  For details contact Edel on 027 75988.

Saturday 22nd July
West Cork Fit Up Theatre Festival present Sharon at the Lecture Theatre, Rerrin at 8.00pm.

Monday 31st July – Friday 4th August
Sailing Week
Hosted by Bere Island Water Sports Club. For further details see the Club’s Facebook page. NB Sailing week is now fully booked.

Saturday 29th August
The West Cork Fit Up Theatre Festival present The Humours of Bandon at the Lecture Theatre at 8pm.

Tuesday 1st August – Thursday 3rd August
Children’s Summer Camp
For age groups 6 years to 16.   Activities to include arts and crafts, sports and seashore activities. Prices are €5 per child per day, and €12 for a family of three per day.  To book contact Tim 027 75099.

Saturday 5th August
The West Cork Fit Up Theatre Festival present Green and Blue at 8pm at the Lecture Theatre, Rerrin.

Tuesday 8th August – Sunday 13th August
Bere Island Festival
A full programme of events will be announced shortly, and will include regular events such as the Children’s Sports Day, Adults and Children’s Biathlon, Children’s Talent contest and watersports events including the raft race, kayaking, swimming competition etc.

Saturday 12th August
The West Cork Fit Up Theatre Festival present End of Day at 8pm at the Lecture Theatre, Rerrin.

Tuesday 8th August – Thursday 10th August
Children’s Summer Camp
For age groups 6 years to 16.   Activities to include arts and crafts, sports and seashore activities. Prices are €5 per child per day, and €12 for a family of three per day.  To book contact Tim 027 75099.

Saturday 19th August – Sunday 27th August
Heritage Week
Tuesday 22nd August:  11am at The Bakehouse, Rerrin
Learn how to make Bere Island blackberry jam with Edel Murphy. Free event, booking essential on 027 75099.

Wednesday 23rd August: 2.30pm – 3.30pm at Heritage Centre
Illustrated talk on beekeeping with island beekeeper Barry Hanley.
Free event. Free event.

Thursday 24th August: 11.00am meet outside Murphy’s Shop, Rerrin.
Guided walk around Bere Island’s WW1 military fortifications with islander Chris Sullivan.  Free event.

Saturday 26th August: 6.00pm The Lookout, West End Pier.
Turf Projects – art project exploring the unique colour palette of the Bere Island landscape. Free event.

Saturday 26th August: 7.30pm The Lookout, West End Pier.
The Moon from Bere Island. Illustrated talk and moon viewing with the Cork Astronomy Club. Free event.

Friday 22nd September – Sunday 24th September
Music and Silence Festival
For details and bookings please contact Theresa Hobbs at theresawccm@gmail.com or 0861621803. More details will follow on the Bere Island Heritage Centre Facebook page.

Saturday 7th October – Sunday 8th October
Walking Festival
Explore the length and breadth of Bere Island, taking in some spectacular scenery with a series of guided walks – or explore the island’s unique history and landscape in your own time.

Don’t forget, the Bere Island parkrun takes place every Saturday at 9.30am.

Bere Island Events 2017
Bere Island Events 2017

Bere Island Active Retirement Group

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The  Active Retirement Group fortnightly coffee mornings will resume in September.

The rural transport bus travels to Castletownbere on Tuesdays and Fridays, travelling out on the 10am ferry from the west end and returning on the 1.30pm ferry.  The bus will pick you up from your home and drop you back after.

The bus is free for holders of travel passes.

If you would like to avail of the bus service please contact 027 75099.  The bus also transports people to and from Mass on Sundays.

 

Bere Island Waste Collection

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Collections of household refuse will take place on the following dates:

Tuesday 25th July

Tuesday 8th August

Tuesday 22nd August

Please ensure each refuse bag has a waste sticker on it.  Stickers cost €9 and can be purchased from Murphy’s Shop and the Project Group Office.

Materials for recycling can be placed in the appropriate containers at the recycling centre on the west end pier.  Donations towards the running of the  centre are greatly appreciated and can be left in the honesty box at the centre.

We thank you for your assistance in keeping our island tidy.

Bere Island e Centre

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The Bere Island e Centre is now open at the Bere Island Heritage Centre, offering office space is available on an hourly/daily/weekly basis:

Broadband
No overheads – all inclusive rate
Meeting room facilities
Networking opportunities
A supportive environment
Links to enterprise agencies

Phone: 027 75956
Email: info@ecentres.ie

E Centres

Bere Island Heritage Bus Tours

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This summer sees the launch of heritage bus tours on Bere Island – one of the most storied spots on the Wild Atlantic Way.

The island lies at the entrance to the magnificent Bantry Bay and guards the deep water harbour of Berehaven. Due to its strategic location, Bere Island has played an important role in Ireland’s story over the centuries. The island is rich in archaeological sites dating from the Bronze Age through to Medieval times, including ring forts, standing stones, wedge tombs and burial sites.

Bere Island Heritage Bus Tours will alternate between the east and west ends of the island, and will give visitors a great chance to learn about the island’s fascinating past.

Book now at

or call John on 086 387 7943.
Bere Island Heritage Bus Tours
Bere Island Heritage Bus Tours

Bere Island parkrun

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parkrun photo

Runners line up at the starting line of the Bere Island parkrun

Bere Island parkrun is on every Saturday at 9.30am.  The park run is a 5k measured course around the eastern end of the island and is open to  runners, joggers and walkers.  

Parkruns are free 5k running events which take place every week. The run is free, although participants are encouraged to register online in order to obtain a bar code, which is scanned at the beginning and end of their run, allowing them to track their progress on a weekly basis.

The parkrun was founded in 2005, with the first run taking place in Teddington, England. The idea quickly took off and there are now parkruns worldwide, with all runs organised on a voluntary basis.

On any given Saturday on Bere Island, you could be running or walking  alongside islanders of all ages, visitors and members of the Irish Defence Forces who have a training base on the island. Past runners of the Bere Island parkrun have included Olympic silver medalist Sonia O’Sullivan, parkrun founder Paul Sinton-Hewitt, and the Running Guru, Noel Berkeley.

The Bere Island park run, which is on the Wild Atlantic Way offers spectacular scenery of Bantry Bay with a route which takes in a Bronze Age wedge tomb, remains of a Viking boatyard and a former World War One military battery.  At the end of the run everyone heads to the Bakehouse Cafe in Rerrin Village for a coffee, scone and a chat.

Bere Island Ferries leaves Castletownbere at 9.00am,  and provide bus transport to the starting line.  Call Colum on 086 2423140 to book the ferry and bus for a special deal of €10.   The ferry returns to Castletownbere at 11.15am

Or why not make a weekend of it and stay on Bere Island which has a variety of accommodation on offer.

Runners, joggers and walkers of all ages and fitness levels are all welcome to take part in the Bere Island parkrun. To take part, you need to register at www.parkrun.ie

Once you have registered you will be sent a confirmation email containing your barcode and information on what to do next. You will then need to bring your barcode to the parkrun event on Bere Island, or to any of the parkrun events on offer worldwide.

If you require any further information or would like to volunteer at any of the runs please email bereislandhelpers@parkrun.com.