okaybee

Whose fault is it that this is only my first year at Other Voices?

I’m looking to blame anyone other than myself. So please step forward if you would like to be that person. Seriously though. Other Voices combines some of my favourite things in the world – music, Dingle, live bands, Guinness, and good people. It’s my new happy place. In Ireland that is, my foodie happy place to date is Vietnam, and my I-want-to-retire-here happy place is Caye Caulker.

All this came about because my good friend and photographer extraordinaire Emma texted me randomly one day asking did I want to go. Her friend Debbie had rented a house for 8 people, I wouldn’t know any of the others, but it would be fun and they needed a decision now.

Within 30 minutes I had booked a flight to Kerry (I was being a diva because one of my Christmas parties was the night before and I didn’t want to be hungover on a 5 hour drive), and paid for my accommodation. I’m like that sometimes, if I want to do something, I’ll just book it and figure it all out later.

I used to spend all my summers in Kerry as a kid. Namely around Rossbeigh and Dooks, but we’d always make a trip to Kerry for a Funghi visit, or some Murphy’s ice cream. My cousins and I hadn’t been back since we were kids, so we visited a few years back, but other than that there had been no major trips to Kerry. If you haven’t visited this part of Ireland, you’re really missing out. Kerry will always be one of my favourite places and Dingle is a special little part of that.

For those of you that don’t know, Other Voices is a small music gathering in Dingle, that consists of Irish and international bands and artists. They play in different pubs and venues around the town, with the most iconic being the St. James’s Church, where people like Amy Winehouse, Snow Patrol, The Temper Trap and Florence & the Machine have played to a small audience. Tickets to the church performances are done solely on a raffle basis, which unfortunately I didn’t win. But there’s enough amazing performances going on in pubs, cafes, marquees across the town that it doesn’t really matter!

I loved every moment of this weekend. It was such a lovely time and I feel like I haven’t shut up about it since going. We’ve already reserved our accommodation for next year, if that isn’t an indication of how amazing it was, then I don’t know what else is. It was a weekend of laughter, making new friends, music, a whole lot of Guinness, and one particularly amazing meal. Go to The Chart House if you’re in Dingle. It’s Michelin Bib and the food is insane. But don’t be like us, actually book it instead of having to blag your way in and sit at the bar. Worth it though.

I won’t go on, all you really need to know is that you need to go to Other Voices next year. It really opened my eyes to how much amazing talent there is in Ireland, and how many great events there are happening around us.

I’ll see you there, December 2019!