A double launch held on Thursday officially introduced two free summer music programmes for Killarney.

Both initiatives are directed and produced by local folk musician Tim O’Shea, highlighting a new acoustic music venture alongside the return of a long-running youth traditional arts showcase.

Following a successful pilot scheme last year, “The Anam Sessions” have been officially launched for the summer months.

This new series will feature early evening concerts showcasing local Kerry folk, traditional, singer-songwriter, and Afro-Irish acoustic music.

The sessions will run for five nights only, taking place every second Wednesday from 7pm to 9pm at ANAM on East Avenue Road.

The performance dates are 1 July, 15 July, 29 July, 12 August, and 26 August. Curated by Tim O’Shea, who will also perform alongside the guests each night, the line-up includes Fiona Doyle from Beaufort, Samuel Kiwanuka from Tralee, Mike Walsh from Knocknagoshel, and Philip Crickard from Ardfert. The series is sponsored by the Kerry Arts Office of Kerry County Council.

The launch also marked the return of “Spraoi Chiarraí” for its 21st season. This performance collective provides a mentorship platform for young local Kerry talent to gain experience in high-profile concert settings and develop their performance skills.

The Spraoi Chiarraí concerts will take place across five Saturdays at 8pm inside St. Mary’s Church of Ireland, opposite the Town Hall.

The scheduled dates are 4 July, 25 July, 1 August, 15 August, and 22 August. The opening concert on 4 July will feature accordionist Maighréad Ní Lúasa from Coolea, Ballyvourney, alongside her students from the Fermoy area. The group has also been invited to perform at Puck Fair this August.

The youth traditional arts programme is supported by Kerry County Council Killarney Municipal District, the Arts and Community Offices, Kerry Gems, the Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, and the St. Mary’s Church of Ireland Vestry Committee.

Admission to all events across both festival bills is free, and families are welcome to attend. For more details, the public can contact Tim O’Shea at 087 2814550, email timoshea99@hotmail.com, or visit timosheaandfriends.com.

Fassbender returns to Le Mans in Porsche

Fossa’s Michael Fassbender made a successful return to the Circuit de la Sarthe last weekend.

The Fossa-raised actor and racing enthusiast competed as a guest driver in the Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil. The series served as a headline support fixture for the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Fassbender previously competed in the main 24-hour event in 2022 and 2023. For his return, he took the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.
Lining up against a competitive field of 35 drivers, the actor navigated the challenging French circuit across two sprint races. After finishing 25th in Thursday’s opening race, he climbed the order to finish an impressive 14th on Saturday morning.
The event was historic for the Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil. The one-make championship held rounds in France for the first time since the series’ founding in 2005.