How we celebrate the New Year in Portmagee.

Just then, however, a smartly-dressed young stranger, emerged from their midst and seemed to assume the mantle of leading the motley crew up and down the village once more. This time round, however, the tunes were far more uplifting and the beat of the drums was stirring the local's blood.

The procession stopped at the head of the pier once more and the young man in the top hat and swallow tails asked the crowd for silence. At this point, he was joined by the 'old man' who some of the locals recgnised as being, in fact, one of the sailors from the MacGonagle. The young man went on to explain just what exactly they were doing.

The reason for the procession, he told them, was that in their home village of Lichylachylomond, this custom was carried out without fail to celebrate the coming of the new year. Given the vagaries of the sailor's itinerary, his captain, Alaister McHarg, wished that the should continue to enact the custom, wherever they might be each New Year's Eve.

And so it was that the custom of the 'Old Year' began in Portmagee. Starting the very next year, which co-incidentally was one of the hungriest the village had ever seen, the locals re-enacted the custom in honour of the strange Scottish men who had so entertained them the previous year. And the custom has been repeated every year to this day.

Like I said, it's pretty crazy around here on New Year's Eve. John Devane, who's played the old year for the last 20 years, on and off, emerges from our pub and leads musicians and torch-bearers and all of the local children up and down the village before expiring theatrically at 12:00.

Last year, being the millennium year, was especially memorable. A beautiful clear sky, the streets packed with people from near and far smiling and laughing - a truly magical night. There are videos of the event available so contact Gerard if you're interested.

If you're from Kerry or are anywhere near the area on New Year's Eve, this is the place to be. But if you're looking for a place to stay, you have to be quick, because most accommodation for New Year's is gone by the end of September.

A special word of thanks to Michael Hermann for providing us with these great photos.

Contact Information

Moorings Guesthouse
Portmagee
Co. Kerry
Ireland

Tel: +353 66 9477108
Fax:+353 66 9477220
E-mail: info@moorings.ie
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The 'Old Year' - Birth of a custom | The greatest show on earth?
Portmagee - Welcome | Location | Activities | Magee's Port | Skelligs Rocks | New Year
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