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'Major celebration' to mark the 30th anniversary of Fungie's arrival

Dingle is to mark the 30th anniversary of the arrival of Fungie the dolphin with a weekend of festivities this month.

A WEEKEND-LONG celebration is to take place in Dingle to mark the 30th anniversary of the arrival of one of the town’s most famous adopted sons – Fungie the dolphin.

The late lighthouse keeper Paddy Ferritter first spotted Fungie in 1983 in Dingle Harbour, where the human-friendly dolphin decided to make his home.

The anniversary celebrations will part of Dingle’s contribution to The Gathering.

On 26 April, broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan will launch a weekend of films, drama, music, sailings, exhibitions and discussions exploring Fungie’s time in the Harbour. John O’Connor, who with his family was the first to swim with Fungie when he initially came to stay, will take part in the opening ceremony – along with other early companions and recorders of the dolphin’s friendliness, Sean Mannion and Ronnie Fitzgibbon.

Dr Horace Dobbs, aka ‘The Dolphin Man’, made a film entitled The Dolphin’s Touch about Fungie which – for the first time – placed the Dingle dolphin in a healing context. Dobbs will also visit the festival and talk of his work.

All of the weekend will be family-friendly – with storytelling, activities at the local aquarium and a children’s workshop planned – and much will be free, organisers say. Sailing and swims with Fungie will also take place over the weekend.

Local artists, singers and musicians will take part in the festivities, with duo Lumiere performing at the opening and many others taking part throughout the weekend.

For more information, please visit FungieDolphin.com

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37 Comments
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    Mute Ciaran Dillon
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    Apr 6th 2013, 4:32 PM

    Reminds me of how my parents would bring my goldfish to the vet when ever he got poorly. He always came back in flying form. It’s amazing how resilient out aquatic friends can be.

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    Mute Liz (10) (^_^)
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    Apr 6th 2013, 3:58 PM

    Fungie’s a legend :)

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    Mute Liz (10) (^_^)
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    Apr 6th 2013, 3:59 PM

    As in he’s great, not a myth.
    (Damn, had to come after the negative comment didn’t I)

    57
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    Mute ADEBAYO FLYNN BITCH
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    Apr 6th 2013, 4:04 PM

    Fungie is an attention seeker. A fraud.

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    Mute Kevin Whyte
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    Apr 6th 2013, 4:11 PM

    Congrats Dingle. You can always be relied on to attract tourists. All credit to the organisers.

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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Apr 6th 2013, 3:59 PM

    I went to school with him. Bit of a thick.

    47
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    Mute Sharpest Pat
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    Apr 6th 2013, 5:42 PM

    ……….. takes one to know one:p

    47
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    Mute Frank2521
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    Apr 6th 2013, 5:32 PM

    I heard the Healy Reas brought him in and got a grant for it.

    46
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    Mute Brian Houlihan
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    Apr 6th 2013, 5:46 PM

    Fungie for taoiseach.

    Still more plausible than Gilmore for taoiseach…

    45
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    Mute Elaine Flannery Garvey
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    Apr 6th 2013, 10:53 PM

    It always fascinates me when people say “It’s not the same dolphin!” Think logically about it, folks – it is so rare for a dolphin to stay in one place for any length of time, it makes no sense at all to suggest that the original Fungie left/died, and was immediately replaced by another. If it was as easy as that EVERY harbour would have a dolphin at this stage, because there is absolutely no denying the economic benefit he has been to the area.

    As for the idiot that suggested that the “locals” would “robb” (sic) people, and that Dingle was a “dump”… one word for you – DONKEY!

    Yes, I’m from Dingle and very proud of it!

    45
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    Mute Kathleen Charlonis
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    Apr 7th 2013, 5:31 PM

    Dingle is beautiful and I always have a great time down there.

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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    Apr 6th 2013, 4:33 PM

    B lowe will be on soon to tell us he’s not really fungi…but an American spy drone.

    44
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    Mute craig david
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    Apr 6th 2013, 4:20 PM

    Dolphin tastes like chicken

    38
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    Mute bedstuybosco
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    Apr 6th 2013, 4:17 PM

    Fungie is “The King” :-)

    37
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    Mute Eric Nolan
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    Apr 6th 2013, 3:52 PM

    Pretty sure it’s not the same dolphin:) Good to see events happening to attract tourists though.

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    Mute Tokidoll
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    Apr 6th 2013, 3:58 PM

    Some dolphins can live up to 50 years

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    Mute Chris Neville
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    Apr 6th 2013, 4:02 PM

    Ladies & Gentleman, give a big hand to Eric Nolan, The Journals comments section resident “Dolphin Expert”. Good to have you here Eric, without you we would have to wait ages for someone else to make an uninformed comment about the Dolphins age.

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    Mute Eric Nolan
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    Apr 6th 2013, 4:12 PM

    Thanks Chris Neville. I believe this is a comment section, and I just gave my opinion. Do you enjoy ridiculing strangers?

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    Mute Chris Neville
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    Apr 6th 2013, 4:18 PM

    No Eric I don’t. Was only having a laugh. Didn’t mean to offend.

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    Mute Sean O'Sullivan
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    Apr 6th 2013, 4:51 PM

    I notice that the journos at the journal have got very sensitive lately. I got a dressing down last weekend over a “slow news day” comment. They are getting like the Sindo!

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    Mute Sean O'Sullivan
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    Apr 6th 2013, 4:55 PM

    Eric…isnt that what the comment section is for…….ridiculing everyone!

    12
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    Mute Billy Nomates
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    Apr 6th 2013, 8:05 PM

    Fungi should organise a Gathering for other dolphins, there’s this website where you can…nope…not arsed

    24
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    Mute Ken Donegan
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    Apr 6th 2013, 5:51 PM

    No doubt the locals will robb tourists because only for fungi dingle is a dump…..

    17
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    Mute Kathleen Charlonis
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    Apr 7th 2013, 5:34 PM

    Really.

    2
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    Mute Dolphins
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    Apr 6th 2013, 10:37 PM

    May he long live !!

    14
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    Mute Brian O' Donoghue
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    Apr 6th 2013, 4:33 PM

    Who named him?

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    Mute Paddy Murphy
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    Apr 6th 2013, 5:01 PM

    “In the early days one of the Dingle fishermen was teased by his mates for taking an interest in the dolphin, at a time when it was definitely not cool to do so. He was also being teased for trying to grow a beard, which resulted in the nickname ‘Fungus’. Hence the dolphin was ‘Fungus’s dolphin’ and in time the name got transferred from man to dolphin and abbreviated.”

    http://www.irishdolphins.com/webpilot/list/details.asp?contentid=75&l=2#8

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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    Apr 6th 2013, 4:57 PM

    Jesu, this really smacks of desperation in this year of ‘the grabbing’.

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    Mute Paddy Murphy
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    Apr 6th 2013, 5:03 PM

    How’s life Sheik, Get out an enjoy the world much?

    34
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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    Apr 6th 2013, 5:36 PM

    Not a bother. :-)

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    Mute Ronan Quinn
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    Apr 6th 2013, 8:47 PM

    ey is it true some kerry people sound as if they realy from cork

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    Mute Kathleen Charlonis
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    Apr 7th 2013, 5:32 PM

    No it’s not.

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    Mute Holiday Dingle
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    Apr 7th 2013, 3:36 AM

    Video: Fungi 30 years in Dingle ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND April 26th – 28th 2013
    from dingle999
    http://vimeo.com/59732980

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    Mute Bridget Flannery
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    Apr 7th 2013, 10:15 PM

    All of the events taking place for 30 yrs celebration of fungie in Dingle are practically free – all talks , all music etc , it is a celebration for anyone who has ever been or involved with fungie or who has been lucky enough to spend time and share theie expericences with this wonderful Dolphin , http://www.fungiedolphin.com

    The 1hr boat tour to see fungie all weekend from 26th to 28th will offer Every child free with a paying Adult , 10% off couples and groups http://www.dingledolphin.com

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    Mute Richie C
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    Apr 7th 2013, 11:26 AM

    I hear they’ll be screening The Cove for all the dolphin loving kiddies.

    2
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    Mute Bridget Flannery
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    Apr 7th 2013, 10:00 PM

    there will be A screening of wild in the wild and a Dolphins gift ,
    Look on http://www.fungiedolphin.com for full agenda for the 3 day event

    3
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    Mute Holiday Dingle
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    Apr 8th 2013, 2:09 AM

    There is indeed only one Fungi ..
    here is a selection of photos taken between 17 Jun 2012 & 05 Apr 2013.
    http://tmblr.co/ZFqLrviAJb9K

    Amazing animal.. he is indeed a gentleman with charactor
    G. Horgan

    1
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