Féile an Phráta: July/Iúil

13th JULY/IÚIL 2025

Féile an Phráta (the Potato Festival) celebrates the importance of the humble potato or ‘spud’ in the diet and lives of the people of Iarthar Dhuibhne (West Kerry).

Local growers are very proud of their potatoes which are among the best in Ireland due to the sandy soil and abundant nutrients in the area. Each year over 100 growers compete for the honour and glory of becoming Laoch an Phráta (Potato Champion). 

Over the weekend of 8th July the programme of events will include a number of activities including an important retrospective on the Great Irish Famine in collaboration with the UCC School of History particularly focussing on how the Famine affected the Iarthar Dhuibne area.

In West Kerry, as in many other areas, the Great Famine led to untold human misery and death but also created a huge wave of emigration to North America and Britain.

Our Féile an Phráta programme invites the descendants of those who braved the terrors of emigration to come and walk in their footsteps.

We also invite students of Irish History everywhere to participate in our lecture series and visit an old Famine Village near Ballyferriter and to experience where history was made.