This blog is a personal take on Listowel, Co. Kerry. I am writing for anyone anywhere with a Listowel connection but especially for sons and daughters of Listowel who find themselves far from home. Contact me at listowelconnection@gmail.com
In whatever language you choose, and at either end of The Square, The Square is The Square is The Square.
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From Schools’ Folklore
A rogue brogue maker
About fifty years ago in Listowel in addition to men making boots there was also men who used to make cheap brogues or low shoes. Every time there would be a fair in Abbeyfeale they would take an ass load of these brogoues to the fair and sell them in the fair just as people sell second hand clothes now. The best known one of those was called Johnny the Cottoner (O Connor) a brother to famous Patsy. Patsy used work hard making brogues up to the time of the fair. On that night he would be mad drunk. Most of the houses at the top of church street at this time were thatched houses. Patsy would roll home about midnight and break most of the windows up on his end of the street. He would take the road the following morning and would not come back again till things were forgotten again. These brogues were stitched by the hand but at that time the shoemakers used work by “lamplight” and often worked well after midnight.
Told to W. Keane by Mrs. Keane
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Mural in Athea
People and horse in Jim Dunn’s extraordinary mural
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A Poem
But You Didn’t
By Merrill Glass
Remember the time you lent me your car and I dented it? I thought you’d kill me… But you didn’t.
Remember the time I forgot to tell you the dance was formal, and you came in jeans? I thought you’d hate me… But you didn’t.
Remember the times I’d flirt with other boys just to make you jealous, and you were? I thought you’d drop me… But you didn’t.
There were plenty of things you did to put up with me, to keep me happy, to love me, and there are so many things I wanted to tell you when you returned from Vietnam… But you didn’t.
Charles Street’s Irish name is Sráid Uí Chonghaile (Connolly St.)
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A Heritage Shopfront
This beautiful shopfront on William Street is a fine example of work appropriate for a heritage town.
Beautiful sign
I even caught the proprietors at the door. Well done, Lisa. Lovely job!
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Progress at Lidl Upgrade
Still a building site but the foundations are laid.
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Connecting People
I get all sorts of different emails and messages from people who want to connect with Listowel people.
Story: Valerie O’Sullivan took this great photo of our very own National Treasure, Jimmy Hickey, in his workshop.
A researcher for the Oliver Callan radio programme saw it and thought it looked interesting.
Then the researcher, Susan, searched to see who might have contact details for Jimmy.
A few phonecalls later and the two are in touch. If Susan tells me in time. I’ll alert you when or if the programme will be aired.
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Schools Folklore
Bryan MacMahon encouraged the boys to tell all sorts of stories for the collection. He obviously realised the value of the project and he collected a huge body of stories, some true and some a bit hard to swallow.
Here is one I have no doubt is true;
Basket making was a very old trade in Ireland in years gone by. Cliabhs and sgiaths are still being made by a young man named Martin Healy Cleveragh Listowel. He learned the trade from his father. Twigs with which the baskets are made are growing around his house and in the winter time when work is scarce he makes baskets from them. When he has 8 or 9 made he usually takes them to the market on a Friday and they are bought by farmers. The high baskets are called cliabhs and are generally used for bringing turf.
The collector is Jeremiah Carroll. He got the story from Tom Carroll
This is Upper William Street. The Premises at the far left of the picture is Number 21, an off licence. If Tankers is number 8, then Number 21 is not at 21.
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Craft Group
This lovely collage was made by one of the NEWKD Craft Circle. It shows examples of the craftwork people do in the Wednesday evening get togethers.
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An Essay from Mick O’Callaghan
The times they are a changing
I was born post-World War 2 in 1947. The treaties of Paris had been signed, and a shaky peace existed in the world. The Marshall plan had been signed to help rebuild Europe after the war. The United Nations voted to partition Palestine into two separate states, one Jewish and one Arab.
India and Pakistan also won their independence from Britain in that year.
At home my parents, who lived and were married in London during the war spoke a lot about air raid shelters, food rationing and survival during their time in London. They taught me a lot about the futility of war and the difficult task of negotiating peace.
My grandparents, on. both sides, who had spent their pre marriage years in America often spoke about the Marshall plan and how it would rescue Europe. They also remembered the first world war and our own war of independence. There was intense bitterness in their home areas post war of independence. They taught us to respect each other and our close family and friends
I started my primary education in Moyderwell Mercy National School, Tralee in 1951.
The building of The Empire State Building was also finished in 1951. Nat King Cole was the dominant music man and Audrey Hepburn was our favourite film star.
When I made my First Communion in 1954, I remember visiting my relatives who lived in the area and collecting a few pounds.
1954 was also the Marian Year, a year of special devotion to our Lady. My family was involved in building the Marian Shrine Grotto in the village. We all recited the rosary and sang the hymn ‘Queen of the May’ there in our earlier years during the month of May. It is still maintained and visited by the present generation of people living there.
I also recall the launch of Tayto crisps which are still there today and eagerly requested by generations of ex pats around the world.
Roger Bannister, that great British Athlete, broke the 4-minute mile barrier in Oxford.
Another precious moment in my life was the confirmation Ceremony in 1958. I remember all the preparations and learning the catechism by heart and the visit of the bishop. Like the first communion we had the family, friends and neighbours to visit and all donations, great and small were gratefully accepted.
In the week after we were made soldiers of the Lord, we visited Cabell’s toy shop in Tralee to spend some of the Confirmation money. There we saw this new-fangled thing called Lego, which is now so prevalent world-wide. I stuck with my Meccano set. This was invented in Britain in 1898 by Frank Hornby, who marketed it to boys as Mechanics Made Easy in 1901 and Meccano in 1907. Last year the last Meccano producing factory closed its doors.
I can also remember other events around these special events in our lives. I can vividly recall the 1958 Munich Air disaster in which eight of Matt Busby’s Man United football babes were killed.
As I grew up, I went on to further education and experience a whole new world outside the narrow confines of our local village town and county. I was amazed when I first realised there was another world outside the Kingdom of Kerry and that not everyone was so obsessed about football as we were. When our cousins came home from England they spoke about soccer and their teams of Man United and Arsenal. The American cousins told us about American football, baseball and basketball.
They all added to my geographical and cultural awareness of the world.
The biggest cultural change for all of us was when Television arrived in The Kingdom of Kerry in 1965.
We had the Beatles who expanded our music and dress code choice. Bob Dylan and Joan Baez led the world with their peace in Vietnam songs. Martin Luther King was involved in The Civil Rights movement and won The Nobel Peace Prize for his work.
I remember my first summer work holiday in London and my whole world view was changed. I was mesmerised by the huge variety of people and cultures I experienced. It was the start of my real-life awareness journey, and I think it gave me a broader world view of life and living. My wander lust was also whetted on that first trip across the Irish Sea.
During my life I have visited many places around the globe but as I advance in years, I just love visiting places around our own native Ireland north, south, east and west that I missed out on during my summers working and travelling.
Nowadays I just love walking in woodland trails, and I enjoy all the people I meet during my rambles. It amazes me on a regular basis to meet people from our local area who have never visited our local beaches and trails. They were too busy working and rearing families they tell me.
When I was speaking to our painter this morning, he spoke about how he gets up early every morning to go to the gym. On average, he told me, there are about 20 people, at the gym he attends. They do intensive training before going to work.
During my working life I got up early to make sure I had a good breakfast, with the odd fry up, to keep me going for the day. We went for the odd walk and the odd pint but we never heard of gyms. Times have certainly changed. A lot of the younger generation and some of the more mature are more conscious of fitness and well-being. They are members of health clubs and gyms which is fantastic to see.
One thing that has not changed during my life is the prevalence of disagreement, trouble and war all over the world. There is still, after 78 years, major trouble in Israel and Palestine. India and Pakistan are still living on a knife edge with occasional border incursions and warfare. Russia and Ukraine are still at war while The Chinese like to keep a watching brief on surrounding countries.
Europe plus countries worldwide, and America are arguing, fighting and negotiating Trump instigated tariff wars.
I continue to walk and write about my peaceful strolls around the parks and forests of our green isle, meeting, chatting and acting as tour guide to so many people from all over the world. These physical and social endeavours help my longevity and wellness in life.
You can follow Mick O Callaghan on www.aramblersblog.com
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Wow!
This magnificent stone sculpture is called The Lookout and it’s in Cornwall.
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A Fact
The word salary comes from salarium, the Latin for salt ration. Salt was so valuable in ancient times that it was a kind of currency.
Margo Spillane loves to return from her home in Castlelyons to Listowel for a visit. She thought the town was looking as good as ever.
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A Town that loves Trees
This beautiful line of trees is at the entrance to Willow Grove. Have you ever noticed how trees and woods occur often in placenames in Listowel?
We have Woodford, Wood view, Hawthorn Drive, Hollytree Drive, Cherrytree Drive, Ashgrove, Ashfield, Ferndene and lots more that I can’t remember just now.
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Graffiti as Art
I spotted this wall at the boys’ school
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A Blast from the Past
This is a story from an old school magazine. The five pence piece is no more. Many of the shops are gone. In those days you could set up a toll in William Street and collect for charity… Happy days!
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At Lynch’s Corner
The words of the Master are commemorated in Lynch’s wall.
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An Apology
Last week I featured the anomoly that is The Convent Street Clinic on Market Street, I also wrote about the difficulty of changing a street name for people who were conducting business on that street.
I was reminded by Maureen that Convent Street Clinic used to be on Convent Street. When they relocated to Market Street they kept the name as it would have caused untold hassle to change it.
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A Fact
Walking under a ladder is said to bring bad luck. Superstitions about ladders go back to the bad old days when criminals had to climh a ladder to the gallows.
The prestigious Listowel Writers’ Week 2025, had one of its outstanding events on May 30. It was, “ Poetry: Celebrating the Poetry of Paul Durkan-An Evening of Music and Poems to mark Paul’s eightieth birthday and the publication of Paul Durcan 80 at 80.” Unfortunately Paul didn’t live to see it, he died on May 17th
There is a tradition, among the good people of Ringsend, of gathering at a funeral procession to carry the coffin over the hump-backed bridge over the River Dodder just before the village. Needless to say at the funeral of one of our greatest poets the Ringsend people turned out in their droves to help the bereaved to, “carry Paul over the bridge.”
Prolific Irish Times journalist Frank McNally treated his readers to a story from some years ago. The volunteers overdid their enthusiasm for the tradition. They stopped a hearse, with three limousines behind it, at the bottom of the bridge and immediately launched into the routine of organising each other to carry the coffin into Ringsend until the driver of the hearse intervened. “Lads, lads stop,” he said, “This funeral is going to F…ing Bray.”
What did Paul think of the afterlife? I’m sure we can glean something from one of his poems.
Staring Out the Window Three Weeks After His Death.
Staring Out the Window Three Weeks After His Death
On the last day of his life as he lay comatose in the hospital bed
I saw that his soul was a hare which was poised In the long grass of his body, ears pricked
It sprang toward me and halted and I wondered if it
Could hear me breathing
Or if it could smell my own fear which was,
Could he but have known it, greater than his
For plainly he was a just and playful man
And just and playful men are as brave as they are rare.
Then his cancer-eroded body appeared to shudder
As if a gust of wind blew through the long grass
And the hare of his soul made a U-turn
And began bounding away from me
Until it disappeared from sight into a dark wood
And I thought – that is the end of that, I will not be seeing him again.
He died in front of me; no one else was in the room.
My eyes teemed with tears; I could not damp them down.
I stood up to walk around his bed
Only to catch sight again of the hare of his soul
Springing out of the wood into a beachy cove of sunlight
And I thought – yes, that’s how it is going to be from now on:
The hare of his soul always there, when I least expect it;
Popping up out of nowhere, sitting still.
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Blessing the Herd
Photo by Elizabeth Ahern
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Kerry Women in Literature
Here are three of the writers featured in KWM’s new exhibition.
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Shared On Line
An old photo of The Castle Hotel Ballybunion
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KDYS
The ramped entrance to KDYS Listowel
It’s Pride month.
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A Fact
Black cats are considered lucky in Ireland and the U.K but in the U.S.A. it’s white cats that are the lucky ones.
