Listowel Connection

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

Month: February 2013

Mount Rivers, Bord na Mona and Eugene Moriarty

By

On February 7, 2013

In Uncategorized

Another of Listowel’s big houses is Mount Rivers which now operates as a B.&B. This is what I found on the internet about it.

MOUNT RIVERS, FINUGE, LISTOWEL

The hill above the river (Eng.)

A. Associated families: MCELLIGOTT

B. Location: Ballygrenane Townland (Townland of
the summerhouse), (1895),

enter from a short side road from the
Listowel-Abbeyfeale Rd, the

two-story Victorian house of 5 bays still stands
as part of a large

angled complex, above the Listowel Bridge. A
large garden, lawns and some

mature trees are kept there.

C. Features: Mount Rivers is a pretty residence
with a fretted barge

board on the front gable and a Victorian glass
porch with brass fittings

and marble fireplaces. The gardens and lawn are
spacious, while the

avenue with big, old trees curves uphill from the
gates.

D. History: Gerald McElligott built Mount Rivers
in 1869 and the family

has lived here ever since.

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Garvey’s are getting a head start with this Valentine’s display. I’ll bring you a few more Valentine related displays in the next week.

Isn’t this a lovely photo? It shows Noel Roche and Jack Mahoney pictured in Convent St. some years ago.

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This is how she looked in 1988. Today she is better known for bog snorkeling and wife carrying.

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More on the story of peat

Between 1948 and 1953 Bord na Mona introduced de Smitske semi-automatic
machines with a view to improving peat quality. These machines macerated the peat, thus supplementing
the supply of handwon fuel peat. The peat was cut by hand and thrown onto the
conveyor, the machine mixed the peat and pushed it out on another conveyor.

The sods were lifted by hand from the spreader so there was
still a lot of manual work needed. It was also an attempt to provide much
needed employment. At peak in 1949 this scheme produced over 100,000 tons and
employed 3,000 workers on 61 bogs in Roscommon, Galway, Kerry, Clare, Mayo,
Sligo, Westmeath, Donegal, Offaly, Kildare, Tipperary, Limerick, Meath and
Cavan. Under this scheme over 400,000 tons of improved quality fuel peat were
produced.

These 3 very interesting photos and the text are from one of my favourite Facebook pages

Bord na Mona Heartland heritage page

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Eugene Moriarty’s thoughts on The Rás

By Brian Canty

He’s one of the most experienced riders in the domestic peloton at present and at 39 years Eugene Moriarty is showing no signs of letting up.

Last year, in his umpteenth Rás, he went close to a stage win on the final day – but had to settle for sixth and a best county rider prize. But he believes this year’s event is much more manageable for county men.

“I think the race has been designed very cleverly, with county riders in mind but also with a pro mentality,” explains Moriarty.

“If you have domestic based Irish guys who prepare properly and in the right frame of mind for it, they can easily give it a shot. The likes of Timmy Barry did phenomenally well last year in it because he prepared specifically for it. If you give guys like him the jump on the pros you never know what they can do.”

“Some of us do amazing things in the Rás on less preparation than the pros. I think the domestic riders acquit themselves well and can do it again this year. Whether they can take on pros on stage seven, is a different story. However, I do think there are many chances for county riders to be competitive, maybe more so than the last two editions.”

Indeed, Moriarty, from outside Listowel, is particularly familiar with the roads of Kerry and with a stage finish into his home town this year, it’s hardly surprising he’s aiming to ride it once more – but that stage from Nenagh-Listowel is no picnic, he explains.

“I think the first three days are relatively flat but on day three into Listowel there are some big open roads and though it’s not really described as a hilly day, there are a couple of nasty stings in the tail in the final 40 kilometres. That road into Listowel is quite unforgiving and because you get to quite a height, conditions will be tough and also, as you’re heading down into south westerly winds it will effectively be a block headwind. You’re cutting across that so it’s going to be a hard one.”

“The day after (stage 4) you’re going to start seeing tired legs even though the first three days are relatively flat and that will encourage the Irish guys to take on the race. There aren’t huge mountains that the pros will dominate. Leaving Listowel will see anyone with aspirations for the overall start to emerge. That’s where the real racing starts.”

“Stage 4 is a real leg-breaker though. It’s a 100-mile stage effectively and there’s climbing right from the start. There’s a hill of a couple hundred metres outside Listowel that will take people by surprise. The first official climb then – Lackagh West after 8kilometers – you drop down off that and head towards Castleisland, everyone will know big open roads there.”

“That’s a long tough one and anyone without legs will start feeling it from there and certainly from Farranfore on you will start to see fractures in the front group. From Killarney there’ll be full on racing as you head towards Ladies View, Molls Gap and Garranes.”

“Then the Healy Pass, it’s all up and down before you even get to that. It says eight climbs on the description but there are a lot of draggy roads and by the end of that day, you’ll see who is up to it and who isn’t. There’ll be a selection before the bottom of the Healy Pass and it’ll go to pieces after that. It will make for fantastic racing.”

The other stage that Moriarty reckons will be decisive is the penultimate day from Carlow to Naas.

“It’s brutal! No other word to describe it. You leave Carlow, it’s reasonably flat before the first climb but after Arklow the fun starts. When you hit Glenmalure there’s nowhere to hide. After coming off that, you have Drumgoff and Wicklow Gap, back into the wind there probably.”

“They are just hard roads. From there on to Ballymore Eustace, even though it’s reasonably flat, you still have a couple of undulating climbs around there. If you’re in contention for it and you have a couple of team-mates you can inflict serious damage on rivals. But at that stage it’s more about legs and less about tactics. It should be a brilliant race and guys are really going to have to prepare well for it.”

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Gurtenard House, Vincent’s Dublin launch

By

On February 6, 2013

In Uncategorized

Gurtenard House, then and now

Old photo and text is provided by Jimmy Moloney. The later photo is from MyHome.ie

The list of families associated with the house are Collis, Church,

Fitzgerald, Crosbie ( all these 4 were agents of Lord Listowel),

Armstrong ( left circa 1921. He owned a sweet factory near where
Carrolls

Yard is now), Bank of Ireland, Church of Ireland, 

Moloney
1948-2006,

Lawlor 2006-

The story of Armstrong is interesting. He ran a sweet factory
near the

castle. After Arthur Vickars was shot and Kilmorna House burned
in

1921 his wife stayed in Gurtenard House for safety. Shortly
after this

Mr. Armstrong left Listowel.

The following is taken from Houses of Kerry by Valerie Barry

“No date is given for the building of Gurtenard, but in 1837,

S.E.Collis  was in residence, although it was probably
built before

his time. Dr. Church later became owner, being followed by

Brinsley-Fitzgerald. James Crosbie, of Ballyheigue Castle (q.v),
may

have used it as a town house for he was  possession early
in the

1800s. Between 1870 and 1890, the Earl and Countess of Listowel
stayed

for a season in the house and thereafter occasionally returned
and

entertained the local families. Lady Listowel found the town
very

congenial and spent a number of Summer holidays here. Between
the

World Wars I and II, Gurtenard House had a chequered career and
began

to deteriorate. In 1948, the Moloneys bought and restored it. It
is

now open to Summer guests.”

(As far as I know, Gurtenard House is currently on the market.)

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It was just another paper sold for Joe Treacy until he looked up
at the customer: a rather tall-looking Jimmy Stewart. Photo taken on O’Connell
Street, Dublin on 1st August 1962.

I took this great photo and caption from a website called Irish Photo Archive

>>>>>>

 This photograph from The Kerryman celebrates Michael Barrett’s great win in Clonmel in 1973 with his dog, Dashing Newdown.


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 If you are a Listowel person exiled in the capital, a great Listowel night is planned for February 21st. Vincent Carmody has assembled a great line up of high profile Kerry people for the Dublin launch of his acclaimed book.

Everyone is welcome; being from Listowel is not a requirement.

Put it in your diary now.


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Did you have one of these?



Lamb tongues???????



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Annie Kett

Ireland’s oldest woman has died at the age of 107

Clare native Annie Kett was born Annie Hayes in 1905 in The Glen, Killaloe, Co Clare. After training as a nurse in London, she moved to Kilkishen where she farmed with her late husband, John who died in the 1970s.

She passed away at Thorpe’s Nursing home in Clarina, Co Limerick on Sunday 3rd Feb 2013, Annie celebrated her 107th birthday with family and friends just before Christmas 2012. Annie Kett is survived by her son and daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Before Annie,

Ireland’s oldest person was Laois woman Mary Kate Byrne, who celebrated her 108th birthday in August 2012.

Requiem Mass for Annie Kett at Garraunboy Church on Thursday 7th February 20013,  burial in church grounds.

Picture from

http://kildimonews.blogspot.ie/

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Guerins/Garveys, Greenlawn and Dromin House

By

On February 5, 2013

In Uncategorized

Thirteen years ago today’s Garvey’s SuperValu was Guerin’s Londis. I took some photographs as the changes took place and here they are.

Guerins in 2000

The site is cleared
Construction underway
Taking shape
August 2003

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Greenlawn in 2000
Greenlawn today

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Today’s  big house is Dromin House. I took the information from Vincent Carmody’s recent book

Dromin House

Dromin House was built for Lord William Fitzmaurice. The construction
replaced an earlier house. It was started in 1661 and completed in 1668.
Fitzmaurice, 20th Baron of Kerry (1633-1697) succeeded his father in
1660.  The house was surrounded by gardens and orchards.  The original walled in
orchard/ garden section now contain two bungalows built in the 1970s.

The Raymond family  leased the
property at  first from Dame Deborah
Fitzmaurice in 1690. They then bought it and remained in continuing ownership
through good times and bad until the death of the last of the direct male line,
James (Jim) Raymond in 1965. His wife Letitia Muriel (nee Smith) remained in
the house until her death in 1968 when it became the property of Mr. Donavan
Hadley.

 Dromin house and the surrounding
19 acres was bought by Sean and Liz Ryan(nee Heaphy) in 1999. Over the
following 3 years they carried out extensive renovations and improvements.  



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If you are looking for a great night out, Vincent and Jessica tell me that a swinging night is promised in The Listowel Arms on Friday night. I’m alerting you in plenty of time so that you get your outfit in order. Come as any of your favourite 50’s icons.

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Jer sent me word of the passing of this multi- talented lady.

The late Margaret Doody Scully with Gabriel Fitzmaurice in October 2012

Margaret Doody-Scully, of Farrihy, Broadford, died 13th January 2013 at the Mid Western Regional Hospital. A native of Feohanagh and previously of Kilfinny, she was an active member of the Castlemahon History Society. In October 2012  Margaret published her second book, Inside Looking Out, which was a collection of her poetry on the history, folklore and natural beauty of West Limerick. The 200-page book launched by Gabriel Fitzmaurice with 165 poems about Broadford,  Dromcollogher, Feohanagh, Killeedy, Newcastle West and Knockfierna to name a few In 2005 she published her first book, a history of the church in Feohanagh-Castlemahon parish titled From the Bog to the Bishop. Margaret helped with  material on Castlemahon parish for the Limerick Diocesan Heritage project. She was camogie player and long distance runner  also, in the late 1960s she represented Ireland in senior ladies cross-country. Margaret Doody-Scully was a  contributor to Limerick’s Live95fm on farming matters and on ‘In the County’ with John Prendergast.

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Chilling historical fact:  During WW2,  over 100,000 German prisoners were taken at Stalingrad. Only 5,000 would ever return home in 1955 after years of forced labour.

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Kerryman at The Super Bowl

Siamsa, St. Blaise and Kilmorna House and Abbeyfeale Walkway

By

On February 4, 2013

In Uncategorized

“I had a Hippopotamus, I kept him in a shed


And fed him upon vitamins and vegetable bread


I made him my companion on many cheery walks


And had his portrait done by a celebrity in chalk.”

The last line of this Patrick Barrington poem was running through my head all day on Thursday last.

“Why?” you ask.

Thereby hangs a tale. And here it is.

On Thursday I was in Tralee and I decided to pop into Siamsa Tíre because I had read in the papers about  a walk -in art initiative that they have on at the moment.

People can wander in from the street and have their likeness sketched by the renowned court artist, Mike O’Donnell and the finished works are on display in the gallery in Siamsa.

Let’s say I was a challenging subject, as much for my chatty nature, I suspect, as my lack of any colour or definition in my profile, so you will have to wait a while longer to see if he managed to “get” me.  

Everyone should have their Kate Middleton moment.

Mike O’Donnell in Siamsa Gallery
Artist at work

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His feast day was yesterday

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Green Shoots?

This is the newest addition to the streetscape in Church St.

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While browsing through my lately acquired copy of Pres. Secondary School 1988 yearbook, I came across a short essay about  Kilmorna House. I thought it might interest my readers.

Kilmorna House

About 5 miles east of Listowel there once stood the great
Kilmorna House. It was owned by the O’Mahoneys Kerry. George O’Mahoney was step
brother to Arthur Vicars. Sir Arthur Vicars was in charge of the crown jewels
when they were stolen. In 1912.  When George O’Mahoney died. Kilmorna House and
grounds passed on to Vicars’ sister. At once she offered Vicars the place, free
of charge, for as long as he wished. Little did he know the tragedy which would follow his stay at Kilmorna House. Sir Arthur Vickers loved the house. It was everything
that could be wanted by a man who adored high society.

It stood on 600 acres of the beautiful countryside in the
deep west of Ireland. Three lodge houses
with painted roofs stood by stonewall entrances. These lodges are still
standing and are occupied by local people today. Kilmorna House was built of
brick, surfaced with smooth Kerry
Stone and, for most of the year, ivy climbed up its high walls. On the west
side of the house a walk of lime trees
paraded down to the bank of the river Feale, rich in salmon and trout
meandering and flowing through the estate. From the granite terraces to the
house, the smooth lawns sloped gently down  through shrubberies and flower
beds. The estate stretched from Shanacool Cross to Gortaglanna Cross, to the
bridge which divides Duagh parish from Knockanure. From Shanacool to Kilmorna
Station there were plantations of beech, oak and yew trees.

At the age of 53, Sir Arthur, to the surprise of many,
married Miss Gertrude Wright of Kilurry house near Castleisland.

 There were
over 100 local people employed directly or indirectly by Sir Arthur, who paid
them wages above the average for this backward area of Ireland. The old people
of Kilmorna today still remember the huge party that was organised for the
local children by Sir Arthur at Christmas. He loved to ride about the
neighbouring farms on horseback. He owned the only car in the district and,
once or twice a week, he would drive to Listowel, handing out produce from the Kilmorna
gardens and orchards to needy families, Protestant and Catholic alike. His wife
 kept tiny Yorkshire terriers and in the
event of the death of one of these creatures, a funeral was arranged and the
workmen were expected to dress in black and look solemn. 

After the theft of the crown jewels, Sir Arthur, with bitter
experience of the unreliability of safes, had built a strong room to house his
wife’s jewels, Kilmorna’s silver ornaments, valuable books and family paintings
when he was away from the house. It was natural that wild stories spread
through the countryside amongst
uneducated peasant farmers. Could it be, asked some, that Sir Arthur really
stole the crown jewels and had hidden them in Kilmorna’s strong room? It was
thought that there may have been guns stored there also. The IRA considered him
to be a spy and informer. Despite many warnings he refused to leave his beloved
Kilmorna.

On Monday, 14 April 1921, Sir Arthur was still in bed at 10
o’clock when his wife rushed into the room to tell him that there were men with
pistols in the house. He ordered the
servants to save as many valuable things as possible. His manager, Michael
Murphy, told him the men said that they had only come to burn the house and
that no one would be harmed.

By this time the army was on its way from Listowel, alerted
by a message from Kilmorna Railway Station. The soldiers wasted precious
minutes in a chase that was fruitless. In those minutes, Sir Arthur stood
under the guns of the three men from the North Kerry Flying Column, his back
pressed against a beech tree. It was there at 10.30 that he was shot three
times in the chest and neck and twice in the head. The house had been burnt
down as the men had run through it with blankets soaked in petrol.

The army wondered what might remain in the smoking ruins of
Kilmorna so they blew open the strong room to find nothing.  It had been empty
all the time..

The O’Mahoney’s Of Kerry called in lawyers to formulate a claim for compensation against
the British government, valuing Kilmorna House at around £15,000. From Listowel, people came to gaze at the
great black ruin. Their children played with the dismembered pieces of suits of
armour they found lying on the terrace. Some wandered amongst the tiny
headstones of Lady Vicars’ canine cemetery but mostly they stood looking
silently at the devastation before them.

All that remains today in Kilmorna is Parnell’s tree – an
oak tree was planted by Parnell 67 years ago. He said that he hoped that we
would have Home Rule in Ireland before the magpies built their nests in the
tree.

(By Irene O’Keeffe and Laura Doran)

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I subscribe to a lovely blog called

 Foxglove Lane

Do read the latest post. It’s very short but it will set you thinking about animals and our relationship with them.

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Ballybunion on Saturday last.

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If you missed the programme,  Bóithrín na Smaointe  (literally the road of thoughts but usually translated as  reminiscing) about Listowel on TG4 on Thursday night,  the link is here.

http://nasc.tg4.tv/TiqTOo

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On Saturday, 79 walkers turned up for the walk along the old Abbeyfeale railway track. It was a lovely day for walking. The photos are Jessica Hilliard’s. There is still a little bit of sorting out to do with local farmers and rights of way but hopefully that will be sorted shortly and we can all enjoy this great amenity.

The old train signal is left as a reminder of the route’s former use.

Perfect surface on the new walk/cycleway.

The new Bridge

Saturday’s walkers

An old step-down drain beside the track.

Lá ‘le Bríde and some old holy pictures

By

On February 1, 2013

In Uncategorized

Feb 1,  Feastday of St. Bridget, Muire na nGael, First of Spring

Today is the first day of spring. All over Ireland people are visiting St. Bridget’s holy wells, doing the rounds reciting rosaries  and leaving behind a rag, a coin or even a feather as a reminder to Bríd to remember the visitor.

 Bridget was a pagan, the daughter of a slave, became a nun and, because of her holiness and the miraculous powers she had she  became abbess of Kildare. Her Christian story is full of miracles and wonders. She lived on the milk of a pure white cow. She had the ability to cure infertility in women and animals. She also had the gift of healing and some said she could control the weather.

In the early days of RTE the St. Bridget’s Cross was the symbol of the station and we saw it on our screens often. I don’t know when it was dropped or why.

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Tomorrow February 2 is Candlemas Day or Groundhog Day. Since it is the first day of Spring it is traditionally seen as a portent of what is to come in the way of weather for the year.

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright

Winter will have another fight;

But if Candlemas Day brings clouds and rain

Winter is gone and won’t come again

There is an old German tradition that the hedgehog emerges from his lair at noon on Candlemas Day to see if he can see his shadow. If there is no shadow he stays out but if the sun is shining, he returns to his den for another 6 weeks until the spell of cold wintry weather has passed.

The people of Punxsutawney in Pennsylvania attribute these meteorological forecasting skills to the groundhog and Groundhog Day is celebrated with a big festival. 

For a change, we will be hoping not to see the sun tomorrow.

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Do you remember these?

I found all of the following being used by me as bookmarks. I’m having a bit of a clear out as is customary this time of year. We used to call it Spring cleaning.

These holy pictures were often bought from a mission stall. Murray’s of Listowel used to go to whatever town was having a mission, set up some stalls and do a roaring trade in rosary beads, scapulars and other religious objects like these cheap little pictures.

This parking disc is from Ennis, but we had them in Listowel too.

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This was Lick Castle in Ballybunion. The last remaining arch came down in a storm in November 2012

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A few photos I took on the Tralee Rd.

Visit   http://www.listowel.ie/

The Tidy Towns folk are here

https://www.facebook.com/listoweltidytowns

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Jer found this Civil Defence instructional film from 1951

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKqXu-5jw60

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