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: November 2023 Page 2 of 5

A Craft Fair, a Christmas Story, The Annual Lyreacrompane Journal and More

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On November 23, 2023

In Ballylongford, Listowel

Riding home at dusk…Photo; Elizabeth Ahern

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A Christmas story from a Great Anthology

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Craftfair in Ballylongford

Sunday November 19 2023

This productive little crafter was spending her time building up her stock.

Beautiful locally produced craft work. Knitting, pictures, everything for your dog, confectionary and more will be on sale in some craft market every weekend from now til Christmas.

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From the Capuchin Archive

Cumann na nGaedheal Election Poster, 1932

A striking poster published by Cumann na nGaedheal for the 1932 general election.

The poster seeks to lampoon senior members of Fianna Fáil, the principal opposition party, by comparing them to performers in a travelling circus. Principal figures in Fianna Fáil are given distorted and mangled names to this effect; Éamon de Valera (‘Senor de Valera, World Famous Illusionist’), James Geoghegan (‘Jiffy Geoghegan, Champion Quick-change Artist’), Frank Aiken (‘Frank F-Aiken, The Fearsome Fire-eater’), Seán MacEntee (‘Johnny Magintee’), Hugo Flinn (‘The Great Hugo, The Mystery Man’), Seán T. O’Kelly (‘Shaunty O’Kelly’), and Seán Lemass (‘Monsieur Lemass, Famous Tight-Rope Performer’).

( And we thought Donald Trump was the first to give his opponents nicknames.)

The 1932 election (16 February) was historic as it saw the defeat of Cumann na nGaedheal, which had been the governing party since the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922. It was succeeded by Fianna Fáil which formed a government with the support of the Labour Party.

The men named in this poster were among those most closely identified with violent opposition to the state during the Civil War ten years earlier. They now assumed power, embarking upon a sixteen-year period of government for Fianna Fáil. The poster forms part of an ephemera collection assembled by the editors of ‘The Capuchin Annual’. 

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Lyreacrompane and District Journal

This year’s journal is the best yet.

Lyreacrompane punches well above its weight in terms of initiative. A place without a village but with a festival, a rambling house, a forest walk, a journal and its own radio station.

I have no doubt the planned tourist trail will be a success too. If you are in the locality take a trip out there soon and if you are local or distant check out their website..

Lyreacrompane Heritage Group

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A Fact

Every day between 10 and 20 volcanoes are erupting somewhere on earth.

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Football and Poetry

By

On November 22, 2023

In History, Listowel

in St. Michael’s Graveyard

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November

No sun – no moon!
No morn – no noon –
No dawn – no dusk – no proper time of day.
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member –
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! –
November!

Thomas Hood

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A Piece of GAA history from the Capuchin Archives

Maurice Davin, GAA Pioneer, 1903 

A rather mundane letter albeit one written by a towering figure in the history of Irish sport. Maurice Davin (1842-1927) was a farmer from Carrick-on-Suir in County Tipperary who achieved international recognition for his athletic endeavours in the 1870s. He is now chiefly remembered as one of the co-founders of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).

On 1 November 1884 Michael Cusack and Davin convened a meeting at Hayes’s Hotel in Thurles in County Tipperary, at which the GAA (Cumann Lúthchleas Gael) was established. Davin presided over the meeting and was elected as the organisation’s first president. He remains the only individual to have ever served two terms in that role. Although not actively involved in the GAA after 1889, he remained passionately committed to Gaelic sports. He organised matches on his farm at Deerpark near Carrick-on-Suir, and several Tipperary County finals and the All-Ireland hurling final of 1904 were played there. Davin was also responsible for drafting the early rules for both Gaelic football and hurling. The Davin Stand in Croke Park, Dublin, the principal national stadium of Ireland and the headquarters of the GAA, was named in his honour. Davin’s letter is addressed to Fr. Richard Henebry, a Waterford-born priest and Irish language scholar. It forms part of a collection of Henebry’s papers held in the Irish Capuchin Archives.

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“I asked my mother what will I be….”

This photo and caption shared on social media by Kerry Franchise is one of the sweetest things you’ll see today.

David (aged two – seated, squirming maybe, wearing the ‘goated’ 1998 Adidas jersey) and Paudie Clifford (four years old, standing snugly behind David’s buggie) at Kerry Airport to welcome the Kerry team home after 2000 All-Ireland win. 

Just two small boys lost in the crowd. But in 20 years time they’d be creating their own Kerry legacy. Stuff of dreams. And literally for them. 

Paudie now has 3 All Stars – and some said he didn’t have the ‘stuff’ for senior football when he was playing with the Kerry juniors; and now, after 3 years playing senior he has 3 All Stars; 3/3. Just goes to show – anything can happen if you will it into existence. 

As for David, well, what’a ya gonna say about Daithi that hasn’t already been said. It’s a pleasure to be around to just enjoy him. 

This photo shared by Fossa GAA shows Paudie and David on Friday evening last, November 17 2023 with their all star awards . David holds his Footballer of the Year trophy which he won for the second consecutive year.

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Looking forward to Christmas

One of my favourite anthologies from Moybella Press

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A Fact

The Lyreacrompane and District Journal has been published 14 times since its inception in 1990.

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Christmas is Coming

By

On November 21, 2023

In Listowel, Tralee

William Street

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From the Capuchin Annual Archive

Hay Harvesting, County Donegal, 1950 

Two views of Capuchin friars harvesting hay in the fields around Ard Mhuire Friary in County Donegal in about 1950.

Formerly the residence of the Stewart-Bam family, Ards House and its 2,000-acre estate, located near Creeslough, were taken over by the Irish Land Commission in 1926. The Commission assigned the northern portion of the estate to the Department of Lands for afforestation. This part of the estate, covering over 1,200 acres, is now managed by Coillte, the state-run forestry body, as Ards Forest Park, which is an important tourist site and publicly accessible amenity in the locality.

The remaining portion of the former Stewart-Bam estate was divided among tenants. Ards House and its adjoining farmland comprising about 100 acres was left unoccupied and gradually fell into disrepair. The house was acquired by the Capuchins in 1930. Ards House was renamed Ard Mhuire Friary which became a theological seminary. For many years afterwards, the friars continued to farm the land on the former estate.

The present-day Ard Mhuire Friary, situated on the shores of Sheephaven Bay, offers retreats, conferences, seminars, and periods of rest, relaxation and holidays.

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Paupers’ Burial Place

KNOWN ONLY TO GOD: The main burial ground for those who died in Tralee Workhouse (now Áras an Chontae) during The Famine was the small cemetery that was opened in 1846 in the north-east corner of the site; it’s still possible to visit it. In September of ‘Black ‘47’, as the dreaded Gorta Mór raged among our people and as deaths and burials increased, the Poor Law Commissioners ordered that the authorities in every workhouse in the country were to bury their dead paupers in separate locations at a distance from Tigh na mBocht! It has long been the belief in Tralee that it was then that God’s Acre in Ballybeggan was opened as the Workhouse Cemetery. For over 160 years, people have been regularly visiting that very special little burial ground and devoutly praying for the souls of the departed; they pray especially for those ‘known only to God.’ That wonderful tradition continues!

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Looking forward to Christmas

Christmas shop 2023 in Listowel Garden Centre

Below a lovely Christmas story from Ena Bunyan published in Hearthsong in 2009

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A Thought

Remember when the streets were silent

Remember when we spoke through glass

We could not touch or hold each other

To say we hoped ‘this too shall pass’

Lemn Sissay

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A Fact

The word Jeep entered the language during WW2. The vehicle it referred to was a general purposes vehicle often referred to as a GP. In the way words do, g.p. morphed into jeep.

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Hearthsong, Brosna and Jumbos

By

On November 20, 2023

In Listowel

“The trees are in their autumn beauty

The woodland paths are dry……”

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Our 2 Final Stops on Food Trail 2023

Our marvellous trek around town during Listowel Food Fair’s Food Trail 2023 ended in William Street.

In Dough Mamma, this lovely lady told us about their offering which is much more than just piazza. She told us that dishes in her native Ukraine are much more complex. Even a simple soup has 10 ingredients.

We got samples of different piazzas and bruschetta.

On to Jumbo’s, another Listowel institution. Jade filled us in on their latest offering , a Listowel burger made completely from local components.

Damien brought us all a sample. I’m not surprised that it sells out every day.

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A Second Coming

The Rose and Crown has reopened.

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Capuchin Annual Archive

There are some marvellous photos documenting Irish life in days gone by in the Capuchin Archive. Here is one such photo and the caption by the archivist.

Brosna National School, County Kerry, 1944 

A common issue faced by archivists is trying to identify locations and dates for photographs but fortunately there is some evidence attached to this particular image in the form of the placard held by the child in the foreground. The board seemingly reads ‘Brosna / 2nd / R44 / 2’. Brosna is a small village situated in northeast County Kerry, not far from the town of Castleisland. It is located close to the Kerry-Limerick border. The reference to ‘2nd’ on the placard probably indicates that this group is composed of students in the second class of the local boys’ national (or primary) school in Brosna. The mention of ‘44’ is possibly a reference to a year (1944), but this is not certain. However, it is very likely that the image dates to the early 1940s. The Irish for Brosna is ‘Brosnach’ which can be translated as the land of dried wood or firewood. Interestingly, the surname Brosnan, from the Irish ‘Ó Brosnacháin’, is most likely derived from the place name as in ‘a descendant of Brosna’. The image forms part of the photographic archive of ‘The Capuchin Annual’

(It is important to remember that going barefoot in those days did not necessarily denote poverty. In the 1940s and 50s many children went barefoot by choice.)

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Hearthsong

Heartsong is one of the many anthologies that have been published by John McGrath, either as a collection of work from his writing group or a compendium of the work of one poet or writer. John is an important cog in Listowel’s wheel of creativity, teaching, encouraging, organising and publishing the work of some talented local writers we might otherwise never get to see.

In 2009 the Just Write writing group produced Heartsong.

The writers

Below is an example of one of the lovely essays from Winnie Greaney. As we approach the Christmas season, Winnie’s reminiscences will resonate with many who have experienced emigration.

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A Fact

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is committed to improving sanitation throughout the world.

In India, sanitation in some slums is very poor with many people having no toilet so they poo outdoors in open air latrines.

Sometimes tomatoes and watermelon plants grow on these middens. The seeds of these plants pass through the digestive system intact.

Word of advice; If you are in India and you see proof of this phenomenon, you would be very ill advised to eat a tomato or watermelon you see growing in this way.

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Food Fair, Book Launch and a Mystery Solved

By

On November 17, 2023

In Duagh, History, Listowel

St. John’s photographed from St. Mary’s

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Listowel Food Fair Food Trail 2023

Stop number 3 was at Daisy Boo Barista.

Another Listowel success story here. Daisy has her own business at age 20. She served coffee, tea, herbal tea and hot chocolate to the by now fairly full trailers.

On to stop number 4.

Stop the lights! the two Mags served us up a full meal of chicken in a romana sauce with rice and salad, They had a full array of desserts including chocolate biscuit cake.

Helen Godfrey has been with Mags and Mags nearly since the beginning.

The celebrity chef was happy to pose with the real chefs of the day. He reminisced about calling to the deli when he was a garsún in to town from Duagh. John Relihan loved their food then and more so now. He particularly loved Mags’ Deli romana sauce.

Mags joked that she wasn’t going to share her recipe with a man who sells sauces.

This deli is a Listowel institution. It is now 25 years since John O’Connor moved out and the two ladies took over. They deserve all the support they get.

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Listowel Success Story

From William Street Upper to Pennsylvania Avenue, Kathy Buckley’s life story makes for great reading.

Her cousin, Vincent Carmody, tells her story well, embellished with photos, recipes, menus etc. …a great read.

I took a few photos at the launch.

Anne and Elaine Sheahan with Helen Moylan

Rose Molyneaux, Judy MacMahon and Kay Caball

Jed Chute and Liam Grimes

The book was launched by Katie Hannon and lauded by Dr. Miriam Nyhan Gray, a historian specialising in the Irish diaspora. She was fascinated by the fact that Kathy came back to William Street to end her days. Irish emigrants to the US have a very low rate of return by comparison with people from other countries.

From Duagh to the bright lights of Dublin, Katie Hannon is a lady who has blazed her own successful trail. She recalled Vincent, then her postman, delivering her CAO offer letter and waiting for her to share the contents. She recalls him being underwhelmed at her choice of career. He has been proven wrong, hasn’t he?

Máire MacMahon and Anne and Elaine Sheahan

Vincent had signed all the books in advance….this was not his first rodeo. People felt that you can’t leave a book launch without a signing so Katie had to take out the trusty Bic and sign for us.

Mary O’Connell was there

Kieran Lyons caught up with his old teacher, Mick Mulcaire.

Katie and Helen Moylan

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Mystery Solved

Our lovely boyeen at Listowel Mart in 1985 has been identified as Maurice O’Connor.

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Date for the Diary

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A Fact

The Spanish Inquisition once condemned the entire Netherlands to death for heresy.

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