I’ve put this photo in as large as I am allowed because there are a lot of Listowel’s finest musicians in this one. This is the marching band of the eighties. I recognise, Jack Leahy  ….McCarron and Tom Fitzgerald at the back. I have no clue who the other adult is.

The likely lads and lasses are now in their late thirties and forties. I’m on the trail of their names. Any help will be gratefully accepted. I know lots of people would love to know where they are now.

This brings me nicely to our new idea in NKRO. We are organising a reunion night in The Mighty Dollar, Market Street on Dec 28th. The idea is that people who are home in Listowel for Christmas will gather there to meet up with their old friends from their youth in these parts.  Maybe we will even have a band reunion!

I took this following from Radio Kerry’s website. Their formatting and mine don’t agree, but you get the gist.

13 Dec 2011

21 million euro power line switched on in North Kerry

A 21 million euro power line has been switched on in North Kerry.

EirGrid constructed the 110 kilo volt line connecting Tarbert and Tralee and

carried out works at both substations.The line reinforces the network in

North Kerry and will allow the region to become a net exporter of renewable

 energy.

The line is 47 kilometres in length and is part of EirGrid’s 3.2 billion euro

investment programme in Ireland’s transmission network.

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan performed the

official switching on ceremony energising the line.

Minister Deenihan said the line brings significant benefits to the area, particularly

 in terms of local wind energy generation.

EirGrid plans to make further investments in the local transmission infrastructure

over the coming years.

The next is from yesterday’s Kerrryman

WITHIN a mere 24 hours of the launch of special Christmas vouchers by Listowel’s traders €20,000 worth of business was generated in the town in a great start to the seasonal shopping period.

Launched on Wednesday last, the vouchers are available in denominations of €20 and €50 through the Listowel Credit Union and can be used in 110 businesses in the town. By Thursday, an impressive €20,000-worth of the Christmas vouchers had been dispensed by the lending institution.

The launch of the voucher initiative coincided with the start of Christmas proper in Listowel as a great crowd braved bad weather to turn on the Christmas lights on Thursday afternoon. “We’re delighted with the response to the vouchers and indeed with the start to the shopping season in Listowel in all,” organiser and local trader Jennifer Scanlon said.

Trade so far has been as brisk as could be expected in the current climate. “Traders are pretty happy for the most part and the free parking scheme introduced by Listowel Town Council is also proving of great benefit, attracting more shoppers to Listowel. There’s a lot on offer here after all and we feel we have a perfect Christmas shopping town,” she said.

Ms Scanlon — who introduced the voucher scheme with her fellow traders — thanked the Credit Union for administering the scheme on behalf of the town. “Hopefully now it will continue to generate additional trade for Listowel and we’re looking forward to as good a season as we can possibly enjoy in the current economic cimate,” she said.

– DÓNAL NOLAN dnolan@kerryman.ie