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

Author: listowelconnection Page 1 of 184

Mary Cogan, retired from teaching in Presentation Secondary School, Listowel, Co. Kerry. I am a native of Kanturk, Co. Cork.
I have published two books; Listowel Through a Lens and A minute of your Time

Famine and Gluttony

By

On March 27, 2025

In Schools' Folklore

Corner of Charles Street and William Street

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Exotic Super Valu

When Super Valu got its makeover, it adopted a kind of rural Ireland in the 1950s vibe, using props like this pulper, wheelbarrows and pots etc.

Then you enter the shop this week and you are met by this big display of the latest sweet treat craze, Dubai chocolate.

I haven’t tasted it yet but reports say it’s delicious.

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Found in a Clearout

Spring cleaning threw up this memory from 15 years ago.

Front: Anne Dillon R.I.P, Mary Twomey, Margaret Daly, Geraldine O’Connor, Sr. Consolata Bracken, Mary Cogan, Sr. Nuala O’Leary, Bridget O’Connor, Margaret Walsh, Mary Jo Dowling and Helen McCarthy

Back; Collette Daly, Bridget Maguire, Mary O’Flaherty, Caroline Reynolds, Anne O’Neill, Breda Ferris, Brian Coffey, Mary Kennelly, Anita Barrett, Sr. Eilish Daly, Grainne Henry, Elaine Keane, Johnny Ryan, Teresa Culhane, Eileen Keane, Mary O’Connor, Teresa Deenihan and Norma Dowling, Geraldine O’Donovan, Lisa Whelan, Jane Gleeson, Dolores O’Connor and John O’Flaherty

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Bicycles, Tractors and Scooters

St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Listowel in 2925

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Famine Times

In his great book, Teampall Bán, John Pierse included some accounts of Famine Times in North Kerry from the Schools’ Folklore collection. The memory of the Famine lived long in folk memory.

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Progress

Mitchell McKenna has had a breakthrough in his family history research.

Looks like I finally got lucky – I saw a cached Ancestry.com page that said this –> 

Jeremiah McKenna

Birth abt 1858 – County Kerry Ireland

Death 28/05/1918 – Maude St Shepparton Victoria

Mother Brigid O’Donnell

Father John McKenna

The date / address info is correct – Due to the inaccuracy of Ancestry I am a bit skeptical of the other part – that might be “Bridget” O’Donnell who passed away 1900 aged 80 .. listed as a “widow” and Farmer’s wife – As for John McKenna – there is one listed as having passed away on 1897 aged 77 as a Farmer / “married” .. and looks like a son William witnessed ? 

I guess Rathea was a pure farming district ?  – and the above might fit the frame ?  – however for Bridget a 37-38 year old conception for Jeremiah in those days would have been a bit on the edge !! I’m guessing if I also perused Kilshenane Cemetery more would be revealed !

I’m wondering why Jeremiah emigrated because he was newly qualified, and things there might have been a bit better post the Potato Famine ? But I guess Melbourne was all the rage back then, being one of the most prosperous cities in the world at the time (Victorian gold rush) – and the looming expiration of the government assistance program for emigrants in 1883 probably cemented his decision and he took it up just in time.  

Cheers,

Mitch 

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A Fact

The collective noun for magpies is parliament.

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Sunshine and Singers

By

On March 26, 2025

In Ballybunion, Listowel

Bridge Road in March 2025

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Visitors

I had Clíona and Aoife for the weekend, always a pleasure.

Our three year old loved Listowel children’s playground.

Sunday was sunny so we headed to Ballybunion.

We didn’t bring a bucket and spade as we thought it was a day for a brisk walk. Aoife made a sandcastle of sorts using only her bare hands. The overcoats and sunglasses sum up the kind of weather we are having lately.

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An Australian with a Listowel Connection

We’ve had an email from down under.

Hello Mary,

My great grandfather Dr Jeremiah McKenna  (same name as your hardware founder)  emigrated on the famous and ill-fated SS Austral in 1882 at the age of 24-25 years to Melbourne – I believe he also came from Listowel, because his older brother certainly did – about a decade prior – Archpriest McKenna – both gentlemen appear numerous times in our national archives for very different reasons !!!

My imagination was captured by your article on McKenna’s of Listowel, and I was just wondering if there was a family connection with the hardware store Jeremiah McKenna founder ? I know both parts of the name were quite common in those days ?  – If it helps, Archpriest McKenna was born in I think in the Rathea district of Listowel. 

Cheers,

Mitch McKennna – Melbourne Australia

Maybe someone can help Mitch with an account of his famous ancestors before they left these shores.

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St Patrick’s Day Parade

The world’s worst wound

The awful war in Gaza was highlighted by this dedicated group. Israel, with the full backing of the US, has resumed its slaughter of men, women and children in this poor ravaged country.

Matt Mooney, who has a long association with the St. Patrick’s Day parade was marching the streets to raise awareness of this cause which is close to his heart.

Trojan Boxing Club was represented by these young boxers.

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Tom Waits

Turns out, everyone knew Tom Waits. In fairness, I would have known his voice. His face was a mystery to me.

Anyway, in case you didn’t know, I will now tell you what I have learned. Tom Waits spent his honeymoon in Tralee in The Brandon Hotel. Waits’ wife is Kathleen Brennan, whose Irish roots are in Tralee. Waits recorded tracks for an album in Ballyseede in 1981.

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A Concert

John Hooton found this treasure and posted it on Facebook

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A Fact

George Washinton’s second inaugural address was the shortest ever by any US president. He spoke 135 words.

Donald Trump’s 2885 word “weave” was twice as long as his first speech in 2017.

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A Postbox in Castlelyons

By

On March 25, 2025

In Listowel, Poem

Beautiful pheasant…photo; David Kissane

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More from St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2025

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More from that 1942 tourism survey

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In Search of a Wall Postbox

This is the photo that was posted by a member on my Old Postboxes group. I saw that it was located in Castlelyons in Co. Cork. I have a friend in Castlelyons and she very kindly went in search of the location for us.

Margo tried to get the old Victorian box and the new one right across the road in the same shot.

The old box is on this old mill or barn type building.

Castlelyons is really two villages because just over the bridge, pictured above, is Bridesbridge and this village is a continuation of Castlelyons. The church is on the Bridesbridge side of the river. The Centra, which incorporates the post office and the primary school are also there.

Castlelyons has two pubs, dwelling houses, a Community Centre and a sizeable GAA complex which has two fine pitches, a public walkway, a gym, a community hall, meeting rooms and more.

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A Classic

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A Fact

In 1855 the first train crossed Niagara Falls on a suspension bridge.

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The Highs and the Lows

By

On March 24, 2025

In Listowel

St. Patrick’s Day 2025

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A Class at the Convent Door

Margaret Kennedy sent us this lovely photo. The best part is that she can remember all the names.

6th class primary presentation  convent Listowel 
Front L-R Kay Dillon, Clem Crowley,  Geraldine Kenny  Ann McAulliffe Cora and Marie Stack, Theresa Conway,  Maura Walsh, Bernadette Canty  Mary  Connor, Margaret Doyle, Mai Cahill, Sinead Curtin R.I.P
Middle Row L-R Kathy Ryan, Mary O Flaherty, Isabel O Dowd, Margo Kennedy R.I.P, Therese Lenihan  Brenda O Halloran, Eileen Kennelly Kathleen Curtin, Ann Rossiter, Marita O Connor, Caroline Finucane, Sinead Barrett, Geraldine Walsh 
Back Row L-R Kay Healy, Beata Sweeney, Linda Carey, Cathriona OGorman, Sr Carmel, Lucy Bambury, Miriam Hilliard, Miriam Walsh R.I.P, Ann McElligott,  Elle Marie Gibbons, Mary Jo Hartnett,  Kathleen Walsh, Dorothy Guinea

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Sometimes Life is Hard

My granddaughter loves football.

She is fourth from the right in front in this photo with her U14 Cork squad on Saturday March 15 2025. Their season is just starting.

She is front and centre, with the headband, with her Lakewood soccer team, photographed before the quarter final of The National Cup on Sunday, March 16 2025.

The game was played at home in Lakewood.

The Lakewood girls went on to win. This is the usual ceremony at the end where everyone congratulates everyone else.

This is Cora, half way through the second half being carried off injured by her mom and her coach.

Cora has sustained a full MCL tear. It’s like an ACL only a different ligament. It is horrendously painful. Her knee is in a brace and she is on crutches because she can take no weight on her leg. Next week she will see the consultant who specialises in knees to see if she needs surgery.

Heartbroken.

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St Patrick’s Day Parade 2025

Ní raibh nathair nimhe fágtha i Lios Tuathail

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A Fact

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Signs of Spring

By

On March 21, 2025

In Listowel

Upper Church Street in March 2025

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A Corner of Tralee

Pillar Post Box and Telephone Box at the top of Denny Street.

You’ll have to tell me who he is. His image is on the utility box on the same corner.

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Beautiful Daffodils immortalised in Moments of Reflection

This is the vase and these are the descendants of the daffodils I wrote about on page 4 of my latest book. These flowers are from the 2025 crop.

Below is the reflection on page 3 of Moments of Reflection.

Daffodils

I love daffodils. I love to see them raise their yellow heads to tell us another winter has passed.

We know where to look for them as they flourish in the same locations year after year.

This year my friend brought me a lovely bunch. These were not the dainty elegant narcissi so popular now. They were the original old daffodils, the kind that Wordsworth saw “tossing their heads in sprightly dance.” They were the more raggedy unkempt looking daffodils of my childhood.

I knew exactly the right vase for this gorgeous posy. These daffodils are the descendants of bulbs that were planted over 100 years ago. Years ago my friend’s mother-in-law gave me daffodils from this same garden. When she gave them to me, she also left me keep the beautiful old vase that she had brought them in.

So I placed my charming old daffodils in my beautiful old-fashioned vase and I said a prayer for Kitty and Bridget and for all the people who have enjoyed these beautiful flowers over the years.

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John Kelliher’s Pictures of the 2025 Confirmation Classes

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Lenten Display in St. Mary’s

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from the Newspaper Archives

Jer Kennelly found this one.

            New York Irish American Advocate June 1914

Potter and Shaughnessy

Sunday, June 7, a t five o’clock in the afternoon. Both bride and bridegroom are natives of Listowel, North Kerry, and were schoolmates in the younger days at th e old town on the Feale.

Twenty years ago th e two parted, Mr. Potter entering th e educational

department of European schools in British East India. Mr. Potter came

to America, where he again met his sweetheart of school days and the
youthful admiration ripened into eternal love, and then the inevitable
happened. Miss Julia O’Shaughnessy, a sister of the bride, will be the bridesmaid and the best man will be Arthur Jenkins, who is an expert accountant in the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. William Moore will act as master of ceremonies.

Mr. Potter, who is a dramatist of note, has written many successful
plays of Irish Life, the latest of which, “The Eviction,” will be
produced on Broadway this fall. Mr. Potter is the American
correspondent of the Dublin “Weekly Freeman,” Ulster “Guardian” and
the Cork “Examiner.”

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St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2025

The Listowel Celtic crew are always good for a laugh.

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Traffic in Town Yesterday

Is it just me or does anyone think that there are now more heavy lorries going through town than before we had the relief road?

Yesterday a tractor broke down on Church Street just after mid day. By the time the gardaí sorted it out, it felt like half the town was in a traffic jam. I was in town (on foot) and I did my citizen journalist thing for you.

Eventually

Order was restored and all’s well with the world…except for all the heavy traffic!

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A Fact

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