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 175

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

Snow Wonders

By

On January 17, 2025

In Listowel

Teach Siamsa, Finuge in January 2025…Photo by Bridget Liston

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Some Snow Marvels

There were a few records broken in January 2025.

Photos from Facebook

Is this 23 feet high Limerick snowman the tallest of the winter?

There were a few igloos but this Newmarket one looked the cosiest. Even though they had no power, the boys rigged up battery lights in their temporary “home”.

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A few more Brehon Laws

(Health warning before anyone gets any ideas…These laws no longer apply)

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So True

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Local Girl Achieves Writing Success in Oslo

Author of Habitat Catriona Shine — pic credit: Aslak Haanshuus

Pic and story from The Irish Examiner

Catriona and her three sisters spent a lot of time in imaginative play.

“We wrote fairy tales then acted them, and we made houses for our books.”

Living near Listowel, Co Kerry, she also acted in local drama groups.

During college, Catriona took a year out and worked in Sydney, Australia.

“And in fourth year, [of five], I studied on an exchange in Oslo. I met my partner there, and when I qualified, we went back and stayed.”

Working as an architect, she started off in an office, Lund and Slaatto, and after five years, moved to a practice called Mad.

I spent 10 years there, and then taught a bit. I’m not, now, practising.

Catriona started writing 14 years ago. She’s been shortlisted for many awards; has won the Penfro First Chapter Prize, and has had many stories published in literary magazines.

“There are two unpublished novels as well,” she says.

Habitat took two years to write.

“I was brought up beside a rental house, and have since lived in apartments,” she says. “I’ve always imagined the lives of my neighbours.

“And I was working on a project for circular architecture — finding building materials we could use again. I became conscious of the life cycle of building materials, and the two ideas came together.”

Who is Catriona Shine?

Date/ place of birth: 1981/ Limerick.

Education: St Joseph’s Secondary School, Abbeyfeale; University College, Dublin, Architecture. “I loved the idea of imagining buildings, and then making them.”

Home: Oslo for past 20 years.

Family: Partner Kristian, and son Elliott, aged 12.

The day job: Full-time writer.

In another life: “Maybe, a biologist.”

Favourite writers: Lucia Berlin; Samantha Schweblin; Georges Perec; Monica Isakstuen; Han Kang; Claire Louise Bennett.

Second book: “It’ll be a short story collection, but I’m also working on a novel that’s set on a train.”

Top tip: “If I’m stuck, I write through the problem. If I ask myself a question, and write the answer, I usually find a solution.”

The debut

Habitat
The Lilliput Press, €16.95/ Kindle, €7.21

During one dramatic week, an apartment building in Oslo disappears, disintegrating in strange ways.

We follow seven of the inhabitants, who, affected by different calamities, don’t realise they’re dealing with a shared crisis.

The verdict: Weird, wonderful, and compulsive.

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A Fact

Leeches have 32 brains.

( This is a fact from my calendar from Feale Oil. I didn’t believe it either so I fact checked it for you, and, almost unbelievably, it’s true.)

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Snowy Kanturk; January 2025

By

On January 16, 2025

In Listowel, Poem, Tralee

Photo; Blue Tit by Chris Grayson

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Roof Collapse

One of the most disastrous impacts that the snowfall had on life in Kerry was the collapse of the roof of the Tralee Sports Complex. Thankfully it happened at nighttime and there was no loss of life of injury to anyone. The Complex is a very very busy place and many many North Kerry clubs and groups depend on it.

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A Poem for Parents

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Kanturk looked Beautiful in the Snow

Photos by Adrian Angelina on Facebook

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Growing up in Listowel in the 1960s and 1970s

Concluding part of Carmel Hanrahan’s reminiscences…

The Races – a week off school, what bliss.  Returning from Summer holidays a week early seemed a small price to pay.  We went to The Market where the amusements were. It was never going to the amusements but going to “The Market”.  We saved whatever money we got through the year –my savings were in a Band-Aid Tin – white with a picture of a plaster on it.  I remember once having a Ten Shilling note in it which seemed like a fortune.  I’m wondering if it was possibly the year I made my First Communion. On our way from Cahirdown to town there was a small shop quite close to the boys’ National School – I can’t remember the name of the owner, where we regularly bought Slab Toffee – Cleeve’s – and which you would then break on the edge of the path.  Speaking around the lump of toffee was a skill in its own right. She also sold sweets in paper cones.

Burning question here!! Does anyone, apart from me that is, remember Penny Cakes? –.  My sister also remembers them so I know I haven’t imagined them.  The closest I can come to describing them is that they were like a rusk and I adored them I think there was also a variation with fruit. You could buy them out of big boxes which were placed just inside the door of Miss Molyneaux’s shop, (pronounced Munnix), across the street from Michael and Delia Kearney.  Biscuits in large tins with glass panel on top sold loosely resided just at the door.  Nobody I’ve ever spoken to from anywhere else knows what I’m speaking about when I mention them.  Tile loaves are another mystery to people – I learned that in Dublin they are called Turn-overs but will always be a Tile loaf to me.  Lynch’s bakery used to sell them and I would pick my way through one on the way home from the Square.  I often thought I should have bought two, one to hand over at home and the other for me.  My greatest regret about Listowel is that Lawlor’s Cake Shop closed.  Oh, my goodness, what cakes, never since matched or beaten.  The coffee cake in particular – there’s a surprise!

The Convent Primary school was where the girls all started off.  Some boys attended until senior infants when they then transferred to the Boy’s National School where Brian McMahon was Principal.  We learned to knit and sew in Primary School and the highlight of the whole enterprise was the visit of the Sewing Inspector.  There were two maybe three weeks with minimal schoolwork done as we were preparing for “The Visit”, getting our various projects completed.  Playing in the Schoolyard seemed to have a Seasonality to it.  There was a time for chasing games, then Hopscotch and Piggy (??) were de rigueur, Skipping and then Conkers.  Our Skipping Ropes generally came from Carrolls in the Square – a length of rope with a knot tied at either end.

Then came Secondary School when we strolled from one building to another without another thought.  How lucky we were – none of today’s angst trying to ensure a place and wondering if you qualify for the school of choice.  Everyone transitioned together with a few exceptions, and some new classmates joined us.  We had some interesting teachers in Secondary.  Tony Behan who was our history teacher and approached the curriculum in his own inimitable way, and who gave us the time and space to think things out for ourselves and draw our own conclusions.  But the best by far was Sr Carmelita who lived on a reputation for being very fierce and indeed, she presented as such.  However, once you engaged with her and got into conversation, she turned out to be an incredibly inspiring person.  Indeed, I met her a few times in Cork when she was visiting and went to tea with her in the Imperial Hotel where we continued our long and rambling conversations.  It is she I must thank for my love of English and language in general.

There were some Characters in Listowel as we grew up.  One of these being Babe Jo Wilmot.  What a larger-than-life personality.  She always struck me as being a very warm person, and had I been old enough at the time, I suspect she would have been great fun to socialise with.  We, of course, had the aforementioned Bryan McMahon whom I occasionally engaged in conversation with on my walk home from school and John B Keane.  John B used to walk up our road many evenings setting a ferocious pace with one of his sons struggling to keep up.  Billy told me recently that he was the walking companion in question.  Dr McGuire also walked up Cahirdown for his constitutional.  Many a fright he got when “Mac” (the Weimaraner) came bounding down the road to land with his front paws on my shoulders.  He hadn’t realised that Mac and I were ice-cream sharing partners on the occasions when Mike (his son) brought him to hang out.  What a handsome dog.

So, with my rosy glasses removed I am still firmly of the belief we were blessed to grow up in Listowel.  When I’m there now I can see so many changes to the place and yet, there is an underlying familiarity.  When I think of Listowel my immediate image is of standing on the river bank looking at the bridge.  I’m not sure why the bridge made such an impression but there you are.

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A Few Food Related Brehon Laws

Couldn’t find any meaning for withe on the internet but looking at the illustration, it looks like a spancel.

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A Fact

Bloomsbury, the publishers offered £2000 in advance for the first Harry Potter book, The Philosopher’s Stone

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Christmas 2024 Remembered

By

On January 15, 2025

In Personal, Poem

Chris Grayson in Killarney on January 7 2025

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Molly’s Visit

I had the pleasure of Molly’s company for a few days before Christmas.

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In Ballincollig

Nothing beats a family Christmas. I spent it in 2024 with my family in Ballincollig.

Church of St. Mary and St. John

Nice touch from the 220 bus

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A Postbox Story

Chris Courtney on Facebook

P & T POST BOX

‘SE’ Saorstat Eireann (Irish Free State) post box in County Monaghan. Cast at the Jessop Davis foundry Enniscorthy sometime between 1922 and 1937. (Source: Irish Archeology). Photos also include Thomas Jessop Davis born 1864, died 1946, founder of St. John’s Ironworks and Foundry which was located in Enniscorthy, County Wexford. Wall tie plates, Manhole covers, Agricultural machinery components, ESB and P and T items testify to some of the many contracts he undertook at the Enniscorthy plant.

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Acts of Neighbourliness

The internet was alive with amazing stories of helpfulness during the recent cold snap.

Beatrice shovelling snow on Charles Street

Pat rescuing a stranded motorist

Eddie cleared my path so that I could safely go to his house for Sunday lunch.

This is a milk delivery to Centra in Dromcollogher. The internet was awash with images of good samaritans delivering milk, drinking water, vital medicines, food, post and other essentials to stranded neighbours, friends and strangers.

Bridie Murphy’s picture of her husband heading out to help a neighbour almost broke the internet and rightly so. This picture of early January 2025 in Co. Limerick says more than 1,000 words.

In the midst of it all Mattie Lennon found a laugh.

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Carmel Hanrahan’s Memories of Growing up in Listowel

Before you read today’s instalment, I have to give you an update.

Muireann O’Sullivan remembers the milkman. Here is Muireann’s comment

I think Carmel’s man on a bike delivering milk:cream was Martin Daly RIP late of Market Street ( the house now lived in by Máiréad Carroll). He certainly delivered to Charles St. on his bike. The late Tom Scannell, Skehenerin, took over the milk round when Martin retired. Our milk was now delivered in glass bottles with silver foil tops. The delivery was made extraordinarily early and, when we collected it from the window sill or doorstep, the cream would have risen to and settled on top – ready to pour on our porridge. 

If you have commented in the past, you will probably have noticed that comments no longer appear. I have no idea why. I will try to fix it. Meanwhile dont stop commenting. I can see and approve them even if I can’t upload them to the blog.

Carmel’s Story continued

… Tony O’Callaghan lived at the end of the road and I remember some of his brass works from the house especially a beautiful piece at the fireplace.  Working up the road, there were the Landers, then the Jones, Mai Watkins – sister to Aggie Nolan who filled in as surrogate mother to my sister and myself, a wonderful person and I can’t do her justice here, O’Donnell’s, Crowley’s, Us, Givens, Molyneaux’s, Nurse McMahon, Fitzmaurice’s, Moore’s, and a little further up O’Sullivan’s. (I hope I have the order right).

The Givens lived next door.  I can still remember our first morning in the new house when Seamus called to my dad through the fence enquiring if we were coming out to play.  Seamus, John and Peter were the sons of the house.  Pat had been to America which seemed a very exotic and exciting thing to us at the time.  Lisha and Pat drank coffee every day after lunch (my first introduction to that magic concoction) and I used to be given a cup also, made on milk and a spoonful from a little tin of Maxwell House powdered coffee.  Thus started my lifelong passion (some would say obsession) for anything coffee.  

Paudie and Sadie Fitzmaurice lived further up the road.  On Sundays, dad gave Sadie a lift to 12 o’clock Mass.  She used to allow several of us to come in and play with Mary’s dolls house which with retrospect was a spectacular affair and David’s Fort and his soldiers.  Personally, I remember that I preferred the soldiers.  Apologies here to Mary and David for commandeering their toys in their absence, but a great memory.  I also recall that Mary had a pair of Beetle Boots (white, if I remember correctly), the closest we ever got to a pair and a collection of Beetles records.  You must remember this was in the late 60’s when things like this were not common place.  Hilda O’Donnell also had a record collection which contained a lot of Elvis records.  I remember that Paudie went on holidays several times to Spain and returned with a gift for every child on the road.  A doll in Spanish costume was one and a Fan on another occasion.  I don’t remember what the boys got (too busy admiring my own).

More tomorrow

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A Poem for all the stressed parents with children under their feet for too long

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A Fact

Food rationing was introduced in the UK in 1940 due to shortages brought about by WW2.

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Newbridge Now, Listowel Then

By

On January 14, 2025

In Just a Thought, Listowel, Poem

Photo; Chris Grayson in Killarney National Park on January 7 2025

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A Tree of Hope Knitting Project

This is the St. Conleth’s Parish newsletter which was sent to me by Mary McKenna.

As you can see this was a massive undertaking, a huge credit to all involved. In Newbridge, knitting is a huge community thing. I have seen and documented here their previous yarn bombing and St. Brigid projects.

Detail shows how each branch and bauble was made.

And someone wrote a poem.

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A Birdseye view of Snowy Listowel

John Kelliher took this fabulous photo of the recent snow.

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Growing up in Listowel in the 1960s and 1970s

By Carmel Hanrahan

(Continued from yesterday)

… My father grew a lot of vegetables alongside all the flowers and ornamental plants he had – he was a passionate gardener and I inherited that gene.  There seemed to be a type of barter system going on amongst the other gardeners and himself as it wasn’t unusual to look out the window and see one of the neighbours collecting some vegetables, (or strawberries in the Summer), but we also picked peas and other items in Hilda O’Donnell’s Garden.  Between us and the O’Donnell’s was the Crowley’s house.  Kitty Crowley was also a keen gardener.  Together, Hilda and Kitty (it seems strange to call them by their first names as, growing up, most people were addressed as Mr or Mrs) often did “a run” to Ballybunion during the fine weather.  It seems in my memory that no invitations were issued but if you spotted a car being packed you just turned up with your towel and your togs and joined the group. I think we may have broken a few Guinness records for the amount of people in those cars.  Kitty drove a Mini and Hilda a VW Beetle and yet, their combined 6 or so children – Susan and Nuala may not have been born at that time, – plus whatever number of neighbour’s children all travelled in layers to the beach – often only one car was taken.  A veritable “Lasagna” of people.    

We were taken fruit picking by Mrs. O’Donnell, to give her her full title, to a fruit farm where you picked your own.  She would then spend several days making jam and marmalade.  Her Kenwood Chef was her pride and joy and I later visited her when I was in my 20’s and the machine was still going strong. Mrs. Jones, further down the road taught me to make apple and rhubarb tarts which I proudly brought home.  Sometimes we were sent to the Creamery for bottles/jars of cream which you filled from a tap and then paid for through a window on the side of the office building.  I also recollect a man with a bike, not unlike a butcher’s bike but with a churn of milk or cream on the front and ladles in pint and half pint measures hanging from the bike, possibly called PJ – end of an era I think. 

Another instalment tomorrow

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Just a Thought

I have been fairly busy on Radio Kerry over the holidays. Here is the link to some reflections you wont have herd before. Some of these are included in my recent book, Moments of Reflection.

Just a Thought

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A Postbox Story

From Folklore.ie’s Michael Fortune

I was just going through an old photo album from around 2002 and came across the photo on the left of an Edward Rex Letter Box somewhere in south-west Wexford and said I’d share this with ye. 

Many of you will know this already but in case you don’t, when ‘The Free State’ was setup, the old red boxes associated with the British Empire were rebranded and painted green. To this day, you’ll spot these around the country and obviously this one in Wexford caught my eye some 22+ years ago.

The letter box on the right is from over in Buckinghamshire in England and as you can see, they are almost identical in design. I’m no expert on this but I believe these were installed/made between 1901 – 1910. 

A great bit of rebranding and a sensible and practical thing to do back in the day.

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A Fact

The first cheque written in decimal currency in the UK was for £50.30p in March 1968.

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First Post of January 2025

By

On January 13, 2025

In Listowel

Photo: Chris Grayson

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Severe Weather

January 2025 must have seen some of the most disruptive weather for many a year. I didn’t venture out in the cold snap so most of my snow pictures are taken from my front door or from obliging others.

We’ll start with a few from the fam.

Cliona and Aoife in Kildare heading out to make Aoife’s first snowman.

Carine and Reggie in Ballincollig

Pat Breen with tractor coming to the rescue of a neighbour

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The Letters Page

Yesterday’s Sunday Independent had a very interesting letters to the editor page. The “Letter of the Week” accolade was awarded to our own Shane McAuliffe.

Shane was praising the role farmers played in helping out last week. It wasn’t just the farmers. The bad weather brought out the best in most people.

Also on the letters’ page was a missive from an old man in Wexford. He described last week’s atrocious weather as a “smattering of snow and ice”. He remembered hard times in Dublin in the 1960s when he had to have his Saxa salt shaker constantly at the ready to melt his way to work. He all but accused the media of exaggerating last week’s unprecedented hardships.

On the same page, another letter writer, co incidentally also from Wexford, told us that the Healy Rae’s in government would look out first and foremost for Kerry. Of course, that is not how every other politician in this country works.

I love the letters page but sometimes tone deaf writers make my blood boil.

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A Listowel Childhood in the 1960s and 70s

When Carmel Hanrahan wrote to us with her Full and Plenty story I asked her if she would write a few reminiscences of her time growing up in Listowel. Here is part one of her reply…

Hi Mary,

Following on from our discussion and your request for some memories of growing up in Listowel which would have been in the 1960’s and 70’s – off we go…

With the possibility that I have my rose-tinted glasses on, here goes.  We were a lucky group all things considered, in that, our earliest childhood was in a pre-digital age where we learned well how to entertain ourselves and to “just be”.  Crossing the two eras of our early childhood and the more modern era of our 20’s which we embraced wholeheartedly has given us a unique position in time.  Not that we always appreciated it, and the often-voiced lament, especially in teen age years, that “you can’t do anything or go anywhere without someone watching you” was a given.  With hindsight as a parent and indeed a grandparent, I can now appreciate the value of growing up in that relatively safe environment.  We wandered at will and as long as you turned up on time for dinner/tea nobody really fussed about where you were.  

We lived on Church Street and then Ballygologue before the final move to Cahirdown.  At the time we moved, there were houses on one side of the road only – across the road was one cottage belonging to an old woman called Madge?? (I want to say Mulvihill but I don’t know if that’s right) and her older family cottage which was empty and beginning to deteriorate.  Behind our row of houses was Foley’s field.  This was where cattle grazed for many years before houses were built there.  Mr Foley eventually moved to a New Build house at the end of the road and lived with his daughter.  His old house was lovely and I remember on a few occasions being sent to buy some apples from his orchard.  Where Sexton’s house was (though it might belong to someone else now), stood a gate house at the entrance to the woods, where a man called Dan Dannagher lived.  He was quite old and I remember my father inviting him to our house for Christmas Dinner.  

More tomorrow

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What’s in a Name?

Someone did the research for us.

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Wisdom from the Internet

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Another Fact

There are no bridges over the Amazon river.

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