Happiness is a bed in the shade
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Presentation Update
Yesterday, because of the upheaval at AIHS, I speculated that Mark Holan’s presenation might not go ahead.
Mark has been in touch to say that the Michael J. O’Brien presentation is indeed going ahead. Learn more at the below link.
.https://irish-us.org/events/virtual-lecture-michael-j-obrien-defending-irelands-record-america
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Handball and Pitch and Putt
Bobby Cogan stops to read his old friend, Junior’s poem about great days in this very handball alley.
Memories of the ball alley in Listowel
When school was o’re, our hearts would soar,
At meals we would not dally,
With homework done, to seek our fun,
We’d wander to the alley.
To toss that ball against the wall,
And combat every rally,
With pouring sweat we’d play‘til death
Those games within our alley.
With left hand or right we’d try our might,
Until the grand finale,
But win or lose, how we’d enthuse
On those games played down the alley
Each game was fought, the prize was sought,
The marker counts his tally,
The match was won at twenty one,
‘Twas victory in the alley.
But time moves on, the youth now gone,
No more do young men sally
To toss that ball against the wall
Of my beloved alley
Yet, memories hold of comrades old
Until the last reveille,
Of times gone by which brought such joy
Those days spent down the alley
Junior Griffin
Junior, in his prime, accepting a handball trophy.
It was handball that led to the establishment of the Pitch and Putt Club. Junior and others of the handball fraternity campaigned for the setting up of the Pitch and Putt Club. Sadly now hand ball is not played anymore. The sport is still alive and is played elsewhere but it has died out in Listowel. Meanwhile pitch and putt has gone from strength to strength
Sunday, April 13 2025. Who needs Augusta when we have this gem on our doorstep?
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Reggie visits Listowel Landmarks
People have asked me if Reggie is a greyhound. No, he is not. He is a lurcher, i.e. half greyhound. He is a rescue dog who was abused in a previous life. He was maltreated and left on the side of a road where a kind person found him, cold malnourished and covered in cuts and bruises. After his rehabilitation at the sanctuary he found his forever home where he is loved like one of the family. His sweet nature means he is easy to love.
He posed beside a few iconic Listowel landmarks as souvenirs of his recent visit.
at Listowel Castle
at the Tidy Town seat
at the statue of John B. Keane
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Not only a Green Jacket and millions of dollars
Look what Rory got.
He will be the host a next year’s champions dinner. Wonder will he have an Ulster fry?
Maybe not.
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A Fact
The world’s largest colony of bats lives in the Bracken Cave in Texas. There are about 20 million of them.
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James McGrath’s Poetry & Irish Lending Library in Kerry Writers’ Museum in Listowel
