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

Category: Athea Page 2 of 3

A Book Launch and a Schmozzle

By

On October 1, 2024

In Athea, Poem, Schools' Folklore

Finches at a feeder in Kanturk

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People at a Book Launch

Five of my six grandchildren

Robert and Eileen Bunyan with Paddy MacElligott and Helen Moylan

Clíona with Margo Spillane. Margo came all the way from Castlelyons in Co. Cork to support me on the big night. Such loyalty is much appreciated.

Anne Brosnan, Mary O’Connor, Marie Lucid and Pam Browne

John Kinsella shares a laugh with Mary McGrath and Mary Sobieralski

Cliona Cogan, Breeda Ahern, Carine Schweitzer, Bobby and Sean Cogan, Catherine Moylan and Dulce Lopez

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The Trials of the Golf Lesson

Talk about 100 things going through your head… I love John McAuliffe’s description of all the things he has to remember and all the things he is trying to ignore in this marvellous poem about a golf lesson on the links course in Ballybunion.

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Roly Chute, Legendary Coach and Painter

I met Roly out for the second of his daily walks. He is always willing to stop and chat.

Roly taught all of my children to play badminton and tennis. He gave selfless years and years to training the youngsters in the badminton club the skills of the game. Listowel owes him a lot.

A little known fact about Roly is that he is quite a skilled artist.

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Tupperware

Once upon a time every house had stacks of these plastic containers. We once learned that Queen Elizabeth kept her Corn Flakes in a Tupperware box.

Now the brand has fallen victim to its own success. Since its product is practically indestructible, sales have fallen off and the company is in trouble.

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Knockanure (from the Schools’ Folklore Collection)

Knockanure Church

The old cloisters at Knockanure Church were built in 1649. The chief man at the building of it was Father Moriarty of Castleisland.

There were five friars in it for years, the head brother was Brother James Keane.

There are two beautiful violin players buried in the old Abbey. They were drowned in the Gale on Saturday 11th June 1752. The place where they were drowned is called the Fiddlers’ Hole at a place called Tubber.

The friars lived about three quarters of a mile west of the Church at a place called Carrueragh. Father Mortimer OConner is also buried in this Church. He was born in the field that the church is built on. He died in Arda in 1781. The meaning of Knockanure is the hill of the Yew-Tree. Knockanure chapel was built in Father Sheehy’s time in 1865. The youngest Friar in Ireland at that time was Friar Toban.

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A Fact

A schnozzle is an event in a game of football or hurling. It falls somewhere on the spectrum between a few friendly thumps between friends and second degree assault.

A schnozzle can arise for a number of reasons that range from being 3 goals and 12 points down and 5 minutes left on the clock to someone enquiring into the marital status of your mother at the time of your birth.

A schmozzle must never be allowed to develop into an almighty schmozzle. This would include the subs bench, managing staff, an Maor Uisce, several members of the crowd and, if it is a Junior B hurling match, a collie cross barking.

(information for this fact from Ronan Moore’s book of Irishology.)

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I’m Back

By

On September 30, 2024

In Athea, Listowel

“There are decades when nothings happens and there are weeks when decades happen.” Lenin

Last week was one of those weeks in my little world.

Under the bridge in Athea, Co. Limerick

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You May Own a Dog but a Cat Owns You

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Remember Tiny Tears?

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People at a Book Launch

You’ll be seeing a lot of photos from the launch of Moments of Reflection here from now on. Feel free to move on.

Four Moylans and four Cogans in this photo as it was all shoulders to the wheel for the big night.

Three of the four marvellous musicians who entertained us…Mary Fagan, Paddy MacElligott, Mary Murphy and the fourth was the brilliant John Kinsella. He’ll be in photos before too long too.

My handsome grandson, Killian, reading a reflection

Róisín Darby at the microphone

Surprise attendees on the night were Michael and Sue OSullivan.

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From Wikipedia

The Valley of Knockanure is located at Gortaglanna

The Valley of Knockanure is the name of several ballads commemorating a murder by the Royal Irish Constabulary that occurred during the Irish War of Independence at Gortaglanna (Gortagleanna) near Knockanure, County Kerry, Ireland. The best-known of these was written by teacher and poet Bryan MacMahon (d. 1998) at the request of a local schoolmaster, Pádraig Ó Ceallacháin.[1]

Historical background

On 12 May 1921, a troop of Black and Tans were travelling out from Listowel towards Athea when they arrested four young unarmed men in Gortaglanna. Prior to this the barracks in Listowel had been burnt out and in retaliation the troops, who were under the influence of alcohol, decided to execute the young men. The first to be shot was Jerry Lyons. When this happened, Cornelius Dee decided, as he was going to be shot anyway, to make a run for it. He did, and almost immediately took a bullet in the thigh but managed to keep going. He ran for about three miles and survived. He was never recaptured but remained in hiding until the truce.[2] The other two men were shot on the spot. Today a memorial stands by the roadside where the three died.[1] A film about the events was made in 2009.

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At the Races

I went to the island on two days, Friday and Saturday. You’ll be sick of seeing photos of beautifully dressed people. Here are a few from Friday.

I took 3 photos in The Small Square on my way to the racecourse

Anne Marie O’Riordan was a having a cuppa with her lovely mom and cousin.

Beatrice and Eileen were sharing a table with Ballincollig visitors.

Poor Brenda is still hobbling but in good spirits as always.

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A Fact

In Ancient Sparta if a baby appeared weak at birth, they would leave them out in the elements overnight. If the baby survived, it would be taken back in and raised Spartan.

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Last day before the Launch of Moments of Reflection

By

On September 20, 2024

In Athea, Listowel

Ballybunion, September 2024

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We had one of these

This was always by the phone. It had all our frequently called numbers. We had a telephone directory for looking up numbers we rarely if ever called. Making a phone call has certainly been made easier by the advent of the mobile phone.

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Listowel Pitch and Putt Club Honours

(Picture and text from the club’s webpage)

Pitch and Putt

Since its foundation in 1971, Listowel Pitch and Putt Club has operated on a volunteer basis. Last night, we honoured seven of those volunteers, for whom without their hard work and commitment, largely in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, the club would not be in the strong position that it is in today. They are Teresa Carey, Nuala McAuliffe (RIP), Jim Cronin, Willie Enright, David O’Shaughnessy, Robert Harrington (RIP), and Jerry Brick.  A big thank you to their families, especially the families of the late Nuala McAuliffe and the late Robert Harrington, for joining us on the night to celebrate these seven wonderful people.  Unfortunately, Jerry Brick could not attend on the night, and we look forward to presenting Jerry with his award in the coming days. Thank you to Bernard and Kelvin (Trophy World, Tralee) for the lovely awards, and the Listowel Arms Hotel for hosting us on the night. Last, but not least, a big thank you to local photographer, John Kelliher, for taking the pictures on the night.

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My little book has reached Amsterdam

Fergus Ashe has a very strong Listowel Connection. His dad is a Listowel man and Fergus spent many happy holidays with his Listowel grandmother and his Listowel family.

He got an early copy of the book but the payback was he had to pose with it for Listowel Connection.

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In Athea

Across the road from the church I caught up with Jim Dunn’s mural.

It is almost impossible to tell where the old stone wall ends and the Jim Dunn’s wall begins.

This scene takes me back to my childhood. I love that the men are not dressed in casual clothes but, like all of us before the days of leisurewear, they are wearing old good clothes.

Once upon a time I could name every piece of tackling on that horse.

The hens are Light Sussex.

Looks like the men have called to the forge on their way home from the creamery. The tableau is just so relaxed and easy. The pace of life is slow. We have time to chat as we wait our turn.

The business end of the forge is here. A horseshoe is being hammered on the anvil, a seed drill is being repaired and a horse is being attended to by the farrier/blacksmith.

The onlookers…this is a lovely touch where people from our time look on in awe at the work of the forge.

There is something very touching about the artist’s inclusion of his own grandchildren admiring the skill of the blacksmith as we look on in wonder at their grandfather’s talent and skill.

This has to be one of the most beautiful pieces of wall art I have ever seen. If a picture paints a thousand words, Jim Dunn’s picture, better than any book, achingly evokes the world of my childhood in 1950s and 60s rural Ireland.

Modern, more simple murals, are often larger than life, emblazoned with slogans and demanding our attention. Jim Dunn’s scene is just there as we pass, unobtrusive and undemanding, quietly passing into history.

I predict that, when it is finally finished, it will be a place of pilgrimage for art lovers.

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A Fact

There can be up to 60,000 bees in one hive in mid summer.

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A Break

Next week is race week. Tomorrow evening is the launch of Moments of Reflection in The Listowel Arms at 7.00p.m.. So next week I will be racing and book promoting. I will be taking a break from blogging. I hope to be back soon with lots of photos for you.

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Looking Back

By

On September 19, 2024

In Athea, Ballybunion, Listowel, Personal

Signpost in Listowel Town Square in September 2024

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Ballybunion Remembers

This little picnic/chat area is looking inviting these days.

The plaques on the seats are suffering some weather damage. The invitation to sit and chat is still there though.

Uplifting message on Bobby Duggan’s seat

Invitation to relax in Irish and English

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Remember these?

There was a cash register like this in every shop before the days of scanning and self service tills.

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A Puzzle from the Old Papers

Jer Kennelly is a great man from trawling through the newspaper archives for local old news. Here are 2 pieces he shared recently:

Nov 24 1887

The Irish Canadian

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

“…. On the 18th ult.. the remains of Mr. John Cunnigham, of Listowel, who had attained the patriarchal age of 96 years, were interred at the family burial ground at Murhur, Newtowndillon. The deceased gentleman, who led a quiet…”

Jan 19 1893

The morning call

San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA

“… – In this city, January 16, 1893, John Mahoney, beloved brother of Edward Mahoney and Mrs. Lawrence O’Connell, a native of Murhur, parish of New Town Sands, County Kerry, Ireland, aged 30 years and 6 months. Friends and acquaintances…” From his late residence.

Newtownsandes I’ve heard of but Newtowndillon?

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I was in Athea

St. Barthlomew’s church is beautifully landscaped and maintained.

As you approach the church, this calvary stands on your right hand side. The stark white life-size figures are arresting in their bleakness.

On the other side is this marian grotto, secluded and rustic, by contrast.

There are graves of former parish priests but more striking is this memorial to a native priest who was martyred in Kenya.

What a kind expression the sculptor has captured?

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A Fact

Deer antlers grow from four to five months, roughly from March to the end of August. They grow about an inch a day. That is faster than any other mammal bone.

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Easter Traditions

By

On April 4, 2024

In Athea, Listowel, Personal

Schiller in The Garden of Europe at Easter 2024

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Celebrating Easter

On Good Friday a huge crowd turned up for the annual Hospice fundraising walk.

Some old stalwarts still helping out

Meanwhile in Athea they were praying an outdoor Way of the Cross

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Meeting an Old Friend

I met Dolores O’Connor and a young friend on one of the finer days .

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Glory Days!

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Finches in Kanturk

In my homeplace the focus has shifted temporarily from horses to finches. These little birdies are attracted to the new bespoke finch feeder filled with their favourite nibble. It wasn’t mealtime when I visited and a big bully of a bullfinch was scaring off all the lovely little goldfinches.

The feeder is positioned outside a big glass door so hours are spent observing the antics of these lovely feathered friends. The record so far is 40 birds either feeding or waiting on the fence for their turn at the table.

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A Fact

Chocolate eggs at Easter first appeared in the court of Louis XIV. Before that, and in some countries the tradition is still carried on, real eggs were painted red and displayed to signify the blood of Christ.

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