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
Paul Gerard O’Connor took this photo of Paud Pelican’s turf stacks
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Some Different Church Art in Knockanure
Knockanure Stations of the Cross are non traditional and in keeping with the minimalist ethos of the church.
The Madonna and Child statue is also very non traditional.
A wood panel just inside the door has relief features like these.
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Gabriel Fitzmaurice Honoured
Photo and text shared on line by Kerry Writers’ Museum.
Honouring a Voice of Kerry – Gabriel Fitzmaurice
We were proud to host the announcement of Gabriel Fitzmaurice as the recipient of the 2025 Kerry Association in Dublin Arts Award at Kerry Writers’ Museum in Listowel.
A poet, writer, teacher, singer, and lifelong supporter of Irish language and culture, Gabriel’s work has touched audiences of all ages across Ireland and beyond.
Deeply rooted in the literary tradition of North Kerry, Gabriel has been a driving force in keeping our stories alive – both through his own writing and his decades of dedication to the arts and education.
Photos taken at the Museum on Saturday 21st June, where the award was officially announced.
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Local Writer Making her Mark in Children’s Literature
Local sports fiction writer, Emma Larkin, had her book reviewed and recommended for summer reading in a recent Irish Examiner.
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A Fact
America’s Drug Enforcement Administration is costantly amending its dictionary of drug users’ slang. Words include:
Jim Dunn is a genius at capturing likenesses. These men come to life in his Athea forge mural.
The horse is brilliantly captured as well.
Don’t we all know men like these?
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+ Sally O’Neill R.I.P. +
”Tis hard to part when friends are dear
Perhaps ’twill cost a sigh, a tear,
So steal away, give little warning
Choose your own time.”
(Anna Barbauld)
Sally O’Neill gave no warning. So many people have said since hearing of her passing, “ I was talking to her only last week.” or “I saw her on the street on Sunday.”
Sally stole away in her own time. She was always her own woman. She did things her way, with great gentleness and courtesy, but on her terms. There is a list as long as my arm of people who offered her lifts and she chose to walk. She walked every day for years from her home in Cahirdown to the other side of town to visit her beloved Oliver. Enduring devotion and loyalty were Sally’s hallmark.
Barbara Walsh told me that Sally and Barbara’s late mother used to be good pals in the St. Vincent de Paul. Barbara recalls many a time offering her a lift on a bad rainy day. Sally insisted on walking.
She did on occasion, accept lifts. I read this on R.I.P. ie. Some people’s powers of persuasion must have been strong indeed.
Sally with one of her many friends and neighbours, Robert Pierse. Sally was a great favourite with all the Pierse family and with all her neighbours in Cahirdown.,
When Sally lost her beloved Oliver, her life changed utterly. She was alone in the house, unable to drive and with no family nearby to help her. But she had great neighbours and friends. Through her involvement with local organisations and her unstinted support of local charities and cultural events Sally had friends throughout the community. Everyone looked out for her. She was never alone. Sally O’Neill was Listowel’s favourite adopted daughter.
Oliver O’Neill and his friend, Pat Brodbin. Pat and his family continued the friendship with Sally up to her death and beyond by helping her family in the organisation of her funeral.
Every day Sally got up, dressed up and showed up. She never wallowed in her grief. She knew she had to carry on. She went to mass, attended plays and readings and dined in The Listowel Arms or other local eateries.
Oliver and Sally O’Neill at Listowel Races.
“The apparel oft proclaims the man” was a motto that defined Oliver and Sally. Sally loved to get her hair done and to dress up. She had her own unique sense of style. Oliver and Sally always cut a dash as a handsome couple and Sally wore her stylish outfits right to the end.
Sally O’Neill did not have an enemy in the world. Her smiling presence will be greatly missed from our town. It was a privilege to have known her.
I consider it an honour to have taken what turned out to be the last picture of Sally. Many people have told me that that is how they will remember her, happy and smiling as she attended Listowel Writers Week opening event in her beloved Listowel.
Thornton Wilder said, “ The highest tribute to the dead is not grief but gratitude.”
Thank you, Sally, for enriching all our lives.
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A Fact
Tucked inside Harvard is a library unlike any other, one that protects some of the world’s rarest colors. We’re talking pigments made from extinct insects, crushed gemstones, rare metals, and even ancient Egyptian mummies. It’s called the Forbes Pigment Collection, and it holds over 2,500 samples that capture the history of color like a secret rainbow museum.
These aren’t just pretty powders, they’re stories in a jar. Each pigment tells a tale of science, culture, and even controversy. Some are so rare or toxic they can never be recreated. From the vibrant blues of lapis lazuli to the eerie red of mummy brown, this hidden archive preserves the shades that once painted the world… and may never exist again.
Text from Antony Gaughan’s Listowel and its Vicinity
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What a difference a Season Makes
Stuart, Pat Breen’s bull, was a surprise breakout star of my Moments of Reflection.
He was photographed by my niece in early spring, after a wet and mucky winter. He was a bit overweight from all the weather related confinement.
Here is the bold Stuart a few months later in May 2025. He is happily grazing among his ladies. He is slimmed down, clean and much more attractive to his harem.
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Out and About with Camera
The fine weather saw me out in town and I was delighted to have a few local people pose for me.
Two lovely ladies who are always a joy to encounter in the Vincent de Paul shop. Mary and Eileen are both over seventy but still volunteering and working hard.
Jean, always cheerful and energetic, rested for a minute on the Tidy Town seat.
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Lidl Yesterday
looks like the foundation of the new store
Corner of Dowd’s Road and John B. Keane Road
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A Thought
People who don’t learn from the mistakes of history are destined to repeat them.
Killian and his friends climbed Carrauntuathail on a sunny day in May 2025.
Ballincollig lads on the summit, Killian, Riain, Sorin and Callum
A photo Killian sent on his way up.
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Congratulations
What an achievement for Billy Alexander and all the wonderful crew at Kells Bay, a third gold at the Chelsea Flower Show.
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Listowel Writers’ Week 2025..Listowel Literary Festival
Opening night is tomorrow night. There is a great programme planned for the week.
Here is a new venture involving the local community… Your chance to be part of the story.
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Clarification
An eagle eyed reader spotted yesterday that Fr. Antony Gaughan in this extract from his Listowel and its Vicinity refers to the street we know as Church Street as Ashe Street.
We have been down this road on Listowel Connection before. A quick recap is all I’m going to give here. A burst of republican fervour at one time in Listowel lead to requests to change the street names to commemorate Irish patriots. That campaign failed. Changing street names poses a huge problem for businesses with several issues, some of them fairly costly as well as inconvenient, of changing their business address on all printed and other documents, on bank accounts and invoicing accounts with suppliers etc.
Anyway the issue was eventually resolved by a compromise which saw the Irish version of the street names commemorating the dead republicans and the English version left unchanged. The above sign is an example.
Some people, unhappy with this solution, went on to call Church Street Ashe Street. Fr. Antony Gaughan, it would appear, was one of these.
Probably the best example today is Patrick Street which is in fact Upper William Street. There is no Patrick Street in Listowel.
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Progress at Lidl
This is where Dowd’s house used to be.
The present Lidl store on the left will be demolished.
The store was busy yesterday. Monday is always busy with the “specials’.
This big lorry arrived to the site while I was photographing.
We are going to get a brand new store, just like the Tralee one and the bigger carpark will be where the shop is now.
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A Fact
In 1310 shoes were made for the left and right feet for the first time.
Statue of Schiller in the Garden of Europe, one day in early spring 2025
Hugh Stancliffe’s memorial seat with a view of Schiller.
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Writers’ Week Reveals its new Curator
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R.I.P. Pat Ingoldsby
In memory of Pat, I’d like to share one of his most powerful poems. Pat was a very empathetic observer of the world around him. We need more like him.
TONIGHT THEY PUT THE COTSIDES UP
Tonight they put the cotsides up
onto the old man’s bed,
“You can’t fall out and hurt yourself,”
that’s what the nurses said.
And God you should have seen it,
you should have seen his face,
as metal sides both rattled
and bolts clanked into place.
He sat there numb
and silent,
silent
and very very still,
and nobody who saw him,
nobody ever will
forget the way the colour
drained right out of his face,
as metal sides both rattled
and bolts clanked into place.
The nurses said the cotsides
were to keep him safe in bed,
“You can’t fall out and hurt yourself,”
that’s what the nurses said.
The rest of us lay looking,
we know that no matter how far
that old man fell in future
it could never leave a scar
the way those cotsides did.
Nobody wanted to catch his eye,
he was curled up silent and still,
maybe he’ll go asleep for us,
that’s it – maybe he will
go asleep embraced in a cradle,
in the morning they’ll take
the sides down,
Go asleep embraced in a cradle,
that’s the way Jesus was found.
You couldn’t go over and talk to him,
for that would only mean…
you couldn’t go over and talk to him
for then you’d have to lean and look in over the top,
nobody wanted to do that,
remind him of the way you’d stop
and gaze at a new born infant.
And merciful God you couldn’t peep,
peeping through the bars would be worse,
You couldn’t go over and talk to him,
Softly he started to curse,
“Do yez think I’m a bloody baby,
Do yez think I’m a baby or what?”
then he sank down under the covers,
In between the sides of his cot.
Tonight they put the cotsides up,
onto the old man’s bed,
“You can’t fall out and hurt yourself,”
that’s what the nurses said.
The rest of us lay looking,
we knew that no matter how far
that old man fell in future
it could never leave a scar
the way those cotsides did.
…
Welcome to my Head, 1986, Anna Livia
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Birthday Celebrations Continuing
My birthday party is a bit like The Wedding Feast of Cana. It’s been going on now for over a week.
Part 2 was a day out with my friends to Adare with lunch in the Carriage House restaurant. Still feeling like a queen!
A little bit of horse lore on the menu
The meal was delicious and the company relaxed and entertaining, a lovely treat.
After lunch we transferred to the Manor for an post lunch cup of tea.
My image lools a bit funereal. These top hatted doormen were everywhere. I didn’t open a door all day.
Then we took in the chocolate cottage. Here you can drink hot chocolate or buy a souvenir confection to take home. A bar of chocolate; which is made on site, is 10 euros.
This box of luxury chocolates, handmade in Adare, costs 450 euros. I know it’s kind of vulgar to talk about prices in these places but….
We didn’t bother with the souvenir shop. We knew we’d have to take out a mortgage to buy anything there. We did visit the golf shop however to see how they were preparing for the Ryder Cup.
As expected, the merch is already in and selling well.
All in all a trip to Adare Manor is a luxurious treat, a great way to feel really special and to get a glimpse at how the other half live.
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A Fact
In 1970 one maneating tiger devoured 48 people in India. A maneating tiger can eat up to 400 people in his lifetime.
Photos taken at the Museum on Saturday 21st June, where the award was officially announced.
