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
The three men on the stage at The Plaza on the Sunday of Listowel Writers’ Week 2024 were Martin Dyar, festival curator, Tom Shortt, director of Prison Education and Pat Sheedy, recovering gambling addict and author.
While half the readers of Listowel were in Kerry Writers Museum for the launch of Autumn Blooms, an anthology of work by local writers, Paddy Gavin, Cyril Kelly and John Fitzgerald, I joined the small audience for Pat Sheedy’s cautionary tale of his life in gambling.
Pat’s story is one of fall and redemption. It tells of the saving power of education for a man who had reached his lowest ebb.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in human nature, who likes a good story well told.
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A Poem to Make you Laugh ( or maybe even inspire you)
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Listowel, The world Centre of Modern Celtic Art
St Patrick’s Breastplate by Michael O’Connor
Stephen Rynne did a great job marketing Listowel to those of us attending the International Day of Celtic Art. His presentation was recorded. I hope it will be available soon on youtube. It was marvellous.
Small detail of the calligraphy and illumination on this beautiful artwork, now on display in Kerry Writers’ Museum, Listowel.
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Just a Thought
A link to my latest contributions to Just a Thought on Radio Kerry
The library has to be the best free facility in town, lovely building, lovely staff, well stocked shelves and always a surprise in store.
Today’s surprise; Colm Tóibín’s latest book had no waiting list. I have it for 10 days. Yippee!
Last week when I was in the library I met these lovely people who were on a mission of appreciation to one of their favourite places.
They are the Pathways Level 3 learners from Kerry College, Listowel Campus. The course co ordinator is Rena Liston.
Holding the plant they brought as a thank you to library staff is Maria and fellow librarian, Susan, is in front.
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All is Slowly Being Revealed
The pages my friends are reading are the first proofs of my new book. It will be called Moments of Reflection. Just now it is in the capable hands of Paul Shannon at Listowel Printing Works. He is doing a splendid job.
It will be a while yet, but I’ll keep you posted.
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2 Day International Day of Celtic Art
The International Day of Celtic Art 2024 is actually 2 days. Coming from a town where Writers’ Week is 4 days we can hardly quibble with that.
I think I may have had the link wrong yesterday so here again is the link for registration.
I think it’s all free. They didn’t ask me for any money anyway.
The lady in the above photo is Susan Corr, Ireland’s leading conservator. I took this photo of Susan in The Brendan Kennelly room in Listowel Writers’ Museum on the day she returned the Michael O’Connor pieces after conservation.
This is not the piece in the picture. It’s another of O’Connor’s magnificent letters.
TOPIC: Listowel, The World Capital of Modern Celtic Art
Stephen lives in the West of Ireland where he raises his three children after being widowed in 2012. He has an Honours BSc. from Oxford Brookes University in England and he has been caring for his son who has Epidermolysis Bullosa and Autism since his birth.
In 2019 he discovered, fell in love and picked up all he can to do with the Celtic Arts, in particular Modern Celtic Art from the late 1800s onward. Having spent years discovering the joys of Celtic Art he has decided to put his discoveries to good use in a podcast called ‘Celtic Arts Podcast’ that launches at the International Day of Celtic Art Conference, 2024
These presentations by Stephen are well worth attending. We are lucky in that they are now available in a livestream online.
Michael O’Connor formerly of No. 24 The Square Listowel is, without doubt, Listowel’s greatest visual artist. Some of his work is displayed in Kerry Writers’ Museum, his former home.
Stephen in his presentation to this year’s international conference will present the work, not only of O’Connor, but also the incomparable work of Listowel artists like Pat Mc Aulliffe and the inimitable Paddy Fitzgibbon.
There is nothing remotely like this anywhere in the world. Listowel is grateful to Stephen for bringing world attention to this under appreciated genius.
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Opening Night LWW 2024
Here are a few photos I took on May 29 2024
Matt and Mary are regulars at Arts events in town, particularly if such events are as Gaeilge and involve two of Matt’s passions, music and poetry.
Dick is another amateur poet. Eileen and Dick discovered a connection with me through this blog recently. I posted a picture of Castlemagner church. Dick recognised the beautiful exposed stonework of a church he and Eileen had seen when they attended a wedding in the late 1960s. Fact is often stranger than fiction. Eileen is a great friend of one of my Kanturk cousins and she and Dick attended the wedding of Julie O’Callaghan, who was Eileen’s pal in nurse training, to the late Flor Sullivan (Tourist).
There really are only three degrees of separation.
Friends, Ena, Jean and Áine
Mary Frances and Helena
Jim and Mrs. MacMahon
Con, Catherine and Seán were there to enjoy the occasion.
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A Poem
Brian Bilston is an extraordinary poet. He hits the nail on the head every time.
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A Fact
Laughing 100 times is equal to 15 minutes of exercise on a stationary bicycle.
David Kissane’s picture of The Hill in Lacca, Lisselton in May 2024
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Tim McCrohan’s Visit
Tim McCrohan visited Listowel on his honeymoon in 1983 and he got a Céad Mile Fáilte from Dr. Johnny Walsh.
He writes;
Hello Mary,
Yes…so THANKFUL you were able to forward my message on to her (Eleanor). As I previously wrote, when we visited Listowel to search for some family gravesites during our honeymoon back in 1983, we met with Dr. Walsh (who had cared for my uncle when he resided at a local nursing home in 1955.) Because we were in the U.S. and had no other family there to bury him when he passed, my dad had sent Dr. Walsh monies to bury his uncle after he passed away in 1955. My dad had never been able to visit the town where his own father was born, so when we honeymooned in Ireland, we took a day trip to see if we could locate the gravesite or even the Dr who took care of my uncle. It was a long shot, as the last contact our family had with the Dr was almost 30 years previous. To our surprise, we did locate Dr. Walsh’s office who, when we introduced ourselves, closed his practice and took us around the town. (I share my uncle’s (who he cared for and buried) same name (Timothy McCrohan), so he immediately recognized it when I introduced myself.) During the visit throughout the town, he said our family home was at 15 Main Street. They would have lived there in the late 1850s/1870s. At the time of our visit, it was then the DJ Larkin Building, next to the Spinning Wheel Restaurant. He also took us by the Kennedy Nursing Home (or what was formerly known as, “Greenlawn” Nursing home back in the late 1940’s/1950’s.) which was owned/operated by Dr. Walsh. According to his daughter, Eleanor (Walsh) Belcher, (who we subsequently connected with via your site) he set up the nursing home in 1948. She would, on occasion, visit there with him when she was a young girl, so she felt it was likely she may have even met my uncle during one of those visits when he resided there in 1955. I’ve attached a few pics of our visit back then of the Kennedy Nursing Home (Church Street), Dr. John Walsh’s office (26, The Square) and the DJ Larkin Building (15 Main Street) (upper loft would have been our family’s residence back in the 1850/60’s). As I previously relayed to you, Dr. Walsh knew exactly where my uncle had been laid to rest (because he took care of the entire burial for our family) so he took us to see it. What a wonderful surprise it was to meet Dr. Walsh, visit my Uncle’s gravesite, and to see and learn about the town of Listowel. We were so grateful!
I’ve been thoroughly enjoying reading all the various blogs from your site, which gives me great insight to the town my family was from.
Thank you again!
(Another McCrohan story tomorrow)
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Forget Bilocation. You’ll need Trilocation
There is so much on in Listowel on the June Holiday Weekend 2024 that visitors will be spoilt for choice.
Of course there is The Races.
Then this;
St. John’s has a packed programme of events for young and old.
And, of course, Writers’ Week
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Your Vital Vote
AIB is giving away big money to local charities all over Ireland. Charities get a one off chance to apply so it is important that we pull out all the stops to get them as much as we can on the first (and only) time of asking.
Ard Churam is a vital local service, keeping our valued older people cared for. Because many of the older people who use the service were born before the digital age, it is really important that we, who are more tech savvy, get them this sorely needed cash.
The charity number is really important. The name of the charity, Ard Churam is in Irish so be careful auto correct doesn’t change it to Are Charm.
