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: Just a Thought

A Prayerful Year in North Kerry

By

On July 26, 2021

In Just a Thought, Listowel, Schools

Glendalough, Co Wicklow

Photo Éamon ÓMurchú

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A Photo of a Photo in The Advertiser

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Laborare est Orare

Cathedrals

By John McGrath

Walking with dolphins on a summer’s day

High over Ballybunion,

Talking with ravens in Ballyegan bog,

December morning after rain,

Watching a tumbling star

In a blue-black January sky,

The moon ringed with gold

Over Cnoc An Óir,

Listening to a choir of thrushes

Or the vespers of a thousand starlings,

Turning day-old hay

Towards a sweetening July sun,

Smelling the first rose of April

Or the first turf-fire of autumn.

Incense, mystery, music, majesty

And many places,

Many ways to pray.

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A Pres. Memory

Keelin Kissane, winner of An Post writing competition with her mother, Vourneen, a representative of An Post who sponsored the competition and Sr. Consolata and Sr. Sheila Mary of Presentation Secondary Scho0l, Listowel.

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Just a Thought

My reflections in the Just a Thought slot as broadcast on Radio Kerry last week

Just a Thought by Mary Cogan

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Listowel Characters

The first of the murals at the end of Colbert Street was nearly finished when I photographed it on Thursday last July 21 2021. Listowel’s Siobhán Mooney was helping the artist with the final touches in the sweltering heat.

The quotation is from Brendan Kennelly

“All songs are living ghosts. And long for a living voice.”

By the time you see these the mural will be finished.

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St. John’s, Mr. Jiggs , Handball Memories and Outdoor Dining and Just a Thought

By

On June 10, 2021

In handball, History, Just a Thought, Personal

Great to have it open again.

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Handballing Days

One of the founding members of the handball club and the driving force behind it for years was the late Joe James of O’Connell’s Avenue. Other names associated with the club in the early years were Seamus Wilmot and Bryan MacMahon, Frank Sheehy, Brendan Macauley, Michael Keane, Vangy O’Hanlon, and Tony Chute.

Junior Griffin remembers a story told to him by Bryan MacMahon;

The son of a local businessman whose enthusiasm for handball was not matched by his skill. The poor lad was looked on as a soft touch by other players of the era.

Many, with no money in their pockets would bet him £1 per game and they would give him a handicap of 20 and the first serve. The game was to 21. The scamp would contrive to lose the first game and challenge his gull to double or quits. He would collect his £4 drinking money for the week.

The father came to hear of his son’s handball gambling and he packed him off to Argentina on business for a few years.

To quote MacMahon, ” I went down to the alley one summers evening some years later for a game”. I saw someone seated near the Alley wearing a large sombrero. Drawing closer, lo and behold, I saw that xxxx was back in town and back to the place he loved so well.”

Whether he had learned his lesson or not is another story.

(more hand balling lore tomorrow)

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Volunteers Back at Work

I’m delighted to be reunited with my friends in the St. Vincent de Paul shop.

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The Cork Branch of My Family in May 2021

Bobby is missing from the photo because he took a turn at being photographer

Mr. Jiggs was the only horse who came to greet me in Kanturk when I called on my bolt for freedom from Covid restrictions thanks to the vaccine bonus.

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Outdoor Dining

This space in the square is soon to have a covered outdoor dining thingy erected.

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Thoughts

My most recent set of reflections which were broadcast last week in the Just a Thought slots on Radio Kerry are online now.

Just a Thought by Mary Cogan

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