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 Lartigue replica train on Sunday September 2024
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A Tea Caddy
The younger generation never heard of a tea caddy. Ones just like this were in many houses in Ireland fadó, fadó. This was in the day before tea bags and all tea was ‘loose”.
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Stylish Local Ladies at Ladies’ Day 2024
Helen and Breda
Eilish living up to her nickname, “Stylish Eilish”
Kathleen O’Flaherty
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A Pipe Dream of Days in the Amusements Perhaps
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The Book Tour Hit Duagh
The lovely Mary in Watsons agreed to stock Moments of Reflection.
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Turf Wars in the Papers
Daily Post
July 10 1909 • Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
SHOOTING OUTRAGE. An outrage is reported to have taken place at Tullamore, near Listowel, county Kerry, recently. Up to a short time ago a number of tenants were allowed to cut turf in a bog on Lord Ormathwaite’s property. Recently the entire bog was transferred to a farmer in the district, who sent 20 men to cut the turf. Shortly afterwards six armed and disguised men appeared and opened fire on the turf cutters, who fled in terror. Some of them, in endeavouring to save themselves, fell into the bog hole and were rescued by their companions with difficulty. The firing party are stated to have ” skirmished around the place ” until they had satisfied themselves that there was little likelihood of the turf cutters returning.
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Lartigue Open Day
Despite the inclement weather on the day, the volunteers at The Lartigue Monorail and Museum had a great open day event on Sunday September 29 2024. I have a few photos but they will have to wait ’til next week.
I have an abundance of content after my week off.
Three Lartigue men, Martin, Leo and Seamus
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A Fact
Giraffes are 30 times more likely to be hit by lightning than humans
Aoife in St. John’s for her first ever experience of a live performance
Mr. Bubbles was brilliant and held his young audience enthralled.
We met Sinead Bunyan and family in The Square
David Browne and Jimmy Hickey
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From the Schools Folklore Collection
School: Cnoc an Iubhair (C.)
Location: Kealid, Co. Kerry Teacher: Máire Ní Cheallacháin
A True Story
There lived in Carrueragh at one time a man by the name of Costello with his two children.
He lived in a farm out of which another family had been evicted by the Landlord Blacker Douglas.
The White Boys had determined to murder everybody that had anything to do with the Landlord and so they came to the house of the poor man who was a widower. They took him a little distance from the house and killed him.
The two children cried until they were hoarse and the hoarseness never left them.
As the man was dying his blood spattered on a stone beside him, and the stone is still there bearing the name of “The blood stained stone”.
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A Few Friday Racegoers
These three ladies should have been in the final shake up for Best dressed. Imelda Murphy, Faith Almond and Maria Stack all know a thing or two about styling, tailoring and millinery.
Niamh Kenny was accompanied by her lovely daughter. Niamh wore a hat in the shape of a quill as a nod to Listowel’s literary heritage.
This hat was chosen by the judges as the most creative headgear. It was created by Cathríona King of Galway.
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Legendary Football Teams
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Launch of Moments of Reflection
Me with Mary Fagan who was the special guest on the night
Me with my good friend, Margo Anglim
Miriam, who loves Listowel and comes back as often as she can. Dulce, who loves Listowel and has come to Listowel to live.
Robert and Eileen Bunyan
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Promoting my Book
I was in Abbeyfeale on a wet afternoon last week.
An Siopa Milseán is like taking a step back in time….lovely shop, lovely stuff, lovely people
If you live in Abbeyfeale and you’d like to buy a copy of Moments of Reflection, this is the shop for you.
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A Fact
Coffee consumed in large doses can be lethal. 10 grams or 100 cups in four hours can kill the average human being.
Health Warning; This fact was sourced in a book of trivia. Under no circumstances should anyone put this “fact” to the test.
Jim and Liz Dunn are among the first to peruse the book. They are on page 72. They pronounced themselves “honoured” to be in it. They will be with us in the ballroom at The Listowel Arms Hotel at 7.00p.m. on Saturday next, September 21st.
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Another Mona ad.
David O’Sullivan found this one from November 22 1960 in The Cork Examiner.
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A Photo from 2015
Two men, Pat and Berkie, who love Listowel Races.
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Anthony O’Carroll Fundraiser
His local community came out in force to help Anthony O’Carroll’s family raise money to defray the expenses involved in his care and recovery following his motorbike accident.
The biking community came to Ballyduff to support a fallen brother.
Jack Cummins painted this mural on a wall in The Square.
Bikes on display in the community centre
Names of the bike owners were displayed in front of the bikes. Men who love bikes love to chat to other bike lovers and to ask them about their machines.
Some men had images of their families on their bikes.
The most poignant display was Anthony O’Carroll’s bike and gear.
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A Definition
from The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce
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Horizons
On Sunday last 15 Sept 2024, Mary Fagan interviewed me for Horizons. Here is the link. My interview is Part 1.
Martin Chute’s mural is on my way to town so I stopped by often to document progress. One day as I observed Martin putting the finishing touches to his masterpiece, the lovely Anne Marie ORiordan passed by. She stopped to admire the artwork and she kindly posed for a photo with Martin. Anne Marie had fond memories of that back lane in the days before Listowel murals when she and her friends were caffling and having fun. She remembers the odd stolen kiss in the nearby carpark too.
Martin’s work will evoke memories for many.
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Mystery Solved
Joe Cahill did the research for us;
M.J. Reidy was a writer known as Mossien Tommy Reidy from Cordal. He passed away on 1988.
Joe found him on a site called Find a Grave where people are invited to share memories of the dead loved one.
Here is what a relative wrote about our poet.
From “The Claddagh” a family newsletter for the O’Flaherty Reunion in Fort Valley, VA, in May 2000. Maurice J. Reidy, Poet and non-fiction storywriter. Known as “Mossien Tommie” Reidy, this was a term of endearment to those around Castleisland, Co. Kerry, Ireland, where he grew up. He was a local sports hero while in the secondary school system and later his work was used in the school curriculum. He grew up near Cordal where both sets of his grandparents had lived. He was the son of Helen Flaherty Reidy and the grandson of Maurice Flaherty, the youngest brother of my great-grandfather, Daniel. Declan Horgan, a retired school teacher from Tralee, some 25 miles away to the west, said that his writings were very good but his antics were just as meaningful to locals. He related two stories about “Moss” that we would find of interest. It seems when Mossien developed an interest in horse racing and began to trade and build his stables he had no “colours” for his jockey. Since this was more or less a “Landed Gentry” sport he was probably ridiculed. Since our cousin was a great athlete in his own right he had a friend on the All-Kerry Football (soccer) team. This friend loaned him the green and gold jersey and this allowed him to meet the “Rules of the sport”. Don’t believe Mr. Horgan said whether he won or lost that day but he won over 200 races in his shortened life. Another story was: It seems in the medical system in Ireland, like England and Canada, one has to wait their turn for care, unless it is life threatening. It happened our cousin needed a hernia operation and while on a trip to Dublin, feigned a collapse on a downtown street where he was taken to the local hospital and they fixed his problem on the spot. Doesn’t that sound a great deal like Uncle D.C.? Later I ask his brother John if this was all true and he said, “It tis.”, as a big smile spread across his face. M. J. Reidy was the author of the followingworks: Borders of Hope (1978), Borders of Joy (1975), First collection of stories (1978), Mirror of Truth (1980), Rays of Cheer (1978), (1979), Pleasant Holidays (1983), Shades of Fancy, with Jacinta O’Manoney, (1981), The Kerry Piper (1974).
From Mirror of Truth we include a small sample: Ode to Poetry
Oh, you, the one true art from high To mortal ever given, Such sweet fond music from the sky With jewelry of Heaven. Your sacred light, Keep blazing true, When injured here below. You tended, this life’s hospital, With care, for pain and woe, Your oil and wine will polish mind, And brightly cheer alway. And only refuge each one find, To help all night and day. Thy blush, one fond, true friend can find, To speak the color of your mind.
I was fortunate to have read most of his work at the Trinity College Library while my wife, sister and niece were out shopping all day. It left me feeling a small portion of the loss his family must have felt in his passing. His sisters, Julia and Kitty, along with a brother, John, still live in the old Reidy homestead at “High Trees”, Glenlaran, Cordal, Castleisland, Co. Kerry. He left a son, Dan, and a daughter, Helen, as well as, six grandchildren. May he have eternal peace with our Lord and Savior.
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Last few Races photos
Clíona met up with Mary Ellen and Aisling
Anne met Bridget and Carmel
In John Kelliher’s photo are Imelda, Joan, Julie, Helena and liz, just some of the local Tidy Town people who organise what was always my favourite event of Race Week. These people have no part in the judging. That is done by fashion experts and a representative from An Taisce.
I didn’t go on Saturday this year because the weather forecast was for very bad weather. I stayed home, child minding. I depended on Clíona, Breda and of course, John Kelliher, for news of the day.
Playing This little Piggy with Aoife
This event is all about reusing, up cycling and making fashion sustainable. Vintage has now become mainstream so it was no surprise to me that a professional upcycler took the prize.
These are some of the finalists. Cathy Troth, second from right, came first.
The very stylish John and Viveca both won prizes, John was the best dressed man and Viveca came second in the ladies’ section.
Here I must give a shout out to local girl, Maria Stack. Maria is a dedicated upcycler and reuser. She is a great supporter of this competiion. She has entered it every year since it first began. She not only wears the vintage outfit but she sources gloves, bag and other accessories. This year she wore a beautiful tara brooch which was a prize won by her mother. She always has the provenance of her attire and she has the best stories. Every year she makes the final but she just can’t win.
Another stylish lady who just can’t win is my friend, Anne Leneghan. This year she was too late to be considered.
Creative Walls is a marvellous project by Listowel Community and Business Alliance.
Here is what they have to say about the latest Listowel mural
~ Listowel Characters ~ The latest Listowel Characters mural has been commissioned by the Listowel Business & Community Alliance. With support from Kerry Co Arts and Creative Ireland.
The artist selected for the new typographic mural is the talented Master Signwriter – Martin Chute. As with our previous walls, the artist gets to choose an inspiring quote from a selection of Writers, Poets, Songwriters, and more. Martin was keen to create a mural featuring John B. Keane.
“Where’er I go I’ll love you sweet Listowel and doff my distant cap each day to you” – Sweet Listowel.
Martin lived and worked in the United States for many years. Now his exquisite lettering enriches the fascias of his native Listowel. The Chute family’s sign writing and artistic painting work are a prominent feature on Listowel’s shopfronts.
Since his return from America, Martin’s unique, handcrafted signs and shopfront designs have transformed the streetscape in Listowel. His work offers an identity and a sense of place that has contributed to the preservation of the town’s character.
Thank you Martin and all involved for this exquisite piece which has attracted massive attention and admiration already. An asset to the town of Listowel. A special thanks to Pat Nolan from Pat Nolan’s Furniture & Carpet Centre for kindly donating this wall space for this project.
Listowel Business and Community Alliance Kerry County Arts Creative Ireland John B. Keane’s Pub, Listowel, Co. Kerry
This is the other Charles Street mural. The contrast in styles is striking. Listowel Community and Business Alliance is catering for all tastes.
I particularly love the quotation Martin chose. Listowel is often described as lovely. Sweet is somehow to me more emotive, more tender, The colours, the shape and the timbre of Chute’s mural is reminiscent of an old sweet wrapper, a taste of childhood.
The doffing of the cap suggests to me respect and reverence, an acknowledgement of all that Listowel has given. It’s a gesture of gratitude and loyalty.
My blog has brought me into contact with many Listowel emigrants. This mural speaks to them and for them. I find among the Listowel diaspora, a massive loyalty to the town. I haven’t met a Listowel person yet who was not proud of where he came from.
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Kilbrin
Kilbrin is a very small village in North Cork. It has no shop and no pub now. It has a primary school and preschool and a thriving GAA club.
My family are buried in Kilbrin.
Over the graveyard wall a flock of sheep were investigating a mound of earth. Kilbrin is in the heart of the countryside.
Kilbrin is a very very old burial ground, still in use today . A wonderful restoration job has been done here by the local graveyard committee. All of the graves’ inscriptions which can be read are also online;
