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
Crowded Ballybunion beach in summer 2025 aka July 11.
Photo: Carine Schweitzer
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Help Needed with a Mystery
In December 2022 I posted this piece;
An email from Chicago
I am an occasional reader of your blog, and am living in Chicago. My Bedford great-grandmother, Mary Josephine Bambury, and her Ballyeagh husband, James Dore, settled here about 130 years ago.
While my Bambury cousins are scattered all over the globe, many are still living in Kerry and Cork, and I try to keep up with them when I can. One of them, the late Bart Bambury, of Cork City and Kenmare, was a bit of a Renaissance man, and although I did not connect with him until a few years ago, I enjoyed our correspondence immensely. Recently, his friends and family published a book of his poems, and there was a launch party in Cork City.
I thought that with Bart being a “local boy” to Listowel (in a manner of speaking), you might be interested.
Best regards, Bob Hermanson
Chicago
Now Bob’s 94 year old cousin is anxious to make contact with him.
BUT
I can’t find Bob’s email anywhere. I’ve tried all the variations of his name with no luck. In desperation I’m posting an appeal here. If Bob is reading this or if anyone knows him will you ask him to get in touch with me.
Kathleen, his Ballybunion cousin, has sent us a newspaper cutting wih a letter from Australia that her aunt kept for 60 years. They replied to the letter at the time but have since lost touch.
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Carine has recoverd the stones
Seems a shame to leave these out under the elements on Jim’s grave.
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Cocktail Time at John B.’s
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Then and Now
Doran’s Pharmacy has recently been repainted. The signwriter hasn’t been yet.
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A Fact
The first Wimbledon Tennis championship was held in 1877.
When I walked into Listowel Garden Centre shop with my friends, there were 2 of my books, part of a display advertising bookends. Nice one!
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The Small Square
An Príomh Sráid nó An Sráid Mhór or maybe even An Chearnóg Bheag?
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Kilcullen
Kilcullen is one of those lovely little Irish towns with a personality all its own.
I visited on Saturday, July 5 2025 when I was on my Kildare holidays.
We headed off with the small lady on the Fairy Trail.
Fairies not home here today
All along the trail, hidden among the trees and the ivy are these charming little fairy houses.
The Spout obviously has a special significence in Kilcullen. There is a pub called The Spout there.
I learned, when I came to Listowel, that Kerry people referred to a public water pump as a fountain. Maybe Kildare people call it a spout.
We left the fairy enclosure behind and headed for the river walk.
(more tomorrow)
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Family Holiday with a Difference
My niece, Christine is an Irish dancer. When she saw an advertisement for a feis in the U.S.. only an hour and a half from her brother in Cleveland, she pounced on the opportunity to visit. Their mother, Breeda was only too happy to make the trip with her.
Christine was a welcome novelty among the U.S. born Irish dancers. She was rewarded with medals and a crystal glass trophy.
Breeda and Christine with Philip and Anna and family
This sign at Listowel courthouse plaza means that older people are welcome to park here.
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Progress at Lidl
They’ve erected a huge barrier so its harder to monitor progress but it is a very busy building site
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On the Camino
My friend Margo is doing a stretch or two of the Camino de Santiago. She is an old hand at walking this pilgrim way. She sent us these pictures.
Margo wore out her walking shoes and had to add several kilometers to her treck to find a shop where she could buy a new pair.
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Remember John Lenehan?
John remembers with great fondness his years in Moyvane. He wrote in response to my piecee on Mickey MacConnell…
Although we would have probably not gotten to see or hear him again, we will miss him and his lovely tunes. I hope YouTube has his music available.
We are keeping as well as two people in their 90s can be expected. Travel back to Ireland is not in our near plans but the memories of 14 years in Dublin and Moyvane still provide “pleasant dreams” for both of us. Your daily blog keeps us current and for that we owe you a word of thanks.
Warmest regards,
John
God Bless
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End of an Era in Ballyduff
From The Kerryman
Nora O’Connor closed the doors of Ballyduff Post Office at lunchtime on Friday bringing to an end 165 years of community service across three generations of her family.
For Nora – or Nodie as she is better known locally – the moment is one of profound sadness as customers give her hugs and thanks for all she has done. Nora began working in the family post office in 1984 during which time she saw the sort of subtle changes in people and place that time often hides.
Many of the people Nora encountered during her 41 years as post mistress have reached out to her in recent days. The pupils she taught during her days as a sub teacher in local schools also returned to wish her well.
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A Fact
In July 1954 Elvis Presley did his first recording session at sun Records, Memphis.
This poster outside St. Conleth’s Park is there since the great stand off of 2018 when Kildare won out against the GAA who wanted Kildare’s game against Mayo to be played in Croke Park. There were fears that St. Conleths Park would not be able to cope with the expected crowd. The rule is the first team out in selection gets home advantage so Kildare forced the powers that be to abide by their own rule.
Everywhere you look in Newbridge there are floral displays. Beautiful!
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Some poems never grow old.
I picked up an old English school book. I photographed the first page so you could see that it was first published in 1931. Some of the poems were familiar to me from my school days.
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Incoming Rats
Getting closer!
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A Fact
Over the last ten years, 257 post offices have closed across Ireland.
I took this photo in Kent train station in Cork on the day I travelled to Newbridge, Friday July 4 2025. At first glance it looked like all the ticket collection machines were out of order.
If you haven’t travelled by train lately you wont be familiar with the present routine. You book your ticket online, you get a collection number to put into this machine to collect your physical ticket at the station. You need a physical ticket to open the barriers to get to the train in some stations. Cork is one.
The machine at which you print your ticket is also the machine where you buy your ticket if you have not booked online. On July 4th 2025 the train was fully booked (travellers to Longitude and the Cork hurling match).There were no tickets for sale but there were a lot of people needing to collect tickets. Iarannrod Eireann had sent me an email the day before asking me to collect my ticket the day before, if possible. Not possible! They did try to help the situation on the day by posting a man at the one open terminal to speed up collection.
I can’t understand why they couldn’t leave all the terminals open and put a sign saying. Train fully booked. This machine is for ticket collection only by passengers with prebooked tickets.
They say that if you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room. Was I in the wrong train station?
I’ve mentioned this before but there is a chasm between the platform and the train in Cork. You may have seen the ramp they have for wheelchair users. Well, in my opinion, they should put these ramps down at the doors in Kent station as a matter of course. I think I’ll write to the station master and see what he says. I’ll keep you posted.
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Dining in Newbridge
I’m sure there are plenty of places to eat in Newbridge. I went to the one that came highly recommended and I can add my recommendation here.
specials at Lilly and Wild
I had the Feta cheese with fig etc. It was delicious.
If you take my recommendation and go to Lily and Wild, be warned. This marvellous restaurant is in a furniture shop. No body warned me so when I went in I immediately came out again, thinking I was in the wrong place.
This is one bit of the breakfast display in The Keadeen. There was another station with cereals, another with juices, another with breads and pastries and ,of course, a huge hot array of fried food. I didn’t take photos of everything in case people thought I was never left out.
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Two Newbridge Facts
This bar was a favourite stopping off point for John B. Keane on his way to and from Dublin.
The Irish comedian, Hal Roche, was a native of Newbridge.
Hal’s seat is on a flower bedecked corner of the Main Street.
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A Wedding in Australia in 1937
Catholic Freeman’s Journal
June 24 1937 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
WOLLONGONG. CATHOLIC FREEMAN’S JOURNAL WEDDINGS. MORAN – GRIFFIN. At St. Columba’s Church, Bribbaree, on Saturday, June 12, a singular honour was conferred on Miss Agnes M. Griffin, and Mr. John L. Moran, when they began their married life with the blessing of his Lordship Most Rev. John Barry, D.D., Bishop of Goulburn. After he had solemnised the marriage his Lordship celebrated the Nuptial Mass and was assisted by Rev. Father Griffin, Bribbaree, and Rev. Father Butler, B.A., Michelago. Rev. Father Morrison, Young, was also present. In the pretty little rural church, where her brother, the Rev. Father D. J. Griffin, parish priest, and which had been her special care and pride ever since he was appointed to Bribbaree, the bride made a radiant picture of happiness as she knelt at Holy Mass to receive from his Lordship the solemn blessing of Mother Church in the new state she had undertaken. Despite the fact that the ceremony was ranged for the early hour of 6.45 a.m.. the little church was almost filled with well – wishers as the bride – to – be left her brother’s presbytery, where she has been his housekeeper and faithful companion during the busy years in which his spare moments have been devoted to the organisation and service of the Goulburn Diocesan Union of the Holy Name Society. The bride is the daughter of the late James D. Griffin and Mrs. Catherine Griffin, of Listowel, Co. Kerry, Ireland, and she is the baby of a grand old Irish family of eleven. She came upon her to Australia in 1933, and brother’s appointment to the charge of the parish in 1934 she came to Bribbaree. The bridegroom, Mr. John L. Moran, is the son of well – known pioneer family, the late Martin Moran and Mrs. Hanorah Moran, ” Merrylands, ” who came to the Bribbaree district from Victoria almost half a century ago, and during those well – nigh fifty years Mrs. Moran has been one of Bribbaree’s foremost church workers, and her indomitable spirit and material devotedness. were borne witness to a few weeks ago when the whole of her family gathered together to celebrate her seventieth birthday. The bride was given away by Mr. John Davis, Postmaster, Cowra, who has been an intimate friend of her brother ever since his arrival in Australia in 1921. Mr. Kevin Dunn, nephew of the bridegroom, and Miss Kathleen Moran, sister of the bridegroom. were best man and bridesmaid respectively. The immediate relatives were entertained to a wedding breakfast by Mrs. Moran, senr., at Merrylands, where Rev. Father Butler presided. The happy couple were the recipients of many valuable gifts. Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Moran are making their future home at Bribbaree, where a new cottage is being erected for them.
