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: Listowel Page 114 of 184

Changes

This is the lovely new Christmas light garland for 2022. It celebrates Listowel’s literary heritage.

Listowel Writers’ Week opens a new chapter in Listowel’s literary history in 2023 as the festival welcomes its new curator.

Stephen Connelly comes with a hugely impressive cv. I wish him all the best in his new role and I look forward to seeing what he has in store for us in June.

<<<<<<<<<

New Kid on the Block

My Cork family has a new dog. You may remember that their beloved Helios passed away a while back. They felt it was time to take another dog to their hearts. Reggie is a sweet tempered lurcher. Molly has welcomed him to the extended family.

Reggie had a rough start in life and was homeless for a while before being rescued. Housetraining and lead training are in hand.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Times Past

Mary Nolan sent us this photo of the cast of Presentation Secondary School’s 1979 operetta, Lilac Time

<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Christmas Jumper Day

Our local Vincent’s shop has a great selection of toys, clothes and bric a brac at rock bottom prices. If you are finding it hard to make ends meet this Christmas, drop in on Thursday or Friday and you could have your family decked out and all your presents sorted for next to nothing.

And this shop has the nicest shop volunteers as well.

<<<<<<<<

<<<<<<<<<<<

Searching for Photos of a Stokes ancestor

Gus Stokes has been in touch. He found the below story on Listowel Connection from 2012.


Back Row L.toR.Tom Costello, Danny Lane, Bill J. Kirby, Sean Stokes, John MacNamara (agri instructor), Chris Goulding, Patsy O’Sullivan, William Stack, Tim Buckley, John Collins, Toddy O’Sullivan
Middle: Paddy Finucane(cut out of photo),_________ James Murray, John Broderick, Paddy Carroll, John O’Keeffe, Dan Molyneaux, Tim MacMahon,Paddy Maher, John Joe Galvin,Tom O’Sullivan, Vincent Brennan,Jerh Galvin, Liam McElligott, Dick Stokes, Maurice Stack
Front: Paddy Drummond, Dan J. Moloney,———–,————, Canon P. O’Sullivan, Jerry Moyles (C.A.O. Kerry) Bob Fitzgerald, ———–, Tom Sheehan
This is a photograph of Vincent’s photograph. He has all the names except 3 and 2 of them are not local and may have been instructors on the course. The photo has both students and teachers in it and was taken in the old VEC school on Church St.

Here is Gus’ email;

Looking for Jack Stokes Dirrha photos and wondering if he could be found in this photo

I am his grandson but sadly I was 10 years too late to find my birth mother or any living relatives with photos of my family and I would be over joyed to see any photos of my mother who was born c1935 and went to Presentation Convent but I was unable to get any joy when I visited the school but I found my mother has a daughter who is delightful but only had  Collection photo that came as quite a shock !

Any help would be greatly appreciated and I will continue to search your wonderful website and maybe you were at the Library lecture on local fables?

I hope to get back to Listowel sometime in the next few months 

Best wishes for the Holidays 

Gus Stokes

<<<<<<<<<<<<

In Tralee and Listowel

My Christmas decorations 2022 from Kanturk Men’s Shed Craft Fair

<<<<<<<<<<<

Island of Geese, Tralee

I walked through this beautiful Corner of Tralee for the first time last week. It’s a peaceful natural oasis in the centre of town.

<<<<<<<<<<<

From The Sleán , a Clounmacon journal of the 1980s

Clounmacon by Dan Keane

I apologise for the size of the print . It’s worth enlarging.

<<<<<<<<<<<

Dáithí on The Wren in 2004

Photo shared by Dáithí ÓSé online

<<<<<<<<<<<

Christmas Traditions from Dachas.ie

<<<<<<<<<<

Photos I took at the Garda Centenary Celebrations

Betty and Gary Dineen, the last family to live in the Garda station

<<<<<<<<<<

Two Artists, Michael O’Connor and John b. Keane

A view from horseback…photo: Elizabeth Ahern

<<<<<<<<<<<

Another Chapter of the Michael O’Connor Story

Text and pictures from Vincent Carmody

Frank Sheehy was a great friend of Michael O’Connor. When the committee were putting the beautiful programme together in commemoration of the Listowel pitch reopening in May 1960, Frank got Michael to embellish the cover. This programme is now a collector’s item.

The teams that played on that day, May 15th, were Kerry v Down and Kerry v Glen Rovers (including Christy Ring). There were over 10,000 in attendence, special trains came from Limerick and Tralee. The Artane Boys Band came for the weekend, stayed with host families and played to a packed house at the Super Ballroom on Saturday night.

Years later, May 24th 1980, having completed more improvements, we had a grand reopening, having decided to rename the field, Frank Sheehy Park,  our committee replicated the 1960 cover with  photo of the great Frank and the wording, Pairc Mhic Shithigh  inserted as part of the cover.

Kerry played Offaly in football and Kerry played Limerick in hurling.

<<<<<<<<<<<

Christmas Shows

This next bit is purely for my family. I was in Ballincollig for a few days for Aisling Darby’s performances.

Monday Dec 5 2022 found me in a long queue for Douglas gym.

That’s Aisling mid tumble in the opening number, The Greatest Showman.

Aisling was a sorority girl in this super TY performance. There were 97 Coláiste Choilm TYs involved in the show in some form or other. I was there on opening night and it ran like clockwork…..the highest of production values. A triumph.

<<<<<<<<

A John B Christmas Story

The story is from this book.

<<<<<<<<<<

A Few More from The Garda Centenary Celebration

<<<<<<<<

New Citizens

My friend’s daughter in law became a citizen in the ceremony in Killarney on Monday last.

Conall Foynes and Lucia Gomez Foynes

Conall Foynes, Lucia Gomez Foynes and Assumpta Foynes in Killarney at their celebratory meal after the citizenship ceremony.

From an old citizen to a new one, Lucia, I hope Ireland is good to you.

<<<<<<<<<

Guards and Christmas

Listowel Library

<<<<<<<<<<<<

Christmas Windows 2022

<<<<<<<<<<<

From An Sleán, A Clounmacon journal from 1985

Many local heroes remember in this poem by Garry Histon

<<<<<<<

More from a Centenary of Policing Commemorations

<<<<<<<<<<<<

Christmas Displays 20232

<<<<<<<<<<<

Mattie’s Nose

A Nose That Knows

“Those who in quarrels interpose

Must oft wipe a bloody nose” — John Gay.


       With all due respect to Mr Gay one doesn’t have to indulge in pugnacious behaviour to get an injured snout. My mugshot at the top of the page is slightly out of date. I have now less hair and more jowls and I’m wearing spectacles full time. But one thing hasn’t changed; my olfactory organ still has a Grecian bend.

<<<<<<<<<<

Memories from Clounmacon and Kanturk

Corner of Listowel Town Square on Dec 2 2022

<<<<<<<<<

My favourite Grinch Window Display

Once again Doran’s Pharmacy on Church Street has a beautiful creative and entertaining Christmas window .

<<<<<<<<<<<<

From An Sleán

A Clounmacon Journal from Christmas 1985

Bryan MacMahon remembers old Clounmacon and old Clounmacon people.

<<<<<<<<<<<

More Photos from Garda Centenary Commemorations in Listowel

These are some of the people gathered to celebrate with Kerry gardaí

<<<<<<<<<<<<

In Kanturk we were once Dead Posh

Source: Facebook Group, Kanturk Memories

( De Valera’s “comely maidens” had nothing to our “bright faced, laughing young girls”)

<<<<<<<<<

Aoife in The Christmas Shop

On Aoife’s visit we had to visit the Winter Wonderland that is Listowel Garden Centre Christmas Shop.

<<<<<<

Page 114 of 184

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén