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
Some Young Musicians on Parade on St. Patrick’s Day 2023
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Collectors on Daffodil Day 2023
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Something Old
Photo; Johnny Hannon
Looks like a Labour Party event in Dick Spring’s election campaign. Don’t know the year.
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I wonder who won
Gerard Flaherty shared this old ticket with Glin Historical Society
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And the winner is……
Listowel’s Community Rose and entrant to the competition to be the Kerry Rose is Debbie Woulfe. Debbie, who was sponsored by John R.’s was chosen at an event in The Listowel Arms on Friday March 31 2023
Photo from Listowwel.ie
Aishling Enright, Margaret Cahill, Theresa Flavin, Ann Woulfe, Debbie Woulfe, Nicole Tagney, Orla Joy, Pierse Walsh.
St. Mary’s Listowel on March 24 2023, Confirmation Day
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Vehicles in St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2023
Vintage vehicles are a part of St. Patrick’s Day tradition in Listowel.
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Tony O’Callaghan, Artist in Copper
Tony O’Callaghan of Listowel had presentation pieces commissioned for many prestigious people.
David O’Sullivan found these newspaper accounts of President ODalaigh’s visit to North Kerry. He was presented with a Tony O’Callaghan copper plaque by Listowel Town Council.
Some other examples of O’Callaghan’s work, treasured by their Listowel owners;
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Daffodil Day 2023
Some of the collectors who were out and about on March 24 2023.
In November 2010 a knitting group met for the first time in Off the Square Café. We met in response to an ad. that Isobel Barrett had placed in a shop window. The ad looked for interested people to meet to knit and natter.
We originally called our group Knirvana, conjuring up images of knitting heaven. This name proved a bit problematic in online searches so we changed to Knitwits.
In 2011 two things happened that changed the direction of the group.
Off the Square café closed and we moved shop to Scribes on Church Street.
We met Namir Karim, himself a crafter and a great supporter of crafting.
We were usually 8 to 18 knitters and crocheters knitting and chatting in our lovely sunlit window haven. Soon we extended operations to a second day, Tuesdays . All the while another group was meeting in The Family Resource Centre on Thursday evenings. Some people were now knitting three times a week.
We were knitting for family and friends, for charity and some were knitting for sale at craft fairs or to fulfil orders.
The next big development came in 2013 when Namir suggested we open a craft shop. No. 53 Church Street was available to rent. The landlord, Robert Corridan, is a big believer in history and heritage. He believed in what we were doing. Namir was willing to back us by paying the rent and the costs involved in setting up the enterprise.
We adopted Robert’s life size yellow pig as our mascot. The late Dan Green won the competition to name him and with Crubeen in the window we were in business.
Mary Keane performed the grand opening on December 10, Namir’s birthday, Rosa sang and we had a bit of a party.
Canon Declan blessed the venture
In the following years we had craft classes, Cois Tine events, product launches and celebrations.
Alice Taylor at one of our hooleys
In 2017 the shop closed its doors for the last time. The venture had run its course.
One of the early days, crafters with Dan Green R.I.P and Miriam Kiely, whose family lived in No. 53.
Friendships were made and memories banked for future reminiscing.
I hope this little history has brought back some memories for the lovely crafters who worked together in and for the shop.
May the sod rest lightly on those with whom we shared those good times and who are now gone from us.
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Remember Phone Boxes?
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Daffodil Day 2023
Some of the lovely people I met on Friday morning out in the cold and wet collecting for Daffodil Day.
INTO Listowel branch members marking a number of retirements at the Listowel Arms on Friday. Back, from left: Henry Molyneaux and John McAuliffe (Scoil Mhuire de Lourdes, Lixnaw), Richard O’Carroll (Lisselton NS). Middle, from left: Teresa Browne (Dromclough NS), Anne Larkin (Ballybunion NS), Norma O’Carroll (Slieveamhadra NS), Maura Enright (Ballyduff NS). Front, from left: Mary O’Connor (Listowel INTO Branch Secretary), Mary Hennessy (Presentation Primary Listowel), Bernie Sheehy & Catherine McEllistrim, (Scoil Realta na Maidne), Rita Goulding (Slieveamhadra NS), Mary Nolan (Duagh NS), Susan Walsh (Ballyduff NS) , Lily Morris (Ballybunion NS), Breda O’Dwyer (Slievemhadra NS), Dermot O’Connor (Listowel Branch INTO Chairperson). Photo by John Stack
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Then and Now
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Tony O’Callaghan, Artist
The beautiful copper work of Listowel artist, Tony O’Callaghan has been presented to several Irish presidents and taoisigh.
1973Erskine Childers 1974
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Listowel Actor’s Latest Gig
Shannon Airport’s last advertising campaign features Listowel actor, Seán McGillicuddy.
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Memories, Memories
This old cookery book with no colour or illustrations was standard issue in second level schools in the mid 1960s. My copy is in a dreadful state but I keep it because of this.
A laughable “recipe’ for custard made with custard powder in my sister’s beautiful handwriting.
Anti-government forces in the Irish Civil War attacked the Listowel and Ballybunion Railway several times in early 1923. Damage to the rolling stock and stations of the 9-mile monorail between the two Kerry towns, and the impracticalities of operating such a unique line in the newly consolidated Irish rail system, forced its permanent closure in October 1924.
Passengers and mail on the LBR had been targeted by Irish republican forces during the Irish War of Independence, 1919-1921. In January 1923, during the civil war, armed men forced the Ballybunion stationmaster to open the line’s office, goods store, and waiting room, which they doused with petrol and paraffin oil and set on fire. Within an hour a similar attack occurred at the Lisselton station, about halfway between the two terminuses.
Such destruction is generally attributed to the IRA forces opposed to the Irish Free State. These “irregulars” also cut down about 1,700 yards of telegraph wire and six poles between Listowel and Ballybunion, matching attacks along other Irish rail routes.
Nicknamed the Lartigue after inventor Charles Lartigue, the monorail was “suspended indefinitely” in early February 1923 due to the sabotage. Nearly 40 employees lost their jobs, impacting about 100 family members and ancillary businesses.
With the train out of service, a char-a-banc and motor car service began operating between the two towns, but it also came under attack in March.Once the civil war ended later that spring, the Lartigue was repaired in time for the busy summer season at Ballybunion, a seaside resort. By mid-July, the Freeman’s Journal reported the Lartigue “has already, particularly on Sundays, been taxed to almost its fullest capacity in the conveyance of visitors.”
Like the Lartigue, however, the national newspaper also would have its run ended in 1924.
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Then and Now
2007 and 2023
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Friends Reunited
Mary Sheehy met this lady twenty years ago on a pilgrimage to Lourdes. They met last week by chance in The Flying Saucer café, Listowel.