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
Wearing a suit stained with blood, sweat and booze
Drinking the last of this months rent
He took the boat in 57
Leaving behind Mayo
Full of hope and fear
An address in his pocket
For a ganger and a start
Money for a week to tide him over
Sunday best on his back
New shoes squeezing his feet
No Irish need apply
Lodgings hard found
Working every hour god sent
Paid in the crown at the weekend
Missing home, laughs to hide the pain
Another from the top shelf
Saving for the summer holiday
Putting a little by
Back home for a week to the old sod
Buying pints for the lads
Bragging about the wages
Gold chains around the neck
Bought from a suitcase
When did you get home?
When are you going back?
Back to back breaking in blighty
Years passing on
Body getting tired
Drink taking hold
No money for the holidays
Or the funerals at home
Nights in the doss house
Sleeping on the rope
Days on the streets
Dreams of a long gone family
Passing away in the cold
(C) Kevin McManus
This sculpture, The Crying Stone by Colm Brennan
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A Few More Hospice Morning Photos
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Brehon Laws
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Tidy Town Work
The Tidy Town organisation is about so much more than litter picking and tidying up. The replacement of these important tourist information signs is just one of their many unsung contributions to making Listowel the lovely place it is to live in, to work in or to visit.
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Book Promoting in Kanturk
Kanturk looked very autumnal on my recent visit.
Noreen O’Sullivan has a keen interest in local history.
I met Alison Murphy in Presents of Mind. My book is now available in this lovely gift shop on O’Brien Street.
Eilish O’Connor in the beautiful welcoming Olde Worlde Alley Bar bought 3 books to give to family at Christmas.
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A Fact
After its catastrophic collision with the iceberg it was a full 2 hours and 40 minutes before The Titanic sank.
A picture paints a thousand words…This cartoon was in last Sunday’s Independent apropos the death of Liam Payne. The hard slog to the top of the stage in the music industry can be followed by a merciless downward slide to be eventually unceremoniously spat out at the bottom.
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The Book Tour is heading to France
Cecile was delighted to pick up her copy of Moments of Reflection to bring back home with her after her recent visit to Cirk.
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Food for Thought
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More from the Hospice Coffee Morning
Over €4,000 was raised on October 17 2024 for Kerry Hospice.
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A Fact
Human bodies contain about 0.2 milligrams of gold, most of it in our blood.
Our first washing machine!!!!!! You had to boil the water elsewhere: in our case, in a Burko boiler. You filled the drum the water and the washing, added the detergent, covered it and turned it on. When the washing was done, you fished it out with a wooden tongs and fed it through the mangle, pulled the machine to the sink to drain off the water and then repeated the operation with clean water to rinse the detergent from the clothes.
This machine was regarded as a labour saving device in 1960’s Ireland. It was the much maligned twin tub. The spin dryer had replaced the mangle for extracting as much moisture as possible from the washed clothes. The washing was washed in one compartment/tub which had to be filled with water from the tap. I dont ever remember a twin tub being plumbed in. The water had to be drained off and the clothes transferred to the second tub for spinning. These had to be loaded carefully so that the weight was evenly distributed. Otherwise the machine would do a mad dance around the floor. There were no tumble dryers so the the spun garments had to be hung out on a clothesline to dry.
Washing was a day’s work.
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Some Pres. Girls
I’m sure someone will name them for us, or maybe even one of themselves.
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Our Millenium Arch
Our first arch was blown down in a storm and this is the replacement.
This picture is from 2016
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The Book Tour is Coming to Kanturk
The Kanturk launch of Moments of Reflection will be in The Linngorm Community Hall, (P51 YC57) on Friday next, October 25 2024 at 7.30 p. m.
The children are rehearsing their readings and the hostess, Breeda, is trying out a few mouthwatering tray bakes.
I’m looking forward to a great evening among family and old friends.
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A Few Brehon Laws
The Brehons had no legal tender. all transactions were settled by barter.
Then, as now, location is everything.
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People at a Coffee Morning
On October 17 2024 these lovely people were in The Listowel Arms Hotel supporting the Kerry Hospice.
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A Fact
The world’s first speed limit regulation was in the UK in 1903. It was 20mph.
Photo: Chris Grayson in Killarney National Park…2024 rut
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Where I was Yesterday
Volunteers were everywhere, Selling tickets, baking and serving, playing the piano, finding chairs for the huge crowd who came to support and generally ensuring that the annual Kerry Hospice coffee morning was an outstanding success.
I took lots of photos, so you will be seeing lots of the lovely people who attended in upcoming posts.
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The Sales
In the days before online shopping, shops used to hold much anticipated end of season sales. A few hot ticket items would be greatly reduced and these would be available to shoppers on a first come first served basis. This led to competitive queueing and a mad scramble once the doors opened.
The queue at Roches Stores, Cork for one such sale. The queues and, in this case, the shop is no more.
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My Weekend in Ballincollig
Last weekend found me in this little theatre for a festival of one act plays. The calibre of play and of acting was very varied but it was a worthwhile exercise and I enjoyed a return to live theatre which I had missed for a while.
Saturday saw me in Belgooley where hundreds of underage lady footballers from local clubs were trying out for mid Kerry teams. It is heartwarming to see so many young girls actively involved in Gaelic games. The turn out was a great credit to the mentors who coach and encourage these young ladies week in week out.
Sunday and I was in Lakewood tennis club supporting my daughter in the first round of the winter league tennis. Cora joined us after victory with her soccer team in their first round national championship soccer game.
Sunday lunch in Kanturk with my Kanturk besties.
The book tour is due in Kanturk on Friday, October 25th at 7.30 in the Linn gorm Community Hall (P51 YC57). Stuart, the bull, who is one of the stars of Moments of Reflection, won’t be in attendance but his family will. If you are reading this in North Cork, do join us. We won’t have any music this time but we will have a party, hosted by my star baker sister-in-law.
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Sad story from the Internet
Did you sing this as a child? .
Explanation below, where this song came from..
This old man he played one
He played nick nack on my drum
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played two
He played nick nack on my shoe
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played three
He played nick nack on my tree
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played four
He played nick nack on my door
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played five
He played nick nack on my hive
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played six
He played nick nack on my stick
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played seven
He played nick nack on my deven
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played eight
He played nick nack on my gate
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played nine
He played nick nack on my vine
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played ten
He played nick nack on my hen
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This rhyme is thought to relate to Irish beggars who arrived in England during the British genocide which lasted between 1845 to 1852 and resulted in millions of deaths. Paddies’ as they were known would sell ‘knick knacks’ door to door, also playing a rhythm of ‘nick nack’ using spoons, in the hope of receiving some pennies. According to the tale, they’d be given a ‘whack’ and sent on their way, while their dog would be given a bone.
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Last few photos from Listowel Harvest Festival of Racing 2024
John tries to get back to his native Listowel every year during race week.
I met Eileen at the parade ring spotting form.
Bridget and John always enjoy a day at the races.
Niamh and friends with their inventive headgear.
These Ballyduff sisters were reunited for Listowel Races.
Photo credit: Chris Grayson in The National Park, Killarney, October 2024
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Moments of Reflection
My granddaughter, Cora, reading my book. I’m truly grateful to all the people who have bought it so far. It really is the ideal gift for young and old.
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Formica
There was a time when we thought plastic was a marvellous discovery. It was strong, durable, easy to clean and store and virtually indestructible. Of course this indestructibility has lead plastic to fall out of favour.
Formica was a tough, glossy surface, easy to clean and disinfect, didn’t splinter or stain. It was ideal for tables where spillages could be easily mopped up and there was no need for a table covering of any sort and no polishing and protecting. I wonder if anyone still has a formica kitchen table.
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Ah, so sad!
from Discover Duhallow magazine
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The Farrier
When I called home recently this sight met my eyes, the farrier’s van complete with an array of horseshoes. Horses, like people, have different shoe sizes.
My brother holding the horse and the busy farrier working away.
The farrier works his way from hoof to hoof and the horse waits patiently for the job to be done.
Pat’s grandchildren came to take a look at this age old skill.
Now, it’s the turn of the stable companion.
The rasp, the equivalent of our nail file, evens off the hoof’s edges.
This trade is no longer carried out by blacksmiths. It is a skill all of its own now and the farrier travels around to pay home visits to his equine customers.
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Brehon Laws
A few more sensible rules to live by…
The Brehons who were the judges were not above the law.
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Date for the Diary
This usually books out quickly.
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A Fact
A cat will clean itself with tongue and paw after a dangerous experience or when it has fought with another cat. this is an attempt by the cat to soothe its nerves by doing something instinctive and natural.