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

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Autumn in Kanturk and Listowel

Lower Church Street

Lost Souls

I found this sad poem on the internet

LOST SOULS

Sitting alone at the bar in Kilburn

Mid afternoon on a mid Summers day

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

A Few More Hospice Morning Photos

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.

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.

A Fact

After its catastrophic collision with the iceberg it was a full 2 hours and 40 minutes before The Titanic sank.

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Rutting Season in Killarney National Park

Stag rounding up a harem, Photos: Chris Grayson

Fame

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.

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.

Food for Thought

More from the Hospice Coffee Morning

Over €4,000 was raised on October 17 2024 for Kerry Hospice.

A Fact

Human bodies contain about 0.2 milligrams of gold, most of it in our blood.

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Heading to Kanturk

St. Patrick’s Hall in October 2024

Washday

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.

Some Pres. Girls

I’m sure someone will name them for us, or maybe even one of themselves.

Our Millenium Arch

Our first arch was blown down in a storm and this is the replacement.

This picture is from 2016

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.

A Few Brehon Laws

The Brehons had no legal tender. all transactions were settled by barter.

Then, as now, location is everything.

People at a Coffee Morning

On October 17 2024 these lovely people were in The Listowel Arms Hotel supporting the Kerry Hospice.

A Fact

The world’s first speed limit regulation was in the UK in 1903. It was 20mph.

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Different Sports

Photo: Chris Grayson in Killarney National Park…2024 rut

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A Fact

Koalas sleep up to 20 hours a day.

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Horses, Cows and Cats

Photo credit: Chris Grayson in The National Park, Killarney, October 2024

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.

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.

Ah, so sad!

from Discover Duhallow magazine

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.

Brehon Laws

A few more sensible rules to live by…

The Brehons who were the judges were not above the law.

Date for the Diary

This usually books out quickly.

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.

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