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: Poem Page 20 of 54

In Kanturk

Follow the yellow brick road…Glenlohane Co. Cork

The Voice of Horse Racing

Racecourse commentator Jerry Hannon from Listowel says his career as the voice of Irish horse racing started out as a party piece

“From an early age I was fascinated by horse-racing commentators and how the one voice at a race meeting could create such an atmosphere. I think that’s what whetted my appetite.

“At the time, there was a TV programme called Sports Stadium, which showed races from the previous week. I used to record those races using an old cassette tape and then I’d play them back and try to put my own voice to it. Michael O’Hehir’s famous 1967 commentary of Foinavon winning the Grand National at Aintree became my party piece.”

This opening paragraph is from a recent article in The Irish Independent

A Snooker Poem

I intend bringing you the poems, all sports related, that I found in the library on Poetry Day 2024. I’m starting with this one as it is topical when history has been made and three qualifiers dethroned the big boys and made their way to the last four at The World Snooker Championships. The dream faded in the final, however, and it was a seeded player, Kyren Wilson, who was crowned 2024 World Snooker Champion.

In Kanturk

My recent visit to Kanturk coincided with the official reopening of Twohigs after a big refurbishment.

The ribbon was cut by this lady, Kathleen O’Connell who has worked in Twohigs for 50 years.

I met old friends and had a great catch up.

Mary Lynch is a pal from my school days. Kieran OSullivan was giving out samples of the various salads made that morning in his family business, GOS Salads

Mickey and Minnie were there for the children.

The party went on for 3 days.

Maurice Walsh

A Fact

A rat can last longer without water than a camel can.

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Kathleen Cox, Ceramacist

In Glenlohane, Co. Cork in April 2024

Ceramacist with a Listowel Connection

This lovely figurine is the work of the late Kathleen Cox. She was featured on the National Treasures programme on RTE on Sunday April 28 2024.

Cox was born in China and lived there until she was 7. Her family moved to Listowel before eventually settling in Dublin.. Her father was a doctor.

Kathleen Cox studied under the master sculpture, Oliver Sheppard. She won many prizes and the prize money funded a sojourn in Paris.

“During her time there, Cox met a stranger who was threatening to commit suicide using his revolver. She intervened by throwing his gun into the River Seine. Although the artist saved the stranger’s life, he was furious that she got rid of his gun and insisted that she pay him the value of the gun, which she did in small installments. This outrageous episode demonstrates Cox’s empathy, kindness and gentle nature, which also reflected in many of her artworks.” ( RTE website)

This piece, entitled Woman carrying Something, is typical of the pieces she created at her Dublin studio and sold in her shop. It is now in the National Museum.

In the 1930s she became disillusioned with the whole art scene and smashed her moulds and closed her studio and shop. She passed away in 1972.

Another Hen

Another poet with Tralee roots was prompted by the story of poet performer, John Foley, to send us his own poem about poultry.

Michael O’Callaghan now lives in Wexford.

Rhodie The Escapee

It was Saturday evening in Charlotte Close

With the weather so chilly it would give you a dose

I was strolling out for my evening walk.

When I heard what I thought was fowl talk

A clucking Rhode Island Red Hen was cheerily strutting.

Proud as punch to be hen hopping

Up along the path while her feathers she was preening.

She progressed along with her little hen steps.

But now it was darkening so Rhodie got a pep in her step.

As she searched for a spot to coop up for the night

The owner was made aware of Rhodies plight.

But Rhodie was safely tucked up out of sight.

We called off the search till Sunday morning light.

I was out walking on my morning nature quest.

Parading with Stella my weekend French bulldog canine guest

She was straining on her lead with all her might

As a Clucking Rhode Island Red hen came into her sights.

The Rhode Island, the wild one which escaped from her pen.

Was parading down Charlotte well after ten.

It was time once again to phone the distressed owner.

Who came round quite quickly to rescue her Rhodie, the loner

But Rhodie was not receptive to her rescuing gestures                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Choosing instead to play hide and seek with her pesters

And so, word was sent out to our Charlotte neighbours

Seeking help in arresting our avian transgressor .

Who is really performing like an avian messer

We begin a chick chick chick chick chick chick tune

Being voiced in 6-part harmony just around noon

And then from within the hedge a faint avian sound was heard.

Poor Rhodie was trapped in a fork in the hedge.

All rescuers now go down on their knees

And peer through the hedge and are ready to weep.

A neighbour now sees a gap in the hedge 

Where she sees our poor Rhodie out on a ledge

She puts in both hands to grasp our poor hen

And has her rescued in less than ten. 

She reintroduces her to freedom in Charlotte Close

And hands her over to Rosie her owner who lives near The Close.

Mick O Callaghan

11/02/2024

Do You Remember?

(From the internet)

A Fact

The Empire State Building in New York opened in 1931

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A Church, A Grotto and a Poem

Admiring the fields of rapeseed in Castlemagner in April 2024.

Edel Quinn

They are very proud of Venerable Edel Quinn in Castlemagner. They have built a shrine in the church to this holy woman. She was a Legion of Mary missionary to Africa, where she worked bringing the message of Christianity to Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. She died in Nairobi in 1944 and she is buried in the missionaries Cemetery there. She was selfless, and well meaning and she is commemorated in Kanturk and Castlemagner.

May is the Month of Mary

Ballyduff Grotto  ( Image and text from the Facebook page Anyone from Ballyduff…)

The Ballyduff branch of Macra Na Ferme set about the task of erecting a Marrian Grotto in 1954. A site offered by farmer Frank Hammil was accepted which resulted in the “Wayside shrine” been in Rahela. As regards work on the Grotta itself, the labour was voluntary. Paddy and Johnny Costello, Clashmealcon supplied trailers of gravel from a Quarry in Clounlougher. Thomas Sheehy designed the Grotto and ordered the Statue from Dublin. The statue arrived in a box to Lixnaw railway station and delivered by lorry to Ballyduff. Those who worked regularly at the building were Jack Joy and John O Connor Clounlougher, Den Joe Galvin Drumartin, Jimmy Supple Hearthill, and John Dunne Glounerdalive.  The plastering was done by Michael Regan from bishopscourt, the ironwork by Mike O Carroll of Lacca. and the Electricals by Pat Joe Burns of Ardcullen, and the finishing work by Mikie Brassil, Rahela and Jack Enright Kilmore. The Grotto was blessed by Fr. Courtney and assisted by Fr. B Hayes on Sunday 3rd July 1955.

Epic

I was reminded of Patrick Kavanagh’s poem as I followed the saga of Thade Kelly’s Hen.

I have lived in important places, times

When great events were decided, who owned

That half a rood of rock, a no-man’s land

Surrounded by our pitchfork-armed claims.

I heard the Duffys shouting “Damn your soul!”

And old McCabe stripped to the waist, seen

Step the plot defying blue cast-steel –

“Here is the march along these iron stones.”

That was the year of the Munich bother. Which

Was more important? I inclined

To lose my faith in Ballyrush and Gortin

Till Homer’s ghost came whispering to my mind.

He said: I made the Iliad from such

A local row. Gods make their own importance.

One from the Archives

From The Knocnagoshel Phoenix 2007

A Fact

Fairs were held in Ireland during May. The main business of a fair was the buying and selling of livestock. Unfortunately, faction fighting became a feature of fairs too. Fights at the Donnybrook Fair became so commonplace that the word Donnybrook entered the language as a word for a mass brawl.

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Dick Spring’s Favourite Poem

Bunting at St. Mary’s to welcome the bishop and the young people who were confirmed on Friday last

Redevelopment of the Neodata Site

Jimmy Moloney sent us this letter…

Dear Cllr.,

Thank you for attending the briefing today on this project. As discussed, please find attached plans and particulars for the proposed Trailhead Facility at the Neo-Data site.

This project is going out for Part 8 public consultation tomorrow 24th of April 2024 – with a closing date of submissions on the 5th of June 2024.  The plans will be available online and on display at the Council Offices in Listowel.

The Project is for the development of fully accessible ‘Trailhead Facilities’ at the former Neo-Data site at Bridge Road Listowel to service members of the public,  users of the North Kerry Greenway and users of the Childer’s Park amenities. The construction of the Trailhead Facilities is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) and Kerry County Council (€550k). In summary the proposed facilities will provide vital infrastructure for people of all ages and abilities who enjoy walking, cycling, fishing, nature and spending time outdoors. 

Alongside this project, Kerry County Council is currently developing a masterplan for the larger riverside sites including the remainder of the Neo Data site, the Ball Alley and the Town Council Depot (see figure below). The masterplan shall examine and propose the potential other uses of the area as possible location for other outdoor recreation and sporting facilities which will add to the existing offering of sporting facilities in the surrounding area. These further sporting facilities will include for a hub building including showers and changing facilities which could also service users of the proposed Blueway on the River Feale. The development of the masterplan for the area is funded Under the Department of Rural and Community Development under Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) and Kerry County Council. 

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards

Micheál Lyons

SE

Capital Development Unit North

Gaeilge ar na Sráideanna

More photos from a 2007 TY project

Lifelines

This book was compiled by students at a Dublin secondary school. They wrote to well known people and asked them to nominate their favourite poem for inclusion in a fundraising book.

Flowers of the Fairest

Maurice Walsh

I’ve told you before that discovering treasures in the swap box at the library has become a delightful occurrence in my life .

(N.B. If you are a Maurice Walsh fan you won’t want to miss this;

Public lecture on the Listowel literary tradition by Dr Deirdre Serjeantson: ‘Landscape and Memory in the Novels of Maurice Walsh’. on Sunday June 2 at 3.00 p.m…part of the Writers Week programme)

Look what I found last week. Thank you to the donor.

More tomorrow

Sad Tale from the Newspaper Archives

Today’s Fact

In April 1843 William Wordsworth was appointed Poet Laureate to Queen Victoria.

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In Dublin

Easter 2024 altar in St. Mary’s Church

It all Happened Again, and Again and Again

From Pres. Secondary School yearbook 2004/05

Knocknagoshel Phoenix 2006

The Big Smoke

I took the train from Farranfore with my friend, Peggy, on a mission to see our old friends who usually travel in the other direction to meet us.

This sign is at the entrance to the station. Take a half a look at the translation of Live train/ platform information.

Did no one check it before it went up?

Who signed off on it?

We visited The National Gallery. It’s a beautiful place, so much more worthwhile than the shops.

The only shopping we did was in the National Gallery. There I spotted a Listowel connection, two displays of Anna Guerin’s Sock Co op souvenir socks.

More Flowers

We have a Champion

Schools 5- a -side soccer is like World Cup when you are 11.

Cora and her Gaelscoil Uí Riordáin team are Cork champions and Cora got the award for “Player of the Tournament”. On now to Munster in May.

A Fact

The most difficult tongue twister in the world is

“The sixth sick sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick.”

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