Listowel Connection

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 30 of 53

Schooldays

By

On July 31, 2023

In Listowel, Poem, Schools

beautiful corner of Listowel Town Square in July 2023

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Last of the Memories (for now)

Every second Wednesday was fair day and wooden barricades were placed along the edge of the footpaths. . The farmers arrived in with their cattle early so the fair was in full swing as we left for school . We were fascinated to see bright red notes changing hands. We didn’t know what denomination they were but we’d never seen them. When the fair was a horse fair which spread up to Market Street we got a day off school as it was considered it would be too dangerous for us to walk through the horses. All that stopped when the Mart was built in the early sixties. 

All of us children walked to school  which was quite a long way from the Square to the Convent. We would walk with the Fitzgibbon girls and we always cut through the archway between the top of Tae Lane and the Market. I remember clearly seeing the car being painted on the side of Tarrant’s garage which I think is still there. 

Eleanor Belcher

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Revival 2023

Still time to get your tickets

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A Success Story with a Listowel Connection

Richard Sheahan (on the right in the photo) was selected on the 4 person team to represent Ireland in the International Chemistry Olympiad which took place in Zurich over 10 days. At the awards ceremony he learned that he had won a bronze medal for Ireland. He is pictured with his teammates. 

Richard is the grandson of Nora Sheahan and the late Jim Sheahan from Greenville.

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Remembering Schooldays

Many of these ladies still in town may help with the last few names and maybe a year.

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A Fact

There is a golf course on the border of Sweden and Finland. There are nine holes in each country.

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A Listowel Lacemaker

By

On July 25, 2023

In Listowel, Poem

River Feale in July 2023

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Happy Childhood Memories

Listowel Arms today

……………..

Eleanor Belcher remembers

My father was a GP and our house was always busy as the surgery was in the front room. Next door were the Fitzgibbons. Mr Fitzgibbon was a vet and Marie and Joan were in the same age group as my sister Katrina and I. The other half of their house was let to various people. Miss Noonan was there when I was a child. She was a teacher and very popular as she gave us sponge fingers sometimes, a wonderful treat. Then came the Rochfords . both teachers with children Sheila and Eoin. Sheila was actually called Philomena but when Saint Philomena became demoted her name was changed!  They were followed by the Gannons. There were two children Renée and a boy, Barry. The young Hannon family hadn’t moved into the house next to the hotel when I was young though did so later. I do remember Maurice as a child. 

The Listowel Arms was run by Mr Gerald McElligott  and the ballroom hadn’t been built. He had one of the few cars in the Square which he kept in the large yard. It had a running board. On cold mornings we children on our way to school would be asked to push the car . 

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Listowel Lacemaker

This picture was shared on the internet. It was part of a newspaper feature on Listowel’s first Civic Pride Week. No date was given but I’m guessing sometime in the 1950s

Does anyone remember Kathleen MacElligott? Does any of her beautiful lacework survive?

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Cuckoos

Image and story from Radio Kerry

Three cuckoos were tagged in Killarney National Park in May of this year.

One cuckoo, named Torc, was tagged in East Herzegovina – close to the border of Montenegro, while anoher called KP was tagged near the foot of the Italian Alps.

The third cuckoo, Cores, was tagged in the Piedmont area of Italy.

The project is a collaboration between the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).

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A Teaser from Brian Bilston

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Things of the Past

By

On July 21, 2023

In History, Listowel, Poem

O’Sullivan’s Cycle Shop, The Square in July 2023

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Spotted in Listowel Credit Union

Major events in the twenty years since our credit union was formed.

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Remembered with Flowers

When I posted this photo last week, people reminded me that this special walltop garden was referred to in Tidy Town circles as Eileen’s Wall because the late Eileen Worts took special care of it.

Eileen, R.I.P. with fellow Tidy Towners, Jackie Barrett and Breda McGrath. Mary Hanlon tells me that the present beautiful display here this year is planted and cared for by Breda.

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July 6 2023 in Kerry Writers’ Museum

A few more pictures from the evening

Childhood neighbours, James Kenny and Jim MacMahon in Kerry Writers’ Museum

Fr. Brendan O’Connor and Jimmy Deenihan

We were able to see The Book of Kells which was the inspiration for much of Michael O’Connor’s work up close.

It wasn’t THE Book of Kells but it was a facsimile copy

What is the difference between an ordinary copy and a facsimile copy?

Answer; Quality… facsimile looks exactly the same as the real thing with ink stains, water damage and holes just as they are in the real thing.

This is the man, Dr. Donncha MacGabhann who owns the precious facsimile copy and who explained to us what it is all about.

It was a source of fascination to everyone on the evening.

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A Timely Poem

An Post have launched their digital stamp. Before too long a book of stamps or any paper stamp at all will be a thing of the past.

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Conkers and Conquerers

By

On July 20, 2023

In Listowel, Personal, Poem

Listowel Courthouse in July 2023

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I saw this picture on the internet and I was back to my childhood. These photos are English but some Irish shops used this method too.

My late mother used to work in a drapery shop. (The word drapery has fallen out of fashion now.) Drapery refers to curtains but the shop sold everything in the household line as well as ladies underwear and knitting wool and haberdashery (another word gone out of fashion.)

My mother told me that they had to be able to calculate how much material to sell a customer who came with the measurements of her window. The shop sold dress material as well and often the customer came with just the paper pattern and the shop assistant had to furnish everything required to make the garment. In short the job involved more skill than simply taking something from a shelf and handing it to the customer.

There were no calculators so the price had to be calculated by the shop assistant. It was very easy to make a mistake. The above devices were the start of specialisation in the retail trade.

In a shop that had this system the shop assistant just had to put everything she had supplied on a docket, whizz the docket to the office. When it came back the calculation would be done, the customer handed over the money, another whizz of the canister to the office and back came the change and the receipt.

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Won’t be Long Now

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Well done to a superb Kanturk Horsewoman

This is Felicity Ward and I took the photo in her yard in Kanturk last August.

Well, Felicity and the talented Cuba have just gone and done it. They are selected to represent Ireland in the European Senior Eventing Championships in France.

Horse Sport Ireland ..”Dag Albert has named his squad that will travel to Le Pin Au Haras next month for the FEI Senior Eventing European Championships, with a blend of experienced combinations added to some up-and-coming talent representing Ireland.

The squad travelling to France to compete on August 9th-13th, in alphabetical order, is as follows:

  • Susie Berry and Clever Trick (ISH)
  • Ian Cassells and Woodendfarm Jack O D (ISH)
  • Sarah Ennis and Grantstown Jackson (ISH)
  • Jennifer Kuehnle and Polly Blue Eyes
  • Joseph Murphy and Calmaro
  • Felicity Ward and Regal Bounty (ISH)

Art and Books

By

On July 19, 2023

In Listowel, Listowel Writers Week, Personal, Poem

Back Lane behind Church Street in Summer 2023

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Dancing Down the Years

Photo and text from Fleadh Cheoil na Mumhan

Footsteps

The dance tradition of North Kerry has extended its influence far beyond its borders, to different places around Ireland, across Europe, and over the Atlantic to America.

Dance has been part of the culture in this region for centuries, passed down through the generations by the Dance Masters, like O’Ceirín in the 1700’s to Mooreen, Ned Batt Walsh, and to the great Geramiah Molyneaux, affectionally known as Munnix, who passed on the dance, to the young girls and boys, of the area.

The Dance masters travelled, often on foot, from town to town, village to village, 

such was their love of, and desire to pass on their art to the younger generation.

Munnix pupils like Jack Lyons, Jerry Nolan, Sheila Bowler, Liam Dineen, Liam Tarrant, Paddy White, Phil Cahill and many more would perform the old steps with great pride.

Long live the dancers! Long live the dance! 

Featuring Dance Master Jimmy Hickey, Musician Greta Curtin.

Devised and choreographed by Jonathan Kelliher, Artistic Director, Siamsa Tíre, The National Folk Theatre of Ireland.

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Celtic Artist, Tony O’Callaghan

When your grandad is an artist, you are lucky enough to have some marvellous bespoke piece of his work made especially for you and celebrating your name.

Few nameplates are as beautiful as these pieces that Miriam brought to share with the audience on July 6 2023.

Tony O’Callaghan, among many of the prestigious commissions he did, designed the logo for Listowel Writers’ Week.

This information comes to us from Wolfgang Mertens’ 1974 LWW memorabilia.

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Visitor

My latest summer visitor, Aoife McKenna, from Kildare loves, loves, loves Listowel library.

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A Smile from the Internet

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