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: Schools Page 8 of 20

A Miscellany

By

On October 11, 2022

In Listowel, Listowel Races, Poem, Schools

At Bishopstown Scout hut

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What Lies Ahead?

My daughter Clíona spotted this sign in Cahirdown on her way home to Listowel for the weekend.

I took the photo and appealed for captions.

Catherine Moylan won with the one I’ve chosen as the heading.

She was also a close second with

Ground control, major wrong!

Geraldine O’Connor was also in the running with Fake News

I like Breda OSullivan Ahern’s “No true road but a destination.”

This sign on the approach road from Tarbert is sure to raise a smile in the midst of roadwork disruption.

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Presentation Girls Reunion

On the evening of their reunion the convent girls from the sixties remembered their previous reunion. There was talk and remembrance of the ladies who had passed away since then.

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We’re a Sound Town

The radio station Today Fm has awarded Listowel the accolade of September’s Sound Town. Cora O’Brien of Listowel Community and Business Alliance convinced the judges that Listowel was one of the best towns in Ireland to live in. We’re Sound Out!

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One Brave Lady

Get up, dress up and show up could be the motto of the lady on the right of these photos. She is Mary O’Halloran and she has Motor Neurone Disease. She is living with it and trying to do all the things she enjoyed before. Her lovely voice has gone but she retains her enviable sense of style. She is a regular at Listowel Races and she came back in style this year, earning herself a place on the stage as a finalist in the Ladies Day fashion competition.

My friends, Peggy O’Shea from Firies and Bridget O’Connor from Ballyduff joined me to lose some money and spot some style on Friday Sept. 23 2022.

My great friend, Jimmy was joined by his friend Ted for the day out.

Lilly and her dad Simon were enjoying the racing.

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I wonder what John B. is so certain of in this lesser known poem I found in a penguin anthology of Irish verse.

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A Fact

Carnivorous animals will not eat another animal that has been hit by a bolt of lightening.

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Beautiful Things

By

On October 4, 2022

In Ballybunion, History, Listowel Races, Poem, Schools

Kayaking in Ballybunion at sunset. Photo: David Morrison

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Beautiful Illuminated Picture

Michael O’Connor and Bryan MacMahon celebrated 100 years of Listowel Races in a beautiful work which was handed over to Kerry Writers’ Museum during Listowel Races 2022.

The piece has now begun the next stage of its journey. Stephen Rynne collected it from the museum and it is now on its way to a paper conservator who will do whatever preservation work is necessary before the museum prepares it for display.

Stephen took these photographs to give us an idea of how stunningly beautiful this is. Combining the work of two of Listowel’s greatest artists, I venture to say that it is Listowel’s and maybe even the Ireland’s greatest modern treasure.

These photographs were taken with a mobile phone through glass. They only give us a small inkling of how magnificent this piece is.

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Ladies’ Day, Listowel Races 2022

Here are some photos I took on the Island on Friday September 23 2022

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A Winter Poem

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Schoolgirls

The class reunion of the Pres. girls from the 1960s saw some old photos on display.

Senior Infants 1950

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A Different Kind of Race

By

On September 29, 2022

In Listowel, Listowel Races, Schools, Tarbert

Listowel Town Square

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More Sustainable Fashion

This is part of the huge crowd at the races on Saturday Sept 24 2022. Listowel Racecourse is so vast and well laid out that there is always plenty of room for everyone and while demand for bars and toilets etc. leads to queues, these are never too long and this year everyone was in great good humour due to the sunshine and the blessed release from Covid restrictions. The best way to teach us to appreciate something is to take it away from us for a while.

Mary, Orla, Imelda and Joan were busy in the marquee organising the sustainable fashion event on behalf of Listowel Tidy Towns.

The ever stylish Helena was busy getting every entrant signed up.

Out on the course John Kelliher, who did a marvellous job of photographing all the colour and excitement of race week in Listowel, obliged me by posing with my friends and his, Maria and Anne.

This gorgeous lady was relaxing in the sunshine.

Local people in the marquee observing it all.

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A Poem for this Time of Year

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That Famous Walking Race

The walking race from Tarbert to Listowel was a much anticipated and keenly contested attraction in the 1960s. there are apocryphal tales of fellows going astray, fellows taking short cuts and there is one tall tale of a contestant who “borrowed” a bike for part of the journey.

King of the Mailroad Walking Race: Tarbert to Listowel.

John B Keane who gave a commentary on the race. Derek Johnson (Clonmel) winner and Dr John Walsh, race promoter. September 1961.

From the archive of the late Tony Fitzmaurice, Ballybunion.

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The Queen is Dead, Long Live the Queen

Photo from St. John’s Asts Centre on Facebook

Frances Kennedy was crowned Queen of the Wren at a great night of traditional music, dancing and merriment in Listowel Town Square on Friday Sept.23 2022

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Listowel Races 2022 Day 1 continued

By

On September 27, 2022

In Listowel, Listowel Races, Schools

Listowel Town Square

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Best Dressed Couples

Listowel Races this year introduced a new fashion event. This saw men and women dressing up as a co-ordinated couple. The venue was sponsored by Lyrath Estate Hotels. This company has a very strong Listowel Connection.

The judge on the day was Elaine Kinsella, a broadcaster with a very strong Listowel Connection.

The llama wasn’t helping her with the judging and since he was on his own he wasn’t eligible for the couples competition so he took a minute off from entertaining the children to allow his use as a prop for Instagram.

Gillian and Raymond Gilbourne were every inch the stylish co ordinated couple. They didn’t win.

A couple with a very strong Listowel Connection (and a Kanturk one too) are Barry and Eithne O’Halloran. They didn’t win either. They came second.

Barry was not actually on the island for the competition. He was presenting a prize on behalf of his company.

And the winners were Jacy Ybanez (Tralee) and Brian O’Connor (Abbeyfeale) with an outfit described by the people in the know as “fashion forward”.

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Pres. Girls Reunion

Hard to believe that these lovely ladies graduated from Presentation Secondary School in the early 1960s.

They chatted and reminisced ’til early morning

Miriam Kiely and Mary Sobieralski on their way to the reunion.

Mary and Marlene hadn’t met since they left school.

It was a great night for remembering and reconnecting.

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Harvest Festival 1994

Listowel Harvest Festival made a welcome return to town this year. Will it ever match the fun we had on the streets in 1994. Junior Griffin kept the brochure

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Listowel Races 2022

By

On September 26, 2022

In Listowel, Listowel Races, Schools

Day 1 of Listowel Harvest Festival of Racing 2022, Sunday September 18th

And I was there with my friend, Bridget O’Connor.

I was back on The Island on the last day, Saturday, Sept 24 2022 for Listowel Tidy Towns sustainable fashion event.

And the winner is…

Andrea Thornton is the queen of sustainable fashion. She rarely buys anything new. When her gorgeous dress was bought, it was already vintage with a slightly rusted metal zip and a few rust stains on the lace. Her headpiece came from Vincent’s in Listowel when it was called Second Time Around. She wore her shoes at a Bronte literary event in the UK.

Her fan had to be the most inventive reuse of something. It started life as a Barbie doll’s dress.

Two babies later, the dress still fits Andrea as well as it did on her 21st.

The runner up is another vintage affectionado. Amy G. loves her life, travelling around the world, selecting pieces for her pre loved business.

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When The Owner is an Artist …

Traditionally everything in Listowel shuts down for Race Week. Work stops on building sites in town. This premises on Church Street was no exception but look at how they painted the boarded up window to match the colour scheme of the shopfront.

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Tralee Pillar Box from Another Era

This Tralee postbox dates from the reign of Edward VII so it was put there between 1901 and 1910. Hasn’t it weathered the years well?

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St. Michael’s 1972 Past Pupils Reunion

Back L to R.  Jim Larkin,Maurice Sheehy, Jack Flavin, Tom Stack, Brendan Keane, Eddie Flaherty, John Hartnett, Aidan Murphy, Finbarr Prendiville, Gerard Hussey, David Kissane.Front. L to R. Paddy Quilter,Gerard Neville,Jimmy Fitzmaurice, Joe Horgan,Seamus Kennelly, Neil Brosnan, Jer Riordan.

Names supplied by Jimmy Fitzmaurice.

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The Greatest Irish Athlete Ever?

The eccentric Cork athlete , when asked how he felt after winning his 5th. World Championship said in typical understated fashion ‘Fine”.

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