Brandon Creek

Mallow Camera Club,   Grade 2 Second Place. Jason Mc Aree.

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Remembering a Mother

Last Sunday was Mothering Sunday. Poet, John McGrath, posted this lovely tribute.

Driver

A faded photograph hangs on the wall,

My mother beaming proud as any peacock

By a gleaming new Ford Anglia.

When times were tough, and love was not enough

Her trips to Cobh and Shannon kept us fed.

My father wouldn’t eat ‘til she got home.

She’d learned to drive a milk float in the war.

Her eyes still danced and sparkled at the telling,

How the farm boys whistled, and policemen smiled.

An extra pint for Irish girls abandoned,

Tied to their children when their men went home

Reluctant for a fight that wasn’t theirs.

Once a year she took us to the seaside

Boot piled high with sandwiches and cake.

Hot water from a woman near the coast.

Her car sits silent in the shed now,

Dust-covered, cobweb-shrouded.

A blanket on the bonnet to keep out the cold.

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Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day

Some old photos from our national holiday in Listowel

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Central Ballroom Remembered

When Maureen Barrett, formerly of Ballylongford, saw this photo of the opening of the New Central Ballroom in Ballybunion,  the memories came flooding back.

Here is what she wrote:

Mary,  did you know that Matt Sullivan that opened the Central Ballroom was from Ballylongford-he still has relatives there-I remember he used to come home from England to visit his family regularly and always brought his huge car from England for his vacation-just imagine how impressed everyone was with something like that in those days-he was however just a Bally man no pretensions about him when he was home-I think the architect Creedon is from a Ballylongford family also-

I remember the night THE CENTRAL (as it was referred to then)  opened-the traffic thru Ballylongford was such that one could not cross the road-we were on the main Limerick to Kerry route-memories memories-the mineral bar-the balcony to look down on the dancers-many many marriages started out there-sad to see how it ended up……………………….…………………… 

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A Miller’s Tale

The original Miller’s Tale comes from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. This is a collection of stories told by pilgrims on their way to the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury. As the pilgrims overnight at an inn, they entertain one another by telling stories.

Nowadays, centuries later, business realises the value of stories. Our stories are  interwoven with others’ stories to make up the rich tapestry of life as we live it today.

My story for you today is the story of a journey from Coolbane to Colorado.

The tale begins in Freemount, Co. Cork in the 19th century. My great grandfather, Benjamin Brosnahan, and his son, Johnny, known locally as Johnny the Weaver, lived and worked at Brosnahan’s Cross in Ballybahallow outside Freemount, in North Cork. 

I know this because that great repository of stories, The Schools’ Folklore Collection, has more than one account of them under the heading

Local Crafts. 

Ben and Johnny’s weaving business depended on a supply of wool from local women who spun it in their homes. They also needed the services of a local miller. 

Coolbane Mill was run by the O’Shaughnessy family.

Fast forward to 2021. Andrew O’Shaughnessy has navigated the highs and lows of business and he is now the CEO of his own very successful company, Poppulo, an employee engagement company with global reach. 

Among Poppulo’s employees in Cork is Anne Cogan, Head of EMEA Marketing.

 Anne is the great great granddaughter of Ben the Weaver of Brosnahan’s Cross, Ballybahallow, Freemount.

On Monday March 15th 2021 Poppulo merged with Four Winds Interactive, a digital signage company based in Denver, Colorado. The combined annual sales of the two companies will be in the region of $100 million.

Our story has now journeyed a long way from Coolbane and Ballybahallow.

 Digital communication is the new weaving.

March 17 2021, St. Patrick’s Day like no Other

Remembering other days

St. Patrick’s Hall in Upper William Street

Billy Keane was the M.C and the mayor, on this occasion Jimmy Moloney, were on the viewing stage.

Jimmy Hickey is always busy on St. Patrick’s Day. Here he is with his dancers in St. Mary’s parish church.

Jimmy and Canon Declan O’Connor in The Square

Liam Brennan took over from the late Michael Dowling as St. Patrick.

A cohort of volunteer stewards kept the parade on track.

Eugene Moriarty and Matt Mooney are stalwarts of the organising committee.

Seán Moriarty looks after the commentary in the Small Square.

Tim O’Leary and Donal O’Sullivan always worked hard to make the day special for us all.

Billy is here doing a piece to camera for local videographer, Denis Carroll.

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Cornered

I published this photo last week. In it Barbara, wife of Dick Cotter, is presenting the Kingdom County Butter Churn Trophy to the winning owners, at Listowel Races in 1979. Barbara’s husband, Dick, was the food sales manager at Kerry Group at the time.  He is on the right in the photo.

Then I attempted to outline Dick’s Listowel connection and I got it wrong. I missed a generation.

Here is Dick’s email.

Richard Cotter	Tue, Mar 9, 9:55 PM (13 hours ago)
to me

Hi Mary,

Just saw the current edition re the Races photo. Just to point that Jimmy Cotter was my GREAT grandfather, Timothy F (Tasty)

was my grandfather, (John) Arthur Cotter was my father, Cecil(ia) was my aunt.Thanks.

My grandmother was Rita (Buckley) from Finuge. One of her 6 sisters was Dora who married Sean O’Brien from Charleville. On

March 1st,1921 (100 years) ago, he was murdered in his house by 2 Tans .He was buried initially in Charleville but was subsequently dis-interred and is now buried in Listowel Cemetery (just inside the gate on right hand side) together with Dora,

their daughter ,Maureen and Maureen’s husband, Eugeen O’Sullivan. The O’Sullivans had two daughters and one son, Brian.

All 3 were born over what is now John B.Keanes pub.

Sean O’Brien’s murder is featured in North Cork’s Fighting story (War of Independence).

Best wishes

Dick

The following 2 photos and text are from Vincent Carmody’s Listowel, Snapshots of a Market Town

Dick Cotter puts it in a nutshell here;

Just to confirm the Cotter “dynasty”!

1. John Cotter B 1809-1866
2  James Cotter B 1843-1913
3 Timothy Cotter B 1881-1952 A.K.A Tasty!
4 (John)Arthur Cotter B 1912-1969  Sister; Cecilia Margaret B 1916-1971.
5 Richard Cotter B 1945-so far!

I know that some Listowel sources think that Tasty & Cecil were siblings but that is incorrect. 

She married late in life to her childhood sweetheart Eugene O’Connell (brother of Thomas O’Connell, Bridge Road) in 1970.

They both died in UK in 1971 within a short time of each other (less than a year married)-sad. 

Gene had served with British Army in Burma-WW2. 

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The shop has now been in the Scully family for as long as I am in town.

The shop as it is today is occupied by Chic Boutique

Photo by Pat del Savio

One of the many iterations of this corner shop

Rattoo Sunset

Photo: Bridget O’Connor

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Ballyduff  and Some Other Placenames

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The Day the For Sale Signs Went Up

I have been looking through some old photos while I am in lockdown. I came across these that I took on the day the auctioneers came to erect the For Sale signs at Presentation Convent Listowel in 2007

Sr. Nuala O’Leary R.I.P and Sr. Consolata Bracken

Preparing to erect the sign

The beautiful front garden, always so well kept and picturesque

The empty grotto

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St. Patrick’s Day Memories

Some photos from around the world from the archive

In Shawnee

In London

In New Jersey

In New York

In New York

in Toronto

All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go

Photo: Bridget O’Connor (in Abbeydorney)

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When a Poem Comes to Mind 

“Like one who, on a lonely road, 

Doth walk in fear and dread, 
And, having once turned round, walks on, 
And turns no more his head; 
Because he knows a frightful fiend 
Doth close behind him tread. – 

Coleridge’s “Ancient Mariner.”

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 Duagh Placenames and their meanings

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St. Patrick’s Day

God be with the days when we could parade and congregate, go to mass and dance and sing on our saint’s day.

Here are a few old reminders of how March 17 used to be

John Kelliher took this photo of me on a day I used to love, snapping the action on the streets on St. Patrick’s Day.

Young and old used to throng the pavements in days of yore.

River Brick from Ballinagare Bridge

Photo: Bridget O’Connor

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Home Truths

An extract from Dick Carmody’s memoir

Growing up around Clounmacon School, we were scarcely aware of the riches of history, culture, folklore and, indeed, nature that were in abundance all around us.

Our history and geography lessons often focussed on people, places and events far beyond our native shores. Little did we realise that our own country, county and locality contained a virtual repository of all the elements that make for a vibrant and viable community. As we left our homes and town lands we would soon come to realise what it is that moulded us and what would become that invisible thread that draws us back to our roots. 

   All around us we had people who were enterprising and resourceful. Families were relatively self-contained and self-sufficient in material terms while the spirit of comharing and co-operation provided that extra support and re-assurance to allow people to become part of a wider community. Whether working the land, playing our national games or in pursuit of religious duties, we were ever in each other’s shadow.

Despite the passage of time, there remains a strong sense of local identity, a sense and a pride of place that transcends the many changes that have taken place, including the advances in communications and technology.

   The North Kerry landscape is like a tapestry of farms and bogland, separated by a network of roads, pathways, rivers and streams. Individual holdings, in turn, are comprised of fields, haggards, farm and domestic dwellings divided by ditches, dykes, walls and hedging. The quality of land has been greatly improved over the last half-century or so through the public drainage schemes and through land improvement initiatives by landowners themselves.  Mechanisation of most farm work and the advances in farm machinery have greatly facilitated this. Demographic, economic and other changes have contributed to the decline in small farm holdings as a way of life and the resultant consolidation of farm activity among a smaller new generation who choose farming as a viable business and career. 

   Despite all the changes that have taken place in the community and on the land, there remains for us a wonderful and rich legacy that is the range of placenames which adorn our local landscape. These names originate from the Irish language but through political or other influences have become anglicised and diluted over time and yet have not lost their distinctive and descriptive origins. Thankfully, through the work of local historians and scholars, together with the more recent interest in genealogical research both within Ireland and by an increasingly enthusiastic Irish diaspora, local placenames and town lands now have a new and even greater relevance.

Clounmacon Cluain Meacan The meadow of the root or tuber

Clounprohus Cluain Pruis Meadow of the fox’s lair

Clountubrid Cluain Tiobrad The meadow of the well

Coilagurteen Coill na Goirtin Wood of the little gardens

Coolatoosane Cuil an tSuasain The corner of the long grass

Coolaclarig Cuil an Chlaraigh The corner of the wooden bridge or structure

Derry Doire An oak wood

Dromin An Dromainn The little ridge

Ballahadigue Bealach an Daibigh The route of the tub or vat

Ballygologue Baile Gabhloige Townland of the fork

Bunaghara Bun an Ghearrtha The bottom of the cutting

Knockane Cnocan na Croise Hillock of the cross

Kylebwee An Choill Bhuí The yellow wood

Meen An Mhín Smooth green patch of land

Pollagh Pollach Place full of holes

Skeherenerin Sceiche an Iarainn The Bush of the iron

Placename translations and interpretations courtesy of ‘Logainmneacha – Placenames of North Kerry including Tralee and Ballymacelligott’ by Dan Keane, 2004.

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January 2 2013

On the evening of January 2 2013, we had a spot of unwelcome excitement at Craftshop na Méar in Church Street. We had a chimney fire.

Because it was a three storey building, putting out the fire was a big operation. I took some photos of some of our saviours on the night.

Meanwhile down the road people were queueing for the pantomime unaware of the drama going on a short distance away.

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Tracing his Listowel  Connection

Every so often I get an email from someone who is anxious to trace his Listowel roots. I’m printing Paul O’Connor’s email in the hope that someone will know something about his Charles’ Street family.

Hi There 

I came across your page while looking for information on Listowel. I’m doing up some family history and tracing the roots. My great grandfather Daniel Connor was born on 27th November 1881 and the address was given as Charles St Listowel. In 1896 his grandfather also Daniel Connor died and the address is given as Charles St. 

I was wondering was it a house or was there a kind of workhouse there. 

Any information would be greatly appreciated 

Thanks 

Paul