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
At every stage of the loving restoration of this building, its facade offers us a new aspect to the Church Street streetscape. This premises has been looking neglected for many years. I predict it will be one of the most beautiful shopfronts on the street when it is finished. Thank you everyone involved.
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The News is Out
All over town.
Signs have appeared alerting us all to our new amenity, The long awaited Greenway.
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Writers Week 1973
Matt Mooney sent me this brochure from Writers Week 1973
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Nadd, Co Cork
A rare sight nowadays! I was only too glad to wait as this Fresian crossing took me back a good few years.
Rutting has begun in Killarney National Park ; Photo Jim MacSweeney
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McKenna’s
This is McKenna’s Hardware today, October 2022
This is McKenna’s in the 1940s. The last time I shared this someone noticed the door on the left of the shop which was an entrance to Walshe’s. McKenna’s later bought Walshe’s and removed that door.
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Mulvihill’s
The painstaking work of historically accurate restoration continues on this premises on Church Street. It’s going to be beautiful.
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More from the Coffee Morning for the Hospice
The Listowel Arms coffee morning was a lovely community effort. As I wandered around the room I was struck by the women whom I know to be survivors of cancer who were working hard so that others will have their cancer journey made more comfortable by the hospice, a facility we are so lucky to have in Kerry.
The morning’s event ended with a raffle for an array of lovely prizes.
More Photos from Coffee Morning for Listowel Hospice
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The Ghost Train
As fans of the Kerry team prepare to travel to Dublin this weekend, let us remember the famous Ghost Train that departed from Caherciveen, when t’was midnight by the clock, on the eve of All Ireland day. From the 1920’s up until 1959 this was the way fans journeyed to Dublin for the match. The journey took about eight hours as the steam trains of that era travelled at a maximum of twenty five miles an hour plus the odd break down thrown in. Fans fortified themselves for this epic journey with bottles of Guinness, Nash’s lemonade and buttered marietta biscuits for the children, crubeens and an assortment of sandwiches usually carried in shoe boxes to spare them from being crushed. Melodeons and mouth-organs were also carried on board. Good singers and reciters were in constant demand to while away the hours. Decks of cards for the game of ‘Thirty Wan’ which went on in every carriage. The Ghost Train got its name from the fact that it travelled through the night but also because of the low lighting in the carriages which made people look ghost like to those looking in, as it made its way through the country. Another reason was the eerie and lonesome sound of the whistle from the train. This of course woke every barking dog along the way. Caherciveen’s renowned poet, Sigerson Clifford immortalised this epic return journey in his poem ‘The Ghost Train for Croke Park’. The Journalist, Con Houlihan, sized up this famous outing, which was the longest train journey in Ireland in its time when he said it was, ‘Puck Fair on Wheels’.
From the Killorglin Archive
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The Longed For Day arrived
Jimmy Moloney one of the many campaigners for this facility shared a photo of Facebook to welcome the opening of our stretch of this great amenity.
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.
Homecoming Kerry is an initiative by Kerry Arts to liven up the county and attract tourists during the month of October. There will be 30 events in 10 locations around Kerry
The Pagan New Years Eve is upon us and the Festival of Samháin is about to begin. To celebrate, a fire show consisting of Druids, a funky techno DJ, a fire dragon and much more is coming to Listowel this October.
An explosion of light, fire and skill, the presentation of approximately 60 minutes in duration is being presented as part of the October 2022 An Turas Mór – Homecoming Kerry initiative.
The initiative is funded by @kerrycountycouncil , @failte_ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade under the Global Irish Festival Series.
( The above is from The Listowel website. The official Co. Council post says 7.00 p.m.) Be sure to check before you head out.
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Hospice Fundraising
Listowel Arms Hotel is one of the main sponsors of the annual Hospice Coffee morning. It was a huge success and all the hard work on the parts of all the volunteers paid off.
I was a bit late getting to the party so I missed many of the attendees but here are a few of the many many people who supported this great cause.
Eilish, Agnes and Mary were taking a well earned breather.
Sr. Margaret, Jenny and Frank were waiting for the last few arrivals before holding the raffle.
North, Mary, Marie, Brenda and Eileen were finishing up their coffee and chat.
The Square
5pm
