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

Listowel and Asdee Remembered

Main Street, Listowel in November 2021

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Asdee Memories

I met these members of Asdee Active Retired Group in Garvey’s Super Valu. They were promoting their great collection of memories and lore.

Do you know what a losset is?

I didn’t until I found out all about it and it’s biblical connections from a lovely lady, Noreen Dineen. Noreen remembers going to school in the 1930s when there were few facilities, no creature comforts and life was tough.

This delightful book is the first draft of Asdee history. It is full of precious reminiscences, old photographs and it preserves words used locally for a generation that is fast forgetting them.

I bought this window into the past as much for the next generation as for myself.

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Christmas at Listowel Garden Centre

It’s still November but this Christmas display is just the ticket to raise expectation levels for the season still to come.

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Then and Now

William Street 2007

2021

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Main street in November 2021

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A Listowel Fact

Listowel’s trade history began with the laying out of the market square in 1697. Fairs and markets were held regularly and Listowel was a busy town.

In 1829 the Big Bridge was built and this was a game changer. the Mail Road in 1827 and the Cork line in 1829 also made access to outside markets easier. In particular The Cork Line to Abbeyfeale and Newmarket meant a saving of 37 miles for the car men going to the Cork Butter Market. Before that they had to go through Killarney.

The railway came to Listowel in 1880. The Lartigue Railway was built in 1889

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A Few more Names

In Seán Keane’s lovely old photo we already had these names

Eamon O’Connor is lying in front with his hand to his head. On his right (left in photo) is Eamon Leahy. Behind him is his brother, Tadhg Leahy, beside him behind Eamon O’Connor is Ciarán ÓMurchú. Buddy Scanlon is the boy with the towel over his shoulder. Behind him is Monty Galvin and Toddy Scanlon is behind Monty.

Since publishing the photo we have a few more memories jogged.

Gerard Leahy recognised the little boy on the right looking on at the big boys. It is Gerard himself wearing the Fair Isle jumper his mother hand knitted for him.

Ned O’Sullivan saw “Paddy Fitz of Charles Street and possibly Peter McElligott of Bedford.”

Julie Gleeson thought that Michael Brennan and Eoin O’Neill might be in the picture.

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Listowel in Happy and Unhappy Times

In Market Street, Listowel in November 2021

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Did you know?

Listowel Garda Station was once the local RIC station. It was the scene of a famous mutiny in 1920.

The Ladybird version; The police commissioner for Munster planned to impose Martial Law on the town and to amalgamate the police and the military in a bid to wipe out Sinn Féin.

Constable Jeremiah Mee declared that he was an Irishman and with that he plonked his cap belt and bayonet on the table and refused to follow Ferguson’s orders. His fellow officers supported him and they too refused to cooperate and prevented his arrest.

Later that day 25 officers met in what is now John B. Keane’s pub and it was agreed that 14 single policemen would resign from the force.

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Happy Boys at The Falls

Seán Keane sent the photo. Éamon ÓMurchú enhanced the photo and researched the names.

Eamon O’Connor is lying in front with his hand to his head. On his right (left in photo) is Eamon Leahy. Behind him is his brother, Tadhg Leahy, beside him behind Eamon O’Connor is Ciarán ÓMurchú. Buddy Scanlon is the boy with the towel over his shoulder. Behind him is Monty Galvin and Toddy Scanlon is behind Monty.

Any help in naming the others will be greatly appreciated.

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New Mode of Transport

My first sighting of an adult scooter in Listowel.

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Then and Now

Harp and Lion in 2007
Harp and Lion in 2021

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A Christmas Window for 2021

John R.’s gingerbread house display is in keeping with the delicious fare inside this shop.

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Listowel, Facts and Photos

St. John’s Theatre, November 2021

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A Listowel Fact

St. Michael’s College used to be as fever hospital. In the 1940s and 50s it had a massive reputation for the teaching of Latin and Greek. A remarkable number of St. Michael’s past pupils have achieved international eminence.

Hard to believe but the first team game that was played in the college was cricket.

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That was Then; This is Now

Another premises looking for a new tenant. The first photo dates back to 2007.

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How Much is….?

A Listowel pooch in a room with a view.

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Today’s Long Read

Cyril Kelly tells us about the trials and tribulations of an altar boy in November. They were all boys before Vatican 2. No altar servers then.

Cyril brings 1950s Listowel vividly to life in this beautifully crafted essay.

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That was Then; This is Now

A then and now picture with a difference…new principal of Presentation Secondary School, Listowel, Katherina Broderick pictured with former principal, Sr. Consolata Bracken in St. Mary’s Listowel on Presentation Day, November 21 2021

(photo shared on school’s Facebook page)

Katherina is the first past pupil to be appointed principal. I wish her every good luck in her new role.

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Listowel Then and Now

Listowel Town Square in November 2021

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A Listowel Fact

In 1800 a flour mill was built on The Feale behind the castle. When milling ceased there the building became a creamery and later a sweet factory.

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Sunday July 29 2007 Church Street, Listowel

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A Kanturk Memory

Kanturk Railway station

I belong to a Facebook group called Kanturk Memories. Recently Richard Norton added this gem. It is a goods train steaming into Kanturk Station in Percival Street with empty wagons before a Kanturk fair.

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Her Smile

A poem by Cyril Kelly

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That was Then; This is Now

This premises is soon to change its use again. In 2007 it was an Art Gallery.

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Christmas Windows

Listowel businesses are excellent at embracing a window display challenge. This Christmas Listowel.ie has chosen Toy Story as a theme for the festive windows.

It is lovely to stroll around town and look at all the various displays.

Here is Doran’s

I met Ryanne and she told me that the reproduced letters are genuine and the toys are the ones Santa brought as requested in the letters.

What a magical uplifting window display!

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Stories of Old Listowel

Church Street in November 2021

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In 2007 Listowel had a large Polish population. This shop/ sklep opened on Charles Street to bring them a taste of home

Same view of Charles Street in Novemnber 2021

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A Listowel Fact

These facts that I am sharing with you were told to walkers on the late Jack McKenna’s Rotary Club walking tours of the town many moons ago.

The pump house on the banks of the Feale was originally designed to hold a water wheel which would operate a pump to lift water from the river to tanks in Ballygrennane. These tanks would provide a gravity flow water supply to the town. The flow of water to operate the wheel was to come from a point upriver known as The Falls. The water was to flow to the wheel in the pump house via a canal. The engineer who designed the system was fond of a drop. On the day of the grand opening, he went to the tanks in Ballygrennan to await the flow the water while the dignatories who had been invited to the grand opening waited at the pump house for the flow of water which would operate the pump.

When the sluice gates were opened there emerged the smallest trickle of water, nothing near the amount needed to rotate the wheel to operate the pump.

The engineer, up in Ballygrennane realised that his scheme was a failure. The story goes that he polished off his bottle of whiskey, scarpered from the scene and was never seen in Listowel again.

The town council had to install a steam operated pump which supplied the town with water for many years until the ESB brought electric power to Listowel.

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A Sign of the Times

On this old street lamp a very modern notice advertising outdoor dining

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That was then; This is now

2007
2021

In 2007 we had many many foreign nationals working in our area. Demand for money transfer services was such that a dedicated Western Union shop opened in Church Street.

Since then electronic money transfer has become even easier.

Yesterday I saw a man pay for his groceries using his watch.

We’ve come a long way since 2007.

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