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 Pitch and Putt course with new flower bed June 2021
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Trees
Have you noticed how trees, woods and groves feature in place names and house names around Listowel?
Here are a few I observed on my walks
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Handball Tournaments
(Information from Junior Griffin and Charlie Nolan)
In 1963 Listowel Handball Club lost two of its stalwarts, when Joe James and Frank Sheehy passed away.
At the AGM that year it was decided to purchase a shield in commemoration of Joe James and his huge contribution to the game in Listowel. There was already a shield in honour of Frank Sheehy.
And thereby hangs a tale. The shield was only played for once and it was won by Charlie Nolan. He still has the shield and the smaller replica he got to keep.
Charlie has many many happy memories of good times in The Alley. If you haven’t listened to him talking to Caoimhe from Coiscéim here is the link again
It’s people like Pa Carey who are the backbone of Listowel Pitch and Putt Club. I met him early one Saturday morning turning on the sprinklers to keep the greens in tip top condition.
While a pitch and putt course is by its nature cultivated, LP&P have allowed patches like this to grow wild.
This is a more cultivated flower bed. There are many being developed all around the course.
This lovely bridge is a new development as well.
When I saw this bridge I was reminded of Harrington in Carnoustie in 2007 when he nearly lost The Open. I hope this lovely bridge doesn’t trip someone up as that other little one did Padraig on that day.
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Outdoor Dining
Although we dont really have the weather for it, Listowel is adapting to outdoor dining for 2021.
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Then and Now
Changes at 97 is now Listowel Physiotherapy Clinic
Blue Umbrella is now The Taelane Store
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Ownership of The Alley
(information from Junior Griffin)
Lord Listowel had given permission for the handball alley to be built on the banks of the Feale but it was a fairly loose arrangement and ownership of the alley was unclear. At the AGM in 1962 and a subsequent committee meeting it was decided to clarify the matter.
Mr. Joe O’Mahony, the local representative of Lord Listowel informed a deputation from the club that Listowel Handball Club had no legal right to the land on which the handball court was situated. It belonged to Lord Listowel. He agreed to give the club first right if they decided to purchase the property. The members present bought the site for £140.
Then trustees were appointed on the legal advice of Paddy Fitzgibbon (senior) who advised that the club had no legal standing without trustees.
The 5 trustees were Tom Enright, Andy Molyneaux, Michael Keane, Brendan Macauley and John Griffin.
At a subsequent meeting Tom Enright withdrew his name, Mr. Fitzgibbon retired as chairman for personal reasons. He was replaced by John Joe Kenny.
(to be continued)
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In The Magic Hour
I had a front row seat at this very different Arts experience on Friday 18 June 2021.
It was Listowel Ball Alley but not as we know it. A small audience of socially distanced 20 people were here to witness a very avant grade dance, mime and other media event.
It was one of those modern performances that look more enjoyable for the performers than for the audience. I must confess that this audience member was a bit lost.
However it was lovely to be outdoors and part of an audience again.
I’ll tell you more about it and put up a link when I download the photos I took with my camera. You will be able to see for yourself then.
Listowel is home to hundreds of beautiful trees and this leafy environment is reflected in many of the housing estate names. Here are two.
Cluain Doire literally means meadows of oak.
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A Carpet of Daisies in Listowel’s Garden of Europe
Our new awareness of the role of wild flowers has led to sights like this, hundreds of daisies and buttercups among the grasses.
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If we only had a four walled court
(Junior Griffin)
Scoil Realt na Maidine as we know it today was opened in 1959 and Halla Bhriain Mhic Mhathúna, the school hall. was built on the site of the old school and opened in 1961.
The Handball Club was one of the first customers to use the hall. They ran a series of Whist Drives on Sunday nights. They also secured a Sunday night to run a “monster” whist drive in Walsh’s Super Ballroom during the season of Lent. The committee of those years was very active in fundraising with the burning aim of raising sufficient funds to build a four walled handball court in Listowel.
Between 1961 and 1965 the club held 27 meetings and 5 A.G.M.s. They also held one EGM.
The one recurring theme in all of these meetings was the hope and ambition to build a a four wall championship handball alley in Listowel.
The minutes of these meetings record many details of fundraising, deputations to the the local government T.D. , a meeting with Listowel UDC, letters to the National Handball Organisation and to the GAA.
Promises were made and encouragement given but the heartfelt dream of a new alley for the members of that time was never realised.
The sale of membership cards to player and “social” members continued.
In 1961 124 cards at 2/6 each were sold, 77 in 1962, 103 in 1963 and only 63 in 1964 as the dream of ever achieving the championship court was fading.
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Greenway Bridge
Emma O’Flynn took this photo for us of the new bridge at Kilmeaney.
On my walks recently I have noticed planning signs appearing all around. They are a sure sign that the long awaited greenway is getting nearer.
A planning sign at the Tim Kennelly roundabout in Cahirdown.
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Proud Sons of Listowel
The Sheehy brothers of Main Street were separated by emigration, three of them emigrated to the U.S. and two stayed at home, one in Dublin and one in Listowel. The three emigrants, Marty, Michael and John have passed away but they are remembered in Childers Park.
Bláth an Áirne…. the hedgerows and ditches of Listowel were beloved of these men who returned often to their native town.
I have said before that there would be no Listowel Connection were it not for John Sheehy’s encouragement and praise when I started to grapple with technology. If you enjoy this blog, remember John today and indeed Martin and Michael who loved to read anything at all about Listowel.
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The Handicap that was a Three Walled Alley
The people who built Listowel Handball Alley did it on the cheap. The used a wall of the Big Bridge as the end wall and they built 2 walls at right angles to it. BUT most alleys have four walls so Listowel handballers were held back from entering national competitions because in effect they played a different game.
Junior told me that the Tralee club came once to play them in Listowel but they wouldn’t come any more as they couldn’t cope with having no back wall.
The Listowel handballers felt that they would be well able to learn the added skills necessary to play in a four walled court if they only had one to practice in. Several drives were made to raise the money to built the fourth wall.
A Club was formed and people were charged for membership. Jimmy O’Quigley has his membership card among his souvenirs.
Charlie Nolan has no recollection of paying membership. Indeed he said that the hand ball cost 2/6 and if they had a half crown they would have bought a ball which they called a cocker.
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Why I Love Charity Shops
I love a book of quirky facts. One day last year I found a treasure in The Vincent de Paul shop. It is called the Second Book of General Ignorance. I love it but I had a niggling concern that the first book may have been better, but where to find that now.
Then one day last week as I am browsing in the IWA charity shop, there it is on the shelf. Serendipity!
Now I have the complete set
I’ll be sharing some of my fun with this book with you. I’ll start with the foreword. When the editor asked Alan Davies to write the foreword, look at what he submitted
Schiller in Listowel’s Garden of Europe in June 2021
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New Path
Upgrading the entrance to Childers’ Park Listowel in summer 2021
How it looks today
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Listowel Handball Alley, June 2021
Handballers Scattered
Junior Griffin remembers that after the war Listowel was hit by mass emigration. Some of those who emigrated were handballers. The 1950s , however saw a resurgence in the fortunes of Listowel Handball Club.
Along with the experience John Joe Kenny, Dick O’Connor, Kevin Sheehy, Jackie Fitzgibbon, Tim Shanahan and Mick Glynn, new enthusiasts such as Dermot Buckley, Tom Enright, Kieran O’Shea, Gene and JJ O’Connell, Junior and Bert Griffin, Thomas Hassett, Johnny O’Halloran, John Maher, Aidan Keane, Richard (Dick) Galvin, Joe Moriarty, Danny Enright, Darby Broderick, Tony O’Connor, Frankie White and John Keane began taking the game seriously
Tournaments were again commenced and an approach was made to Frank Sheehy, chairman ion the Gaelic Weekly newspaper to ask him to sponsor the singles tournament.
The first final of the Gaelic Weekly Shield tournament was an all family affair with Junior Griffin overcoming his brother, Bert in a close final.
Junior receiving his trophy from Fank Sheehy
in May 2021 Junior showed me his framed photo of Frank Sheehy presenting him with his trophy.
At the same tournament when Junior took the senior title, Breandán ÓMurchú took the junior one. I think it says something about both these men and their great love of handball they keep framed photographs of their most memorable moments in their houses.
Junior remembers that one of the main features in those years of the late fifties and early sixties was the immense interest in handball shown by the students in St. Michael’s College. Boys like Brendan O’Shea, Michael Enright, the four Murphy brothers, Batty Hannon, Eamon O’Brien, Tony Dillon, John Fitzgerald, Cyril Kelly, Seamus Browne, Bernie Murphy, Chas Chute, Brendan and Denis Quille, Buddy Scanlon, Jimmy and Michael O’Sullivan and Kieran Hayes brought a wonderful freshness to the club.
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Finally a Trip Home
I’ve missed being able to visit my childhood home during lockdown. However when I visited recently, it was a bit of a Marie Celeste experience. In the fine weather everyone is in the fields.
Sunny day in the old homestead
An old milk churn is repurposed as a plant pot.
deserted yard on a sunny day in May 2021Even the stables were empty
