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

A Goat, Our Tidy Town Seat, Winding Wool, a ghost and an Old Album Cover

By

On May 15, 2019

In Uncategorized

Irish Wildlife Photography Competition

Feral Goat: Neil T. Halligan

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We Care with a Chair


Thank you Tidy Town people. I rarely pass the seat in this fine weather but there is someone taking their ease. These two local ladies were waiting for the bus.

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Newspaper Pins its Colours to the Mast in 1912



Kerry Weekly Reporter  Saturday, October 12, 1912


THE POST OFFICE AND THE PARTY.


The 30th September, the fatal day when an Englishman was to be brought in to ride roughshod over able Irish officials, has come and gone. Mr. Norway has been duly installed as Secretary of the Irish Post Office: an office, we believe, he never previously put his foot in, and no explanation good or bad is vouchsafed by the Irish Party in the Irish Press -why an Englishman who never was in Ireland should be placed on the necks of the whole Irish Post Office staff. One can only, ask is this one of the fruits of the Balance of Power.

If this rotten job be one fruit of the Balance of Power and Mr. Runciman’s Regulations are another, and Mr. Winston Churchill’s Home Rule for Ulster scheme is yet another, and Mr. Birrell’s anti-Irish, anti-Catholic educational balloons are yet some others, everyone will shudder at what the Balance of Power may bring to Ireland out of the womb of the future. “Sinn Fein “



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Winding Wool




It is May 6 2019 and my little girlies are learning a social history lesson. A friend recently gave me some skiens of pure wool and I took the opportunity to teach my little granddaughters a lesson.

Do you remember when all wool (It was wool. No acrylic back then) came in 1 oz. hanks and you had to wind it into a ball before you could start on your knitting project? The girls were full of enthusiasm to start with but they found the job a bit tiring on the arms. Happy days!

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Scary Story from Ballybunion Convent School in the 1930s



From Dúchas, the school’s folklore project


About thirty years ago on Christmas night a man in Beale had to leave his own house and he had to take his candle in his hand to a neighbour’s house, because he was hunted by ghosts who asked him to leave as there was to be a fight that night between the Wrens and the Shines who lived in the neighbourhood some year before. As he and his sister were leaving, a man whom they knew to be dead of years offered to lead them and when they went out in the yard, he had to divide the crowd to allow them pass. The day before the place was covered with magpies and he did not know what was to happen. 

The morning after this he was going fishing. The moon had risen. When he got up, he thought it was day. He went to the boathouse and waited under his canoe until it was bright. As he was about to lie under the canoe, the man who told him to leave his house the night before came to the canoe and peeped in. He told him that if they went fishing that morning, someone would be drowned. When it was bright he and four other men went fishing. They were not far out when a great storm came and overturned the boat and two men were drowned.


Sheila Sheahan 

Beale Middle

Co Kerry

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Old Album Sleeve



Liam OHainnín found this one.

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Meeting a Blog Follower




I was lucky enough to meet (by chance) one of my most faithful blog followers in Flying Saucer on Monday.

Noreen Holyoake – Keese grew up in Listowel and now lives in New York.

Observing the Pieties, Tidy Town Folk and a Fox Photo on my Trip to Kanturk and a library in Kildare

By

On May 14, 2019

In Uncategorized

Long Tailed Tit

Photo by Pauline Doran , finalist in Irish Wildlife Trust’s Photography Competition.

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Observing the Pieties

The following poem by the late Gary MacMahon was given to me by his brother, Owen. It is a great run through of all the old traditional practices in Kerry long ago. Thankfully many of these customs are still preserved here.


Observing the Pieties

Garry MacMahon

I confess I’m a creature of habit, as down life’s road I go

Observing annual rituals is a must for me, and so

Before the crib at Christmas Eve I kneel with all the clan

And on the feast of Stephen go to Dingle for the wran.

Then for sweet St. Brigid’s Day a straw cross I have made

To hang upon the threshold whereon it will be laid.

In the house of my Redeemer I chant a hymn of praise

My throat criss crossed with candles on the feast day of St. Blaise.

Shrove Tuesday I eat pancakes dipped in honey from the hive

And thank the Lord that yet I live and another year survived,

And when the long gospel is read before the end of Lent

Home I take the blessed palm and breathe its sacred scent.

On Good Friday I buy hot cross buns and before the day is past

Gather cockles from the sea shore and keep the old black fast

And then on Easter morn I rise to see the dancing sun come forth

Not forgetting Patrick’s Day between, as the shamrock I still sport.

The coming of the swallow, the awakening of the earth

The promise of a primrose I await with bated breath,

And lest ill luck should follow me and give me cause to grieve

I never bring whitethorn to the house upon May Eve.

June bonfires once I lighted on the feastday of St. John

A custom all but vanished as relentless time moves on.

July sees me hit for Milltown and Willie Clancy in the County Clare

In Marrinan’s pub I pay my sub and a song or two sing there.

And then its Munster Final time and the piper must be paid

To Thurles, Cork, Killarney the pilgrimage is made.

Again I fetch my fishing rod before the season’s out

Take the time to wet a line and coax elusive trout.

To the Pattern of the Virgin, from thence on to Puck Fair

The Races of Listowel come next and I’m certain to be there.

Dew drenched fields provide me with mushrooms gleaming white

While plump and juicy blackberries for my sore eyes are a sight.

When comes November of the souls and all the leaves are shed

Will you light a candle then for me as I do for the dead?

You’ve heard an old man’s story, each word I swear is true,

Be blessed thrice, take this advice I now implore of you

Don’t turn your back on dúchas or on history’s learned lore

And pass it on before it’s gone and lost forever more.

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Working Hard on our Behalf





I met these hard working tidy towners on Tuesday May 7 2019. They were still working hard when I came out of my meeting.


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Slow Mail in Moyvane in 1894


Kerry Sentinel Saturday, January 13, 1894; Page: 3

MAIL SERVICE BETWEEN LISTOWEL AND NEWTOWN.

A move has been made by the inhabitants of Newtown and the surrounding district with a view of inducing the Post Office Officials to accelerate the postal service between Listowel and Newtown. At present letters posted in Listowel for Newton have first to go to Limerick, then to Tarbert, and from thence by foot to Newtown. The roundabout could be easily avoided by running a mail car direct from Listowel to Newtown, and it is to be hoped that the Post Office may recognise the benefits which the adoption of the change would effect, and the desirability of connecting Listowel more immediately with the surrounding districts.


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Reynard, Up Close




This brave fellow stopped to pose for me  at my old home in Kanturk last week.



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Kildare Town Library




I was in Kildare for the weekend and I took the opportunity to deliver some Listowel Writers’ Week brochures to the libraries round about. This is me delivering to the Kildare Town librarian, Orla.  Orla loved the programme and resolved there and then do to her best to come to the festival.  She is really knowledgeable about books and loves reading. Her library runs four book clubs!

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Listowel Town Square, May 13 2019



Upgrade works have started. Should only take a few days.




Vicar Joe photobombed my picture.

Ard Curam Concert, Bogs, Convent Street and Moyvane Post Office closure

By

On May 13, 2019

In Uncategorized

Irish Wildlife Trust Photography Competition Finalist

Martin MacNamara; Irish short- eared owl

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Ard Churam Choir



Recording is done on the EP and practice is continuing for the Listowel Writers’ Week concert. Be sure to book your ticket in good time. The concert will take place in Listowel Community Centre on Thursday May 30 2019. Tickets may be booked online

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Bog Bodies


These items of children’s footwear were dumped in a bog not far from Listowel. I don’t think it was the children who dumped them.

Nearby in the same bog, beautiful Nature flourishes despite man’s indifference.

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Convent Street aka Gleann an Phuca


Photo: Johnny Hannon

This is how Convent Street used to look.

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Listowel Man Remembered in Chicago

Mark Holan who writes a marvellous blog about things Irish spotted this memorial paving stone in Chicago.

It is on the pavement outside the Irish American Heritage Center.

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Moyvane P.O. 



Northkerry blog marked the retirement of the last Moyvane post mistress with this snippet;

FAREWELL Mass and tribute was paid to Mary Collins in the Marian Hall on Tuesday night 30th April 2019. Mary was Moyvane’s last Post Mistress. Previous postmasters include; Bridie Sheehan for 21, her husband, the late Dick Sheehan for 41 years. Catherine Shine, died 1983; J C Shine died 1965; Nora Richardson died 1922. Richard Barrett, Post Office, Newtownsandes, there in 1857; Regulation 1914, In future all female officers will have to resign on marriage, but will be eligible for a marriage gratuity on resignation.

Currently in 2019, An Post is spending €5million on rebranding. The title Post is being changed to An Post, the green colour is being changed to an lighter shade of green. There is another small tweak or two planned but basically the changes are cosmetic , not so the loss of a post office to a rural community.

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Three Generations of “Scribes’ ladies




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Winners Alright




This is the Prosperous Dramatic Society who yesterday won the RTE All Ireland Drama Festival in Athlone.

On the far left of picture is Dave O’Sullivan who does so much work for Listowel Connection. He played the part of Peter Stockman in Prosperous’ winning production of An Enemy of the People. Well done all.

The streets of Castleisland, Faction fights in the 1800s and John Coolahan remembered

By

On May 10, 2019

In Uncategorized

Tidy Town announcement;

President Michael D. Higgins is coming to unveil the Tidy Town Plaque on Saturday May 25 2019.

the Tidy To

Kingfisher by Philip Blair for Irish Wildlife Photography Competition

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Tarbert Honours One of It’s Own



Last weekend at the start of the Cuckoo Walking Festival the people of Tarbert came out in force to the unveiling of a memorial plaque to the late great educationalist, John Coolahan

(photos; Tarbert.ie)



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Castleisland …a Town in Transition


I saw more than one of these signs on my walk around Castleisland

Charity shops in prime locations are usually an indicator that rents are cheap. Castleisland has a lot of charity shops.

The irony! the tricolour flies at The Crown Hotel.

There are some lovely well kept shops side by side by so many derelict buildings.

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Faction Fights (from the schools folklore project)


On the 13th of May fair in Listowel some time previous to 1830. some Magheragh men (Ballyduff, Causeway, Ballyheigue, Killanhan, etc) were selling potatoes. A discussion arose as to the comparative merits of the potatoes between the Magheragh men and the cúl-na-lín (Culeen near Listowel) men. The discussion ended in a fight, where the Magheragh men got off the worst as they wouldn’t have the backing in Listowel that the others had. At the Whit Monday fair in Ardfert the fight was renewed. Practically every man in North Kerry took one side or another and for years after whenever people assembled at fair or market on Sunday after mass the fight was renewed.

The biggest fight of all took place at (Ballyduff) Ballyeigh on the 24th June 1834. The North Kerry race meeting was then held in Ballyeigh Strand (opposite the Cashen School) but was eventually transferred to Listowel (1870). The races were held on the

right hand side of the River Cashen on the strand where the school is now and when some of the combatants tried to escape by crossing the river in boats and swimming, they were attacked by their opponents with stones, bottles, stick and so on at the left side of the river. A terrible fight ensued in which about thirteen people were drowned and very many injured.
As far as I know there was only one man arrested for it, a well to do man named Leahy of Ballinorig near Causeway. Many others went on the run but were never arrested. He was tried and sentenced to be transplanted to Freemantle.
For threequarters of a century afterwards the people in this district and in North Kerry generally recorded events from the year the boat was drowned” or from the night of the big wind”. After the tragedy the faction fight slackened and died down and the famine helped to put an end to it altogether.
Even some old people take pride in the fact that their ancestors took one side or the other in the faction.

COLLECTOR
Murtie Dowling
Gender
male
INFORMANT
Denis Lawlor
Gender
male
Address
Causeway, Co. Kerry
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May

LANGUAGE
English

Castleisland, McAuliffe Plasterers, the benefits of dewand Last Week’s “Thoughts” from Radio Kerry

By

On May 9, 2019

In Uncategorized

A Feral Goat by Neil T. Halligan, photo finalist in the Irish Widlife Trust photography competition.

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Old Chapel Lane



On the day I was in Castleisland this road would have been better named Mart Lane. Every car that went down while I was there had a trailer of cattle behind it,

When you have a really wide footpath you have room for some lovely trees without interfering with the flow of traffic.

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Listowel MacAuliffes, Plasterers extraordinaire 



A great grandson of Pat MacAuliffe who contributed so much to Listowel’s unique streetscape put the above picture together for us. Warren Buckley, in the course of his family research discovered that many of  his family had distinguished  careers in plastering. It’s not just Listowel that has been enhanced by McAuliffe plasterwork. We share that distinction with Jamaica, New York, Havana and Boston.

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In the Early Morning Dew



Apparently there was a May custom in Ireland of collecting dew. The following account I found in a website called  Our Irish Heritage in a blog by Mike Rendell

The collecting of dew would take weeks of preparation. In April, May and into June the girls would get up before the dawn, go to the green fields (wheat was best) and harvest the dew – either with their bare hands, or more especially by spreading a sheet out over the moist grass, and then wringing it out and collecting it in a glass jar. This would be topped up every day, and for the whole year would sit in the sunlight by a suitable window. Every few days the concoction would be purified by carefully straining off the water so as to leave behind any sediment, dirt, or other impurities. And so, after nearly a year in which the freshest of fresh waters was imbued with sunbeams, it could be splashed on the face! Dr Boate’s book opined “The dew, thus thoroughly purified, looketh whitish, and keepeth good for a year or two after.”

The distillation was at its most powerful if applied before sunrise on 1st May, and in an age when we consider it beneficial to rub avocado extract into our hair, or spread unmentionable products over our skin to prevent wrinkles, who is to say that a spot of early morning dew water is not just as magical in its properties?

The practice gave rise to the riddle

I washed my face in water

That had neither rained nor run,

And I dried it on a towel

That was neither woven nor spun.

The answer lay in the fact that having washed your face in dew you always allowed it to dry in the fresh air – you would hardly go to all that trouble and then wipe it off afterwards!

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Just a Thought



Last week I was the “preacher” on Radio Kerry’s Just a Thought. My Thoughts are

Here

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