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 Jubilee Nurse in 1912, a Visit to Duagh Pottery and a photograph to evoke memories

Litter Picker

Photo: Philip Karina, Mallow Camera Club

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The Jubilee Nurse


The title Jubilee Nurse comes from the The Queen’s Jubilee Institute which was the body that first appointed and funded these district nurses.


Kerry People  Saturday, February 03, 1912; 

Women’s National Health Association 

LISTOWEL BRANCH.

APPOINTMENT OF DISTRICT NURSE.

Mr. D J Flavin, J P. C.U.D.C. was moved to the chair and the other members  present were: Miss Lamont (Organiser): Mrs B. Foran, V.C., P.L.G., hon. sec. ; Mrs Raymond, Mrs J H Pierse, Mrs  W McElligott, Miss B Buckley, Messrs. B Johnson, Manager Bank of Ireland; D H Leane, L.P.S.I. ; and P. Breen, St. Michael’s College. The hon. secretary read her report to the meeting which was considered very satisfactory after which the necessity for the appointment of a district Jubilee nurse was discussed. Miss Lamont explained the rules under which a Jubilee nurse takes-up the position, and stated the salary of such a nurse would be £90 a year.

Mr. Johnson said they commenced to collect the town and said they had collected in one street about £50, there being no refusal but one. The people he should state met them in the most generous and sympathetic manner possible, and he had no doubt whatever that they would be always in a position to meet the salary of the nurse.

The Chairman asked Miss Lamort what, would be the area  to be covered by the nurse.

Miss Lamont said the nurse  would take in a radius of about three miles from the centre  of the district, but, of course, in exceptional cases she would not confine herself to that radius; she might go four and even five miles from the centre. Her duties primarily should be concerned with the poor of the district, but in exceptional cases and where she was at liberty to do so, she could give her services to the better off people who of course, would be obliged to pay for such services. The nurse would at the same time, be always subject to the directions and advice of the doctors as to the patients to attend to, and she hoped the medical gentlemen of the town would sympathise with the movement.

Mr. Johnson said he knew that as far as the dispensary medical officer Dr. Dillon was concerned he would, he assured him give all the assistance in his power. Mr. Leane said that Dr. O’Connor, he was sure, would do the same. 

Mrs. Foran asked if the nurse could be sent to cases of infections disease Mrs. Lamont: Yes, in exceptional cases, but while attending such a case she must be kept away from the ordinary cases. Of course she knows a good deal herself what to do, and how to act in such circumstances. Chairman : I am sure she won’t be  overwhelmed with too much authority. (Laughter).

 Mrs. Foran : If we had a nurse when the  present epidemic broke out it would have possibly prevented it. Because instead of having the patients nursed by their mothers, the nurse would have at once known that they were suffering from a contagious disease and have them separated at once.

(Discussion continued and suggestions and advice was sought on who to appoint to the position.)

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More Pottering About at Easter 2018


While my young visitors were with me we visited the newly opened 

Duagh Pottery 

This is a small 2 man or one man and one woman operation in the heart of rural North Kerry. The beautiful flora of this idyllic location is the inspiration for many of the unique, quirky colourful pieces produced bt Maggie and Mac.

Maggie showed us how she makes her beautiful tiles using bits and pieces she finds in the kitchen and incorporating vegetation from the nearby meadows.

Duagh Pottery is an adults only operation but Maggie allowed my boys to have a go just so I could see how its done. Duagh Pottery offers a very different kind of day out for a small group in its Pottery Experience Day. All the details are on the website

Duagh Pottery

This is a tile made by Maggie in her studio in Duagh for her son’s kitchen in London.

Above are some of Duagh Pottery’s beautiful  creations

Maggie and Mac are two more talented artists who have relocated to Kerry and continue to contribute and enrich the life of our community. 

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One Night in 1959



This photo is one of several that were given to me by Mike Hannon so that I could share them with you. Mike came upon these when he was clearing out his Uncle Johnny’s house and he knew that some people would love to see them and to relive the happy memories.

I recognised Junior Griffin and Margaret Dillon in this one and I asked Junior to fill me in on the the others. Here is what Junior wrote;

Left to Right…(later Judge) Brian McMahon; myself; Olly Kerins, Margaret Dillon, Joan Sharry (nee Griffin). That photo was taken in Ballybunion and I’m almost certain it was in 1959. Olly’s mother was housekeeper to Canon Peter O’Sullivan  who was our P.P  here in Listowel and came around late 1953. Olly’s eldest son is Liam Kerins who is the current manager of the Tipperary senior football team. Olly and his wife Eileen are now based in Tralee for many years. My sister Joan was married to Jack Sharry of Colbert Street who was himself an uncle to Margaret Dillon. Joan and Jackie settled down in Coventry, indeed next October will be the 10th anniversary of Joan’s death. Jackie pre deceased her.

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The icon of The Holy Family in St. Mary’s, April 9 2018



My visit to Woodford Pottery

 Photo; Chris Grayson

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Old Ballybunion


This photo was from The Kerryman May 1969

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Pottering about in North Kerry at Easter 2018



The above three mugs were all made in Listowel by Pat Murphy of  Woodford Pottery

The blue one is my favourite. The white one is a work in progress. Pat is experimenting with different shapes and sizes of mug. He is planning on adding a plainer “everyday” mug to his more stylish range. It won’t be white like this but will have a colour outside and for those customers for whom this is important, a white interior.

I usually meet Pat at craft fairs and he has been inviting me to visit his workshop and shop at Woodford for some time now. I made the long promised visit at Easter 2018 accompanied by  my young visitors.

Woodford Pottery is a one man operation. This one man produces a wide range of very beautiful and practical items of tableware and one-off pieces such as bowls, lamps and vases and an adorable Christmas crib.

Like so many North Kerry artists, Pat is a blow-in, a cliamhain isteach. I never fail to marvel at how life in rural North Kerry and West Limerick is so enriched by these very talented people who chance to end up here.

Pat is a Wexford man who began his career as a potter at Kiltrae. You can see that early influence in the practicality of his pieces. In my humble opinion, Woodford Pottery outshines Kiltrae in terms of style, beauty, usefulness and price.

Look out for Pat at future craft fairs or give him a ring at his studio in Woodford.  You can also message him on Facebook where you can also see some of his wares.

Woodford Pottery

If you are in the market for a unique local gift, look no further. Tell him I sent you.

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They Stretched in Never Ending Line



Beside St. John’s in Ballybunion

Schoolboys in 1988, Irish links with Russia in the 1950s and Listowel links to The Masters

Sunset by Denis Carroll

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Scoil Realt na Maidine 1988

 Patrick Godfrey found this photo of his third class with Mrs. O’Sullivan

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Successful Walk in Aid of Listowel Hospice on Good Friday 2018


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Still Time to Get a ticket



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“Reds Under the Beds” at Bord na Mona in 1956


This story comes from one of my new favourite blogs 

Bord na Mona Living History

In August 1956 Bord na Móna was involved in a bit of controversy over a two week visit to Ireland by a delegation of Soviet peat experts including the Minister for Peat Stations, Mr Alexei Bausin. The Soviet visit was in response to a trip by Bord na Móna officials to Russia earlier that year. 

At the time Pope Pius XI warned that no assistance be given to Communism in any enterprise whatever and there was a certain amount of hysteria about the so called Red Menace. Because of that, various Catholic groups were against it and there were lots of letters to the papers denouncing the visit. 

One of the main protests was the placing of a picket on our head office in Dublin by Firinne, a Dublin Catholic Action Group. The picket carried banners on some of which the slogans were: “Do Reds dominate the Bord?” “Bord na Móna Trademark – Hammer and Sickle” and “Bord Traitors to the Church of Silence.” Leaflets were also given out that asked “What Irish Catholic worthy of the name will not denounce the bureaucratic action of Bord na Móna in bringing to Ireland a delegation of Soviet experts on fuel?” 

The visitors were informed that the picket was actually a welcoming committee. 

In response Bord na Móna pointed out that the visit was a reciprocal one, Irish technicians had previously visited Russian peat installations and that the visiting Russians were engineers. 

Overall the visit went well and the Russians were impressed with the technical expertise and machine improvements achieved by Bord na Móna since the Second World War. This led to many other visits between both countries over the years and ten years later a delegation of Soviet peat experts were brought to an All-Ireland Hurling Final and not a protestor in sight.

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Listowel Connection to The Masters



There has been lots of notice given to the GAA jerseys at last weekend’s Masters Golf Tournament.

According to Aiden O’Connor the man in the Kerry Jersey watching the winner Patrick Reed sink his putt is Timmy Leahy from Ballygologue.

This photo of his television screen was taken by Gerard Leahy.

Icon of the Holy Family in Listowel, New Road Signs and a Turf Powered Steam Engine

Denis Carroll in Ballybunion

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Icon of The Holy Family in Listowel



This icon will be with us in Listowel Parish church from this afternoon, Monday April 9 2018 until Wednesday.

What is The Icon of the Holy Family?

The icon of the Holy Family was specially commissioned by WMOF2018 (World Meeting of Families), written by iconographer Mihai Cucu, and assisted by the Redemptoristine Sisters of the Monastery of St Alphonsus, Iona Road, Dublin, as part of their ongoing prayer for families.  The Icon was unveiled and anointed on the 21st August 2017, during the launch of the one-year programme of preparation at the National Novena in Knock, Ireland. 

Everyone is invited to come and view the icon while it is in town. It doesn’t matter if you are a believer, a non believer, an art lover or just plain curious, I think you should come and take a look . 

If you have never been to St. Mary’s before of if you have and have never looked around you at the magnificent mosaic work and stained glass, take this opportunity to really look at this artistic treasure, St. Marys. It has been left to us by our forbears and beautifully preserved and enhanced by generations of Listowel priests and parishioners.

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Republican Funeral in 1918



A visitor to Dingle library during Easter took a photograph of this picture for us. Tomás Ruiséal died of a bayonet wound received during a confrontation with the army in Co. Clare.

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A Word of Caution




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New Traffic signs


These new Slow Zone signs are appearing in housing estates all over town. I have no idea why they have put them so high up on the poles.

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A Steam engine Powered by turf

This was a short lived and ultimately unsuccessful experiment. I read the story on

Bord na Mona Living History

When O. Bulleid joined CIE from British Railways in 1949 he decided to build a turf-burning locomotive.

Trials were made with a stationary engine using pulverised turf and these trials were observed by HMS Miller of Bord na Móna. CIE then converted a 1903 locomotive to burn turf and extensive steaming trials were carried out in 1951 and 1952. The engine was tried out on a main line in 1954 but broke down in Cork and had to be towed back to Inchicore. It was also too large to turn on any CIE turntable.

In 1955 the locomotive was tested using semi-briquettes. During a trial run in 1957 sparks from the locomotive set the leading coach of the test train on fire. It never hauled a fare-paying passenger but some use was made of it between Houston Station and the North Wall on goods trains. By that time the replacement of steam with diesel was well advanced and the locomotive was scrapped in 1965 when Todd Andrews was Chairman of CIE.

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Labour Then



This photo of Listowel men, Seán McCarthy and Michael Guerin with John Joe O’Sullivan and Dick Spring appeared in this week’s Tralee Advertiser.

Bryan MacMahon, Fr. Pat Ahern and Sheridan’s Spar

Beach Walk March 24 2018




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Bryan and Kitty MacMahon on their wedding day


Recently someone researching her own O’Connor family tree came across this lovely photo on a genealogy website.

November 4 1936

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Fr. Pat Ahern Honoured



Photo and text from the Diocese of Kerry website

Fr. Pat Ahern was honoured 19 Feb 2018, for his outstanding contribution to the artistic, cultural and literary tradition of the county, in a civic reception held by Kerry County Council. Fr Pat spoke with gratitude about his journey, outlining the impact the various Bishops of Kerry had on his work his location and his focus. Norma Foley spoke about his inspirational impact on Kerry and the country as a whole and she spoke with great feeling and emotion about his work with young people. Norma has worked directly with Fr Pat and has experienced his gifts first hand.  It was a warm gathering of Fr Pat’s family and many friends.

Fr Pat Ahern was honoured yesterday for his outstanding contribution to the artistic, cultural and literary tradition of the county, in a civic reception held by Kerry County Council. Fr Pat spoke with gratitude about his journey, outlining the impact the various Bishops of Kerry had on his work his location and his focus. Norma Foley spoke about his inspirational impact on Kerry and the country as a whole and she spoke with great feeling and emotion about his work with young people. Norma has worked directly with Fr Pat and has experienced his gifts first hand.  It was a warm gathering of Fr Pat’s family and many friends.

Fr Pat reflected on Siamsa Tíre:

For me Siamsa Tíre is no more or no less than the celebration of simple things – things that belong to everyday human living. Things that are not bound by time at all – that carry a timeless value.  The challenge is to notice them and to value them and to not be afraid or too embarrassed to celebrate them.

A few lines from the poet Patrick Kavanagh come to mind:

“Ashamed of what I loved I called it a ditch and all the while it was smiling at me with violets”.

I hope we will always have eyes and ears to appreciate and to celebrate the beauty of simple things, that we usually take for granted, maybe don’t even notice: the wonder and the colours of the sunrise or sunset  the beauty of the  wild honey suckle, the scent of a primrose, the song of the blackbird, the things that lift the spirt in us, lift it above the mundane,  above the material, mechanichal, digita,l lifeless, soulless world that is increasingly absorbing us…

Present-day society doesn’t want for sources of knowledge and information. The PC is fast replacing the world’s libraries. What you won’t find, however, in library or PC, is a quality, or value – aptly captured, perhaps, in that lovely little Irish phrase,  ‘ciall cheannaigh’– acquired wisdom / the wisdom of experience’.

A wisdom that is rooted in nature itself, and that is mediated through the lived human experience of  thinking, reflective, discerning  men and women over thousands of years… and which often comes to us through the imaginative and creative spokes-persons of our culture – in the handing on of stories and sagas, myths and legends, poetry and song, beliefs, customs……

the wellsprings of ciall cheannaigh.

I leave you with a few lines from a fellow Moyvane man, the late poet/mystic, John Moriarty:

            Clear days bring the mountains down to my doorstep

            Calm nights give the rivers their say.

            Sometimes the wind puts its hand to my shoulder.

            And then I don’t think, I just leave what I’m doing,

            And I go the soul’s way.

 Fr. Pat Ahern’s words Civic Reception

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Opening of Sheridan’s Spar in Market Street in the late 1980s


Patrick Godfrey found this old photo of himself and the late Joe Lynch at the official opening of Sheridan’s Spar .

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