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

Still More from Ladies’ Day at Listowel Races 2016

These were the finalists. The winner is the lady second from left, Louise Allen from Co Meath.

The winner and the sponsors.

A new phenomenon this year was the hundreds of well turned out teenagers having a day out at Listowel Races.


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A Reminder


Because I got so much reaction to my photo of the derelict convent  I thought you might like to see it in its heyday….heartbreaking!

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A Model Farmer and a Model Maker as well


Michael O’Sullivan is a very talented young farmer from Kanturk. When he is not farming he is making model farms. He took a stand at the Ploughing Championship and there he attracted the attention of some famous visitors.

The Kilkenny camogie players recognised Michael’s G.A.A. pedigree.

MEP, Mired McGuinness was interested in Michael’s farm.

Is that George Lee on the left of this picture?

More from Listowel Races Friday Sept 16 2016

Handsome Couples at The Races

And the winners were local couple Anthony McCarthy and Sharon Heffernan.

This handsome pair were the judges.


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More Local People Enjoying Ladies Day

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Ladies Day at The Races is the new Easter Sunday



“In my Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it,

I’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade.

I will be in clover, when they look me over……”

So sang Judy Garland. The sentiments in the ditty were echoed on Listowel racecourse on Friday last as hats which were everything from the demure to the brash were paraded for the appraisal of the judges and the amusement or awe of racegoers.


(In some cases I’ve included the outfit so you can get the full picture.)



 Maura Derrane sported a very snazzy pillbox.


This one won. I think the category was the daftest or the jazziest or something.

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Harvest Knots at The Ploughing




You know the way you don’t think about a thing for years. It pops into your mind. You mention it in a blogpost and suddenly it’s everywhere.

My above photo was posted by the Dept of Arts Heritage and The Gaeltacht. It was taken in their stand at The National Ploughing Championships 2016.

At the National Library stand they were helping children to make them. 

More Style from Listowel Races 2016

Autumn in Listowel


….Like one that on a lonesome road,

Doth walk in fear and dread

And having once turned round, walks on

And turns no more his head,

Because he knows a fearful fiend

Doth close behind him tread…..

This lonesome road is through Gurtinard Woods early on an Autumn morning 2016

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More Style from Ladies Day 2016


There were some great prizes on offer this year. Many ladies left with lot of loot.

This lady won the prize for the best selfie. Let me tell you a good one. I totally misinterpreted the “best selfie’ category. I presumed that the organisers meant the best as in the most unusual or daft selfie. So I persuaded my friend to pose with me with Seán Bán Breatnach and Joe Stack. These were the closest we could get to celebrities on the racecourse. Ruby Walsh and Máire Derrane were busy. I hope the organisers got a good laugh. We did, anyway, when we realised the selfie was meant to be taken by an entrant in the Best Dressed competition.


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Poem for the day…something completely different




A Dream Within a Dream

By Edgar Allan Poe

Take this kiss upon the brow!

And, in parting from you now,

Thus much let me avow —

You are not wrong, who deem

That my days have been a dream;

Yet if hope has flown away

In a night, or in a day,

In a vision, or in none,

Is it therefore the less gone?

All that we see or seem

Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar

Of a surf-tormented shore,

And I hold within my hand

Grains of the golden sand —

How few! yet how they creep

Through my fingers to the deep,

While I weep — while I weep!

O God! Can I not grasp

Them with a tighter clasp?

O God! can I not save

One from the pitiless wave?

Is all that we see or seem

But a dream within a dream?

More from Ladies Day 2016 and the state of the convent in September 2016

Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness



I had help with the apple harvesting

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Well Dressed Ladies 2016



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Oh Dear!


Since I was passing the gate on my way to The Races, I took a few snaps of the convent.

Ladies Day 2016 and Junior Griffin at 80

A Thing of beauty is a joy forever


Ladies Day at Listowel Races 2016 was the biggest day in terms of numbers of the Listowel meeting.

There were prizes for the best dressed lady, the best dressed young racer and the best dressed couple. There was plenty for the judges to choose from.

Maria Stack’s handbag was made especially for her using her own photos of her syndicate’s horse.

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John (Junior Griffin) at 80


Junior would pass for a man 30 years younger. He is fit and healthy and still contributing as a volunteer to his town and his county. If you meet him on the street be sure to congratulate him on the big birthday. He tells me that his old boss, Jack McKenna, has a birthday this week as well. He will be 98.

Junior always has a story to tell. He is one of Listowel’s best company to be in. He told me that he and the late Justin Stack were born in Miss Chapman’s lying in hospital in Church St. They were born within an hour  of one another but because it was either side of midnight Junior’s birthday is on the 17th and Justin’s was on the 16th. Justine used to refer to Junior as “young Griffin” and Junior called Justin “old Stack”.

Junior’s nieces and nephews came from near and far, from Belgium and England to celebrate with him in The Listowel Arms on Sunday. His niece, Imelda, sent me this photo of them all with their beloved uncle.


I took a few photos of Junior after morning mass on Monday Sept 19 2016 when he was 80 years and one day. With him in my photo are his friend and old work colleague, John Brosnan and P.J. and Joan Kenny.


Old friends, Sr. Áine Ashe and Junior

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