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

Art in St. John’s, Travellers and another lovely Listowel paint job

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On July 20, 2015

In Uncategorized

Must See Exhibition, Mórtas Áite Dhuchais, at St. John’s



On Friday evening last I attended the opening of Micheál Kelliher’s latest exhibition. The show is a tribute to Listowel.  And what a tribute!

Micheál’s style is now big and bold, full of colour and vibrancy.

Listowel is Micheál’s muse. All the images are about love and pride and Micheál’s own love of Listowel, Listowel people in general and his own family in particular, the music, sport and traditions of North Kerry shine out from every image.

It’s a pity to sell and break up the collection because it works best, as it is now; the story of Listowel in pictures.

I say about listowelconnection that it is my take on Listowel. Well, this is Micheál Kelliher’s take on Listowel. It is hanging in St. John’s until August 4th 2015. Don’t miss it!

Here are a few pics I snapped on the night of the opening.

 Micheál  Kelliher is congratulated by Ann Fitzgerald.

P.J. and Joan Kenny enjoyed the paintings.

Billy Keane who, in his own witty style, launched the exhibition, chats to Karen Trench.
A Trench duo entertained us.

Eileen O’Connor and her good friend, Eileen Kelliher, proud mother of the artist.

Micheal’s old teachers from Listowel Community College

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Style is in the Genes




Maria Stack and her niece, Leona at Tipperary Races



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Travellers


In the 1970s Travelers regularly stopped in Ratoo, Ballyduff on their way to Killorglin for Puck Fair or to Tralee for The Rose of Tralee Festival.

Martin Browne posted these photos of one such gathering on his Facebook page.

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Looking Good





Style in Killarney, Duagh Summer Festival,and another trip to Athea.

By

On July 17, 2015

In Uncategorized



The Final 4 at Killarney Ladies Day July 16 2015



The winner was Edel Crowley, on the far left as you look at the photo.

This and lots more photos of stylish ladies at Fab Fillies




Our own very stylish Maria Stack with her friend Louise O’Connor in Killarney yesterday.

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In Athea with my family


My grandchildren were in Listowel for the Community Centre Summer Camp. They are among this group queueing for the cinema on the last day. They saw Minions. “Brilliant,” they said.

After the camp I took Sean and Killian to Athea. When I set my camera to black and white, the boys became part of the picture.

At Hanrahan’s Pet Farm we met this majestic fellow, lord of all he surveyed.

This is Blueberry Home Bakery and Coffee Shop

Jacqueline and Stephen were celebrating being nominated for an Irish Times Best Shops Award.

Athea is a really life affirming place.

I told the boys that I drank water from a pump just like this every day on my way home from school. I think the boys were thinking, “you and Finn McCool.”



They were fascinated by the “Flying Feet” monument to the Ahern brothers. Sean and Killian had never heard of the Hop, Step and Jump. They have now.


The boys posed as sentries at The Goold Monument.

I know nothing about its history. This giant celtic cross would appear to celebrate that rare species, a benevolent landlord.



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Killarney in 1954



“Although the caption says that BnM visited Russia later that year, the BnM visit was first. The Dusty mentioned in the background was Dusty Miller who was head of technical development in BnaM at that time. Dusty Miller was a name suited to BnaM, he worked on developing milling machines.” (Bord na Mona Heartland)



Apparently the purpose of the exchange visits was to share ideas on machinery design for harvesting and milling peat.



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Time to be getting your ass in gear



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Remember  ’56


Photo: Terrace Talk

This is a photo of the Kerry team who lost to Cork in the replay in 1956. Will history repeat itself tomorrow?

(Official Munster GAA poster from the internet)

Summer weather, Áras Mhuire and a Grotto in Cork

By

On July 16, 2015

In Uncategorized

Lovely photos;  Shame about the weather


One day in July Elizabeth Brosnan photographed the weather story of summer 2015 in North Kerry.

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A Close Call


Photo: Timothy John MacSweeney

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A Presentation at Áras Mhuire



Last week I visited Áras Mhuire for the occasion of the presentation of a bequest from a long time resident of the retirement home who had passed away recently.

Seán Collins had lived in Áras Mhuire for 18 years. He had made his home there and he was among friends. The outstanding memory everyone has of Seán is usually his piety and his devotion to The Holy Rosary. It was fitting that his statue of Our Lady, adorned with rosary beads. should be the symbol to represent him at the little ceremony.  Trish Joy, Person in Charge at Aras Mhuire, accepted the donation from Eilish Dillane (sister of the late Sean Collins) and her husband Michael gave a lovely little speech outlining Sean’s time in the home and expressing the family’s  appreciation of the care he received there. John O’Keeffe represented the Board of Management.


John O’Keefe, Eilís Dillane, Trish Joy and Michael Dillane.

Some of the care assistants I met .

Some of the residents who were present.

I met an old friend, Eileen Fitzgibbon. She is pictured here with Claire Carmody who organized my visit.

James Gould took me to the  oratory and showed me the fittings which had come there from Listowel’s Presentation Convent Chapel.

This was the side altar in the convent chapel and the prayer stools came from the convent as well.

The Annunciation  and Presentation Windows once adorned the Pres chapel as well.



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A Peaceful Oasis in Cork


For my Cork family reading this, be assured, I’m only touching that flag out of politeness. The other flag bearer, Fr. Pat Moore is a proud Kerry man and well on his way back to The Kingdom. I found Fr. Pat in great form, definitely on the mend and only looking a little the worst for his recent ordeal. They say that faith can move mountains. Fr. Pat is living proof.

He is convalescing in a lovely spot, Mount Desert.

Cork is located in a valley and appropriately enough, Fr. Pat’s new abode looks down on that valley.

Just down the road from the gate of Mount Desert is this entrance to a magnificent shrine, a feat of engineering set back into the hill.

This extraordinary heart shaped  thing on top of the grotto  looks like it might light up at night. Should be worth seeing.

I looked this effigy up on Google and this is all I could find;

“Set of twelve freestanding rectangular rosary stations, erected 1952, comprising carved limestone plaques with incised pictures and lettering. Located at intervals against wall to roadside marking decades of the rosary and terminating in grotto to west. Grotto comprises stepped structure housing statues with limestone boundary walls and wrought-iron railings. Dedicated to Our Lady.

Appraisal
Marking decades of the rosary and terminating in a grotto, these plaques are a very unusual feature to the roadside. The plaques have been executed to a high standard by skilled craftsmen. Opened on Assumption day 1952 the grotto and plaques play an important role in both the religious and social fabric of the area.”

I spotted those “rosary Stations” alright. I’ll have to go back for a closer look. As they say on Facebook…..feeling fascinated.

A walking tour of Listowel and summer fun with the next generation.

By

On July 15, 2015

In Uncategorized

What a pleasant way to spend a summer evening in Listowel! The committee of Listowel Writers week took a walking tour of the town with the acknowledged authority on the history and people of Listowel town, Vincent Carmody. Here we are on the steps of The Seanchaí as we set off. I’m behind the camera.

 Máire Logue is one of the hard working administrators of the festival so she never gets to enjoy any of the events. She was delighted to have the opportunity to take one of the very popular walks with Vincent Carmody.

 Here Vincent is telling us about Bertha Beatty.

 We are outside the house that once belonged to Dr. Dillon, father of the great female aviator.

Time to tell us about Tom Doodle and the great rally held in The Small Square.

 We are across the road from Galvins and Vincent is telling us about shop names and the lovely mosaic work discovered during renovations.

 You’d never know who you’d run into on the streets of Listowel.  Tom Hickey was in town to play The Gallant John Joe in St. John’s.

Vincent always keeps faith with a man who contributed much to the town but who is now largely forgotten, Robert Cuthbertson. Bob , as he was known, was the printer who printed many of Bryan MacMahons’ ballads. He was the recipient of extraordinary generosity from a Listowel woman who allowed him to live rent free for over 50 years in her house in William Street.

Poor Bob suffered from that most destructive of diseases, alcoholism, and he died in penury. Vincent remembers his funeral as the first he attended in the protestant church. The local schoolboys were encouraged by Bryan MacMahon to attend to pay respect to an adopted son of Listowel.

Here Vincent told us about another classical scholar and and teacher who is also largely forgotten in his native town.

some of the appreciative audience.

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Family in Kerry Summer 2015


These are my grandchildren on their way to Summer Camp in Listowel Community Centre:

Verdict: Brilliant.

The old games are the best. I suppose Hangman is now electronic but in our house we have an intermediate version; not pen and paper but not on a screen either.

winner alright!

Remember Róisín?  She is still in love with comics. Beano is her favourite.

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Calling all Clounmacon People




More Horse fair photos, Craftshop na Méar and Listowel Military Tattoo

By

On July 14, 2015

In Uncategorized

Here are some sellers and buyers at the fair on Thursday July 2 2015

In this following sequence of pictures a young boy gets a leg up on to a horse and rides off bareback.

Some people seemed very relaxed and were enjoying their day at the fair.

People were fascinated by these pigs.

These ladies gathered to take a look.

Within sight of the superloo, plenty of poo on the street.

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A Trip to Craftshop na Méar



Here is a taste of crafts available in Craftshop na Méar, Listowel these days


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Why is there a Military Tattoo in Listowel?


This often asked question was well answered on Facebook by the people who organize the tattoo.

“Here is a very short and small snippet of why we do it:

2 of the 3 most famous fighter pilots in the RAF during WWII were Irish!
The 2 famous airborne divisions of the US Army during WWII, the 82nd Airborne and the 101st Airborne were commanded by 2 first generation Irish Americans!
The fighting Irish US army division of WWI were led ‘over the top’ by a Ballyduff man!
The founder of the Argentinian Navy was an Irish man!
The inventor of the submarine was an Irish man
And the most highly decorated US Army helicopter pilot of the Vietnam war was a Tralee man!
That’s only the tip of the iceberg- reason enough???”



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A Visit to  Friend



Yesterday I visited Fr. Pat Moore in his new temporary home, Mount Desert.

I took a big risk and smuggled in a Kerry flag behind enemy lines. Fr. Pat’s friend, Fr. Jim Kennelly took a bigger risk by posing with it before returning to his parish, Boherbue in Co. Cork.




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