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

More from the launch of The Ballad of Mo and G

By

On September 17, 2013

In Uncategorized

This photo of a plane between the Pigeon House chimneys was taken at the great Flightfest in Dublin at the weekend. It was posted on The Journal.ie

<<<<<<<

John Stack’s football photo of the past weekend.

<<<<<<<<

Now as promised, some more photos from the launch of The Ballad of Mo and G by Billy Keane.

Claire Keane sang Over the Rainbow….Heavenly!

Joanne Keane OFlynn (above) and John Looney (below) read extracts.

Mickey MacConnell sang his self deprecating satire on the dangers of shopping in the local multi nationals, Aldi and Lidl. Super!

Jimmy Deenihan credited John B. with setting him out on his political career.

All in all the night saw a great outpouring of love and support for Billy and the Keane family, scions of Listowel’s literary aristocracy.

<<<<<<<

If you were in Ballyheigue on Pattern Day 2013, you might spot yourself on Jer.’s video here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEz2VJ-Ha1s&feature=youtu.be

<<<<<<<

Big Win for Pres. girl

A young woman from Listowel, Co
Kerry, Eimear Donovan, has won a trip to NASA’s Space Center Houston in
Texas, a visit to Intel Museum in Silicon Valley, California, and two days in
San Francisco, California – the Intel sponsored prize that was up for grabs for one of the
young people who selected ‘Ireland’s Greatest Woman Inventor’ from a shortlist
of 10 Irish innovators and pioneers. Eimear chose Dorothy Stopford Price.

Sixteen-year-old Eimear is a
science enthusiast and studies biology, chemistry and ag-science at secondary
school in Listowel. She admits her mum, Mary, a science teacher, may have had
some influence on that passion.

“Mum always had lots of science
books in the house, and has always brought me to science exhibitions,” Eimear
told us. Indeed, as we sit in the Science Gallery in Dublin for a chat, she
tells us her mum has brought to her exhibitions there in the past.

While conceding that chemistry is
“quite hard”, she tells us she still really loves it. She’s not altogether sure
which discipline of science she will pursue to third level, but she has
podiatry in her sights. That, she says, might well change and she is
keeping an open mind about the future. Her delighted mother Mary points out
that Eimear is also great at English (her dad, Louis, is a teacher of history
and English), and her varied subject choice means she has a variety of avenues
to follow in the future.

Eimear, her mother and a friend will now travel to the US during mid-term break in February 2014, and they are both very excited about the “amazing” trip.

Let the Races begin

By

On September 16, 2013

In Uncategorized

It’s that time of year again when the skyline over Listowel is dominated by Bird’s Ferris Wheel. Yesterday’s high winds meant that it had to be decommissioned for the day but hopefully it will be in full swing shortly.

<<<<<<<

This lovely one on Twitter was captioned “The Circle of Life”

<<<<<<<<<

 Jrr. Kennelly attended the opening of Daffy Motors in Lisselton and he took these photos on the night.

<<<<<<<

When Jer. was trawling through the internet for things of interest to Listowel people he came across this interesting photo of two handsome young ladies.

Danbury, CT, 1921,  Catherine Hanrahan née McNamara (1888-1975) and Annie Burns née McNamara (1895-1990). Their half-sisters’ grandfather-in-law William Nolan was from Listowel.



<<<<<




On Friday night last I went to the launch of Billy Keane’s new novel in The Listowel Arms. The launch was a great success. Rumour has it that 1000 books were sold. The entertainment was of a very high standard and we all had a great night.



The book is another matter. Let’s say it is the type of book I would never read and if it were anyone else who had written it I would not have persevered beyond the first chapter. It describes that violent amoral  subset of society we came to know in Love Hate on TV. I have no doubt that such people exist, but I just don’t like to read about them.



I took a few photos at the launch . I’ll share a few today and I ‘ll keep a few more for tomorrow.

Billy  enlisted some of his friends to help out on the night. Máire Logue and her son helped sell the books. They were very busy.

Billy is sitting in the audience listening to Madeleine O’Sullivan introduce the book.

It is a measure of Billy’s generosity that he endeavored to write a personal message in every book he signed.

The Writers Week gang were out in force.

Seán Moriarty was the M.C. for the night, a job he did with great good humour and tolerance.

Here Billy is pictured with his proud mother, Mary, and his brother, John

It was roses roses all the way….

By

On September 13, 2013

In Uncategorized

The title is a bit misleading because I don’t think we have too many roses on show but everywhere you look in Listowel these days there are flower displays.

Listowel Tidy Town Committee in Dublin, where they proudly accepted their 6th gold medal for a job well done.

The Square looks magnificent. Its not only the town council, some business people and the Tidy Town  Committee have also done their bit.

The Square
Courthouse

Corner of Market St.
Upper William St.
Stack’s The Arcade
Behans
Main St.
Writers’ Well
Changes at Nine Seven

Corner by St. John’s
Feale Sculpture

<<<<<<<<<

Next week is race week. I will bring you any photos I take but I dont intend going as often as in previous years. If anyone else is there and takes photos I’ll gladly put them up.

<<<<<<<<

Jer. was at Ballyheigue Pattern and he took this smashing photo of our bishop Ray.

<<<<<<<<

Listowel Rugby Club helped by Christy’s The Well and Supervalu showed some good old Listowel hospitality to the charity cyclists passing through town yesterday.

McCarthy’s Bar and Horan’s cat

By

On September 12, 2013

In Uncategorized

This McCarthy’s Bar in Finuge and below is the great write up it got during the summer.

McCarthy’s Finuge Sunday World July 27 2013

ALL of the troops simply love their annual trip to
the Kingdom of Kerry, but the Young Commando was full of complaints this time
around as he wondered why we chose the hottest day of the year to embark on a three-hour
journey down south.

“Because there’s nowhere better in the world than
Kerry in the summer sunshine,” the Old Commando told him. After almost a 300km
journey from HQ, we arrived in Listowel, but the old boy wasn’t content to stop
(despite the unbearable heat) and informed our designated driver to keep going
along the N69.

What he had failed to inform the rest of us was he
had just spotted a signpost for the tiny village of Finuge, just 5km south of
Listowel, and was eager to check it out. We all knew why. Football. What else?

Finuge is the home of the great Kerry workhorse and
fashion guru, Paul Galvin. The Old Commando has long been an admirer of the
feisty half-forward and as he said himself:

“It’s always nice to visit new places.”

This was indeed a first for the troops and we soon
arrived in the remote village of Finuge in north County Kerry. There wasn’t
much to see, with the exception of the crossroads and the football pitch, but
all we wanted was a pub. 

McCarthy’s bar was the destination for our first
pit-stop and we were immediately impressed by the bright, blue-and-red
exterior. It was in fantastic condition and the flowers and hanging baskets add
that little bit extra. 

A friendly middle-aged barmaid served us without
delay, but she didn’t speak with a Kerry brogue. We didn’t like to ask, but we
think she may have been English. 

Either way, she was very polite and engaged the
troops in plenty of banter.

The pints of plain at €4 were reasonably priced and
quite tasty, while the Young Commando opted for mid-strength Guinness, but we
figure that was just to save 20c.

There are two TVs, a dartboard, a jukebox, a gaming
machine and a pool table laid on for the punters, but none were in use during
our stay as the all-male clientele were analysing the Kingdom’s latest
Munster triumph over fierce rivals Cork.

The red brick and stone fireplace, complete with a
solid-fuel stove, was very attractive, but thankfully there was no need for it
to be lit on this occasion. 

As in every Kerry pub, there are a vast amount of
photographs paying homage to the many great Kerry teams and, God knows, they’ve
had enough of them.

The Old Commando riled some locals when he told
them their ageing side won’t live with Jim Gavin’s young guns!

Only time will tell, but everyone knows you write
Kerry off at your peril. 

One photo that really stands out is of local
hero Paul Galvin receiving the 1,000th All Star award in 2004.

Pub Spy took it upon himself to inspect the loos
and they were spotless. There is one cubicle, a stainless steel urinal, a soap
dispenser and hot water provided. 

It’s amazing how few pubs provide hot water for
customers when it seems like such a basic requirement. McCarthy’s bar is a
brilliant pub and we were tempted to stay all day and night. 

After having such a great time we felt bad leaving,
but we will certainly make it our business to return someday. 

The Old Commando said we’ll bring Sam along for the
trip!

McCarthy’s bar, Finuge, Co. Kerry

4/5 STARS

<<<<<<<<

A pint of plain is yer only man! 

<<<<<<<<<

This self catering accommodation in Church St. is in the house that was once the home of Bryan MacMahon. Hence the new name MacMahon House.


<<<<<<<<



 In Print has closed its doors and relocated the business to Listowel Printing Works.



<<<<<<<

Tomorrow night Friday September 13  in The Listowel Arms, Billy Keane will launch his long awaited second novel. Be there or miss out on a great night.


<<<<<<<


This weekend, the Horgan Clan are gathered in Lisselton and the Quilters are in Lixnaw.



<<<<<<<<


This cute little fellow was enjoying life yesterday in the window of Tadhg Horan’s Vetinerary Centre in The Square. His name is Tripod. He walks on three legs.

St. Michael’s Centenary, a strange bike and some Cork Shawlies

By

On September 11, 2013

In Uncategorized

Do you remember this big day in St. Michael’s history? Fr. Horgan was principal. We had a weekend of festivities to mark the centenary of the “college” in town. The younger among you might not know that teachers in St. Michael’s were traditionally called professors .

The highlight of the weekend was a garden fete in the grounds of The College with the army No.1 band, stalls and side shows and “all of human life was there”.

<<<<<<

What on earth?

This great picture comes from my Bord na Mona connection. It is a railway bike, especially designed for riding on railway tracks. The BnaM employee could tie his shovel to the crossbar, store his bucket on the platform underneath the saddle and ride along the track to the site where repair work was needed.

<<<<<<<<

During the summer, Mount St. Lawrence Cemetery in Limerick put its records on line. Ger Greaney looked up some ones with a Listowel Connection for NKRO.

<<<<<<<<

These ladies are traders on Cornmarket St. in Cork. The women were often referred to as shawlies. Their descendants held a Gathering event; The Cork Coal Quay historical festival in August 2013.

<<<<<<<<

If you missed the story of Bridget Ryan on Kerry today on Sept. 9 you can get it on the Radio Kerry Podcasts Page

I will alert you in good time about the TG4 documentary on the same subject.

It seems that Google Feedburner which brings many followers an email with new material I have posted is lagging a bit behind these days.

<<<<<<

Michael Sheehy R.I.P.

Michael, formerly of No. 8 Main Street and Yonkers, N.Y. passed away at the weekend. Michael remained close to his Kerry roots throughout his life. He loved Race Week and when he could not be here with us for it he followed the action on the internet from his New York home. He skyped Vincent Carmody regularly and Vincent and Michael’s brother, Gerry, who visited him regularly,  brought him all the news from home.

Michael’s late brother, John, was the driving force behind the Listowel thread on Boards.ie for years  and it was his encouragement and support that prompted me to post regularly with photographs from town. Since starting this blog I have left Boards.ie but Michael checked in regularly to both places for any news of Listowel.

I extend my deepest sympathy to his family in N.Y. and the three remaining Sheehy brothers.

 May the sod lie lightly on this true son of Listowel.

<<<<<<<<<

200 school children walked the course and met a trainer  at Listowel racecourse in a Go Racing initiative.

Page 563 of 671

Previous

Next

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén