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

Hyperpersonalisation, Clontarf and Gardaí

By

On April 26, 2013

In Uncategorized

The Battle of Clontarf, 23 April 1014.

 imagined by artist Hugh Frazer (above).

THE major tiff between the Irish (led by High King Brian Boru) and the Vikings.

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The internet has changed us

Digital social networking has changed how we interact with one another. A new generation is growing up who do not write letters, rarely speak on the telephone and who feel happiest when communicating with their friends by text, email or facebook message. Even workers who sit in quite close proximity to each other often communicate with each other via iMessage.  Different times!

We are all experiencing the recency effect. This is the phenomenon that is putting an end to newspapers as bearers of news. By the time the paper hits the streets, we are all well ahead with all the latest twists and developments in the story.

Have you noticed how so much TV now is reality tv? We have a fascination now with seeing for ourselves how other people live,  e.g. The Estate, Tallifornia, My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. We don’t want fictionalised accounts any more, we want to see it for  in reality.

Psychologists are studying how all of this change is altering us as people and a whole new vocabulary is being minted. Just to keep you all in the loop here are a few of the new terms.

Troll ; This is a verb and a noun. To troll is to post inflamatory messages online with the purpose of provoking a response. A troll is not a nice person, he is a stirrer, or, in  my mother’s language “a common disturber”. It’s important to recognise him and to ignore him completely.

Negativity Bias;  This is the strange phenomenon which sees many people respond more strongly to negative rather than positive information. This is why the internet is full of false rumours after a tragedy like the recent Boston bombings.

Hyperpersonal Communication: This is the scenario where people form closer bonds on the internet than they do face to face. This allows the paedophile to groom his victim, the axe murderer to lure his prey, but also the shy person to find a friend or partner. Have you noticed how some people have no bother posting their whole life story online with daily or often more frequent updates?

Disinhibition: This is closely linked to hyperpersonal communication. Some people seem to be freed from the social inhibitors that make us polite, restrained and temperate once they go online. People who in real life are mannerly, go online and  feel free to act with no repercussions, so they hurl abuse, taunt and mock without fear of reprisal. This is the phenomenon at work in the worst cyberbullying we see among teenagers.

Cyber-balkanisation; People tend to engage only with websites and social media that reaffirm their own opinions.

Here endeth today’s lesson.

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Do you recognise these 3 from 1995? Ray and Blathnaid are all still working in RTE and Dara has relocated to Britain.

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For all my friends in the Gardaí a photo from 1922

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These are the men behind a great weekend in store for us at the May bank holiday weekend. Get out your military uniform or your vintage dress and have it aired in good time for the Military Tattoo on Sunday May 5 2013

Then on Monday May 6th come to The Square for the vintage car rally and vintage market. Fun and frolics for young and old is guaranteed.

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This is Robert McCrum launching the next bank holiday weekend’s entertainment…. Writers Week starting May 29 2013

These are Seán Lyons and the adjudicators of the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year. This is the 18th year that this prize will be awarded. You can read all about the shortlisted novels here http://writersweek.ie

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Don’t forget!

Australian Kenneallys, some family researchers and Writers’ Week 2013

By

On April 25, 2013

In Uncategorized

Challenging Times RTE 1993:    I wonder where they are now.

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Jer sent me this account of a very interesting lady with strong Listowel connections.

Christine Kenneally is an award-winning journalist and author who has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times, Slate, Time, New Scientist, The Monthly, and other publications. Her book, The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language, is published by Penguin. Before becoming a reporter, she received a Ph.D. in linguistics from Cambridge University and a B.A. (Hons) in English and Linguistics from Melbourne University. She was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, and has lived in England, Iowa, and Brooklyn, New York http://www.christinekenneally.com

“My great-grandfather, J.J. Kenneally, wrote the first pro-Kelly book. J. J., who grew up in the same country town as the Kellys, was ten when Ned Kelly was hung, so he is surely writing from experience when he says local children at the time used to play “the Kellys and the police.” The Kellys always won.

On a much darker note, in his introduction to the story of the Kelly gang and the awful events that led to Ned Kelly’s execution, he wrote:

“Irish patriotism was such an unforgiveable crime in the eyes of British Government officials in the Colony of Victoria, that even the serving of a savage sentence would not wipe out the campaign of anti-Irish hatred so well organised in the Colonies.”

JJ Kenneally Australia, wrote this in a letter to his Irish Cousin Jerry Kennelly of Knockanure

The North Western portion of this State has been visited by a plague of grasshoppers. Some say the hoppers came to visit His Royal Highness, Duke of Gloucester who is still here and must feel somewhat bored with the fulsome flattery and other rubbish that is daily heaped upon him by the Jingoistic element in these parts. In the hope of getting an advertisement for my book. I sent a copy to the Duke, but so far, I have not heard from him. If he accepts, the papers will have a feature of “Ned Kelly” being installed in the bosom of the Royal Family, But if he does not accept, I will send a similar copy to President De Valera with a suitable letter.

My father arrived in MELBOURNE in 186 ? and my mother nee Julia Dillon of Lyrecrompane with her four children -Johanna, Matthew, Honora ,and Daniel arrived at Melbourne on the 10th of August 1865  Patrick died at Listowel he was between Matt and Hanora .These born in Australia were Julia, Mrs Ryan, Jeremiah who died on 31st of August 1884. James Jerome yours truly ,Elizabeth and Mary Mother Benedict at the Presentation Convent , Windsor ,Melbourne 

Dan died 16th July 1933. Hanora is an invalid and has lived with me for many years. Matt is a well to do farmer at Eleven Mile Creek,Glenrowan West ,Victoria,Australia. Matt has 3 sons and 1 daughter . Dan 4 sons and 3 daughters. Mrs Ryan 2 sons and 2 daughters . Matt married Bridget OBrien , Dan married Ellen Kelliher, and I married Elie Deegan. I addressed a copy of my book to Messrs Dillon Bros,Lyrecrompane ,&c but I have not heard from any of them. I understand that some of Ned Dillons sons are still living in the old family homestead and I would like to learn something about them. I am inclined to think that cousin Tim Kennelly when living in West Australia was not very enthusiastic in his search for relatives in Victoria . 

I contested the Merenda Federal Electorate as a Labour Candidate in December 1906 and again in 1910 . In each case was defeated by one of my own Nationality . In 1906 the late Richard O Neil acted as vote splitter for Robert Harper the retiring Member. In 1910 Mr Thomas Hunt of Kilmore , who had previously attended as delegate the Pan Celtic Congress in Ireland acted , knowingly or unknowingly as Harpers vote splitter
The result was Harper protectionist 7900 votes
Kennelly Labour 7200 votes.
Hunt Independent Labour 1945 votes.
Thompson Independent 876 votes lost deposit

In a non-Labour Electorate, my effort was regarded, as the best fight put up for Labour in the whole Commonwealth Elections if 1910.
I am pleased to learn that you are taking a keen interest in Public Affairs.
I wish you every success.”

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Listowel Youth club in the 1970s

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I had a few interesting emails recently. I would be grateful if anyone can help these people. I will also put NKRO on the trail of their ancestors.

My name is Berenice Holmes and I live at Victoria Point just out of Brisbane Queensland Australia.  I have been trying to find out information about my great grandmother.

Her maiden name was Mary McKenna and her Death certificate states that she was born in Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland around 1845 and her date of death was 04-02-1930 aged 85 years in Brisbane.

It gives her father’s name as John McKenna and her mother as Mary?  (no maiden surname).   This makes it very hard as there are so many Mary McKenna’s when you come to make a search.

She emigrated to Queensland, Australia sometime around 1866 from what I can gather.  This might not be accurate.

She married William George Ives in Brisbane Qld Australia in December 1877 and had 6 children (3 boys & 3 girls). My Grandmother was the second eldest of the girls her name was Florence Bridget Ives.

Mary’s eldest child Margaret Mary died about 9 days after birth.  My mother Iris is still living and is 93 yrs old she talks about her Grandmother Mary (McKenna) quite often.

Mum is always saying her grandmother came from County Kerry the most beautiful part of Ireland.

A few years ago I caught up with a cousin who said she visited Listowel and said that the McKenna’s who have the Hardware or timber yard were relatives of our great grandmother Mary McKenna.
I have not tried to make contact with them yet as I did not know where to enquire as they only seem to have a business address on the internet.

My cousin’s grandfather was one of my grandmother’s brothers.   It seems very hard to get any information from Ireland.  I have not had great success with Ancestry.com.

At the write-up on my grandmother’s wedding in July 1905 to James Dwyer it said that her cousin little Kathleen McElligott acted as a trainbearer.  I have found that some McElligott’s came from around the Listowel

area and emigrated to Queensland Australia.  Maybe there is some family connection there.   I don’t know if you could be of any help.

James Dwyer the first husband of my grandmother Florence Bridget Ives died in 1918 and she remarried.  Her second husband was my grandfather John Augustine McAuliffe.  I am tracing his family

also and his grandfather my great great grandfather John Florence McAuliffe was born in 1836 in Newmarket, County Cork, Ireland.   His father was John McAuliffe born in 1818 in County Cork and his
mother’s maiden name was Ellen ‘Shine” I think.   I have not been able to find a connection there at the moment.

I was wondering if you could give me any information on the best way to try and search out my family ancestors.  I am praying that one day I will be able to come and visit Listowel myself as I have a very strong

passion about my Irish roots but as I am the only immediate family my Mum has and I am her carer and I cannot commit to any overseas trips at this time.  I would have loved to have been able to come over
for “The Gathering” this year.

Looking forward to hearing from you even if you cannot help me in anyway.



(P.S. NKRO has news for you Berenice but your email box is temporarily out of order)




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The next is from Trisha Turner



I have signed up for listowel connection to receive emails.

My Great Grandmother was Ellen McCarthy, born Listowel, County Cork, Ireland abt 1861.  Her parents listed on her marriage license was listed as Daniel McCarthy and Mary Buckley.

my Great Grandfather  William Henry Arnold, Born  January 6, 1855 in Carrightwohill, Ireland.  Evidently they met in Illinois USA and he  married Ellen McCarthy.  It appears that they had one child my grandmother Kathleen Arnold born January 1, 1881 and then I cannot find out what happened to Ellen as my great grandfather married again.


Thanks in advance for your help.

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Will you look who is coming to Writers’ Week 2013

Listowel Writers’ Week – 29 May – 2 June 2013



Now entering its 42nd year, Listowel Writers’ Week is Ireland’s longest running literary festival, renowned for bringing together international writers and audiences in the historical and intimate surroundings of Listowel, Co Kerry.

Featuring at this year’s festival will be Nadeem Aslam, Dermot Bolger, Marina Chapman, Emma Donoghue, Honor Donohoe, Robin Dunbar, Gabriel Fitzmaurice, Peggy Gallagher, Thomas Keneally, Gene Kerrigan, Martha Long, Colum McCann, Alison Moore, Andrew Miller, Rebecca Miller, Peter Murphy, Audrey Niffenegger, Colm Tóibín, Willy Vlautin and many more.  In addition the Festival will be hosting a series of events to celebrate The Gathering, these will include themes such as Migration, The Irish Famine, Celebration of Máire Mhac an tSaoi and The Irish-American Short Story.

Isn’t that an impressive lineup?  I’ll fill you in on a few more details over the next few weeks.



Máire Logue sent us some photos from the recent event in Dublin to launch the 2013 festival.


Dublin and Listowel litterati and glitterati assembled for the 2013 launch


Seán Lyons, chairman addresses the audience.

John Duggan and some Ballygologue youngsters in 1975

By

On April 24, 2013

In Uncategorized

In every family there is at least one who realises the value of the family tree and he takes it on himself to  write the story in order to preserve it for the next generation.

When people contact me looking for help with their tree, I usually refer them to NKRO but when John Duggan wrote I knew I could help him myself, since I knew just the relative he was looking for.

I demanded payment for my services, in the form of a story for this blog.

Here it is;

It’s
probably appropriate, with Listowel Writers Week looming large on the local
calendar, that I begin my story with US comedy series “Guys Book Club”. The
programme follows the misadventures of six disenchanted married men who try to
recapture their manhood by using a fictional book club to escape the clutches
of their nagging wives. It’s something that probably wouldn’t have crossed my
radar but for my ongoing research into our family tree which, as of last
weekend, now includes Chicago-born series writer and producer George
Zwierszynski, a great-grandson of Ballybunion. He became the latest in a
lengthening line of discoveries during painstaking hours, weeks and months of
trawling through archives, both online and in person. 

What began over Christmas
as a flippant comment about how interesting it might be to know a bit more
about our ancestors has now become what, to the casual observer, might appear
to be something more akin to an all-consuming obsession. And it was this
newfound devotion that led me back to Kerry over the past Easter weekend – a
location that had been a second home throughout my childhood years due to our
annual Summer holidays spent at the beach in Ballybunion, but a county that had
eluded me for over twenty years, with the exception of one wedding, possibly
due to my greater independence and spending power that prompted the exploration
of other worldly locales.

Conveniently,
the majority of my mother’s family history was centred between Ballylongford
and Ballybunion so they were the main focus of my attention as I embarked on my
journey to the past. Cognoscent of it being one of the two busiest times of the
year for the church I had contacted Fr. Kennelly in Ballylongford in advance of
my visit to assess the possibility of inspecting the parish records during the Easter
weekend. Fortunately, he welcomed my intrusion with more generosity than I
could ever have hoped for. He graciously granted me as much time as I wished
with the craggy, hard-covered ledgers that held the elusive information I
needed to solve my genealogical puzzle, and at one stage he even gave me an
impromptu linguistic lesson so that I could decipher the Latin names in the
older pre-Vatican Two records. The thick heavy pages of the book and their
elegant calligraphy transported me back in time to another world as I scanned
the pages for Bunyans and Wallaces. The circle of life would in some cases be
completed before my eyes as a name that would initially appear in the baptism
book might later be found on the marriage register and then soon afterwards in
the death records – a sobering experience.

With
my mother in tow I also visited numerous relatives and acquaintances in the
area who were mostly intrigued, but sometimes bemused, by my endeavours. All
were unfailingly helpful though, with boxes of photographs being thrust onto
tables in front of me and permission being given to record as many of them as I
wanted. Inevitably once the albums were opened the trips down Memory Lane
ensued and the stories started to flow, time passing in decades before our eyes
and in hours on our watches. It was great to meet in person the people who
constituted such a significant portion of the family tree and it gave the
project a life and a personality that had been somewhat lacking in what had
been largely an academic exercise up to that point. I presented my findings
that included records of immigrations to America and also evidence of how
long-accepted “distant” relationships had come into being, something that
always drew expressions of wonderment. The information exchange flowed both
ways though and in the course of discussions I unearthed a couple of genuine
nuggets of information that would never have registered with me if I had been
merely scanning through a record book somewhere, such was its obscure nature.

We
also dedicated nearly a full day to the more sombre duty of visiting the local
graveyards where our ancestors lay, from Aghavallen and Lislaughtin to Kilconly
and Killahenny. This was not an activity that I had much appreciation for
during my formative years but after the previous months of investigations I now
had a greater understanding of the people we were paying our respects to. After
four full days of being a general nuisance to the people of the locality it was
time to leave the Kingdom and return home for work the following Tuesday
morning. I left the area satisfied with all of the information that I had
gathered but more importantly aware that the family tree was a living thing and
not a very large piece of paper with a lot of lines and pictures in it.

After
updating my records upon my return home I noticed that there was still one
branch of the tree that had bore very few leaves. Repeated enquiries about the
Carmodys of Listowel had yielded very little except for the odd puzzled look or
the uncertain proffering of a few names hastily followed by a dismissive “sure
they’re all gone now”. Perhaps spoiled by the great success that I had enjoyed
with all of the other families I refused to believe that the Carmodys could not
be found. I bombarded Google with every combination of keywords I could think
of. I interrogated the genealogy websites relentlessly. I harangued my mother
in the forlorn hope that some long forgotten recollection would miraculously
return to her, but it was all in vain. So, in desperation, during my latest
assault on Google I happened upon a blog that branded itself as being for the
sons and daughters of Listowel who found themselves far from home. I browsed
its pages and saw photographs from the archives along with other content that
harked back to a bygone era. I decided that this might be my last hope at
tracking down the elusive Carmodys and immediately set about typing an email to
the address given on the website. Amazingly, within four hours I received a
reply from Mary Cogan acknowledging my correspondence and promising to
investigate the matter further later in the week. A couple of days later Mary sent another mail concerning a
photograph of Carmodys Bakery that had featured in a recently published local
book. Finally, a breakthrough! I was heartened by this development and eagerly
awaited the next correspondence. That Saturday my search was over. 

Despite the
presence of a TG4 camera crew for a couple of days during the week and all its
associated upheavals Mary never forgot
about my enquiry and I was overjoyed when I read the contents of the email. It triumphantly
proclaimed that the prodigal Carmodys had been found and, what’s more, they
were living in Listowel! She also provided me  with contact information for them and within a
couple of hours I was chatting on the phone to a real live Carmody, swapping
stories and filling in the blanks that had blighted my tree for so long. I had
barely hung up the phone when my mother was asking me all manner of questions
about the family and she too was delighted to hear all about them. It brought
to a close a long search and at least future generations won’t have to wonder
what became of the Carmody clan. Ironically, it’s fair to say that while we
share some ancestors we also differ in some things, because it transpires that
she is heavily involved in the upcoming Writers Week but the extent of my
literary prowess would barely qualify me for a role as an extra on the aforementioned
“Guys Book Club” show.

Thank you, John. What a great story and what a lovely collage.

 BTW his Carmodys are the Carmodys of Wonder Bakery fame.

I think you will agree that John is not too bad at the writing. We might see him yet at Writers Week.

A picture of some Wonder Bakery bread vans  from Vincent Carmody’s book

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This photo was captioned Kerry Travellers

This yesterday’s picture. Apologies to all Gardaí. The man interviewing the Travellers is not a Garda

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This photo of Ballygologue children in 1975 was first published in The Advertiser. If you recognise yourself, do write and tell me where you are now.

>>>>>>

Congregational singing in the church in Knockanure recently

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6ejugqDXjE&feature=youtu.be

Emigration

By

On April 23, 2013

In Uncategorized

Remember this legend?

Paddy Hopkirk rallying in 1969

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<<<<<<<

1968

The changing face of emigration     (from the Irish Times)

Only 40 per cent of the present
generation of Irish emigrants intend to return toIreland, according to new research.

The feelings of new Irish emigrants
amounts to a “vote of no confidence to live and work and make your future in
Ireland”, a conference entitled Irish Migration Today and Yesterday ,
held inTrinity CollegeDublin was told.

The Emigrate Project, based in UCC,
is conducting a survey among 2,200 Irish households to determine where the hot
spots for emigration are,

The centre has so far received more
than 700 responses from emigrants who grew up in the households surveyed.

Dr Piaras Mac Éinrí, an expert on
migration at UCC, said that although the survey was only half completed, some
significant trends had emerged.

Only 40 per cent expected to return
to Ireland at some stage and just 21 per cent of those who had emigrated expect
to return within three years.

In addition, 60 per cent of those
who emigrated were already in employment, but still felt their future did not
lie in Ireland. “It has to do with a very bleak estimate of the prospect of
advancements. They may have jobs, but they don’t think they have great
prospects,” he said.

ESRI economist Prof John FitzGerald
said Irish people tended to think of emigration as a disaster, but it had been
a success story.

One-third of all emigrants who came
back to Ireland, according to one census, had third-level education and they
brought skills with them from abroad. They enjoyed a 7 per cent wage premium
like-for-like with their Irish counterparts who never went abroad.

He said the recession could be
looked at as a “great training programme” and beneficial to the Irish economy
as long as the emigrants came back at some stage.

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A garda questions travellers on their way to Ballinasloe horse fair

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Do you remember last week’s story about daring thieves leaving ciphers on properties to alert other burglars to the properties’ potential. This graphic was circulated by Devon police, apparently. If you see any of the other signs, rub them out and replace with the one on the right second from the bottom.

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Brosnan’s Bakery and Confectionery, Ballybunion

Sluagh Hall and cleaning up

By

On April 22, 2013

In Uncategorized

    A view of the town from Dylan Boyer

>>>>>>

The Monday cleanup gang: Well done all.

>>>>>

Sluagh Hall 

At the ceremony to mark the
closure of the Sluagh Hall in Listowel and the standing down of F Company,
Michael Guerin gave an address on the background to the Sluagh hall and the FCA
in Listowel.

I am paraphrasing this address
from the account of it in The Advertiser.

At the outbreak of WW2 the
Irish government declared a state of 
emergency on June 7th 1940. The following year a Local
Defence Force was formed.

The Listowel District Command
covered 21 districts in North Kerry and included a Field Ambulance Company.

The first regular army
instructor appointed the LDF was Bill Kearney. 
(Bill became a stalwart of the Listowel drama Group). The LDF had its
headquarters at Moloney’s Garage in Upper William St. (This premises was later
Lonergan’s Supermarket and now houses Royal China.)

In 1943 the army bought an
old egg packing store by the railway bridge in Upper William St. This premises
was converted to a Sluagh Hall. There were 78 of these halls throughout the
country. The Hall had offices, a training hall and an indoor rifle range.

Down the years Listowel
Sluagh Hall has been used for basketball, tennis, badminton, volleyball, drama
productions, Writers’ Week exhibitions, boxing and Tae kwon do.

In 1946 the old reserve was
disestablishes and An Fórsa Cosanta áitiúil (FCA) was established. This was
formed into 6 companies in North Kerry. The company met for training on Tuesday
nights and parades at weekends. The highlight of the year was the annual
training camp in Ballymullen Barracks in Tralee. This was like a two week paid
holiday for many a young North Kerry youth.

In 2005 the FCA was disbanded
and the Army Reserve established in its place. The numbers joining the Army
Reserve never reached the peaks seen in the FCA in the 1960s and 70s.

In 2013 Listowel’s F Company
was finally stood down and the Sluagh Hall closed up forever.

<<<<

These two are taking part in a sketch in school. They are Rhona Tarrant and Chloe Walshe, both of whom have gone on to carve out careers in media.

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Poster from 1980

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Don’t you wish you lived here all year round?

Ballybunion Sea Angling posted this from his morning walk by The Cashen on Saturday April 20 2013

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