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

Pres. Girls reunited, Moll, Wee Rory and some tramps and thieves

Class Reunion

Back Row L to R:

Marion O’Connor, Kathleen Browne, Mary Walsh, Kathleen O’Carroll, Vera Bambury, Annette O’Connor, Margaret Kelly, Noreen Walsh.

2nd row from back L. to R:

Peggy Sweeney, Anne O’Connor, Marie O’Connor, Mary Jo O’Connor, Margie Kennelly, Noreen O’Donoghue, Margaret McFadden, Máiréad Healy, Carmel Broderick, Mary O’Connor.

3rd row from back L to R;

Elizabeth Kearney, Olive Carroll, Pauline O’Reilly, Anne McElligott, Kay Relihan, Anne Bambury, Rita Scannell, Marie Bunyan, Loretto Scannell.

Front Row L to R;

Elaine O’Donovan, Marie Keane-Stack, Anne O’Shea, Sheighle O’Connor, Anne Marie Moriarty, Regina Walsh.

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John Kelliher’s photo of the cast of Moll which has just finished  a run in St. John’s

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If you couldn’t make  Paddy Wadron’s very interesting evening in The Seanchaí on Weds ,  he has kindly shared his notes here http://www.pwaldron.info/listowel/  These are particularly useful if you are bogged down in family research and some ancestor is proving just too elusive.

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This weekend is all about one of my favourite sportsmen, Rory McIlroy. He posted this photo on his Twitter feed recently. He is posing with 2 of his favourite sportsman, US basketball stars.

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Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves

I read the following in breaking news yesterday:

It has been reported that criminal gangs are leaving chalk marks outside homes, in an effort to alert other burglars as to whether this property is worth robbing.

According to today’s Irish Examiner community alert groups have reported seeing such codes left outside homes in Dublin, Drogheda and Limerick.

It is understood there are 8 symbols, and they range in meaning from things like “this home is a good target, vulnerable female easily conned” to “alarmed and too risky.

Homeowners who spot them are being advised to remove them immediately and report the incident to the Gardaí. ”

I fell to thinking that there is nothing new in the world really. Back in the days of workhouse, tramps used to leave just such symbols in chalk to alert other tramps to what kind of folk lived within.

Tramps’ Signs

Tramps and other travellers are often said to make use of secret signs. Such signs, scratched outside houses along the route, are used to pass on information or warnings about the treatment to be expected at a particular house. Some of the signs reckoned to be most widely used ones are listed below.

(Tick) “Yes” or “all right”

(Cross in circle) “A Christian household”

(Coins) “Money may be given here”

(Table) “A sit-down meal may be on offer””

(Loaf of bread) “Food only”

(Interlocking squares) “Threats may produce something”

(Box) “Spin them a tale” or “Eloquence may get a response”

(part of X?) “No” or “Nothing doing”.

(Bars) “Police may be informed or called”

(Dot in circle) “Police may be called”

(Dot in square) “Possibility of violence”

(Teeth) “Fierce dog!”

(Sickle) “Work may be offered”

(Triangle) “Too many have called recently”

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Apology

A big “Sorry” to my good friend, Pete Spink. I gave the impression in yesterday’s blogpost that Hyper Fi had ceased trading. Not so. They no longer have a presence on the street in town but Pete will fix your computer anytime.

A big thank you to Kathleen Griffin for pointing out the error to me.

 

Farm fowl at the Fair, Ben Bulben and Ballybunion

The last of last week’s horse fair photos:

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Turning hay “under bare Ben Bulben’s head.” 1957

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This photo was taken from the Black Rocks in Ballybunion by Ballybunion Sea Angling

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For the last three days I have been busy with Australian visitors. I’ll tell you all, with lots of photos next week.

Shop Closures, April Horse fair and Danny Russell

All of these following are no longer trading:

A frightening sign of the times.

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More from Thursday’s horse fair

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This is Danny Russell at work in his very popular hair salon, Changes in Upper Church St. Listowel.

Danny has shaved his head in order to raise money for Kerry Cancer Support Services whose bus service to Cork is under threat for lack of funding.

I asked the obvious question: Since Danny is an expert on wigs and other hair loss solutions, why is he not wearing a top -of -the -range hairpiece to cover his shorn head.

His answer highlighted Danny’s essential good nature. He felt that it would have detracted from his gesture to use the head shave to promote his business. Fair play to you, Danny.

Whose hair was Danny styling when I met him?

None other than Miriam Kiely, formerly of this parish who has met a whole new branch of her family since an initial request to Listowel connection for information about Listowel Kielys. I was delighted to hear it.

Stephen Roche, Michael O’Hehir and April Horse Fair and Katherine Switzer

Then and Now

Dublin 1987 and Stephen Roche is paraded in triumph throughout the streets after his historic win in the Tour de France.

2013 Stephen Roche is still cycling. Now his peleton is charity cyclists.

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The voice of summer Sundays… Micheál O’Hehir R.I.P.

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More from Thursday’s horse fair

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When I visited the Society of St. Vincent de Paul shop on Friday  I found that Mary Sobieralski had brought along her sister in law, Ulla Weck to help out for the day.

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The year is 1967. The place is Boston.

 Stewards and runners are trying to evict this woman, Katherine Switzer, who was attemping to run in the race. The rules said that only men could run a marathon back then. Katherine ran the full race and finished: the first woman to officially complete a marathon.  As a result of her gesture, the American Athletic Association banned all women from competing in competitions with men. It took until 1972 for women to persuade the authorities to allow them to compete alongside men. Katherine Switzer won The Womens ‘ Category of the New York marathon in 1974.

Next week, on April 15th Katherine Switzer will attend the Boston Marathon for the 46th consecutive year.

Kerry versus Cork, Ballyduff people and Mary Kenneally

For a change, I bring you a modern match programme and from it a little bit of history. Kerry have continued their winning streak with a victory over Tyrone yesterday.

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Ballyduff group at the Rosary at  Tober Leighs Holy Well, The Cashen, December 2004

 (photo by Noel O’Connor)

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According to Jer this lady has Listowel roots. She is “huge’ In Australia.

Mary Kenneally

WRITER, PERFORMER, SINGER

Mary Kenneally is one of Australia’s
leading comedians and amongst the most influential and respected performing
arts entertainers in this country.

In a career spanning over thirty
years, she has made a significant and

profound impact on the development of
Australian comedy in particular and on the performing arts in general.

While studying Law and Arts at
Melbourne University, Mary participated in The Architects’ Revue, and had gone
on with several other cast members to write, produce and perform in shows at
the Guild Theatre, The Pram Factory and newly opened The Flying Trapeze, in
Brunswick Street in 1974.

From 1975 to 1983 she wrote and
performed for 3ZZZ, Radio National, and education, current affairs, and entertainment
programs for ABC Television in both Sydney and Melbourne. She wrote, produced
and performed in shows which have been recognised for developing a distinctive
Australian comedy, and performed at venues such as the Flying Trapeze Cafe,
Fitzroy, The Last Laugh Theatre Restaurant, Collingwood, and Foibles Theatre
Restaurant, Carlton. She also compered rock concerts, working with emerging
rock bands at the time such as Skyhooks, Split Enz, Little River Band, Renee
Gayer and many others.

In 1979, with four fellow comedians,
Mary opened the iconic Comedy Café Theatre Restaurant in Brunswick Street
Fitzroy, which was dedicated specifically to the development of original
Australian Comedy. An inspiring, innovative and path breaking move this venue
was to provide the forum for the promotion of distinctive Australian comedy and
provide the context for the further development of Australian culture. The
talents of Australian artistic performers were nurtured here and many were to
go on to successful careers in the arts, notably, Mary Anne Fahey, Wendy
Harmer, Ian McFadyen, Sue Ingleton and Jane Turner to name a few.

Several television offers culminated
for Mary and her co-performers in the enormously popular and award winning
comedy television series, Australia, You’re Standing In It. The characters of
Tim and Debbie in particular encapsulated the highly intelligent and innovative
artistic achievement of Mary and her co-comedians.

Mary has been involved in several
other activities associated with the performing arts. She spent seven years as
an advisor to the Performing Arts Museum (now The Performing Arts Collection).
Mary’s extreme versatility and competence are also reflected in the Gold Medal
awarded at the New York International Radio Awards in 1986 for a campaign
written, produced in association with Stephen Blackburn. She has also been
lauded as a superb cabaret performer for her shows including Lazy Crazy Love
Songs at Mietta’s, Trades Hall and Hamer Hall.

In recognition of her outstanding
contribution to Australian cultural life, in 2000, Mary was awarded the Kenneth
Myer Medallion for Services to the Performing Arts.”

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The first of the horse fair photos:

While I was looking at the horses I ran into my friend, Roly Chute enjoying the fair with his dog, Gaby

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Great front page for today’s Limerick Leader

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