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

Kerdiffstown

By

On May 7, 2025

In Listowel, Personal

Main Street, Listowel in April 2025

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Mill Lane Variety Store will be missed

It is really difficult for small local stores to hold out against the big giants, especially when the giant moves in next door.

Small local businesses like Mill Lane are invested in the community. It’s little things like these that make the difference. Santa will be missed too.

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Kerdiffstown Park

Outside Naas in Co. Kildare is one of the best playgrounds in Ireland. The playground is located on the site of an old landfill. It is just one part of a large public amenity with walks and pitches.

This is nearby Palmerstown house. The estate and studfarm have an interesting history.

As well as the modern colourful Playground equipment there is a park with rudimentary unpainted wooden play equipment.

Disabled children are also catered for.

Situated across the park is a series of 18 carved stones that tell a story of the local landscape and mythology – The Stones of the Hollow Hill. The carvings on the stones tell a story that draws on Irish mythology, the folklore of the surrounding landscape and the recent history of Kerdiffstown landfill.

The tale involves two heroic figures named Brigid and Fionn who set out on an epic quest to recover a stolen fire. The character of Brigid references traditions connected to both Brigid the goddess of pre-Christian Ireland and Saint Brigid. The character of Fionn draws on the stories of Fionn Mac Cumhaill, the great warrior of Irish mythology who is said to have lived nearby on the Hill of Allen. ( Kildare Co. Council website)

Kerdiffstown Park is located in Naas, Co. Kildare. Following a 2.5-year construction programme (2020 –  2023), this exciting project remediated the former Kerdiffstown Landfill into a 30 – hectare multi-use public park. (Kildare County Council website)

Well worth a visit if you are there or thereabouts.

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Well Deserved Recognition for Local Lady

Listowel native Anna Guerin has been named Creative Businesswoman of the Year at the IMAGE PwC Businesswoman of the Year Awards 2025 for her unique tweed coat business The Landskein.

This is some of what Kerry’s Eye had to say about her.

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Important New Initiative

Teach Siamsa Finuge will host a new series of monthly adult classes in traditional music, song and dance.

The upcoming ‘North Kerry Voices’ classes will focus on preserving on the folk traditions that have defined the Finuge area, such as the distinctive Molyneaux style of North Kerry dance, the dance music tradition of the region and the song legacy of Sean McCarthy.

The classes will be led by a team of talented and passionate tradition bearers.

Dance classes will be taught by renowned North Kerry dancers Jonathan Kelliher and Joanne Barry and instrumental music will be led by Sean Abeyta, master fiddler and archivist at Teach Siamsa.

Song lessons will be instructed by Donal Tydings and Peggy Sweeney, both exponents of the North Kerry singing tradition.

The classes will focus on sharing tunes, songs and steps in a relaxed and supportive environment and will be suitable for anyone who’s been meaning to return to an instrument, try Irish dancing for the first time, or simply connect with others through the arts.

(Jack Joy in Kerry’s Eye)

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A Fact

Las Vegas has 17 of the 20 largest hotels in the U.S.

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In Naas

By

On May 6, 2025

In Listowel

The Small Square, Listowel in April 2025

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In Glenflesk

On my way to and from Cork I like to make a pit stop at the lovely little village of Glenflesk.

St. Agatha’s roadside church is an oasis of calm where you can escape the noisy hub bub of the very busy Kerry Cork thoroughfare.

As I enjoyed my first 99 of summer 2025, I took a wander around.

The mountain behind the church was ablaze with yellow furze.

This old building has all the appearance of an old mill.

Back to reality…beside the defibrilator is a plaque jolting us back to the dangers of life on our busy roads.

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George Fitzmaurice

This is the plaque, commemorating the North Kerry playwright in Harcourt Street, Dublin.

The new owners of the premises have removed the plaque. I contacted the person who was responsible for erecting the plaque, Jimmy Deenihan. He is going to look into what can be done to have it restored.

Jimmy told me that, at the unveiling of the plaque, he organised a great Kerry night in the capital. I wonder does any photograph exist of that occasion. Jimmy has none.

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In Naas

If your travels take you anywhere near Naas in Co. Kildare, be sure to call in here.

Aoife is in the garden of McAuley Place, waiting for our morning snack. McAuley Place is a beautiful and sensitively planned use of the old Mercy convent. The complex incorporates age friendly apartments, a community centre, a craft shop and gardens. It is located beside the church, right in the heart of Naas.

This is one of the photographs that says it all about McAuley Place.

The community space in the old convent chapel still retains the organ and gallery, making it ideal for concerts and other choral occasions.

The beautiful stained glass windows, part of Naas’ heritage are a welcome preservation of the building’s history.

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Kerry Novel of the Year Finalists

Image and text from The Kerryman

Listowel Writers’ Week is proud to announce the shortlist for the 2025 Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award, one of the most esteemed prizes in Irish literature.

Now celebrating its 31st year, the award continues to honour exceptional fiction from Irish writers and remains a standout moment in the country’s literary calendar.

Sponsored by Kerry Group, the award carries a total prize fund of €22,000, with €20,000 awarded to the winner and €500 for each shortlisted author.

This year’s adjudicators are acclaimed authors, Carol Drinkwater and Paul McVeigh. They reviewed over 48 submitted novels and carefully selected five outstanding titles that reflect the strength, imagination, and storytelling brilliance of contemporary Irish fiction.

The shortlist for the 2025 Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award is: Christine Dwyer Hickey – Our London Lives (Atlantic Books, 2024); Joseph O’Connor – The Ghosts of Rome (Harvill Secker, 2025); Colm Tóibín – Long Island (Picador and Pan Macmillan, 2024); Niall Williams – Time of the Child (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2024), and Donal Ryan – Heart, Be At Peace (Penguin Random House, 2024).

Catherine Keogh is Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Kerry Group. She said the company’s 31-year partnership with Listowel Writers’ Week stands as a testament to its enduring belief in the power of storytelling to inspire and connect.

(Regular readers of Listowel Connection will know my favourite. I loved Donal Ryan’s Heart, Be at Peace as well.)

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A fact

In 1950, a study found that only 46% of British homes had a bathroom.

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I’m Back

By

On May 5, 2025

In Listowel

This is Aoife McKenna, aged 3 and 3/4. She is wearing her Kildare jersey because the photo was taken on Sunday, April 27 2025. Her team unfortunately lost to Meath and are now back in the Tailteann Cup. When they win that and move up again, Aoife will be old enough to support them.

Aoife is the reason I was galavanting for the last while. My Cork visitors are also the reason I have been absent from here for the past 2 weeks. I’m back now to tell you about my travels.

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Another One Gone

Bailey and Co is closing soon after a successful run at the fashion trade in Listowel and North Kerry. Best of luck to Norella and Danny. Hopefully we’ll see another nice shop here very soon.

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A Listowel Connection Lost

Warren Buckley sent us this photo and the story

In 1895 Carson’s arguments saw the removal of Oscar Wilde from the public eye in London. In 2025 Carson’s plaque saw the removal of another writer, George Fitzmaurice, from the public eye in Dublin. 

No 3 Harcourt Street, where Listowel writer George Fitzmaurice once lived, previously housed a restaurant and bar. “The Pie Dish” and “The Magic Glasses” were named after Fitzmaurice’s plays . Now a cocktail bar called the “Pen and Player” the owners appear to favour Carson over Fitzmaurice and have removed Fitmaurice’s plaque. A little piece of Listowel history lost.

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George Fitzmaurice is an almost forgotten figure in the realms of Irish literature. Kerry Writers’ Museum has a room dedicated to him. One of his plays, The Country Dressmaker, was recently staged in St. John’s. Outside of Listowel he is not widely recognised, so here is a small biography from KWM website.

Fitzmaurice was known for his sharp wit, unique dialogue, and rich characters that captured the essence of rural Ireland in the early 20th century.

Born in 1877, just outside Listowel, Fitzmaurice developed an early fascination with the Irish language and literature. His plays and novels were celebrated for their authentic portrayal of the Irish people and their struggles, often with a touch of humor and satire.

Fitzmaurice’s most famous play, “The Country Dressmaker,” premiered in 1907 at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, where it received critical acclaim and launched Fitzmaurice’s career. He went on to produce many more successful works, including “The Magic Glasses,” and “The Moonlighter”.

Despite his success, Fitzmaurice remained humble and dedicated to his craft, writing until his death in 1963. He leaves behind a legacy as one of Ireland’s greatest writers, capturing the essence of rural Irish life and the struggles of its people.

You may view a lecture on Fitzmaurice by Dr. Fiona Brennan on the KWM YouTube channel

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Listowel Literary Festival

In the time slot in the calendar of Irish festivals which was, up to 2024, occupied by Listowel Writers’ Week, we now will have a newly named festival, Listowel Literary Festival.

Photo and text from Radio Kerry website

In Dominick Walsh’s photograph at the launch are

“12 year old Listowel writer & illustrator Danny Lawlor , Maire Logue Artistic Director of SJT and Curator of Listowel Literary Festival , Katie O’Brien Executive Director of Listowel Writers’ Week and Cara Trant, Artistic Director of KWM and Producer of Listowel Literary Festival . “

“A Unified Celebration of Creativity and Strength in Unity in Ireland’s Literary Capital of Listowel. In 2025, Listowel proudly reaffirms its place at the heart of Ireland’s literary landscape with the launch of Listowel Literature Festival, a landmark collaboration between Listowel Writers’ Week, Kerry Writers’ Museum, and St. John’s Theatre and Arts Centre. This collective festival offering will take place from May 28th to June 1st, welcoming audiences to a dynamic celebration of storytelling, creativity, and community. Rooted in Listowel’s exceptional literary heritage, this year’s programme embraces an inclusive, vibrant, and boldly imaginative vision. The initiative draws inspiration from the words of Brendan Kennelly: “Begin again to the summoning birds.” That call to renewal echoes throughout the 2025 programme. “

( P.S. I think Literature in the above text is a typo. It is Listowel Literary Festival)

The full programme is on the Writers’ Week website at the below link

Listowel Writers’ Week

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A Fact

In 1993, Intel launched its Pentium Processor. Intel was then at the cutting edge of digital technology

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Last One before my Easter Break

By

On April 18, 2025

In Just a Thought, Listowel

A mix of mature and growing trees in Listowel Pitch and Putt course

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Tralee link to The Titanic

(pic and story from the internet)

Today April 15  we remember Dr William O’ Loughlin from Ashe street  Tralee .who was the doctor aboard the ill-fated Titanic  .which sank 113 years ago today  For a man who was heralded for his actions on the night of the sinking of the worlds greatest known ship as yet does not even have a plack at his place of birth .. yet we have a street named after Neil Armstrong.. because he visited once to open an exhibition for a day in the museum….   .He is glorified in Dublin .and New York . When will he finaly be remembered officially in his home town by the powers that be?

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Link to my latest Thoughts as broadcast on Radio Kerry last week

Just a Thought

Some of these reflections are inclused in my latest book

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One Hundred most Common Irish Surnames

Some of these will surprise you. They certainly surprised me…apart altogether from the fact that neither my birth name, my married name, my mother’s maiden name nor my grandmother’s maiden name make the list. The nearest I came was a Connor relative a few generations back but she must have taken the soup as Connor is only there with an O.

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Summer Entertainment

From this week’s Kerry’s Eye

No programme yet but there are a few goodies promised.

Today’s Fact

The Boomtown Rats are coming to Revival. That’s a promise and the fact is that I have a family connection to the Rats. My sister-in-law, Liz Cogan, is a sister to Pete Briquette and a first cousin to Johnny Fingers.

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It’s a Dog’s Life

By

On April 17, 2025

In Listowel, Personal

Happiness is a bed in the shade

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Presentation Update

Yesterday, because of the upheaval at AIHS, I speculated that Mark Holan’s presenation might not go ahead.

Mark has been in touch to say that the Michael J. O’Brien presentation is indeed going ahead. Learn more at the below link.

.https://irish-us.org/events/virtual-lecture-michael-j-obrien-defending-irelands-record-america

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Handball and Pitch and Putt

Bobby Cogan stops to read his old friend, Junior’s poem about great days in this very handball alley.

Memories of the ball alley in Listowel

When school was o’re, our hearts would soar,

At meals we would not dally,

With homework done, to seek our fun,

We’d wander to the alley.

To toss that ball against the wall,

And combat every rally,

With pouring sweat we’d play‘til death

Those games within our alley.

With left hand or right we’d try our might,

Until the grand finale,

But win or lose, how we’d enthuse

On those games played down the alley

Each game was fought, the prize was sought,

The marker counts his tally,

The match was won at twenty one,

‘Twas victory in the alley.

But time moves on, the youth now gone,

No more do young men sally

To toss that ball against the wall

Of my beloved alley

Yet, memories hold of comrades old

Until the last reveille,

Of times gone by which brought such joy

Those days spent down the alley

Junior Griffin

Junior, in his prime, accepting a handball trophy.

It was handball that led to the establishment of the Pitch and Putt Club. Junior and others of the handball fraternity campaigned for the setting up of the Pitch and Putt Club. Sadly now hand ball is not played anymore. The sport is still alive and is played elsewhere but it has died out in Listowel. Meanwhile pitch and putt has gone from strength to strength

Sunday, April 13 2025. Who needs Augusta when we have this gem on our doorstep?

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Reggie visits Listowel Landmarks

People have asked me if Reggie is a greyhound. No, he is not. He is a lurcher, i.e. half greyhound. He is a rescue dog who was abused in a previous life. He was maltreated and left on the side of a road where a kind person found him, cold malnourished and covered in cuts and bruises. After his rehabilitation at the sanctuary he found his forever home where he is loved like one of the family. His sweet nature means he is easy to love.

He posed beside a few iconic Listowel landmarks as souvenirs of his recent visit.

at Listowel Castle

at the Tidy Town seat

at the statue of John B. Keane

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Not only a Green Jacket and millions of dollars

Look what Rory got.

He will be the host a next year’s champions dinner. Wonder will he have an Ulster fry?

Maybe not.

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A Fact

The world’s largest colony of bats lives in the Bracken Cave in Texas. There are about 20 million of them.

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