Path in the park
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Remembering Toddy Buckley
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Local People at The Kingdom County Fair
Jer Kennelly was there with his camera and he sent us these. Jer is the man with the garda, at the other side of the camera for once.
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A Superpower Needed
I saw this man for the first time at last year’s Writers’ Week where he was collecting his prize on opening night. He was there on release from prison and he and his warder who accompanied him left me with a lasting memory of a great acceptance speech, one of my highlights of Listowel Writers’ Week 2023.
He is back, reading from his book, telling the story of his awful disease, gambling addiction, on Sunday June 2 at 1.00. I have read Sheedy’s book and it is a frightening account of the highs and lows and the terrible heartache of addiction. With alcoholism there is only so much a person can drink before passing out. With gambling, a gambler can lose everything in a matter of seconds. It is a frightening story and Pat Sheedy tells it very honestly.
BUT, at exactly the same time as Pat is in the Plaza, Cyril Kelly and friends are launching an anthology of their writing in Kerry Writers’ Museum.
If I were granted a super power for a day, it would have to be bilocation.
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Poem I discovered in an old Ballyguiltenane Annual
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Strong Tea
My fact about tea reminded Mattie Lennon that John B. Keane wrote a book called Strong Tea. Mattie treasures his copy
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A Marvellous Concert
My friends in Listowel Schools Creative hub invited me to their concert in St. John’s on Monday last. It was an extraordinary showcase of the great young talent in North Kerry.
We saw Joan Mulvihill on screen and in the audience. Damien Stack was another of the local people the students interviewed for their project. His wife, Joan was there for the first concert.
Music, singing and dancing were a big part of the show. Their music and dance teachers, Katie McNamara and Jimmy Hickey were on hand to support and perform.
Katie Lucey, Katherina Broderick and Julieanne Galvin were on hand to keep the show on the road.
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A fact
On this day, May 22 in 2015 Hollywood actor Dwayne Johnson set a Guinness World Record for the most selfies taken in three minutes. He took 105 selfies on the red carpet at the world premiere of his new film San Andreas.
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Neil Brosnan
Nice to see the Raenagown poem. My late uncle Pat Brosnan, the driving force behind the Ballyguiltenane Journal, was a Lyreacrompane native who was lured to Knocknagorna Athea by his love for his lovely wife Mary. My uncle Dan Brosnan was Dan Paddy Andy’s ‘dancehall band’ for many years. My dad, Tim, was the eldest of seven siblings, all of whom attended Raenagown school.
Glad to see Toddy Buckley remembered in the town park. Toddy was a force of nature and did Trojan work for Listowel town and her people.
Again, well done, Mary.