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

Tag: Aidan O’mahoney

Super Valu opening, Nostalgia and an 80s Junior Infant class

Seán Murphy, Blackwater Camera Club for The Rebel Cup

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Garvey’s Super Valu Opening



My granddaughters came to Listowel for their Kerry holidays during their Easter break. While they were with me we spent a great morning at the Super Valu official opening of their refurbished shop. Stars of Kerry football and Dancing with the Stars were in attendance, face painting, free footballs, singing and dancing were the order of the morning.

The scene at Super Valu on April 20th 2017

Radio Kerry was broadcasting from the store. The free magnets and mugs were long gone by 11.00 when we got there.

The man of the moment: Aidan O’Mahoney, retired Kerry footballer and Dancing with the Stars winner for 2017 posed with the children.

 Des Cahill was a big hit with SuperValu staff.

No, he didn’t do a Hughie Maughan job on the fake tan. He was just back from holidays he said.

 Stylish Eilish was there, looking resplendent, as usual.

The girls spotted a lull in the queue for face painting and they were lined up before I knew it.

Paul was making sure that as many people as possible got to meet the star.

Meanwhile Rosaleen was doing a great job on Róisín’s face.

3 happy girls.

Dominick Scanlon was interviewing Des Cahill.

I grabbed him for a minute for a photo.

They met a Star as well.

This young footballer, Shane Enright, was infinitely patient, signing the free footballs and little boys’ jerseys.

The girls were lucky enough to secure some of the free footballs, but they were not inflated and as you can imagine, Super Valu staff were not really anxious to have footballs being kicked around the shop. So I called in to JK Sports next door where the lovely Edel sorted us out.

Three happy girls, very grateful to Edel for saving the day.

Homeward bound with the loot.

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Nostalgia 



I read this extract from a book which is now out of print. It describes well why so many of my blog followers enjoy a taste of how it used to be at home in days gone by.

Fr. Pat Carroll

Scenes and memories: scenes
from places I know; memories of people I love. The quiet country herein
described still remains−the flat land, the white road, the little town, the
river, and the hill’s crest. The people who appear and speak for a brief period
are grown very old, or gone away. What is written, then, is written as a record
of what was, and what, for me, will never be again: today’s memories of a
yesterday back in Ireland when the gray dew was on the clover and the cuckoo
called from the blossomed alder. Maybe certain scenes and memories here set
down will recall to you also your springtime in the Old Land, with dear, kindly
people all around you, the wide, white Shannon a few flat fields away, and the
sea’s sweet breath coming from Kerry Head.”

─P.J.C., in Round
About Home (1914)

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Junior Infants who are now Young Ladies



Clodagh O’Sullivan unearthed this old photo of her Junior Infants class.

Knock in 1885, the parade in 2017, Halo reopens and Clounmacon in the Listowel parade in the seventies


Dancing With the Stars;  Kerry is behind its favourite to win



A Kerry friend’s phone. Need I say more?

She’ll do it all over again on Sunday night.


When he was better known as a footballer, Aidan O’Mahoney brought the Sam Maguire to Pres. Listowel. Here he is with the late Sr. Nuala.

Photo: Breda Ferris


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Knock, Co. Mayo 1885

(Photo shared by Billy Austin on Facebook)

The Story of Knock began on the 21st August, 1879 when, at approximately 8 o’clock in the evening, fifteen people from the village of Knock in Co. Mayo, witnessed an Apparition of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. John the Evangelist, a Lamb and cross on an altar at the gable wall of the Parish Church.The witnesses watched the Apparition in the pouring rain for two hours, reciting the Rosary. Although they themselves were saturated not a single drop of rain fell on the gable or vision. There were fifteen official witnesses to the Apparition, most of whom were from the village of Knock and surrounding areas and ranged in age from just 5 years old to 74 years old. Each of the witnesses gave testimonies to a Commission of  Enquiry in October 1879. The findings of the Commission were that the testimonies were both trustworthy and satisfactory.

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 More Photos from a very wet Listowel on St. Patrick’s Day 2017

I think these children were from Killocrim. Apologies if I’m wrong.

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New Trees at St. John’s



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Halo is Back on Church St.



 Elaine has taken a leap of faith and reopened her very popular Halo Health and Gift Shop across the road from her old location on Church St.

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A Treasure unearthed by Liam O’Hainnín

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St. Patrick’s Day in the 1970s


Tony Guerin shared some great old photos (mostly Clounmacon ).

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Mothering Sunday


Mothers’ Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent.  This year, 2017 that is next Sunday, March 26th.

The tradition began in England over 400 years ago when, once a year people visited the church in the parish where their mother was born. While visiting the church they also visited their mothers. This visit was special all that time ago because there were no cars and no public transport and making any journey was a big undertaking. This day became known as Mothering Sunday.

The USA and other parts of the world celebrate it on the second Sunday in May.


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