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: Aras an Ghabhan

Vehicles in the Parade on March 17 2016, Rattoo and a poem from Fr. Pat Moore

Chris Grayson of Glenbeigh  and Killorglin posts some really lovely photos on Facebook. This is one of them.

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Vehicles at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade

I was reminded that I forgot the old cars which were featured in the 2016 parade. Here they are;

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Rattoo Tower viewed through the abbey window


Photo; Bridget O’Connor

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Easter Monday




This poem was written by Fr. Pat Moore on Easter Monday, 2007.  In Fr. Pat’s own words, “I wrote it after a walk with my friend, Brendan Walsh on Carrig Island. I talked to Brendan last night and he remembers that day too, the tiredness we felt and the rediscovery of energy  after the walk. 

 Easter Monday

“We walked to the furthest point of Carrig Island.

Nearby is the first monastic site in North Kerry.

Across the Shannon Estuary the round tower and monastic sites of Scattery break the skyline.

A northwest wind chills the sunlight that is gaining confidence this April morning.

Feeling like the last two priests in Kerry, we are full of Holy Week tiredness, inwardly more ashes than fire, more sickness than healing.

In this place and at a different time Senan of Scattery crossed over to build a causeway, a task abandoned for want of blessing.

“We have only ourselves,” we said as we stood there.

In our inner emptiness is the birthing place for Easter hope.

That it may overtake us and bring us forward.” 

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Na Fuinneoga is Gaelaí

Listowel winners of the competition for the most Irish St. Patrick’s windows

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Movers and Shakers of  Media on our Doorstep




I took this photo of the prestigious panel of women who spoke at last year’s women in Media in Ballybunion.

The ladies are, Moya Doherty, Miriam O’Callaghan, Dearbhail MacDonald, Dee Forbes, and Katie Hannon.

Four of the five were well known to me from Irish TV. The one I didn’t know in April 2015 in Ballybunion turns out to be the biggest name of them all.

Dee Forbes , originally from Cork, was then head of Discovery Channel in Europe .

She is now Director General of RTE.

This year’s Women in Media Weekend takes place from April 15 to April 17 2016 and Joan O’Connor has another star studded line up ready for us.

Women in Media 2016

St. Patrick’s Day, A win for Pres girls and a little known 1916 fact

Cormorant


photo: Mike Enright



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St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2016






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Colbert St., 2003

The big blue building is Listowel Garda Station. This unusual view of it was exposed during the construction of Aras an Ghabha on Colbert Street.

And in the same spot today;

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Award for Social innovation for Pres. Girls




Katyann Barry Chute, Laura Sheehan, Mairead Brosnan and Mary Keane; These Transition Year girls from Pres. Secondary School, Listowel won the Positive Social Impact Award for their book, Gifted, at the Student Enterprise Awards Final in IT Tralee



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Dev nuair a bhí sé óg in Rath Luirc




photo: Footsteps to Freedom

Eamonn de Valera in a school photo from the Christians Brothers in Charlevile.

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1916, The Rising and The Irish Grand National



On Easter Monday 1916 as the Rising was taking place in Dublin, The Irish Grand National was taking place at Fairyhouse. The race was won by a horse called All Sorts. All sorts connections had a rude awakening in store for them. All the trains were stopped due to The Rising and so they had to walk all the way home to  The Bishopstown Stud in Streamstown, a distance of 60 miles.

It took them five days to get home.

( Information gleaned from Ireland’s Own)

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Harnett’s Pharmacy Commemorates the centenary of The Easter Rising 1916






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Miss Kerry 2016 is a Listowel Girl


photo; Evoque photography

Her name is Niamh Enright and she was chosen to represent Kerry in the Miss Ireland contest in 2016.

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