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

Tag: Asdee Page 1 of 4

Remembering

By

On June 26, 2023

In Listowel

Magnificent tree in Listowel Pitch and Putt Course in June 2023

<<<<<<<<<

Remembering an Inspirational Friend in Littor

His friends have erected a lovely beach memorial to Fr. Pat Moore on the beach near his family home where he loved to walk.

Photos and text from Asdee Community Development

On Fr Pat Moore’s 66th birthday, we want to sincerely thank Paddy Fitzell for his beautiful plaque commemorating Fr Pat, and our thanks to John & Hannah Fitzell for donating the plaque.

We also want to thank Tim Quilter for the stonework & the creation of this lovely commemorative seat, which now sits at the foot of Littor Road overlooking Fr Moore’s beloved Littor Strand.

The seat has taken much longer than we had hoped, hitting a number of setbacks, but it is now in place in time for summer. There are further finishing touches to be done in the coming months.

A final thanks to Kerry County Council who carried out work on the road entrance to the beach, allowing safe access to beach-goers for the months ahead.

<<<<<<<<<<

Remembering Fr. Bryan Dalton

Last week I got this email from Florida;

Hi,

My name is Duane Miller, I live in South Florida.  Our former parish priest was Father Bryan Dalton of St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Deerfield Beach, FL.  He passed away in 2018.

In my online research it says he was buried in St. Michael’s Cemetery in Listowel.  I am seeking some information on his burial, preferably a picture of his gravesite which could be uploaded to Findagrave.com.  Is this something you can assist with?

Best Regards,

Duane

I started with my neighbour, Jimmy Moloney, my go-to person on any civic queries. I didn’t make it clear that the burial was a recent one. He thought I had Florida relatives looking for an Irish emigrant ancestor.

In my search for the grave I found local undertakers to be the most helpful and obliging allies.

Noel Lyons told me where the priests were buried but I figured that Fr. Dalton was buried in a family grave rather than a single priest’s grave.

Noel sent me to RIP.ie to find out who the funeral directors were.

Seán Gleasure to the rescue. He told me that Gleasure’s Funeral Directors’ had looked after the funeral. He knew exactly where the grave was and even offered to take a photograph for me to send to Florida.

Here is the Dalton grave in St. Michael’s:

I was delighted to help Fr. Bryan’s Florida parishioners.

Sometimes the internet is wonderful at shrinking our world.

<<<<<<<<<<

Reunited in Listowel

It was nice to be together in Listowel, even if the occasion was a sad one.

<<<<<<<<<<

Dolly Day Photos Tomorrow

Meanwhile only in Listowel….

Listowel, Saturday June 24 2023, an unconvincing ‘nun’, an even more unconvincing Dolly Parton and a much too thin Elvis in Páirc Mhic Shithigh

<<<<<<<<<

Old People and Old Ways

By

On November 8, 2021

In History, Listowel

Rainbow over Listowel on November 1 2021

<<<<<<<<<<<

Last Week’s Visitors

Three generations

<<<<<<<<<<

An Unusual Knitting Pattern in last week’s Woman’s Weekly

The mind boggles.

<<<<<<<<<<

In Athea

This lovely old fireside scene was posted on a site called Vanishing Ireland. This traditional fire is in Batt’s Bar in Athea, Co. Limerick. From firesides long ago I remember the crane and the bastable and kettles . I also remember the bellows you activated by turning a wheel.

Echoes of the past.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Great Memories here for Old Asdee Families

From Shannonside Annual 1§956

<<<<<<<<<<<<

From an Old Presentation Secondary School Album

Looks to me like a Parents Council group, since it has parents and teachers in it.

<<<<<<<<<<<

The Man of the Moment has a Listowel Connection

Every newspaper this weekend had copious coverage of rugby player, Jonathan Sexton, who played his 100th international game on November 6 2021.

My photograph is from my Saturday newspaper where Jonathan’s proud godfather, Listowel’s Billy Keane, brought us the man behind the legend.

Jonathan’s Listowel Sexton family travelled in numbers to the match. They and everyone in Listowel are proud of him.

<<<<<<<<<<

Church Street Restoration, Asdee Chapel

By

On October 26, 2021

In History, Listowel, Poem

Two pictures of Coomeenole in West Kerry taken by Éamon ÓMurchú on the same evening at almost the same time.

<<<<<<<<<<<

Loyal to the Traditional Facade

Many premises in Listowel are undergoing refurbishment at the moment. In keeping with Listowel’s status as a Historic Town, Kerry County Council’s Heritage Officer is closely involved with the renovations. This house on Church Street is a case in point.

It is being lovingly restored by its present owner who takes her role as custodian of our traditional architecture very seriously.

Since I took the first photo the door has been painted.

This is a picture of the same house one hundred years ago. This picture was taken in the aftermath of the infamous Black and Tan raid in Church Street which saw the next door premises, Flavin’s, completely destroyed and much of Lower Church Street burned and looted.

Note how the present owner has restored the original look of the house and her new windows are absolutely faithful to the old design.

<<<<<<<<<<<<

The Story of Asdee Chapel Continued

From Shannonside Annual 1956

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

M.S. Society Busking Day 2010

Musicians and volunteers in Main Street on one of the good old days.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<

A Lovely poem from the late John McCarthy

(from John McCarthy’s anthology Hope on a Rope)

John was a passionate compassionate poet who tackled the subject of mental illness before it was fashionable to do so. He was an activist credited with starting the Gay Pride movement in Cork.

He was a great friend of John B. and Mary Keane.

<<<<<<<<<<<<

A Poem about Loss, Jerry Ryan R.I.P. and the Old Chapel in Asdee

By

On October 25, 2021

In Listowel, Poem

Waterfall at Conor Pass by Éamon ÓMurchú

<<<<<<<<<<<

Another Poem from Poetry Town

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

A Permanent Reminder

This recent mural with a quotation by Brendan Kennelly is a poignant reminder of how fleeting all the living voices are. The man whose distinctive voice enthralled so many has left the stage. R.I.P.

<<<<<<<<<

+ Pat O’Flaherty R.I.P.+

Pat O’Flaherty of Chic Boutique has passed quietly away. She will be a huge loss to Mary and to her many friends. May she rest in peace.

<<<<<<<<<<

A Fact stranger than Fiction

According to a story in The Sunday Times there are more than 50 billboards in the UK fitted with cameras and equipped with facial recognition technology. If you are walking past one of these billboards it can recognise your age, sex and mood and it will then display an advertisement it is programmed to “think” suited to you.

<<<<<<<<<<<

The Old Chapel in Asdee

from Shannonside Annual 1956

Continues tomorrow….

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

+Jerry Ryan R.I.P.+

Nobody’s child; everybody’s friend

“No Mommies’ Kisses and no Daddies smiles” but Listowel took Jerry Ryan to its heart and he was a valued member of our community.

The Monday after Listowel Races 2014

Jerry Ryan who passed away recently was the salt of the earth. He did his job diligentlty, keeping our streets clean for many years before his retirement from Listowel UDC. He always had a smile and a friendly word. He didn’t know my name. “Friend,” he called me. Jerry had many friends.

With Mark Loughnane
With Pat Hickey

I took these pictures of Jerry at work.

He was part of the fabric of Listowel life for years.

I invited Jerry to come to the launch of my book, Listowel Through a Lens, in 2009. He had never been to a book launch and he was a bit dubious about whether it was his kind of thing.

This is the photo of Jerry and Jim Cogan in Listowel Through a Lens

I can tell you all that it was my honour to have Jerry there and there was no guest more appreciative of the invitation.

May his gentle soul rest in peace.

<<<<<<<<<<

Listowel Defibrillators, a Poem and Jesse James

By

On October 12, 2021

In History, Listowel, Poem

Entrance to Gaelscoil Lios Tuathail from Dowd’s Road

<<<<<<<<<<

The Square is Changing

Listowel Town Square in 2016

Before that, this old phone box used to sit in the corner of the Square.

Listowel Town Square in October 2021

The new defibrillator box occupies the site of the old phone box.

Here are the locations and times of availability of other public defrillators in town

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

A Poem recalling the Children of Lir

Fionnuala was the eldest of Lir’s children and the mother substitute who looked after her brothers as they wintered on frozen waters. The poet invokes her as she leaves her loved one in the charge of another Fionnuala.

<<<<<<<<<

The story of famous local raparee from Shannonside Annual 1956

<<<<<<<<<

Page 1 of 4

Next

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén