bananas – Listowel Connection

Listowel Pitch and Putt Course

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Listowel Kayaking Club

Sunday, May 14 2023 marked a significant development in Listowel’s relationship with the Feale River.

Listowel’s newest club was officially launched by guest of honour, Dr. Karen Weekes. I must admit, I didn’t know this lady but I looked her up for you.

“Dr Karen Weekes (54) is only the 20th woman in the world to complete this challenge. The first Irishwoman to row solo and unaided across the Atlantic ocean has ended her record-breaking feat after more than 80 days rowing 3,000 nautical miles that tested her to the limits of endurance. (Feb. 2022)”

This lady was there too. She is Moira Aston, CEO of Canoeing Ireland. She was delighted with the speed at which Listowel’s club got up and running.

The club was first mooted in 2020 and great interest was shown at the Women on Water event.

John Kelliher’s photo collage for The Advertiser.

Jimmy Deenihan is at the helm the new club, Siobhán O’Sullivan is honorary secretary and Mary McGrath is Safety Officer. Jade O’Mahony is the Training Officer. The club has 40 members at level 2 kayaking skills and has a waiting list of about 40 more.

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Beautiful old Clieveragh Cottage

This picturesque old cottage is located at Clieveragh. When Listowel.ie posted it online it provoked a flood of great memories for people who remembered it either as a family or friend’s home or just from passing it often and admiring it.

This was the happy home of a Murphy family and it once rang to the sounds of their music. As well as musicians the family had talented Irish step dancers in this house. They were also animal lovers and had cattle, sheep and a donkey named Bill in the haggard behind the house.

Apparently at one time there were 14 people living here.

Now it seems it is used as a cowshed. Still looks lovely and a magnet for the photographer.

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Kildare Supporters

My son in law has already turned by little granddaughter into a Lillies fan. Here they are celebrating their U20 football team’s win.

The Kerry half of her parentage doesn’t get a look in.

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A Fact

American people eat more bananas than any other fruit.

Bananas are actually herbs and, like all herbs, die after fruiting.

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Something lighthearted to brighten the week.

Did you know that bananas
cannot reproduce? That they are sterile hybrids created by a cheap low tech
form of cloning?

This is true, so now you know.

The downside to this is that clones
are not terribly genetically diverse. An lack of
genetic diversity is a great way to make yourself vulnerable to disease. Back
in the 1950s, a fungus all but wiped out a variety of banana called the Gros
Michael. Up until then, the Gros Michel had been the top-selling banana in the
world. It was the banana your grandparents ate. You eat the Cavendish, a
different variety that replaced Gros Michael largely on the strength of its
resistance to the killer fungus.

The disease banana plantations now
fear: Black Sigatoka, a different fungus that can kill trees and reduce yields
in the survivors. The solution: Goldfinger, a new banana clone bred to resist
Black Sigatoka.

And so farewell
Cavendish, hello Goldfinger.

‘They were bigger in my
day’, you’ll tell your grandchildren. ‘Sure there’s no aytin’ in these little
yokes at all’.

(lesson taken from the internet)

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This sign in Clash, Tralee has been causing much mirth recently. The sign on the other side says Honk if you love the Kingdom. Motorists seeing this sign presume that oncoming motorists are seeing the same sign and wonder why they are all honking. Hilarity ensues.

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Warehouse, Listowel’s latest night club

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1971, I think.

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“A wet and windy May fills the barns with oats and hay.”

In these times of recession, at least someone will be happy.

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: bananas

Kayaking

Bananas and Pres. volleyball team 1971