Listowel Castle in June 2025
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Charles Street
Charles Street’s Irish name is Sráid Uí Chonghaile (Connolly St.)
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A Heritage Shopfront
This beautiful shopfront on William Street is a fine example of work appropriate for a heritage town.
Beautiful sign
I even caught the proprietors at the door. Well done, Lisa. Lovely job!
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Progress at Lidl Upgrade
Still a building site but the foundations are laid.
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Connecting People
I get all sorts of different emails and messages from people who want to connect with Listowel people.
Story: Valerie O’Sullivan took this great photo of our very own National Treasure, Jimmy Hickey, in his workshop.
A researcher for the Oliver Callan radio programme saw it and thought it looked interesting.
Then the researcher, Susan, searched to see who might have contact details for Jimmy.
A few phonecalls later and the two are in touch. If Susan tells me in time. I’ll alert you when or if the programme will be aired.
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Schools Folklore
Bryan MacMahon encouraged the boys to tell all sorts of stories for the collection. He obviously realised the value of the project and he collected a huge body of stories, some true and some a bit hard to swallow.
Here is one I have no doubt is true;
Basket making was a very old trade in Ireland in years gone by. Cliabhs and sgiaths are still being made by a young man named Martin Healy Cleveragh Listowel. He learned the trade from his father. Twigs with which the baskets are made are growing around his house and in the winter time when work is scarce he makes baskets from them. When he has 8 or 9 made he usually takes them to the market on a Friday and they are bought by farmers. The high baskets are called cliabhs and are generally used for bringing turf.
The collector is Jeremiah Carroll. He got the story from Tom Carroll
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A fact
A snail can sleep for up to three years.
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