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: Brendan Kennelly

Bust of Brendan Kennelly unveiling, A Doctor’s Sword and Listowel people in Lourdes in 1924

Brendan Kennelly….plaque unveiling


 It was a chilly August evening, Friday August 21 2015, when we gathered in the grounds of Ballylongford church to unveil a bust of the celebrated local poet, Brendan Kennelly. Local musicians kept us entertained while we waited for the great man himself. Brendan Kennelly has not been well and it is a few years since he has returned to his native Ballylongford.

Above are some photos of people who had come to honour one of our greatest living poets and teachers of modern English Literature. Brendan Kennelly has taught in Trinity College Dublin for 42 years and for 32  of them he was professor of modern English.

These big smiles of greeting from Brendan and his daughter, Doodle are for Brendan’s only sister, Anne.

Brendan’s niece, Mary is master of ceremonies and she calls us all to order.

Jimmy Deenihan tells us why it is fitting that Brendan Kennelly be honored in his lifetime. He outlines his importance to literature and his great and abiding love and pride in his North Kerry/West Limerick upbringing and education.

Ta dah! Jimmy and Kate, who is Kerry Co. Council Arts officer and coincidentally is Brendan Kennelly’s niece perform the unveiling.

The extended Kennelly clan pose for photgraphs.

This is it.



This is the poet with two of his brothers



<<<<<<<<

Dr. Aidan McCarthy….War hero

If you get a chance to see the film A Doctor’s Sword, do go. It is the extraordinary war story of a doctor from Castletownbere in west Cork who was captured as a prisoner of war in Japan during WW2. If you ever doubted that truth could be stranger than fiction, doubt no longer. This is the best war story I have ever heard.

There is a Kerry connection. The producer and driving force behind this film is Bob Jackson who works in IT Tralee.

<<<<<<<<

Beauty Queen with a Listowel Connection

This is Hannah O’Donoghue from Pittsburg whose grandfather came from The Six Crosses, Listowel. She recently travelled north after a visit to  her Listowel ancestral home to take part in The Maiden of the Mournes Festival

Hannah didn’t win but I’m sure she did us all proud and, who knows, she might be back next year for The Rose of Tralee.

<<<<<<

Lourdes 1924

This is a group of Listowel people on pilgrimage in 1924. Anyone recognize anyone? Maybe someone has an ancestor on the pilgrimage and has seen the photo already?

The Virgin Rock, Special Olympics and Duagh Sports complex

Mike Enright is a Ballybunion fisherman who is constantly on the water. He brings his mobile phone and just snaps whatever catches his eye. Some of his photos were reposted on the Radio Kerry website. The photos were so good that a “real” photographer saw them and just had to come to Ballybunion to photograph these sights for himself. Mike is becoming a one man tourist industry.

The special Olympics qualifiers held in UL  was a very successful time for North Kerry Eagles. They won eleven medals in all and Listowel gave them a big bualadh box and a parade through the town to welcome them home.

I took some photos at the parade on Wednesday June 18 2014.

<<<<<<<<<

Duagh Sports Centre



Nearly there!  (Photo Duagh Sports Complex via Facebook)

<<<<<<

Listowel, where it is easier to write than not to write  (John B. Keane)

Page 5 of 5

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén