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: concert

Listowel, Then and Now

By

On September 13, 2023

In Listowel

Listowel Fire Station at evening in September 2023

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Listowel Food Fair 2023

November 9th to 13th November 2023

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Flowers

Lovely Listowel is greatly enhanced in September 2023 by beautiful floral displays.

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The Last of the Concerts (for now)

Kerry Sentinel, Saturday, 17 March, 1906; Page: 4

Grand Entertainment at Ballylongford

LECTURE AND CONCERT. On Friday night last a highly interesting entertainment consisting of a lecture on the Irish Brigade, illustrated with lantern slides by Mr Thos F O’Sullivan, Listowel, concert of Irish music was held in Ballylongford and was well attended.

The Rev Fr. Pierce, P.P, presided, and was supported by the Rev Fr. Enright, Sacramento, and the Rev J Dillon, C.C, Ballylongford. At the conclusion of the address, a hearty vote of thanks was tendered to the lecturer on the proposition of Fr Enright, seconded by Fr. Dillon.

The concert opened with the children’s chorus “Erin the Tear,” which was harmoniously rendered. ” An incident of ’98” by  Misses Bride Shanahan and Bessie Fitzmaurice was warmly received. Hour hath Come by the same young ladies, with Miss Maggie Carmody, was a decidedly attractive and humorous item and richly deserved the applause bestowed on it. Miss Collins and Miss Carmody were responsible for the training of the children in these contributions, which certainly reflected credit on them.

Miss Shanahan sang ” Carrigdhoun,” and was warmly applauded while Mr Jas Leahy’s recitation, ” Fontenoy,” was extremely  popular. The duet ” Molly Bawn,” by Miss O Grady and Mr R Jones was much appreciated, and the Irish step-dancing of Messrs Hanrahan and Ahern evoked well deserved applause. In addition, Messrs ? Cotter and O Shaughnessy, Listowel, contributed largely to the success of the entertainment, which from start to finish was interesting, attractive and instructive. We understand a somewhat similar entertainment will be shortly held in Ballylongford when the lecture will be delivered by the Rev Fr. Enright, Sacramento.

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Another Gold

Representing Listowel Tidy Towns in Clonakilty on Monday last, Jimmy Moloney, Julie Gleeson and Breda McGrath picked up a well deserved 13th gold medal. In early October we’ll know the national result.

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Baile Mhúirne

This lovely little linear village on the road to Cork is soon to be bypassed. I dropped into the church on my way past last week.

Eucharistic adoration was in progress so I couldn’t do too much wandering around. The church was beautifully kept but obviously built in poorer times, with little enough stained glass and no mosaic work.

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1960’s Guide

Two businesses now the stuff of memory

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A Fact

In 1492 Pope Innocent VII was dying. On the advice of his physicians he drank the blood of three young donors. He was convinced that this would keep him young and healthy. It didn’t. He died shortly after.

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Entertainment

By

On August 30, 2023

In Listowel, Poem

Flowers at the courthouse in August 2023

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The Last Picture Show

The posters are faded now. The memories remain.

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Uh, Oh!

This junction is no longer a roundabout. It has traffic lights now. The roundabout sign has now been removed. The junction is taking a while to get used to.

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Another Concert

Kerry Evening Post, Wednesday, 04 January, 1899; Page: 3

CONCERT IN LISTOWEL (FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT).

Arrangements are being made for the holding of a grand evening concert of vocal and instrumental music in the hall of the Total Abstinence Society, Listowel, on Wednesday next, in aid of the funds of this very deserving organization.

The work of organizing the entertainment was entrusted to the Rev P Courtney, the respected President of the Society, who has been most successful in his energetic efforts. He has been fortunate not only in procuring the services of the most talented of local artistes, but also in enlisting the invaluable assistance of Mr Willie Lee and other distinguished vocalists of equal merit.

The idea has been to make the concert the most successful ever held in Listowel from an artistic point of view, and having regard to the material at his disposal there is no reason to fear that Father Courtney will not be entirely successful in his ambitious exertions on behalf of the Society over which he so worthily presides.

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The Primary Cert

This certificate of a man called Seán OConghaile was shared by his grandson online. This man, like so many others finished his education with his Primary exam in 1939. He emigrated to the US in 1948.

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Good Advice in Verse

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Today’s Fact

A lion’s roar is, like an adult human’s voice, unique to the individual. The roar is used to warn off intruders and to gather together scattered members of the flock. An adult lion’s roar can be heard as far away as 5 miles.

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A Tribulation of Blogging

This is my statistics page for Listowel Connection. It shows that on weekdays I have usually between 500 and 1000 page views.

Yesterday at 5.00 pm I had 2996 page views. Danger here.

The last time this happened the blog was unavailable for 24 hours. It means that Listowel Connection is under attack from bots. When the server spots this suspicious activity it shuts down the page (a denial of service) and I get a message telling me that I can’t access the page for now. If this happens we will be off air until the coast is clear again.

Sorry folks. If this happens there is nothing I can do about it. You won’t need to tell me either. I’ll know!

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Listowel and Ballybunion

By

On August 28, 2023

In Ballybunion, History, Listowel, Poem

Listowel Town Square, August 2023

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Quirky Sights in Listowel

At the back of Brosnan’s pub.

On the wall at Pierce and Fitzgibbon

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From the Newspaper Archives

(thanks to Jer Kennelly)

Kerry Evening Post Wednesday, 01 December, 1897; Page: 4

EVENING CONCERT IN LISTOWEL.

One of the most successful concerts ever hold in Listowel was the grand evening entertainment which came off in the Hall of the Total Abstinence Society, Listowel, on Wednesday evening. From every point of view the concert was a most pronounced success. The fact that the entertainment was held under the auspices of the society, and in aid of the funds of the organisation, fully accounts for the large and fashionable attendance ; but the enthusiasm of the audience can be accounted for only by the fact that the various contributions were performed in the most capable and finished manner. The programme was varied and interesting in character, judiciously drafted and calculated to appeal to every taste. In addition to local artistes, a number of other ladies and gentlemen also contributed to the programme.

The vocal items were rendered in fine style, and did not fail to draw enthusiastic plaudits from the audience; but the success of the entertainment must, to a great extent, be attributed to the recitals by the Misses Rahilly, and the instrumental contributions, which rank amongst the finest performances ever witnessed at a local concert. Every one, of course, expected that Miss Florence Rahilly would sustain her widespread reputation in a department which she has made peculiarly her own; but the excellence of the performance of Miss Tessie Rahilly, on the occasion of her first public appearance, took everyone by surprise. Needless to say, her reception was of the warmest character. The instrumental items: particularly the contributions of the Misses Creagh, were rendered in a style which betoken splendid musical ability and an appreciation of the composer’s work as admirable as it is rare, at a local entertainment, and which reflects infinite credit on local talent, which never showed up in better form than on Wednesday night.

The arrangements left nothing to be desired with the result that, though the hall was crowded to its utmost capacity, no inconvenience was caused. A special word of praise is surely due to Mrs Fitzpatrick, to whom, in a great measure, the success of the entertainment is to be attributed. She conducted the practice meetings with a degree of success, which only wide experience and splendid abilities as an instrumentalist and vocalist rendered possible. It is to be hoped, she will be long associated with our local entertainments.—Correspondent.

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A Gift of Ink….Update

Philip O’Carroll is sorted. Many people have offered him digitised versions of the LP . Philip and his family are remembered with great fondness in Listowel and many of his old friends were only too willing to help him. Thank you everyone who offered to source the album for him.

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Aspects of Ballybunion

The Beach Mission, always a reliable on the beach in August is back this year.

Signage on the beach has greatly improved. Clear flagging of areas of rip current means that the beach is now safer for everyone.

A Feature of the beach in recent years is beach art. It is a lovely way to send greetings for a birthday, wedding other celebrity occasion.

Seats are often memorials where a visitor can rest and remember someone who loved this spot.

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