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: Cork Page 5 of 7

Local faces at WiM 2016, Lectures and a Visit to Asdee and Finuge Freewheelers

Early morning in Ballybunion photographed by Mike Enright

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I met some local people at Women in Media


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Military Weekend Coming Up


There are some really interesting history lectures planned for this weekend :

Wednesday April 27 8.00p.m.

Ardfert Witnesses at the Trial of Roger Casement by Helen O’Carroll

Saturday April 30 at 7.30 

Irish Spitfire Legends by Paul Beaver

Sunday May 1st. at 7.00

The Architectural Design of the Early Spittfire by Diarmuid Walsh

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News from Downtown Asdee



With my friend, Helen Moylan I visited Fr. Pat last week. I found him in very good spirits and looking forward to witnessing the changing season in his beloved Asdee.

You can read his account of life in rural North Kerry among the bluebells and the wild garlic in his uplifting blog Between the Hills and the Sea

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Old Cork



Patrick J. O’Shea shared this old photograph of the No. 3 bus passing under Brian Boru Bridge in Cork

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Finuge Freewheelers had a fun run and John Kelliher took the photos





More photos HERE

Christie Hennessey winner, Tullamore school and Duagh chef to open Cork restaurant

A Break in the clouds over Ballybunion captured by Jason of Ballybunion Prints.

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This is Mide Houlihan from Clonakilty. She recently won the Christie Hennessey song writing competition. I think we’ll hear more of her.

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Listowel people at Ardfert Camera Club’s exhibition

Dillon and Mary Boyer with Anne Cox at the official opening of Ardfert Camera Club’s annual exhibition in Tralee Library recently        (Photo: Tralee Today)

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Tullamore School…..the girls

Recently I posted some photos from Tullamore school. I remarked that they seemed to be all boys. Well, no better man to supply me with the gender quota than Vincent Carmody. He sent me this photo and the names. Vincent’s mother and his aunts all attended Tullamore.

Ciss O Shea ( Teacher), Sara Madden, Mary Ann Mulvihill, Nora O Shea, —-, —–, —–, Lena Walsh, Pollough ( my aunt, older than my mam, she married Paddy Buckley ( cooper), lived at 26 Upper William Street), Mary Bridget Walsh, Pollough (my eldest aunt, she trained as a teacher in England, lived in Leeds, married to Victor Kilbride, a civil servant, had 2 daughters, Angela, a doctor, and Helen, an actress who was attached to The Old Vic.),  Lil Carmody, Mrs Julia O’Shea.

Middle row, 

____, ____, _____, 4th, Kitty Lynch, ____, ____, 6th, Eileen Shanahan,

Front row,

____, _____, 3rd Catherine Mulvihill, ( she married Paddy White of Bedford), 6th, Josie Walsh, Pollough ( my mam, went to England, like her other sisters to secondary school, then trained as a teacher, taught for some years, then came back and married my dad John F. Carmody), Margaret (Maud) Walsh, Pollough, ( younger than my mam, she also went to England, also trained as a teacher, taught over there for a while, she returned to Ireland in the early 30s, anxious to continue teaching she went to Ring to do Irish, while there she met the love of her life, Thomas Murray, he was over the Helvick lifeboat, they got married and she stayed down there teaching) . 

Vincent was also able to help in naming some of the boys

My uncle Patrick ( b.1900) is in the boys photo, somewhere. 

Apart from Master Roger O Shea. who is standing on the extreme right. He ( he came from the Rathmore area) and his wife Julia ( nee Scanlon) were outstanding teachers, they also had a daughter who also taught there at this time (1910) 

There are 3 O’Connor brother’s from Shrone ( Gale Bridge)

Thomas (Tom), is second from right extreme back row.

Edward (Ned) , is third from right, second row (back)

James (Jimmy), is forth from right, front.

It is possible to get the  names who attended the school at this time, unfortunately it is impossible to fit names on faces  however, Sheila O Connor could  point out her dad and his brothers.

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In the Real Capital of Ireland



Recently, I was “doing Pana” or, to put it in Irish, I was ag spaisteoireacht. I was mooching around on Patrick Street, Cork musing over what had changed since my last visit.


I strolled into Dunnes Stores and they have given over their new product corner to Paul Galvin’s latest collection. It looked very clean and pared down and there were very few items on display. Think TK Maxx, well, this is the opposite. The clothes looked just like what I would expect from Paul Galvin. I think he must have been designing his own clothes for some time because these look to my untrained eye like the clothes he has been wearing for a while now.

Across the road in Brown Thomas they had created a teaser display for their Christmas windows.

As I headed up towards Patrick’s Bridge who did I run into but North Kerry’s own celebrity chef, John Relihan of Duagh and London. He is now, for a short while, John Relihan of Duagh, London and Cork. He was in town to choose tableware for his new restaurant which, I can exclusively reveal to readers of Listowel Connection will be in The Mardyke. So, in a few weeks time, if you find yourself in Cork and you are looking for a great meal, remember to support our own.


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I Saw Brooklyn….the movie



It was great. Saoirse Ronan should definitely get an Oscar. She was superb in the part. I think this story was meant for the big screen. It is so much better than the book. I was never in a Brooklyn boarding house but I was there on Tuesday night. Much more familiar to me though was the claustrophobic Irish town, the dullness and drabness of life in the 50s and 60s. Everything in New York seemed so much brighter and more colorful but the message came across, loudly and clearly; It’s not places that matter to us, it’s people.

I’d give Brooklyn 10 out of 10.

Irish College 2015 style, some ads and memories of a fleadh cheoil long ago.


Coláiste Bhréanainn, Baile an Buineánaigh


All’s changed, changed utterly from the Irish college experience of old. There are still claisceadail and ceilithe but now the young people get to go surfing, Tae kwando, zumba, limbo, crazy golf and a historical tour of Ballybunion. Judging by Coláiste Bhréanainn’s Facebook page learning Irish has never before been such fun.



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New Playground in Fitzgerald’s Park, Cork



Well worth a visit if you are lucky enough to spend some time in the real capital of Ireland.



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Listowel businesses in 1960






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More of Betty Stack’s old cuttings

This picture accompanied a story about Listowel’s introducing a Seachtain Cheoil in the week of Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann. The idea was taken on board and is now an integral part of the Fleadh. In the photo are Muriel Dowling, Geraldine Dowling and Gerard Buckley.

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Lovely Day for a Wedding






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+ Tragic Death of Benny Collins +





“The death has taken place of Benny Collins, son of Mary Ellen and Denis Collins, Templeathea.  He was living in Swansea, Wales and died on the 28th of July 2015. Survived by his wife Mel, son Harry, parents and brothers Denis, John, and Leo, sisters Catherine and Helena.”

The story behind the news 

“A brave dad drowned while saving his son after he was caught in a rip tide at a holiday beach.

Physiotherapist Benny managed to save Harry, nine, from drowning at popular beach – which has no lifeguard cover.

But he was pronounced dead following the seaside tragedy at Three Cliffs Bay in Gower, South Wales on Tuesday.

Irish-born Benny had been the captain of Gowerton rugby club in his home city of Swansea, South Wales.

The team played tribute to their former player.

A spokesman said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of our former captain Benny Collins.

“A true gent in every sense, will be missed by all.”

The dad and son were pulled from the sea by fellow-swimmers at on Tuesday afternoon and flown to hospital.

Benny was pronounced dead while Harry was treated at Morriston Hospital, Swansea, where his father worked, and was later released.

Benny’s friend John Knox paid tribute to him, saying: “A wonderful husband and father. Benny Collins will be with the angels.”

Another friend, Chris Mason, said: “Devastating news about Benny Collins. Loved playing with him for Gowerton RFC, such a great bloke will be missed by so many people.”

His wife Melanie, 42, was being supported by specially trained police officers.

Brave Benny is the latest fatality at the beach which is part of the Gower Peninsula – designated as the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

(Irish Mirror online)

Cork, Adare, Ballybunion and Listowel; a miscellany of images

IWA shop relaunched


Jimmy Moloney, Mayor of Listowel Municipal District relaunched the refurbished IWA shop on Upper William Street.

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New Kid on The Block

This new hairdressers’ on Church Street has just opened for business.

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In Fitzgerald’s Park, Cork



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Fenn’s Quay restaurant


They were being careful not to alienate the Kerry crowd.

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Spotted in Adare

A post box from the P and T era.

Made in Scotland

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An Old Train

Train from Macroom arriving Capwell 1914                 Photo; Patrick J. OShea

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Public Convenience


The very old sign on the men’s toilet’s in Ballybunion



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+ Martin Sheehy R.I.P. +






In June 2007 when Martin visited Jim and myself

I have a friend who was born and reared in Listowel. She says that every time she mentions someone from Listowel, her husband enquires, “Were they a very brainy family?” Because she uses the phrase so often in relation to Listowel people.

The title brainy family would be certainly true in the case of the Sheehy brothers. Martin, maybe the brainiest and the brightest of them all went to his eternal reward a few short weeks ago. Martin and his four brothers grew up in Main St. He lived most of adult life in Phoenix Arizona but his heart never left Listowel. He returned often especially for Writers’ Week and he was a great supporter of Listowel Connection. He wrote frequently to encourage and praise me. I will miss him. May he rest in peace.

People at Graham Norton at Writers’ Week 2015 and images of a back lane in Listowel

Kissing Gates; the old and the new

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People at Graham Norton’s event at Listowel Writers’ Week 2015


As part of my Writers’ Week duties I was put on the gate at The Town Park for the Graham Norton Event. As always I had my camera in my little mitt and I snapped away as the audience ignored the downpour to troop into the Community Centre for the hottest ticket in town. Here are some of the people who were organized enough or lucky enough to have tickets.

Did you spot all the happy faces, despite the fact that it was raining cats and dogs?  In this first tranche of photos from the night you will notice a few of my fellow Writers’ Week committee members making their way to work at the venue. It was a case of all hands on deck on the night, and I think we played a blinder. It all went off oh so smoothly.

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Feale Sculpture



In The Square, Listowel

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Listowel Back Lanes


from the door of Listowel Garden Centre
Behind Church St.
old loft door



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Who is that in the photograph with Maria Stack?


(photo: Facebook)



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They are holding a MidSummer Fest in Cork


(Photos: Minihan’s Chemist)

This is Oliver Plunkett Street on Sunday where the Our Table event was a great success.

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