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: Corkisms

U.S. Artists in Town

Ross Castle photo by Chris Grayson

A Local Gathering

A Listowel Connection

Stephen Rynne took his mother to see Sive. They loved it.

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St. Patrick’s Day parade 2014

Mosaic Artists in Olive Stack’s

Talented artist friends, Rachel Aronson and Bonnie Len are in residence in Olive Stack’s Gallery and workshop until the end of March 2024.

These are some of their beautiful micro mosaic pendants.

I couldn’t resist this beautiful little gem.

Spoilt for choice, my friend chose the one on the left. Did she make the right choice?

Some raw materials

The ladies took us upstairs to show us how it’s done. The pendants are made from coloured glass ‘straws’, very carefully cut and arranged into a pattern using tweezers. Painstaking work. a typical piece takes a day to create.

If jewellery is not your thing , Rachel makes beautiful mosaic pictures.

The ladies’ work is displayed on Olive’s window in Main Street. I’d recommend you drop into them and see for yourself. The artists are super friendly and their beautiful pieces are reasonably priced.

It’s not everyday we get an opportunity to buy a unique pice of precious glass work.

On Friday March 29 Rachel and Bonnie are holding an exhibition and reception in the gallery from 5.00p.m. to 8p.m.

More Corkisms

It tales someone who has moved away to hear the little quirks of language we don’t notice any more. Stephen Twohig of Kanturk is that someone.

“Great tack”, is good stuff

” Guzzle”, to drink with gusto. Usually the last ten minutes before last call.

” Haunted” is to have bad luck. On the dance floor or in Bingo.

“Go away outta dat”, you don’t seem to be making sense. 

“Here la”, Look here.

“How’s the Form? How goes it?

To take a “hopper” is to fall. Usually after last call.

” Houndin” is to be pursued. By an old girlfriend or the Law.

A “Howl” is a great time or a “scream”.

“ I will  yeah,” means the opposite, I will not.

“ I will  in me eye”, I will not.

 “A jag”, is a date.

“A latch”, an idiot…a latchico is a complete idiot.

“Lamp” is to look at.

“Langer”, not a German golfer but someone of questionable qualities.

” Bollox “, See Langer above.

“Langers” a little unsteady on the feet after a lot of guzzling. Seen after closing.

“A legger”, is to make a run tor it.

 “Law di daw”, a snobby person.

“Mad”, very enjoyable.

“To make  tracks” like a legger but with less haste and criminal connotations. 

“Magalorim”, presumably from “Maith go leor”, in a state after too many

libations.

“Manky”~something not very nice or pleasing. Used in many subjects.

“Minted”, someone with money.

“ me Daza “ is excellent .

” Mockie ah”, the same as the Gaelic ” Mar dhea”something fake or not real.

 “Mouldy”, not as in old bread but as in a state after too much drink.

” Mowsie” and pronounced “Mosie” is to shuffle or move on. Even less haste than “making tracks”.

“How are you, old stock?”, a greeting my Uncle Paddy would always use when seeing an old friend.

“Panned out”, is worn out or very tired.

“Poxed”, is lucky.

“Ponney”, a small pot.

“Picture no sound”, not on talking terms or the strange silent sensation when your “oul doll (wife) is moving her lips a lot but you don’t hear anything!

” A queer hawk”. a strange individual not a light in the spurs hunting bird.

“Rubber dollies”, trainers or sneakers.

 “Sca” is gossip.

” Sconce”, to “gawk” but a little less obvious.

” Scrope”. The Cork past tense of scrape

“Scuttered”, a mixture of “mouldy”, “legless”, and “panned out”. A state after a Social.

” Shades”, the Gardai or police.

A Fact

Phobophobia is the fear of having a phobia.

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A Poem, a Fisherman and a Parade

Main Street and Church Street

A Poem from One of my Favourite anthologies

One of my favourite poems too

Spending St. Patrick’s Day in Phuket

Mary Sobieralski spent St Patrick’s day 2024 with Mark and Jacqueline in sunny Phuket.

Meanwhile in Listowel

St. Patrick was meeting and greeting.

Corkisms (and probably Kerryisms too)

A fellow Kanturk man, Stephen Twohig, who now lives abroad made a list of some of the many colourful idioms he only hears when he is at home.

” A Birdie··, a kiss.

“A beeor” a girl or lady.

“Belt away”, carry on.

“Break your melt”, to try your patience. “Bubbillah” a shortened version of “Boy will you”

 ” C’mere”, Come here will you.

“Cat” or “Catma]ogen”, something bad or negative.

“A Caffler”, a troublemaker or “Gurrier”. 

“Chalk it down”, I agree with you.

“Cog”, is to copy your homework from someone else.

“Compo” a way of earning money from a bad string of luck and a remarkable

recovery.

“A dawk” is a punch or dig.

“Daycent”, decent.

“A Darby , a small whiskey.

“Deflicks”, the movies

“Doonchie” or “dounchy” means something small and usually smaller than

“twinchey”

“Don’t be codding me”, fooling me.

“A Dote”. a lovely person 

“Ecca”, is homework.

“A feen”, is a boy or man.

“A fifty”, is to be stood up on a date.

” A flah”, is someone very attractive. 

” Flahed out,” exhausted.

“A funt, is a kick.

 “‘Gatch” is a particular way of walking.

To ”Gawk “at something is to stare at it. Usually a “beoor”. 

Grade” and ”spondoolicks” is money.

A Fisherman Remembered

Story and pictures from Christy Halpin on Facebook

Earlier this month a small ceremony of dedication was held by North Kerry Anglers Association. The ceremony was to dedicate a plaque by the river to a fisherman whose favourite place was this stretch of The Feale.

Tom Galvin passed away two years ago. He is remembered by his fishing friends.

Another dive into an old Yearbook

These are the girls who put together the yearbook in 1989.

A Fact

Smoking tobacco was introduced into Europe by a Spanish physician, Francisco Fernandes …in 1558….yes, 1558!

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