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
Some Young Musicians on Parade on St. Patrick’s Day 2023
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Collectors on Daffodil Day 2023
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Something Old
Photo; Johnny Hannon
Looks like a Labour Party event in Dick Spring’s election campaign. Don’t know the year.
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I wonder who won
Gerard Flaherty shared this old ticket with Glin Historical Society
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And the winner is……
Listowel’s Community Rose and entrant to the competition to be the Kerry Rose is Debbie Woulfe. Debbie, who was sponsored by John R.’s was chosen at an event in The Listowel Arms on Friday March 31 2023
Photo from Listowwel.ie
Aishling Enright, Margaret Cahill, Theresa Flavin, Ann Woulfe, Debbie Woulfe, Nicole Tagney, Orla Joy, Pierse Walsh.
St. Mary’s Listowel on March 24 2023, Confirmation Day
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Vehicles in St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2023
Vintage vehicles are a part of St. Patrick’s Day tradition in Listowel.
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Tony O’Callaghan, Artist in Copper
Tony O’Callaghan of Listowel had presentation pieces commissioned for many prestigious people.
David O’Sullivan found these newspaper accounts of President ODalaigh’s visit to North Kerry. He was presented with a Tony O’Callaghan copper plaque by Listowel Town Council.
Some other examples of O’Callaghan’s work, treasured by their Listowel owners;
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Daffodil Day 2023
Some of the collectors who were out and about on March 24 2023.
In November 2010 a knitting group met for the first time in Off the Square Café. We met in response to an ad. that Isobel Barrett had placed in a shop window. The ad looked for interested people to meet to knit and natter.
We originally called our group Knirvana, conjuring up images of knitting heaven. This name proved a bit problematic in online searches so we changed to Knitwits.
In 2011 two things happened that changed the direction of the group.
Off the Square café closed and we moved shop to Scribes on Church Street.
We met Namir Karim, himself a crafter and a great supporter of crafting.
We were usually 8 to 18 knitters and crocheters knitting and chatting in our lovely sunlit window haven. Soon we extended operations to a second day, Tuesdays . All the while another group was meeting in The Family Resource Centre on Thursday evenings. Some people were now knitting three times a week.
We were knitting for family and friends, for charity and some were knitting for sale at craft fairs or to fulfil orders.
The next big development came in 2013 when Namir suggested we open a craft shop. No. 53 Church Street was available to rent. The landlord, Robert Corridan, is a big believer in history and heritage. He believed in what we were doing. Namir was willing to back us by paying the rent and the costs involved in setting up the enterprise.
We adopted Robert’s life size yellow pig as our mascot. The late Dan Green won the competition to name him and with Crubeen in the window we were in business.
Mary Keane performed the grand opening on December 10, Namir’s birthday, Rosa sang and we had a bit of a party.
Canon Declan blessed the venture
In the following years we had craft classes, Cois Tine events, product launches and celebrations.
Alice Taylor at one of our hooleys
In 2017 the shop closed its doors for the last time. The venture had run its course.
One of the early days, crafters with Dan Green R.I.P and Miriam Kiely, whose family lived in No. 53.
Friendships were made and memories banked for future reminiscing.
I hope this little history has brought back some memories for the lovely crafters who worked together in and for the shop.
May the sod rest lightly on those with whom we shared those good times and who are now gone from us.
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Remember Phone Boxes?
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Daffodil Day 2023
Some of the lovely people I met on Friday morning out in the cold and wet collecting for Daffodil Day.
