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: Daffodil Day 2024

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

St. Patrick’s Day 2024

Getting it Right

and getting it very wrong.

Tasteful, stylish grey and red branding on MBC new offices in Church Street

Garish, unsightly signage at the new Mr. Price store. We know the goods are cheap. We don’t need it shouted at us from every window.

A St. Patrick’s Day Card

I was telling you before about my experience with An Post’s AI generated card. My friend, Catherine, fascinated by my account of this new product, sent me one.

I dont know which category of image she chose, could be strange Irish animals. Is that fellow in the centre a lion?

Catherine let AI compose a “poem” as well.

No words!!!

Daffodil Day

Friday March 22 was cold and windy. The hardy souls of the Irish Cancer Society were out in force selling their daffodils.

Alice and Rachel were on the island in Main Street.

Anne and Áine were at Carrolls.

More Colloquialisms

Stephen Twohig of Kanturk and Canada says;

Here are a few more old sayings that us Wild Geese may have forgotten .

Little by little  and without notice they slip away from you and you hardly ever miss them. Like the shadows of a twilight or the chatter of little birds before dark. What I am referring to are some of the old sayings, axioms and expressions of our elders. From a more simple life and time. Some of these sayings I suppose are derived from our native tongue. Some are still in use today by those of you closer to the well. As before some of you will remember them, others will come back to you like an old friend. Most are sayings you would never hear at this side of the Atlantic. Here are some of my favourites with their corresponding meanings for those who have forgotten them. 

A ruction is a commotion.

 “‘Next nor near’ nowhere near. 

“Make a fist of”, to try to be good at.

 “Fit to be tied”to be angry or annoyed

“Fair play” , the same as “fair dues”, a term of praise or acknowledgement .

‘Heel of the hunt”‘, in the end. 

“Bad cess”, an old term wishing bad luck to someone or something. ·

“For love or money “self explanatory but hopefully not a regret after marriage! 

“‘Hale and hearty … happy or joyous. ·

“With a heart and a half”, with great generosity. 

“Between two minds .. , undecided. I think. but I’m not sure! 

 “A right fix” in a tough predicament or situation. Like being “found on” after hours. 

‘Real old stock,  a term to describe someone as coming from the older and purer generation. 

“‘Great gas … great craic or fun. ·

Straight away” promptly or right way. Not usually associated with any government body or public works. 

“To put your oar in” , to put a word in, or add to the conversation. Rarely done at home! 

”Heart in my mouth, scared. 

The time that was in it … the time that was left. 

“The fat in the fire’·, trouble brewing. Like if you forget her Birthday or Anniversary. 

“ A jorum”, a drink. 

“Traipsing”, to saunter or drag yourself along. Like the County Council. 

“Mooched”, to indulge oneself in the generosity of others. And I will let the poor Cavan people alone. ··

“Highfalutin”, high on the hob, law di daw, or seemingly well off. In looks anyway. 

“Joe Soap”, a term like John Doe or your average Joe. Just as we say “‘Happy as Larry”, whoever or wherever he is. 

“The Hammers of hell”, a term to suggest immediate urgency. To do something in great haste. Like vacate the premises when the twin bulbs (squad car) shows up. 

“Within an ass’s roar”, nowhere near. As up near the counter on Paddy’s night.

“A caper”, a racket. Not as in tennis but in underhand dealings. As opposed to backhand. 

“Pulling  someone’s leg”, having them on or playing a joke on them. 

“·Putting something over” on someone as in pulling the wool over someone’s eyes or deceiving them.

A Fact

On March 23 1906 the Wright brothers received the patent for their flying machine.

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Back to School

Daffodils and tulips in Market Street

A Welcome Back

I was back in my old workplace earlier this week. I was in very prestigious company. Cora Staunton and I were the inspiring guests invited to be part of the school’s celebration of International Women’s Day. We are pictured above in the school’s new library.

Wouldn’t Sr. Benedict be so proud to see reading centralised in her old school?

The new library is colourful, well stocked and inviting. I am honoured that my two humble offerings are now on the shelves here.

The main business of the day took place in the hall. Cora and I were interviewed on stage.

The audience was attentive and appreciative.

A moving poem was delivered by Taylor Lynch. In a day away from Mother’s Day, Taylor’s poem in honour of her late mother was dignified and poignant.

Everything Wasn’t Perfect. 

Everything was perfect. 

Until it wasn’t. 

Your sweet smile, 

And loud laugh. 

Your buoyant nature. 

How birds sang, 

As you walked. 

Your hair danced, 

In the wind. 

You were perfect. 

A mother’s love, 

There’s no compare. 

Imprisoned into darkness. 

A hospital grey. 

Taken from us. 

“Paradise” you said, 

“I’m going there”. 

Four short decades. 

Freed from life, 

like a bird. 

Now your name 

Is a word, 

Carved onto stone. 

Everything was perfect. 

Until it wasn’t. 

Taylor Lynch 

_______

In a break in our interviews we had music, poetry and song from some of the very talented pupils.

A lovely event…thank you girls.

One for the Diary

From Pres. Yearbook 1988

Ah, happy days in the tuck shop.

Water from the Well

This vignette of life in rural Ireland in the 1940s and 50s is from the late Jim Costelloe’s lovely book, Asdee in the 1940s and 50s.

Thanks for the memories, Jim. Rest in peace.

In the days before group water schemes were introduced to rural areas, domestic water was sourced from wells and pumps. If the water supply lasted through the summer and into October it was the sign of a good spring. I well remember trips to the local well with a white enamel bucket and trying to move the green moss on the surface of the well water so that it would not get into the bucket and make the water in the pure white bucket appear dirty.

Getting clear water into the bucket was a skilful job, between trying to avoid the green moss on the surface and the “dirt” at the bottom of the well. How wonderfully cool and refreshing a mug of water was straight from the well. There was always a mug beside the well and we often drank from it during those warm summers that we seemed to get long ago.

A Fact

In 1999 the founders of Google tried to sell it to Excite for $1 million. The offer was turned down.

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