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: Dan Keane Page 1 of 4

Halloween

By

On October 26, 2023

In Listowel

Mill Lane in October 2023

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Halloween

Some retailers seem to have bypassed Halloween and gone straight to Christmas. Not so my friends in Vincents.

Nancy and Mary posed for me with their scary new shop assistant.

Harp and Lion Antiques’ ducks are ready for trick or treating.

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In Ballincollig

When I visited my Cork based family recently Lakewood closed tournament was in full swing.

Competitors, including Anne, Bobby and Sean Cogan, supporters including 2 grannies on the far right.

Carine, Sean and Bobby with their French visitor, Cecile (Carine’s Mum)

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A Dan Keane Poem

Listowel Castle today

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Storytime in Listowel Library

Saturday morning is a magical time in Listowel library.

Aoife and her Mammy were there on Saturday October 21 2023

Librarian turned storyteller, Maria, had a captive audience of small folk in the palm of her hand with her animated engaging storytelling. The enthusiastic audience participation made for a great session.

Storytelling was followed by craft. Our little lady was a bit young for that activity but I’d highly recommend this marvellous free session for Saturday morning entertainment.

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A Fact

There are more Siberian tigers living in captivity than in their native habitat.

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Dan Keane, Poet

By

On October 25, 2023

In Ballybunion, Listowel, Schools

Ballybunion, Sunday October 22 2023

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Old Telephone Exchange

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Seeking a Listowel Connection

A request for help from Tom Gould in the US…

Hello Mary!

I hope you may be able to point me in the right direction.

My wife , who is a Delaney, had a grandfather born in 1895 in Listowel
by the name of Jeremiah Brandon. He left for the US , we believe,
somewhere between 1912-1918 ( ? )  and ended up in the New York/New
Jersey area/ He died July 1958.

We are making a trek to Ireland in July 2024 . My wife Noreen would
love to find to see if there are any relatives of Jeremiah still in
the area of Listowel.

If you have any great thoughts , or can point me in the direction of
any databases that may help us track down any relatives, we will be
most grateful.

Thanks.

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A Much Loved Local Poet

Dan Keane R.I.P. was a great scholar and preserver of local lore and stories. Here is the foreword Bryan MacMahon wrote for Dan’s book The Heather is Purple.

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Emmets Abú

Flags, bunting and this window display at Scully’s Corner, all telling the world that next weekend is a big one for Listowel Emmets…

Sunday 29th October throw in 2pm Austin Stack Park for the County Final.

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A Fact

Fleas can jump more than 200 times their body length and can accelerate 50 times faster than a space shuttle.

(I waited until after our French travels were over for that one.)

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A Stained Glass Window, A Poem and An Irish Nightie

By

On October 18, 2023

In Listowel

The Square

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Repairing Stained Glass

This beautiful stained glass window in St. Mary’s is in the aisle on the left as you face the altar. It is a fabulous depiction of The Last Supper.

This is the window on the other side. The panel on the right and the rose window at the top have been restored. They too were blackened by harsh weather and the grime of urban living. The panel second from the right will be restored and refitted before the end of the year and the other two are a project for 2024. A job well worth doing.

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Dan Keane, Poet of North Kerry

I came across this treasure during a bit of a clearcut recently.

A lovely lament for The Races and “that canvas village of fun” gone for another year.

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Gaeltarra Eireann

This lovely presentation package comes from my friend, Margaret’s treasure trove.

“Gaeltarra Eireann was an Irish state industrial development agency set up in 1957 specifically for the Gaeltacht areas. It had the twin fold aim of preserving the Irish language and bringing industrial employment to Irish speaking areas. The scheme had limited success. It was replaced by Údarás na Gaeltachta in 1980.”

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No Words!

Photo; Joe.ie

Ardie Savea showing Johnny Sexton the ultimate respect as he finishes his rugby career.

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Fact

There is a town in Texas called Earth. It is the only place on earth called Earth

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In Tralee and Listowel

By

On December 12, 2022

In Listowel, Tralee

My Christmas decorations 2022 from Kanturk Men’s Shed Craft Fair

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Island of Geese, Tralee

I walked through this beautiful Corner of Tralee for the first time last week. It’s a peaceful natural oasis in the centre of town.

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From The Sleán , a Clounmacon journal of the 1980s

Clounmacon by Dan Keane

I apologise for the size of the print . It’s worth enlarging.

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Dáithí on The Wren in 2004

Photo shared by Dáithí ÓSé online

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Christmas Traditions from Dachas.ie

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Photos I took at the Garda Centenary Celebrations

Betty and Gary Dineen, the last family to live in the Garda station

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Shops Old and New

By

On March 3, 2022

In Listowel

McGuire’s Pharmacy, Main Street

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A Lighthearted Limerick from Dan Keane

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1930s Listowel

J.J. Dillon Grocery shop, 2 Main Street, Listowel in the 1930s.

Photo copyright; Tipperary Studies Photographs of Munster Shops

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Sr. Gemma R.I.P, A woman before her time

An interview with Sr. Gemma McGrath which appeared in the 1991 Presentation Secondary School Yearbook.

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Ella Corridan R.I.P.

Another of the old residents of Listowel Town Square has gone to her eternal reward.

Mrs Ella Corridan was one of the salt of the earth characters who live quietly but contribute vitally to the community. She was a regular at morning mass where she always had a cheery greeting for friends and acquaintances.

This picture was taken in Craftshop na Mear in 2013. Mrs. Corridan was hugely supportive of that venture.

She was also a great supporter of Listowel Connection. She was always anxious to provide me with any content she could. She always told me how much she regretted that I had not started the blog while her husband was alive and in his prime because he had such a great interest in local history.

Mrs. Corridan told me the story of the tragic killing of her first cousin, Sr. Aidan Quinlan in South Africa.

Killing of Sr. Aidan Quinlan

She was truly grateful when I wrote about it in this blog. She was anxious that her cousin’s horrific death would not define her and that her immense good work in that troubled part of the world would not be forgotten.

This event in her family history had a huge impact on Ella and it was typical of her that she was anxious I would write about Sr. Aidan rather than anything about herself.

Ella Corridan lived a long and happy life. She raised a big family, many of whom still live locally and they and her grandchildren gave her enormous pleasure.

Ella and I have roots in the same part of North Cork. She often mentioned those connections. For her, family was always number one.

May her gentle soul rest in peace. Listowel is the poorer for her passing.

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