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: Eileen Moylan Page 3 of 6

Claddagh Design News, Reading The Advertiser and An Emigrant Returns

Photo: Ita Hannon

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Boston to Boston with Delta Airlines

( and the Listowel Connection)

This is the very talented silversmith/goldsmith Eileen Moylan of  Claddagh Design

Eileen is well known for her award winning jewellery and one-off presentation pieces.

Eileen was in Boston last week on a really exciting adventure.

 She was the guest of Delta Airlines because she was chosen to be part of their celebration. I’ll tell you the story from Paula who writes the Claddagh Design blog.

Eileen Moylan of Claddagh Design joins forces with Delta Air Lines on their upcoming creative project: Boston to Boston Souvenir Shop.

The concept behind this exciting project: Bostonians love Boston. So much so, why would they ever want to leave? With Delta, they don’t have to. If you love Boston, Delta can take you to other Bostons around the world.

Delta and Wieden+Kennedy New York celebrate the pride Bostonians take in their city with The Boston to Boston Souvenir Shop.

The mobile souvenir truck will be making it’s way around the city over three days, offering a limited edition curated collection of Boston themed pieces. Each piece from 10 different artisan makers, merchants, and creators from Boston destinations Delta travel to around the world.

The collection includes Eileen’s very own limited edition Claddagh Ring, handcrafted in our Claddagh Design workshop. Representing Boston Ireland, Eileen will share the Claddagh Design story. Her beautifully handcrafted Sterling Silver Claddagh Ring will be available to purchase.

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Catching up with the Listowel news 

Reading The Advertiser in the Indian summer sunshine in Listowel’s Main Street.


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Welcome Home, Noel


I finally met Noel Roche in person. Noel Roche is a loyal and appreciative friend of Listowel Connection. I met him on William Street with his sister, Dolores and his old neighbour and friend, John Hennessey.

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We Won Silver


Our Mayor, second from left in front, receiving Listowel’s silver award in Entente Florale 2019

Still More from Opening Night LWW 2018, Listowel Hospice fundraising and Edna O’Brien’s award

Photo; Graham Davies



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Three ladies who starred on Writers’ Week Opening Night, May 30 2018

 Catherine Moylan, vice chair of Listowel Writers’ Week was first up. She conquered the nerves and we all relaxed along with her.

 Elizabeth Dunne, in her final year of her three year stint as chairperson, played a blinder as usual. She has worked tirelessly at this job and it’s a tribute to her professionalism that she insisted on mastering the Irish bits herself. She could so easily have called on the services of a native but that’s not Liz’s way.

The star of the night was Edna O’Brien who received the Lifetime contribution to the Arts award. She was a worthy winner and proved a big hit throughout the festival.

The magnificent silver piece which is presented to the recipient of Listowel Writers’ Week John B. Keane Lifetime Achievement Award is designed and made by Listowel silversmith, Eileen Moylan.

Each year, Eileen designs a bespoke piece uniquely relevant to the recipient. The photos don’t really do this piece justice. It is engraved all round with the titles of Edna O’Brien’s books. 

Not only is the award a singular honour, much to be desired, but the silver trophy is a unique piece of Irish silverware, to be treasured and valued.

Photo by the official festival photographer, Ger Holland

There was to be another strong woman doing the official opening. Poet, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill was ill and unable to perform the task. In her stead, American poet, Billy Collins took on the job at short notice.

Billy Keane told us that, when he met the prince of Wales in Killarney, he did his bit in securing a really big name to open the festival next year. Wouldn’t Camilla be perfect for the role?

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A Few More famous and not so famous people who attended Opening Night Writers’ Week 2018 and a few lucky volunteers who were ‘working’ on the night

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Hospice Flag Day


I met these volunteers last week out collecting for the Listowel branch of Kerry hospice.

Opening Night LWW 18, Gerard Mulvihill, a Living Art competition and Camilla and the Listowel Connection

Feeding Time

Photo; Graham Davies

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The Great and the Good arrive for Opening Night, Listowel Writers’ Week 2018

Two lovely Listowel ladies who always love to support Writers’ Week are Nora Sheahan and Betty Stack

Singer/songwriter, John Spillane arrives for Opening Night.

Seamus Hosey of Rte, a regular at Writers’ Week.

Con and Catherine Kirby of Listowel love Writers’ Week.

One of the stars of the festival in 2018 was the great Pauline Bewick. She came to opening night with her daughter, Poppy. The artists were greeted by fellow artist and chair of Writers’ Week Art Committee, Jim Dunn.

Vincent Carmody of Listowel brought some Newcastlewest friends.

Canon Declan O’Connor, whose father was once a chairperson of Listowel Writers’ Week arrived accompanied by Bishop Ray Browne, Bishop of Kerry.

Breda Moore came with her daughter.

Joan McCarthy, Head of Tourism in Kerry County Council, appreciates her native town’s magnificent tourism offering.

Tom McEllistrim was there.

Journalist, Gerard Mulvihill, arrived with family and friends.

Gerard Mulvihill is one of five students from Kildare, Kerry, Dublin and Galway about to commence their summer internships as part of the HRI Student Internship Programme. The interns will be based in HRI’s head office at Ballymany, Kildare in the Marketing and Communications Departments and Tote Ireland and at Leopardstown Racecourse.                  Source; Go Racing on Facebook

Our own Fr. Martin Hegarty came to enjoy yet another Writers’ Week.

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Listowel Folklore recorded by children in 1938



Peggy’s Leg

Kevin Sheehy of Church St. interviewed Dan Broderick also of Church Street.

Dan remembered a woman called Peggy Carey who used to make a confection called Peggy’s Leg. It was made from sugar and farmers’ butter. Peggy also sold seagrass. Peggy used to  sell her wares at “Listowel Cross out in Newtown”. I’m presuming this refers to Moyvane.  The Peggy’s Leg cost  two pence. 

Another local confectioner was Bridge Conway. She used to sell penny bars which she made herself. 

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Have a go at this novel competition




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John Hannon Archive Photos Revisited




I posted this picture of these two handsome devils before and no body could help me with names. The reason no-one had names is because they were not local men at all but apparently came to town with a “Wall of Death” attraction. They rode motorbikes around a cage climbing higher and higher up a mesh ‘wall”.

I met this handsome devil, Batt O’Keeffe and he remembered the occasion well. It was the first date for himself and his now wife Gertie in Banna.

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The Duchess, the Silver Bookmark, Presentation 75 Commemorative book, A nun, a poem and The Listowel Connection


On Friday last we had a working meeting for the Presentation Commemorative Book. 

Sr. Mary MacMahon and Sr. Consolata hard at work on choosing photos for inclusion.

People have been really generous with memories and memorabilia and we are in the work of drawing it all together, so if you have promised and haven’t done it yet, time is running out.

One of the contributions was a poem from Sr. Una Harman. You’ll have to wait for the book to read it in full but the theme is around opportunity and the doors that are opened to Pres. girls all thanks to four pioneering sisters who brought education to Listowel girls.

The poem mentions a yearbook which was sent to Sr. Una by her nieces, Darina and Elaine from Ireland in 1994.

“We should find that yearbook,” says I and put it with the poem.

The yearbook cover in 1994 was designed by none other than Eileen Moylan, now a very successful artist in silver, gold and precious stones.

I return from the school and I’m trawling through Facebook as you do, and in a little piece of synchronicity, there is account of the very same Eileen who has designed a piece which was presented to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall by the deputy Lord Mayor of Cork.

This photo was taken as the deputy lord Mayor of Cork Cllr. Ian Doyle is showing Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall around the headquarters of Irish Guide Dogs during her visit on June 14 2018

The duchess was presented with a bookmark designed and executed by Listowel silversmith, Eileen Moylan at her studio in Macroom.

This is the bookmark and the translation of the lines by Cork Poet, Seán ORiordáin.

AND Eileen also made the chain of office which is being worn by the deputy mayor.

The Garden of Europe, Ogham and the cliff walk in winter 2018

Lesser Redpoll


Photo credit:  Graham Davies

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Garden of Europe in Winter 2018


 The trees are bare and, after weeks of relentless rain, the ground underfoot is soft and soggy.

An evergreen tree relieves the uniform greyness.

Schiller is framed by the bare arms of the willow.

This lovely green hedge at the side of the lower entrance is coming along nicely.

The plaque indicating the MacMahon tree needs a facelift.

The McMahon tree is a bay which once grew in Bryan and Kitty MacMahon’s garden in Church Street.

 There was a solitary daffodil in bloom beside the sleeper steps.


The Town Council Depot is a bit unsightly from this path into the Garden.

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Ogham




Listowel silversmith, Eileen Moylan, of Claddagh Design engraving a name in Ogham on a ring

Seven Facts about Ogham


Ogham is the oldest form of writing found in Ireland. It dates from the 4th to the 6th centuries.

Ogham is an alphabet with letters based on the names of trees

All outstanding Ogham inscriptions are proper names.

Ogham was carved in stone.

Typically the name of a chieftain would be engraved in the edge of a stone monument.

Ogham reads vertically from the bottom up.

Ogham is now popular on Irish designed jewellery

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Ballybunion Cliff Walk


I took advantage of a short break in the wet weather to take a walk along the cliff at Ballybunion.



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Sive at the Gaiety


This is now



That was then.



A modern interpretation of Sive is wowing audiences at the Gaiety.  Back in Feb 1959 Listowel people knew they were witnessing something groundbreaking. I think no one realised quite how enduring this great play by a local lad would be. 

Sive tells a story as old as time. It’s Romeo and Juliet. It’s Westside Story. John B. always had his finger on the local pulse. He was a great observer and recreator of characters. While Mena may be seen as the villain, I can’t help but feel sympathy for her. Look at the hard life she had and the bad match she made. She genuinely saw the advantages of marrying Seán Dota. John B. understood here well.

Dave O’Sullivan has been trawling through the newspapers for review and stories from the fifties. Here are a few of the cuttings he unearthed as the play swept the boards at the All Ireland Drama Festival in Athlone.

I still think that local folk are the best interpreters of the play. As I listen to people these days, I am reminded of nothing but the crowd who claim to have been in the GPO in 1916. The whole of North Kerry, it would appear, was in Walsh’s fully heated ballroom for that first spine chilling production. Almost to a man and woman, they cite the stand out memory as the tinkers. The drum beat of the stick and the thud of the bodhrán added a dramatic dimension they had not seen before. It has been dinned into their folk memory ever since.

Lawlors Cake Shop, An Heirloom with a Listowel Connection and Train Station in 1969

Photo Credit; Pauline Dunlea of Mallow Camera Club.

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Listowel Food Fair


The Food Fair will take place from November 9 to 12 2017. Bookmark their page HERE and you will be able to keep up to date with all that’s planned. The organisers are gathering information and photos about food related businesses in Listowel and North Kerry. Below are photos shared by Áine  MacGuinness of Lawlors Cake Shop. These brought back happy memories to me. I remember Sheehys delivering trays of fresh eggs and the creamery bringing buckets of fresh cream. No wonder everything was usually sold out by 4.00p.m. Good old days!


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A Precious Present



Patty Faley wrote to me recently all the way from Maine to share a photo of her treasured pendant with a Listowel Connection

Patty is married for 40 years to her husband, John. John wanted to buy her something special to mark their ruby anniversary. He knew she would like nothing better than something from her spiritual home, Listowel

Above is the very special piece made by Eileen Moylan of Claddagh Designs. Eileen worked with Patty on the design and she incorporated Patty and John’s initials into the finished piece. I’m sure Patty will be wearing it when she visits Listowel again in the near future.

The photo is of me with Patty and John on their last visit.

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Bastille Day 1992






Marguerite and Seán Wixted




Marguerite sent me these photos which were taken in Panissieres, France on July 14 1992. The Listowel twinning group were on their annual visit to the town.

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