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 4 of 6

Last of my Photos from Listowel Writers’ Week Opening Night 2017

May 31 2017 was a lovely evening in Listowel Town Square. St. John’s presided over The Square as it has done for hundreds of years and the best Writers Week ever was about to get underway in The Listowel Arms.  And I was there……

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People at Opening Night


“If I picked out one highlight though, one moment that’s opened a new door in my mind, it was Richard Ford on Second Acts. Richard opened the celebrations and my heart soared as he spoke about the very issue that is playing constantly on my mind right now – and one I had only minutes before been discussing in the bar with Richard Skinner, Director of the Faber Academy, the second novel. I had only just been saying to Richard that the first novel is like the love of your life, a grand passion but with the second, you get 50,000 words in and start to feel queasy as you wonder should you even be going out with this one – in today’s Tinder world, should you have swiped left perhaps?”   Rose McGinty

I don’t agree with Rose on this one. Rose is a writer and here for a literary festival. I am a local and here to share the enjoyment of local people in rubbing shoulders with the greats of Irish literature and also the up and coming writers and future stars. 

Actress turned author, Ruth Gilligan came with a posse of friends.

Gabriel  Fitzmaurice

Catherine and Con Kirby

Jim and Dónal Daly

Eamon OHargáin

Maria McGrath with Sarah Webb and Óisín McGann

Norella Moriarty, Liz Dunn, Bernie Carmody and David Browne

In Killarney this morning a proud mother is opening Listowel Connection and seeing her lovely son at work at Listowel Writers’ Week.

This is a photo of two John Griffins. The older of the two is John Junior Griffin and the lovely young man on his left is John Griffin of Killarney. This John’s mother is a Hannon from Listowel and a follower of this blog.

John was in Listowel working as a sound engineer during the festival. I kept running into to him as he lugged his big amplifier from location to location on morning walks. He was invariably polite, pleasant and professional – a credit to his Listowel family.

Catherine Moylan was first on stage.

She urged us to make friends with our neighbour. No better woman than Norella for befriending people.

Next up John Spillane

Then Liz Dunn

 Colm Tóibín

 Richard Ford

The silver award sat on the table awaiting presentation to Brendan Kennelly

This was my highlight. Brendan sat down and regaled us in his mellifluous tones with stories and songs. He recited his most famous poem, Begin, which he told us came to him in a moment of inspiration after major heart surgery. He sang John B. Keane songs and he held the audience in the palm of his hand as of old. He was where he clearly loves to be, holding court among his own people and fellow writers and lovers of literature. It was a special moment in time.   And I was there…..

Looking westward I beheld an unmistakable forehead among the crowd near the door. Alan Cumming had entered the room. What a lovely man. He posed for photos and chatted like one of our own.

I forgot to mention that among all of this there was prize giving. Kit de Waal won the big one with her novel, My Name is Leon and Vona Groarke won the poetry prize. Lots of other people also won prizes. You can see the full list on the Writers’ Week website.  And Laura Enright sang…heavenly voice!

What a night! And I was there…

More from Opening Night LWW 2017

Rare old Photo

This photo was shared recently by The National Library of Ireland. It shows DeValera with Countess Markievitz.

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Brendan Kennelly is Honoured in Listowel


Every year at Listowel Writers’ Week someone is honoured for a lifetime of achievement. This year the very popular choice for this award was Brendan Kennelly. Eileen Moylan, a local silversmith was commissioned to make the one- off piece to present to the great man on opening night. This year she made an absolutely magnificent piece, pictured below. The two sides of the piece depict symbols of two places very close to the poet’s heart, the window at Lislaughtin Abbey in his native Ballylongford, and the arch at Trinity College where he spent so many happy years teaching and living. The twin strands of his life are intertwined.




Here is Eileen, the artist with Brendan Kennelly on the night of the presentation.

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More people, local, famous and otherwise at opening night 2017


Catherine Moylan, Vice Chairperson of Listowel Writers’ Week snd Aisling Wren

Singer, songwriter John Spillane makes his way to the hotel for his gig.

Out of focus picture of Hilda Doody and Mary McElligott

Great friends of the festival, Canon Declan O’Connor P.P. Listowel and Fr. Anthony Gaughan

Tony Guerin

Seamus Hosey and Mattie Lennon

Billy Keane and Roibeard Pierse

Jimmy Deenihan and Noel O’Grady

Jennifer and Mirelle Murphy

Playwright, Tony Guerin greets his old friend Fr. Antony Gaughan

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Schiller in all his Summer Glory, June 7 2017





The Garden of Europe is just awakening into life these days. The heavy rains have brought up abundant vegetation. All we need now is some sunshine to enjoy it.

Signs and Flowers, a bespoke Tara brooch and the launch of Coolard School’s history

Some Listowel Signs and Flowers



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The Demon Drink


Tralee Chronicle and Killarney Echo 1843-1881, Tuesday, 04 November,
1873; Page: 2

Our Listowel Correspondent writes yesterday :—On the evening of the
last fair in Listowel, a poor man who lived near Athea in the County
Limerick. Left the town in his donkey’s cart in a drunken state for
his home . I understand that he was accompanied by a neighbour, who
unluckily had indulged  freely on that day. When about two miles from
the  town on their way home, it was seen that the unfortunate man was
in a hopeless state of intoxication, and it became necessary to tie
him to the shaft of the car. In this manner they proceeded slowly for
some miles, until they were  met on the road at a place called
Knockanure by some parties, who saw that something was wrong. On
coming up and stirring the drunken man, they found he was quite stiff.
He was immediately taken into the next house, but all attempts to
restore him to consciousness were fruitless  , and it was soon seen
that the poor fellow was quite dead.

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Tara Brooch Fit for a High King



One of the most beautiful  treasures in the National Museum is The Tara Brooch which dates from around 700A.D. It was found on the beach in Bettystown in 1850 and according to Wikipaedia has nothing to do with Tara at all. 

So where is the Listowel connection? Eileen Moylan of Listowel, Macroom and Claddagh Design fame was recently commissioned to make a modern day replica solid silver “Tara” brooch. She takes us step by step through the smithing process in her blog here: 

Claddagh Design


Eileen’s splendid finished diamond and emerald brooch


The cut pieces of silver which will make up the brooch

Adding the precious stones

Nearly there, engraving and polishing to be done yet.

And just to remind you again of the truly beautiful finished brooch

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Dick Spring in Listowel


Denis Carroll posted this photo of Michael Guerin campaigning with Dick Spring back in the day. The photo appears to be taken at St. Patrick’s Hall and the young people are members of Listowel Youth Club.

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There Must be Some Mistake




I spotted these in Tescos. The exact same product, bag ties, reduced to €1.63 or €5. Take your pick.

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Launch of Maurice O’Mahony’s History of Coolard National School



On Saturday last, March 5 2016 I made my way, along with half of North Kerry it seems, to St. John’s Listowel for the launch of a very important local history book.

Coolard Primary School is 170 years in existence and Maurice O’Mahony has been principal there for the last 43 of them. Nine years ago he undertook the mammoth task of compiling the history of the school. It was a labour of love but also of blood, sweat and tears and long hours of research, writing curating, proof reading and editing. It was worth all the effort for Maurice’s book is indeed a treasure and an invaluable record of a place that has played an important role in the life of Ballydonoghue parish and its children for many years now.

When I arrived at St. John’s I was warmly greeted by three of today’s múinteoirí.

The author was already busy signing copies of his book.

The hall was filling up with friends of the school.

( more about the launch tomorrow….)

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Blithe Spirit




photo: Eoin O’Hagan

Father and Daughter ready for the stage. Pa Sheahan and Anna Sheahan who play Charles Condomine and his maid Edith in Listowel Drama Group‘s version of Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit”, pose for a family photo before going on stage at the 69th Clare Drama Festival March 2016

Ice Cream, A Quiz in 1959 and Crafts in Craftshop na Méar

Ballybunion, December 2 2015



photo; Jason of Ballybunion Prints

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The Ice Cream of our childhood

Photo; Irish Abroad

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A Memory from 1959



Vincent Carmody found this old cutting recently.  Now for the $64.000 question……who won?

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Christmas in the Craftshop


Craftshop na Méar,Church Street Listowel is a different kind of shopping experience. Inside this shop is a kind of treasure trove of crafts and creations.

Below are just a few of the things you will find there. It is well worth a visit. My advice: Don’t buy a Christmas present anywhere else without trying here first.

You could have the best dressed teddy or doll in town with beautiful couture dolls clothes from this shop. Aren’t the flat caps only gorgeous?

This crochet manger scene is perfect for a table centerpiece.

Viveca’sa vibrant pictures are selling fast.

These hang on many a tree in lands far from Listowel.

I think these fairy doors are beautiful.

All year round but especially at Christmas, the craftshop’s exclusive range of solid silver jewellery, The My Silver River Feale Collection is a popular choice with men and ladies.

This beautiful piece depicting 3 iconic symbols of Listowel, St. John’s, Listowel Castle and the River Feale is designed and made by Eileen Moylan of Claddagh Design.

Eileen grew up in Listowel but she has now crossed the border to Cork. She makes her beautiful range of jewellery in her studio in Macroom.

Eileen also makes one off pieces. She recently made me a piece which I will always treasure. The piece was a present from my daughters. They took Eileen some old pieces of jewellery and asked her to make something special for me.

From my late husband’s wedding ring and a sapphire ring which was his first present to me, Eileen designed and made this stunning piece.

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I’ve got my tickets. Have you?


Mary and Danny at Changes with my family ticket for Cinderella…great value at €25

Absolutely the last photos from Opening Night LWW2015, Eileen Moylan makes a chain of office and an ace photographer in North Cork

Billy Keane and Michael Lynch with the two great women who started it all, Noreen Buckley and Nora Relihan arriving together for opening night, Listowel Writers’ Week 2015

I have to go back on my word of yesterday. Didn’t I discover another few photos from Opening Night lurking in a folder.

There were some famous people there too!

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Listowel Silversmith does us proud



Eileen Moylan was chosen to design and make a chain of office for the mayor of South and West Kerry. She sent me some photos taken in her workshop as she worked on the piece.


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Still going strong




Jim McSweeney took these photos of a man turning silage with a 1972 Ford 7000 on June 9 2015

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