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 5 of 6

Writers’ Week 2015

The Biggest Gig of the Weekend


Photos: Kathleen Griffin

It has been a marvelous Writers’ Week. The high point in a few days of really high points was the Graham Norton gig on Saturday night. I had a front row seat, but by then I had used up my 2 batteries for my camera and my phone was dead.

To the rescue came Kathleen Griffin who took two much better photos than any I would have taken anyway. Thank you, Kathleen!

Because I am committed to the marvelous children’s festival I don’t get to too many adult events. The ones I got to were brilliant; Healyracing’s A.P. McCoy tribute, the superb Owen MacMahon river walk, Diarmuid Ferriter’s  and Michael Murphy’s lectures and only two launches, Inheritance by Hilda McHugh and Curiouser and Curiouser by Colourful Spirits. I have photos from all of these in the coming days. So if you have no interest in Writers’ Week and photos of people at this year’s event tune out now. I’ll see you in a week or two.

Back to opening night and who was there. Here is Monday’s tranche of photos:

 (photo: Facebook)

Opening Night sees the distribution of prizes and awards. One of the most popular winners at  this year’s festival was Joe Murphy who was given a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the Arts. The photo shows Joe with his wife, Jennifer and his daughter, Mirelle.

Listowel has always acknowledged its own high achievers and Joe is up there with the best promoters of The Arts in Ireland. He was presented with a specially commissioned piece by Listowel born silversmith, Eileeen Moylan. She designed and crafted a beautiful piece which referenced Joe’s two great loves, St. John’s Theatre and Nature and the countryside.

 This is Eileen with the piece which depicts St. John’s surrounded by trees; a silver piece standing on a bog oak base.

 The winner of Kerry Book of the Year was Eoin McNamee for his novel, Blue is the Night. He was interviewed by Pascal Sheehy for the RTE News.

Anne Enright, Aisling Wren, Gerry McDaniel, Liz Dunn and Carol Stricks

 On the ticket desk were Jack Wall and Lisa Doody.

Carmel Moriarty, Mairead Costelloe, Morella Moriarty and Rose Wall

Norella met up with her brother, who was there with his family to collect his daughter, Sive’s drama prize.

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Greatly Missed at This Time of Year



photo: Stair na hEireann

The anniversary of John B.’s death occurs on May 30. To mark the day, Stair na hEireann posted this picture from their archive.

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And now for something completely different;


Walking the dogs

When Rosaleen and Patricia set out to walk the dogs, they have a big task on hand.  I met them last week in The Square as they exercised their charges.

My Silver River Feale, Dromclough, St. Mary’s and Fungie

My Silver River Feale



“My heart tonight is lonely for my sireland,

Though many miles of ocean lie between,

My heart tonight is home again in Ireland

Upon thy banks, my silver River Feale.”

The words of Bryan MacMahon are the inspiration behind a beautiful piece of jewellery soon to be unveiled in Craftshop na Méar.

This is Eileen Moylan of Claddagh Designs pictured at her work bench in Macroom.

This is a sneak preview of her Listowel piece, My Silver River Feale which will be launched in Craftshop na Méar, Listowel on Saturday May 31 2014 as part of Listowel Writers’ Week fringe. The solid silver hallmarked piece will be available as a pendant, bracelet or cuff links. The design shows St. John’s, Listowel Castle and The Bridge over The Feale.

If you love Listowel you will want one of these.

Everyone is welcome to the launch. Standing room is limited. We will have to close the doors when the shop is full so come early and browse some of the lovely crafts in the shop. We plan to have a little music, a few nibbles and a video showing how the silver piece was designed and crafted. Owen MacMahon, son of the author of My Silver River Feale will be the guest of honour on the night,

May 31 2014 at 7.00 p.m.


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A newspaper picture of the opening of Dromclough National School

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St. Mary’s in Listowel Square is due to close its doors for refurbishment for the months of June and July 2014. Daily masses will be celebrated in St. John’s and Sunday Mass in St. Michael’s College.

Below are some photos of the lovely interior of our parish church.

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Fungie the Dingle dolphin

Two more recent action shots from his friends at Fungie Forever

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Nano Nagle award

Eileen Keane, Acting Vice Principal, Clodagh Kissane with her Nano Nagle Award and Elaine Kinsella who presented the awards on Awards Day at Presentation Secondary School, Listowel

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Graveyards, Craftshop na Méar , The Buds of Ballybunion and Michael D.

I took this photo in Ballincollig on Saturday last as I indulged with my family in a long standing tradition of picking horses in The Aintree Grand National. I had no luck but there was a little money returned to the Cork branch of the family.

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While in Ballincollig I visited the grave of rock legend, Rory Gallagher.

Rory is buried in a lawn cemetery, where there is a cap on the height of the grave memorials. Good idea.

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I also visited another older churchyard on the Ovens side of town.

This beautiful old graveyard is full of character but almost impossible to maintain.

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This is how Craftshop na Méar looked on opening day,  Dec 10 2013. Much has happened since then and we are about to have a makeover. Painting will begin shortly and our Summer programme will be launched.

It was all systems go when I called into the shop yesterday.

New crafter in the shop, Eileen Moylan was in store assembling her glass cabinet.

Namir called in to help with the set up.

Máire Logue of Writers’ Week gets a sneak preview of Eileen’s Listowel range, which is still at the planning stage.

Crafters, Maureen, Mary and Isobel welcomed Eileen to shop.

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Cough Syrup or night cap?

This cough syrup was once  on sale in Limerick according to the Limerick 1912 website.

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Buds


I went to see John B.’s The Buds of Ballybunion on Wednesday night. It was great to see St. John’s packed for this dated romping Listowel performance.

The word Buds comes from “budaire”. This was a kind of tourist we see no more. Na budairí, or buds as they called them in Ballybunion were country people who came to Ballybunion in September. They rented a room in a boarding house. They brought with them their own potatoes and other vegetables, bacon, eggs, butter, jam etc. and the landlady cooked these for them.

The tradition is coming to an end in John B’s play and this motley crew who come to the O’Dea house for their final summer as buds are depicted as backward, sexually repressed, frustrated but lovable characters. They are played to perfection in St. John’s by some of the best character actors in North Kerry and West Limerick.

There is poetry, dancing, storytelling, song and ribaldry in this performance. The audience on Wednesday gave them a standing ovation. What more tribute can an actor or playwright ask?

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The state banquet for President Michael D. Higgins  (Getty Images)

So far I haven’t mentioned the triumph of the first ever state visit by an Irish president to Britain. Aren’t we glad now we elected a speechmaker. I am so proud of Michael D. Higgins. He can sure talk posh and he has few equals in delivery of the bon mot. If I were to single out one speech it would be the “Ar scáth a chéile a mhairimid” bit where he explained that scáth in Irish means shadow and shade. We have emerged from the shadow and now the queen is offering us shade. Isn’t the queen some lady. She is playing a blinder. We have taken a giant leap this week in terms of our nationhood and good relations with our nearest neighbours.

I think that Ireland and Britain are a bit like Cork and Kerry, the rebels and the kingdom, sworn enemies until after the Munster Final and then whichever one is out will cheer for the other. There are so many families with dual  citizenship that we are far closer than we admit. Michael D. put it well when he said that because Ireland is not going to Brazil he will raise a glass to the English soccer team. I know the feeling.

Our two are also coping very well with the pomp and ceremony of it all. They are doing us proud. I think I’ll send them a card when they get home.

Our president, Michael D. Higgins with Seán Lyons, Chair of Listowel Writers Week in The Square, Listowel on May 30th. 2012.

Women in Ireland, people at the April horsefair and Kindness

Women



Last week we celebrated the anniversary of the founding of Cumann na mBan. These woman were out in force in 1916 and worked side by side with the men to set up this nation.

It appears to me that after that, women were cast into a very inferior role. They were put in their place (the home) by the constitution and denied many basic rights until people like Mary Robinson fought very hard for them.

I remember when women couldn’t serve on juries, had to give up civil service, banking and other jobs when they married, were paid less than men for doing exactly the same job, were refused membership of certain clubs, were not allowed into certain bars unless they were in the company of a man and we won’t even talk about the right to contraception or divorce since these affected men too.

Cumann na mBan in 1916

The print appeared in the 1942 edition of ‘The Capuchin Annual’, which included articles marking the 25th anniversary of the Rising.

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People at Listowel horsefair, April 3 2014

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Beautiful Handmade jewellery

This beautiful solid silver cross is the latest  in Eileen Moylan’s Claddagh Designs collection. Watch this space for some really exciting news of Eileen’s collaboration with Craftshop na Méar. Details will be announced very shortly.

You heard it here first!

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Kind friends

I am constantly struck by the enormous kindness of people to me in this, the first year of my grieving. I cannot list all the instances of kindness I have experienced since June 23 2013 when the course of my life changed dramatically. The following poem, which was sent to me by a kind friend is in appreciation of all the kind people in  my life.

Kindness  by Naomi Shihab Nye

Before you know what kindness
really is

You must lose things,

Feel the future dissolve in a
moment

Like salt in weakened broth.

What you held in your hand,

What you counted and carefully
saved,

All must go, so you know,

How desolate the landscape
can be

Between the regions of
kindness.

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Summer 2013

One of the very successful Gathering events of 2013 was the Stack clan gathering. Stacks of stacks and half stacks returned to their roots in Listowel for  short week of fun, entertainment and learning.

I attended their barbeque in The Square with my 2 grandsons.

We ate a pig that had been cooked on a spit.

Stuart Stack provided the musical entertainment. Here he is with his dad, Damien. Damien is the brains behind the clan gathering and he is already working on next year’s event.

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A sign of the times in 21st. Century Ireland

(from Irish
Central)

The first
ever celebration ofPolishheritage, history and culture inCounty Clarewill be held later this month.

The
three-week long Polish Festival will take place at Clare Museum in Ennis from
20th September to 12th October and is being targeted at the region’s
significant Polish population.

There are
more than 2,500 Polish people living in County Clare with an estimated 19,000
other Poles living in the surrounding counties of Galway,Limerickand Tipperary.

Amongst
the free public events being hosted at Clare Museum will be lectures on
Poland’s World War Two experience, Polish film screenings, an exhibition of
Polish modern art, and a lecture by a Polish descendant of two Clare men who
were shipwrecked in the Baltic Sea coast during the 17th century. The Festival
is being supported by Clare Local Authorities and the Department of Arts,
Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

Jakub
Kacprzak, Organiser of the Polish Festival, said: “We are very excited about
hosting the upcoming festival, the first of its kind ever to be held in Clare,
a County that has been home to hundreds of Polish people for a number of years
during which they have become active and valued members of the local community.
The upcoming series of events will not only celebrate Poland’s rich culture and
heritage but also will showcase some of the many connections and similarities
between the people of Ireland and Poland. We look forward to welcoming all
members of the local community to Clare Museum during the festival.

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Some Listowel premises that got a facelift during summer 2013


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I spent a week in Dublin in August. I became a culture vulture for the duration. I saw Cats in the Bord Gáis theatre.  I enjoyed the singing and dancing but I would have liked a storyline as well. I saw Oscar Wilde’s The Happy Prince in Bewleys at lunchtime. It was brilliant. I hope Joe gets to bring it to Listowel during Writers’ Week. It is as good as you’ll get for lunchtime entertainment.

I spent a very enjoyable morning in The National Gallery. You can borrow this phonelike gadget from the desk and if you see a picture with a number beside it, you enter the number in your gadget and you will hear a short guide to the picture; brilliant for people like me who are not too well up on art.

I saw an great exhibition of photographs on the subject of life in Pearse Street in The National Gallery of photography.

Below are a few photos I took to bring you a taste of summer in Dublin.

First up is the Listowel connection. I called to The Kilkenny shop to view Eileen Moylan’s http://www.claddaghdesign.com

jewellery up there with all the best in Irish design. This very talented Listowel silversmith goes from strength to strength.

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This gimmick was proving popular with tourists. There was no set charge. You were expected to give a donation. You take the photo with your own camera.

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This leprechaun had a whole new take on the Irish myth. In his version of the story, you filled his pot of gold rather than the other way round.

The statue of Phil Linnott was back in place. Below are two tableaux of human statues on Grafton Street. These never fail to amaze me.


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