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: Eleanor Belcheer

Big Developments planned for Listowel

By

On July 28, 2023

In Greenway, Listowel

Con Dillons in July 2023

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Big Changes Planned

According to a story in Kerry’s Eye, Listowel is due a windfall of €900,00 to bring “three transformational projects” to planning stage by 2024.

  1. The re-establishment of Listowel Town Square as the cultural heart and economic centre of Listowel.
  2. Positioning of Listowel as a hub of activity tourism in North Kerry
  3. Establishment of a state of the art enterprise centre space for remote working.

“The Public Realm Plan also aims to enable Listowel Town to transition to a competitive, low carbon, climate -resilient and environmentally sustainable economy.” John Kennelly, Listowel Town Manager.

Three more concrete parts of the plan are

Development of the Neodata site as an outdoor activity hub

Turn the Ball Alley into an outdoor performance space. (This is not part of the plan but I think that maybe when no one is performing there it could be used to revive handball)

Reimagining Kerry Writers’ Museum

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Bike Stands

Especially for the folk coming into town via our new greenway, but for local cyclists as well, bike stands are popping up all over.

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Memories, Memories

Eleanor Belcher’s story continues…

There were  several families in the Small Square who were part of our ‘gang’ . Gertie Kennelly and I started school together. She cried so much that she was brought home for another year. Her father used to stand outside the shop  and tell me  on my way home from school that all my father had to do was  to say ‘put out your tongue ‘ and ask for £1.  

There were the Sheehy boys across the road who were very much part of our childhood. Jerry was the comic lover. The Galvins, Mercedes and Monty were at the Central Hotel with its ‘Erin go Bragh’  plaster relief. They had two older half brothers who lived in the USA and came home occasionally bringing amazing gifts for Merc and Monty. There was an icecream machine in Galvins and getting a cone from there was a huge treat. 

There were not many cars , Mr Galvin had one similar to Mr McElligott.  The road ran on the opposite side of St John’s church then. We played outside all the time, ball games and ‘picky’ and hopscotch on the footpath.  . Rollerskating became very popular as we got to about seven/ eight and on halfday Mondays we had races along the main road. Maura Fealey was the star.! A picture of us rollerskaters appeared in the Kerryman and was used to illustrate a Kerryman book of photographs to capture the 60s which was published some years ago. 

(Thank you, Dave O’Sullivan for finding the photo. And he found the other one referred to in the caption as well.)

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A Familiar Face in a Familiar Place

I ran into Kay Landy in The St. Vincent de Paul shop on Saturday July 22 2023. Kay was a stalwart of that shop and of the local Vincent de Paul society for years. It was lovely to see her looking so well. She was accompanied on Saturday by her daughter, Breda.

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A Fact

Greg Norman won the British Open Golf Championship at Tunberry in 1986.

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Changes

By

On July 26, 2023

In Listowel

In the Listowel Library Plaza in July 2023

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Eleanor Belcher Memories Continued

The Miss Bunyans had a knitting business in the house next door to the hotel but I don’t think they lived there. At the back, my Dad had a boxing school where he encouraged young lads to box. Mr Fitzmaurice’s office was next but the family consisting of Mary & David, again our age,  lived at the top of Church Street. The Enright Dental   practice  was the next house which was lived in by  Toddy the younger dentist and his wife Peggy and their boys who  were younger than we were.

Mr McElligott lived in the first of the two houses  with steps up. He rented the house from the Dennehys who lived in Singapore but of course he went back out to Mount Rivers also. Dr Dennehy came home sometimes with his daughter Mona . He had been a great friend of my father and encouraged him to go to Trinity College, Dublin. Dr McGuire worked from the next house and the contrast between the two houses was striking as Mrs Edith McGuire kept that house looking lovely . We were very much in awe of her as she was English and considered exotic! The four McGuire boys were younger than we were but of course also ended up  playing in the Square. Sitting on those steps is a fond memory as copies of the Beano and Dandy were shared. We were not allowed comics by my mother so this was great. 

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Changing Times

Wolfgang and Anita Mertens with me in Listowel Arms Hotel in May 2023

Wolfgang Mertens noticed that change and modernisation is a constant theme with me in my reflections. Wolfgang has studied Bryan MacMahon and he sent me these extracts from The Master. MacMahon also deals with the subject of changes he has seen in his lifetime.

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A Limerick Hurling Poster Before the Final

They skinned them alright. Congrats to our neighbours.

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A Fact

The first ever football World Cup competition began in Uruguay in 1930.

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