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: Finesse

UCC, Cork, Finesse RaceWeek Window, Paul and Gary O’Donovan’s win and Jack McKenna’s autobiography

Fuchia in my garden in Autumn 2018

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Town and Gown


Recently I took a trip down memory lane to UCC. It’s a very different place nowadays to when I was a student many moons ago. It is a place very aware of its history.


This hovel which has been erected at the Gaol entrance to the college gives us an idea of the great divide that existed between students at the then Queen’s College and the ordinary folk of the surrounding city in 1845 when the college was founded.

The V under a crown on this finial stands for Queen Victoria and this angel greets you on your arrival at the arch into the Quad.

Irish harp, English Lion and Welsh dragon. I think they thought that the Irish and Scottish people were all the one and so covered by the harp.

 There were certainly no cranes on campus in my day but the college is continually expanding nowadays.

 The statue of Queen Victoria has been replaced with St. Finbarr, in line with the motto of the college; “Where Finbarr taught, let Munster learn.”


These photos were taken in the president’s garden. This was walled in and off limits to students in the 1970s  when I was there.

There is still a rift between town and gown in Cork. While in town I also saw the other side of life there.

I snapped this homeless man sleeping in daytime outside the city library.

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Finesse Window at Race Week 2018


The ladies at Finesse devoted their entire window display in tribute to their friend, Mike Lawlee R.I.P.



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World Champions

The charming self deprecating O’Donovan brothers, world champion rowers…no specific Listowel connection that I know of but all Ireland loves them. They represent the best of us.

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Races week 2018



I took lots of photos but it will take me a while to recover the energy to process them all. Here’ a taster.

It was Ladies’ Day and there was a party going on a bus stop .

Throw me down something. No humans, just ducks in The Feale

Security was tight. Anyone underage and to show that they had no alcohol on them.

This is Cliona McKenna who used to sell race cards here in the good old days when you could get a card and a biro for €1.50

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An Invitation to a Book Launch



One for everyone in the audience

You are all invited to The Seanchaí on Wednesday next at 7.30 p.m. for the launch of an important book, telling the story of an extraordinary Listowel man. The man is Jack McKenna who has reached his 100th year and has led a varied and interesting life.


Baking, Wedding Dress Shopping and some Listowel men, May 11 2016

Ita Hannon snapped this thrush as he was having a light  snack.

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Baking on Display and a Baking Display at Thee Kingdom County Fair 2016


When I had finished looking at entries in the bakery competition, my mouth was watering. Luckily the organisers of The Kingdom County Fair had anticipated that and they had laid on a free cookery demonstrations (with tastings).

Frank Moynihan showed us how to make a tea brack. One of the ingredients is cold tea and Frank uses cold tea in lots of dishes. He told us that it adds flavour to gravy. 

He had a brack whipped up in jig time and he had one he made earlier ready for us to sample. It was absolutely delicious.

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Wedding Dress Shopping in Listowel

On Saturday May 14 2016, I set out with the bride-to-be, Clíona, and her two prospective bridesmaids, Darina and Anne, for our appointment in Finesse.

An hour and a half later, after much trying on, patient advice and endless untiring adjustments and enhancements, she said yes to the dress.



One happy customer pictured with Liz in Finesse on May 14 2016.

My verdict; 10 out of 10. Wedding dress shopping in Finesse, Listowel is a stress free, unhurried, enjoyable experience. They stock a huge range of dresses and are really knowledgeable about what suits a bride. Cliona bought her dream dress, which was in many respects not at all what she had dreamt. Happy days!

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Listowel Men at the Showing of John Lynch and Charlie Nolan’s films about Listowel


Kieran Moloney, Paddy Keane, Michael Guerin and John Pierse

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Another oldie



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