Cool shaded walk in Childers Park, Listowel, June 2023
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Photographing a Photographer
John Stack with two of his talented and very photogenic grandchildren pictured in The Square, Listowel, in June 2023.
It’s always a bit risky snapping a very experienced snapper but a photo of this doting grandad was too good to miss.
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One of the Best Gone too Soon
I love this picture of Frank and Jim in Frank’s garage back in the good old days. Few knew as much about cars as Frank Greaney. He loved cars and he loved dealing in them and repairing and refurbishing them. He was the Citreon king and he loved nothing better then to talk cars with is cronies.
Frank’s garage was a kind of mini parliament chamber. A few of his friends used to come and sit and set the world to rights with Frank while he worked.
Away from the garage, Frank was a super volunteer. Nothing was too much bother to him. He expended hours fundraising for St. Mary Of the Angels, Beaufort, where his beloved daughters were looked after. He helped every cancer charity. Poignantly, on the day of his funeral, Hospice fundraisers left their posts in the Small Square to join in the guard of honour that accompanied Frank’s huge funeral cortege through the town.
He was a familiar presence in St. Mary’s, taking up the collection, counting the money and helping wherever he was needed.
It was sad to see Frank suffering and in pain for the last few months of his life, but, like the trooper he was, he soldiered on.
Eileen and Frank Greaney were inseparable, a living example of enduring love. My deepest sympathy to Eileen and Mike. Frank was one of the good ones, one of my favourite Listowel people.
In this photo Frank is holding his copy of Brendan of Ireland, a long out of print special book in which his family played a part. It was a measure of the man that he lent it to me to photograph and to share with followers of Listowel Connection. Others would not have let it out of their sight.
Tonight we’ll have the graveyard mass in John Paul cemetery. It won’t feel right not to have Frank there directing traffic and helping out generally. He contributed a lot to making that graveyard the lovely place it is today.
May the sod rest lightly on the gentle soul of this lovely gentleman.
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Marketing Listowel in the 1960s
My recent German visitors, Wolfgang and Anita gave me this booklet that they had kept from their first visit to Listowel in 1973.
Another era surely! Who remembers travellers’ cheques?
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Just a Thought
My reflections which were broadcast last weak on Radio Kerry in its Just a Thought slots are here;
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Ponder this
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