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
I am writing from Trinidad and Tobago. Fr. Finbar Ryan became our Archbishop in 1940. Upon doing some research, I learned that he wrote the little children’s magazine, The Imeldist.
While doing some digging, I came across your blog, asking if anyone had copies. I am also looking for copies! Did you ever come across any?
I’d love to know, God Bless!
Kindest regards,
Elizabeth de Verteuil
I’ve replied to Elizabeth to explain that he didn’t write it all. I presume he edited it or wrote some of the content.
Last time I posted this no one seemed to remember it. I’ve gained a few followers since then, maybe someone kept a copy.
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An Amusing Sporting Memory
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A Corner of a Kanturk Park
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Our Next Mural
Our next mural for Listowel.ie will be created by our very own signwriter, painter and muralist, Martin Chute.
I met him preparing his “canvas”, the gable end wall of Pat Nolan’s Furniture Shop. The quotation will be very local. I think we’ll all love it best. I’ll keep you posted.
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A Fact
When Montenegro became independent from Yugoslavia, its internet domain went from .yu to .me
This well was discovered when the square was being reconfigured in 1997/98
Lest we forget, this stone stands at the gable of St. John’s, a reminder to us of all the lives lost in all conflicts and wars down through the ages.
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I found this treasure in the swap box in Listowel library. as well as some great football related poems, there are some quotations from football lovers.
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On Church Street last week
Martin Chute busy doing what he does best
Martin does it the old fashioned way, maul stick in one hand, paintbrush in the other, total concentration unaware of anyone around him. He will be surprised to see this today.
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St. Vincent de Paul shop volunteers
It is always a treat to visit this shop, open now on Wednesdays, Thursdays Fridays and Saturday mornings. Huge range of preloved and new clothing and lots of books, accessories and bric a brac at very affordable prices. And the kindliest and most helpful volunteer shop assistants.
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Public House on Church Street Closing Down
Flanagans is another victim of high overheads and a change in the drinking patterns of Irish people. Refurbishment is going ahead next door in the old Perfect Pairs premises so hopefully Flanagans will have a new tenant shortly too.
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A Horsey Fact
A horse’s digestive system is a one way passage. A horse can’t burp or vomit. This is why if your horse gets colic he is in terrible pain. There is only one way for trapped wind or fermenting undigested food to go. In a small number of cases colic in horses can be fatal.
Dublin Custom House at Christmas 2022 Photo: Éamon ÓMurchú
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A Poem
Hard to believe it’s 10 years
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Christmas long ago
Mike Moriarty’s photo of children playing with the Christmas toys in Walshes of Listowel in the 1950s.
Dec 1950 Walshe’s
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St. Mary’s, Listowel at Christmas 2022
Some images from our lovely church at Christmastime:
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In The Square
St. JohnsOur treeour cribour bauble
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Vincent Carmody remembers the Wren Boys
Wren boys by Vincent Carmody
The wren-boy tradition on St. Stephen’s Day is unfortunately, now nearly a thing of the past. Now, only a few small groups, or individuals carry on a tradition, the origins of which, are lost in the mists of time. In the time of the big batches of wren-boys, under the leadership of their King, these group’s would traverse the country roads all day, and as evening and night approached, they would head for the larger urban areas to avail of the richer pickings in the public houses.
The North Kerry area was well catered for, with two large groupings in the Killocrim/Enismore and Dirha West areas, There was also a strong tradition in the Clounmacon side of the parish.
Some time after the wrens-day, it was the custom to organise a wren-dance. Then the date was picked and a house offered to host the dance, The dances were all night affairs, with liberal quantities of food and drink provided.
In the early 1960’s I spent three years in London. during which, I worked in a pub, The Devonshire Arms, in Kensington, for a year or so. At this time, The Harvest Festival Committee, under Dr. Johnny Walsh, organised the wren-boy competitions in Listowel. Mr Johnny Muldoon, of London, had met Dr Johnny in Listowel and told him that he would organise two dances in his Dance Hall’s in London, provided that the Listowel committee send over three or four wren-boys to be in attendance. During their stay in London, Dan Maher, who managed the Devonshire, invited the Listowel contingent to the pub. On the particular evening I was serving in the lounge bar. (the pub was a gathering place for many Film and TV actors who would have lived nearby). Suddenly Dr.Johnny, threw the double door open, and in came the Listowel wren-boys, led by the leader, Jimmy Hennessy, Jimmy, wearing a colourful pants, had only some fur skin over his shoulders and chest and a headpiece with two horns, the others followed, faces blackened, and wearing similar outfits, all beating bodhrans. To say the least, those present did not have an idea what was happening, To this day, I can hear the remark which one man, Sir Bruce Setan, (he, of Fabian of the Yard) at the counter said to the other, Christopher Trace (of Blue Peter fame), “Blimey, they’re coming in from the jungle. They will kill us all. There was no one killed, and I think that Jimmy Hennessy enjoyed drinking pints of Guinness and pressing the flesh, surrounded by people he usually saw, only in the Plaza and Astor.
This house in the Silent Valley in Co. Down is renovated in the style of an old time cottage with open fire and old furniture. Photo by Éamon ÓMurchú
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McKenna’s Yard staff
Photo Mike Hannon
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A Poet at a Book Launch
Gabriel Fitzmaurice and Fr. Anthony Gaughan in St. Jiohn’s at Writers’ Week 2022queueing for a signingEamonn and Marion are great supporters of Fr. Gaughan
The setting was a coincidence. The picture of the Blessed Virgin was on stage as a prop for the lunchtime play, The Six Marys.
Fr. Gaughan, Catherine Moylan, Martin Moore and a lady who writes bilingual books
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Maureen Flavin Sweeney Commemorated in Knockanure
Ted and Maureen Sweeney
Maureen Flavin was born in Knockanure 99 years ago. She married Mayoman, Ted Sweeney.
The Sweeney family, Ted, his mother Margaret and sister Frances, together with Maureen, had been reporting on the hour, twenty-four hours a day, to the Meteorological Service in Dublin for the length of World War II. This hourly reporting continued until an automatic meteorological station was brought into operation in Belmullet in 1956.
On her 21st birthday, June 3 1944 the barometer at the remote weather station at Blacksod showed pressure was dropping rapidly, indicating a major Atlantic storm was due to arrive and blow right across western Europe. Based on Maureen’s readings, US general Dwight D Eisenhower postponed the D-Day landing by 24 hours. And so a woman from Knockanure changed the course of the war.
She was honoured in her home place on Sunday June 19 2022. She was not well enough to attend but I’m sure her relatives brought her back photos and recordings of the event.
( A little bird told me that she attended the All Ireland Final of 1951, the last time Mayo won)
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The New Kingdom
The New Kingdom Bar was been repainted. I love the new look.
This is one of the very stately upstairs sash windows.
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A Poignant Book Launch at Writers’ Week 2022
This book launch had a few elements of a wake about it. Like any good wake it had an element of hooley about it too.
We had songs and stories and we laughed and cried with the chief mourner.
Mary Kennelly gathered into this book a collection of poems she wrote chronicling her feelings as she observed two beloved uncles fade into the grey of dementia.
This wasn’t just another political duty for Norma Foley. Norma is a friend of Mary’s and like everyone who contributed to the success of this book launch was there a friend who empathised with Mary, knowing the toll this illness takes on families.
The book was published as a thank you to the two nursing homes, Aras Mhuire in Listowel and Fatima House in Tralee, where Mary’s two uncles, Fr. John and Brendan were cared for. All proceeds from the sale of the anthology go to these two places.
Brendan Kennelly who loved words, lost his words at the end. He returned, “helpless as a baby” to his Kerry family who eventually, in death, returned him to his worldwide family, an audience, who loved his words.
Mary Kennelly signing my book at Writers’ Week 2022.
One of the boards in Kerry Writers’ Museum exhibition, Raise the Curtain; The Story of Amateur Drama in Kerry, tells the story of The Bohemian Players.
This travelling drama troupe was based in Castlegregory. They travelled the length and breadth of the country with their entertainment offerings.
These descendants of medieval strolling players were much loved in the Ireland of the 1940s, 50s and 60s before the advent of television.
They came to town, set up shop and offered a new play every night. East Lynne and The Colleen Lawn were favourites. There were talent shows and raffles as well. The show usually ended with a comic sketch so the audience went home laughing.
I met these lovely people at the launch of Raise the Curtain. They are Bridie and David Costello. David’s father Robert owned The Bohemian Players and David’s mother was the leading actress.
David is a family historian and he has carefully kept memorabilia of his parents’ company.
In the above photo Bridie and David are listening to David’s account of his family travelling show. This account is in the oral history part of Kerry Writers’ Museum.
David showed me this marvellous piece of history. It’s his fathers ledger from 1949. It lists the takings for the week and the wages paid to the actors.
You will note that they worked 7 nights of the week. The Costellos themselves took no wages. Of course there were other expenses like food and maintenance, fuel for the lorry, costumes, props and running repairs.
It was a precarious enough living but performing was in their blood and their arrival was eagerly awaited in towns up and down the country.
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Pound Lane Children
Picture and caption from Bernard O’Connell
The Mid 60’s Poundlane Gang
From far left Agnes Sullivan, Donal Sullivan, Ben Holyoake, Joe Holyoake, Its me, Katrina Lyons,Martina Lyons, Mary Lyons, Mary Brosnan, Noreen Holyoake, RIP Mary Carmody, Kevin Donovan, Noelle Donovan
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I Love a 99
Here I am at the door of Mahony’s of The Square enjoying my first ice cream of the season.
The ice cream was delicious.
This was a training day before the real launch of this new venture, opening on June 1 2022.
I think they will do really well. We miss Dominick Moloney’s cones. Now we have a great replacement.
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All Ireland Rosary Rally
In Listowel Town Square on Saturday May 14 2022
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Only in Listowel
Yesterday I brought you the story of a morning in the life of Jimmy Moloney, Mayor of Kerry and thespian.
On Sat. May 7 2022, at Kerry Writers Museum Jimmy spoke at the launch of Raise the Curtain , an exhibition celebrating amateur drama in Kerry.
Minutes later, he reprised his recent role as Mike Glavin in The Lartigue’s Sive.
In the audience was Gabriel Fitzmaurice, poet.
Gabriel celebrated the occasion in a poem which he sent to Jimmy.
Jimmy and Gabriel kindly shared it with us in Listowel Connection.
Only in Listowel, “the Literary Capital of the World” would you have an occasion where a mayor goes from performing mayoral duties to acting in a play and in the audience a poet is writing a poem about it.
Two photos from the same event ; Jim and Frankie MacMahon with poets, Seamus Barra OSuilleabháin and Gabriel Fitzmaurice.
Éamon ÓMurchú, Owen MacMahon and Gabriel Fitzmaurice at the statue of Bryan MacMahon.
