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: Gaelscoil uí Riordáin Page 1 of 2

Vote for Ard Chúram

David Kissane’s picture of The Hill in Lacca, Lisselton in May 2024

Tim McCrohan’s Visit

Tim McCrohan visited Listowel on his honeymoon in 1983 and he got a Céad Mile Fáilte from Dr. Johnny Walsh.

He writes;

Hello Mary, 

Yes…so THANKFUL you were able to forward my message on to her (Eleanor). As I previously wrote, when we visited Listowel to search for some family gravesites during our honeymoon back in 1983, we met with Dr. Walsh (who had cared for my uncle when he resided at a local nursing home in 1955.) Because we were in the U.S. and had no other family there to bury him when he passed, my dad had sent Dr. Walsh monies to bury his uncle after he passed away in 1955. My dad had never been able to visit the town where his own father was born, so when we honeymooned in Ireland, we took a day trip to see if we could locate the gravesite or even the Dr who took care of my uncle.  It was a long shot, as the last contact our family had with the Dr was almost 30 years previous. To our surprise, we did locate Dr. Walsh’s office who, when we introduced ourselves, closed his practice and took us around the town. (I share my uncle’s (who he cared for and buried) same name (Timothy McCrohan), so he immediately recognized it when I introduced myself.)  During the visit throughout the town, he said our family home was at 15 Main Street. They would have lived there in the late 1850s/1870s. At the time of our visit, it was then the DJ Larkin Building, next to the Spinning Wheel Restaurant.  He also took us by the Kennedy Nursing Home (or what was formerly known as, “Greenlawn” Nursing home back in the late 1940’s/1950’s.) which was owned/operated by Dr. Walsh. According to his daughter, Eleanor (Walsh) Belcher, (who we subsequently connected with via your site) he set up the nursing home in 1948.  She would, on occasion, visit there with him when she was a young girl, so she felt it was likely she may have even met my uncle during one of those visits when he resided there in 1955. I’ve attached a few pics of our visit back then of the Kennedy Nursing Home (Church Street), Dr. John Walsh’s office (26, The Square) and the DJ Larkin Building (15 Main Street) (upper loft would have been our family’s residence back in the 1850/60’s). As I previously relayed to you, Dr. Walsh knew exactly where my uncle had been laid to rest (because he took care of the entire burial for our family) so he took us to see it.  What a wonderful surprise it was to meet Dr. Walsh, visit my Uncle’s gravesite, and to see and learn about the town of Listowel.  We were so grateful! 

I’ve been thoroughly enjoying reading all the various blogs from your site, which gives me great insight to the town my family was from. 

Thank you again!

(Another McCrohan story tomorrow)

Forget Bilocation. You’ll need Trilocation

There is so much on in Listowel on the June Holiday Weekend 2024 that visitors will be spoilt for choice.

Of course there is The Races.

Then this;

St. John’s has a packed programme of events for young and old.

And, of course, Writers’ Week

Your Vital Vote

AIB is giving away big money to local charities all over Ireland. Charities get a one off chance to apply so it is important that we pull out all the stops to get them as much as we can on the first (and only) time of asking.

Ard Churam is a vital local service, keeping our valued older people cared for. Because many of the older people who use the service were born before the digital age, it is really important that we, who are more tech savvy, get them this sorely needed cash.

The charity number is really important. The name of the charity, Ard Churam is in Irish so be careful auto correct doesn’t change it to Are Charm.

Registered Charity Number| 20068417

Here is the link:

Ard Churam

Very Proud Nana

This is Cora in her Munster kit for her trip to The Aviva in Dublin for the All Ireland final of the schools’ soccer 5’s on Wednesday.

Last week she won Sciath na Scol camogie with her school, Gaelscoil Uí Riordáin.

A Fact

Mount Everest sank one inch due to the 2015 earthquake in Nepal.

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Winning

Canon’s Height in Summer 2024

Aisling Shannon, Master classes

Con Curtin Music festival 28 29 30 June 2024

Our banjo tutor Aisling Neville. 

Aisling Neville is a multi-instrumentalist who hails from Listowel in Co. Kerry. Aisling has spent many years on session circuits all over Ireland at various festivals and fleadhs. She holds 7 All Ireland titles, winning the Senior Banjo in 2003. Due to this success, she was selected for the Comhaltas tours of Ireland, Britain, and North America. Aisling completed the BAMus in UCC and was the recipient of the Doc Gleeson Award for performance excellence while in attendance there. She was also a member of The Bedford Cross Céilí band in recent years. Aisling is  a primary school teacher in Co. Clare  with over 20 years of experience teaching in various settings. She has adjudicated extensively at county and provincial level also.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

This image has gone viral. The unfortunate motorist changed his mind when driving through the Conor Pass and attempted to turn back. The car was removed later but our photographer seems to have left by then. I looked for photos of the removal of the car but couldn’t find any.

Wouldn’t you die….?

Bibiana Foran

I brought you this photo last week.

Jer Kennelly found her mentioned in this newspaper clip

Killarney Echo and South Kerry Chronicle 1899-1920, Saturday, 22 April 1911

When an old age pensioner enters the Workhouse the pension is no longer paid. As the law is at present, such old persons entering the Workhouse cease to be pensioners. An effort is being made to change the law. ———–

Large numbers of the old people who became old age pensioners at the beginning of the year-have gone back to the Workhouses. The food, comforts, and accommodation of the Workhouse are something more than they can obtain for 5s. a week outside. Inmates of Workhouses, in Kerry and elsewhere receive better .treatment than they did in years gone by. Still, respectable old people do not like the Workhouse, and it’s  only right that homes should be established for them. 

THE MOVEMENT IN LISTOWEL edited,

The members of the Listowel branch of the Women’s National Health Association, met last week and, judging by the statements made at the meeting, it would seem that the movement against consumption and its causes has made much progress in that district. If any doubts were entertained regarding the assertions that the disease can be cured the statement made at the meeting in question, by Mrs. Foran P.L.G., should have the effect of removing them. She informed those present that some persons sent from the Listowel district to the sanatorium for treatment had returned quite restored to health. 

We Have a Winner

My granddaughter, Cora, plays soccer with her club, Lakewood, and with her school, Gaelscoil Uí Riordáin. The schools’ competition is a 5’s blitz. It is very hard on the nerves because if your team goes down a goal you have very little time to make it up. Last week Cora’s team, representing Cork, won the Munster Schools’ Final and are now into the All Ireland final.

Hopes are high for victory in her other discipline, Gaelic football. Gaelscoil Uí Riordáin is into the final of Sciath na Scol to be played later this week.

Cora with her proud parents

Gaelscoil Uí Riordáin team

A Rallying Cry

A Fact

In 1220 Henry 1 laid the foundation stone for Westminster Abbey in London.

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A Trip to Ballincollig

Listowel Garda Styatio in Sept. 2023

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Keeping an Eye on Things

Molly at home

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Celebrating 40

Gaelscoil Uí Riordáin in Ballincollig is celebrating 40 years since its humble beginnings in an old supermarket. The school has has the same principal, Gabriel ÓCathasaigh, since its inception.

It is part of the contract for new school buildings that the contractor set aside a percentage for art. The art project funded from this percentage is Abhainn an Feasa, the Salon river in ceramic tiles depicting stories along the river and its banks.

Cora is in 6th class. She posed for me with some of the magnificent artwork on display when I visited.

The significance of the robin harks back to the poet from whom the school takes its name. Seán ÓRiordáin’s famous anthology is titled Eirbeall Spideoige. (The Robin’s Tail)

The reason Cora was out of uniform was because she had just returned from playing a Sciath na Scol football game. This is a very competitive school league in hurling and football. Gaelscoil Uí Riordáin is defending its titles in both disciplines. They would dearly love to celebrate their 40th with wins.

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My Annual Leave

It’s race week. Those of us of a certain vintage never work during race week. I’m hoping to go to the island with my houseguests and If I do I’ll take a few photos for you.

Wish me luck!

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Listowel Police Mutiny in 1920

Photo; Éamon ÓMurchú in Malahide

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Family Time

One of my Ballincollig grandchildren attends Gaelscoil Uí Riordáin.

I attend their show last week. It was hard to believe that they were just primary school fifth and sixth class pupils. They were superb.

There is my little Cora giving it socks as an exotic dancer.

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Tony O’Callaghan and the Listowel Police Mutiny

This is the Tony O’Callaghan plaque on display in Listowel Garda Barracks. It is a record of the names of the mutineers.

“On June 19th 1920, fourteen rank and file members of the Royal Irish Constabulary in Listowel defied the order of their superior officers and refused to hand over the control of the barracks to the British Military, and to adopt a shoot to kill policy against the local community. This incident – forever more known as the Listowel Police Mutiny – was a seminal event in the Irish War of Independence.” Kerry Writers Museum.

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Then and Now

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A Ballybunion Sunday

Essential training and practice for this vital service takes place on Sunday mornings in Ballybunion. My daughter-in-law took the photos.

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A Fact

A jiffy is an actual unit of time. It’s 1/100 of a second.

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Glin Tragedy, A Poster of The Field, Dunlop Cup winning team 1970 and Behan’s Restaurant

Blennerville, May 2020

Photo: Liam Enright on This is Kerry

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Another case of death by smothering from the Limerick Chronicle 18th January 1917. Tom Donovan

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Newspaper Cutting Connecting my Two Homes



This newspaper cutting from 1991 appeared recently on the Facebook page of a closed group to which I belong.

Fr. Padraig Walshe, a priest of the Kerry diocese, was part of a fundraising effort for Romania. He secured a huge poster of the film of John B.’s The Field. He got John B. to sign it, had it framed and put it up for auction where it was bought by Geraldine O’Toole for £500.

Sadly, Geraldine passed away at a young age. May she rest in peace. 

I wonder where the poster is now.

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St. Michael’s; Dunloe Cup Winners 1970



Photo; Neil Brosnan, text Kieran Fitzgerald

This  is the Dunloe Cup Winning Team from 1970 . This was a hard fought but satisfying success as , though underdogs ,  we beat the big two, among others, en- route . I think we beat Tralee C.B.S. in the semi-final and we certainly beat the Sem in the final . I can recall is that we were 4/5 points down with about 15 minutes  to go and won by 7/8 . 

If memory serves me correctly , Canon Linnane was multi-tasking on final day . He was team manager for the Sem and then , immediately after the final whistle ,  presented the Cup to myself ( in his official role as Chairman of the Kerry Colleges Committee) .

The panel was  :

Front  ( Left to Right )    :       Brian Hilliard , Danny Lyons , Pat O’Flaherty , Neilus Brosnan 

Seated ( Left  to Right ) :       David Kissane , Pat Quilter , Gerard Leahy , Kieran Fitzgerald , Maurice Sheehy , Pat Stack , John Houlihan 

Standing ( Left to Right):       Jerry Kiernan , Tommy O’Flaherty , Eamon O’Carroll , Tom Stack , Vincent Donegan , Tom Lyons ( R.I.P. ) , P J Browne ( R.I.P.)

Tim Kennelly ( R.I.P.)  wasn’t available for the photo .

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Martin Chute has painted another lovely mural



Proprietor, Jerry Behan, tells me that he is going to have the front painted in the same colour.

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First Holy Communion Day 2020



My granddaughter, Cora is a pupil of Gaelscoil Uí Riordáin in Ballincollig. Saturday May 23 2020 was First Holy Communion Day.

Since they were not to have their big day, their teacher sent each of the communicants a card and each teacher made a little video for the class and shared a photograph of themselves on their First Communion Day.

The card is so lovely that I’m sharing it with you .

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