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: Harnetts

Liam O’Connor, Opening Night LWW 2019, Harnett reunion and Brona Chocolates

Listowel Town Square in Summer 2019




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Liam O’Connor at Writers’ Week 2019

Liam O’Connor is the very definition of a virtuoso musician and he brought his A game to Listowel on Opening Night 2019. He had the audience in the palm of his hand as he ‘worked the room” and set the scene for a great night.

Liam had many many fans in the audience. I took photos of a few of them.

Liam grew up not far from me in North Cork and he cut his teeth playing with his father in the family band. It was lovely to see Liam following in his late dad’s footsteps as he was joined on the stage by his daughter and son.

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Some More People snapped on May 29 2019



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Calling all Harnetts


HARNETT REUNION: 

Carina Prendeville is currently working on their magazine and is looking for family pictures, stories, histories.  You can contact her on harnettreunion2019@gmail.com 

 A full programme organised for our visitors but it is also open to anyone to join.  Free admission on Friday, July 12 to the Genealogy workshops and the Patie Boy Historical Collection in the Devon Inn.  Tickets for the variety concert in Tournafulla on Friday, July 12 will be available on the door. Brian Harnett Tenor has confirmed that he will be performing.  Tickets for the Gala banquet and bus tour available from Batt Harnett or Ann Lyons. There will be genealogy, bus tours, a concert, a gala banquet and a memorial Mass, all at different venues around West Limerick/North Kerry.

The event is open to everybody.

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North Kerry Chocolate…Brona


I have met these chocolatiers at several fairs. Here is their story.


Brona Chocolate is produced on the banks of the river Feale in North Kerry which is in the beautiful south-west corner of Ireland. We are a family-run artisan chocolate producer dedicated to producing the highest quality chocolate products from the best available ingredients.

My wife Noreen and our three highly skilled team of tasters Tadhg, Harry and Brona, after whom the business is named, all help out.  We use as much local produce and as many local suppliers as possible.


The idea for Brona Chocolate initiated from running our shop, Mr Duffy’s Traditional Sweetshop in Tralee. Though we were stocking Irish chocolate (and there are many brilliant Irish chocolatiers) we felt that nobody was producing a large range of bars such as we were having to import from the UK and Europe. So began an incredible journey into research and training.

Little did I know that chocolate is the most complex compound known to science with over 1500 identified flavour components (compared to 500 in wine).

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So Sad




When they were students together at UCC and for their 50 years of happy marriage, Anne and Jimmy Moloney were inseparable. Sadly they passed away less than a year apart.

I took this photo at Writers Week in 2013

Guím leaba i measc na naomh dóibh beirt, mo chairde agus mo chomarsanna.

Butler Centre, Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann, Cork Badminton and More St. Patrick’s Day Photos

Roofing work in progress at The Butler Centre

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Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in Listowel in the 70s




Photos Junior Griffin

The first time Listowel was proposed as a venue for  the fleadh local traders became a bit apprehensive. It was obviously going to bring huge crowds to town and lots of business, but people feared that the pubs (there were over 50) might not be able to cope. There might be drinking in the streets, drunkenness and antisocial behaviour of all sorts. Some people boarded up their  premises and took the precaution of employing security.

None of these measures were necessary. The fleadh crowd were really well behaved. The music, song and dancing in the competition venues and on the streets provided excellent entertainment for all and sundry. Business in pubs and shops brought in an early harvest for business people.

A rising tide lifts all boats. Everyone in town seemed to profit from the fleadh and Listowel was delighted to welcome the festival back again and again.

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They’re Celebrating at Harnett’s





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Cork Badminton with  Listowel Connection


Third from left is Caroline Kenny, formerly of Listowel, holding the cup she won with her Mallow team in the Cork County badminton championship.

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March 17th 2019


Some of my Cork based family came to The Kingdom for the Patron saint’s weekend.

Molly came too. She is now a little older but only a tad wiser. She brought her own throne from which she liked to view the world.

 Kay’s Children’s Shop was just one of the many who decorated their windows as Gaeilge.


These vintage vehicles were also on parade.

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