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: Hartnett’s Pharmacy

A Christmas Candle, Craftshop na Méar and Kerry Writers Museum Craft fair


Listowel Arms at Christmas 2019

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Another lovely Christmas window

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Kerry Writers’ Museum Craft Fair

Here are some of the crafters I missed when I posted these last.

These lovely colourful mandalas all all unique. They would make a lovely display grouped together on a wall. Great value too from this really talented lady.

Eimear was at her first craft fair and enjoying the experience.

Mary and her friend, Angela were recycling and up cycling. They had lovely affordable Christmas decorations.


Kerry Writers Museum was just the place to start your Christmas shopping for 2019.


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Looking back and remembering




This photo was taken at the opening of Craftshop na Méar on Church Street.  It shows some of the early crafters, Maureen, Mary, Una, Namir, Mary, Kelly, Mairéad and Mary with Miriam Kiely in whose old home the shop was located. Front left is the late Dan Green who died so tragically soon after.

The Craftshop verdict ; Sad its over but glad it happened.

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A Candle Story from the Schools’ Folklore Collection

Long ago an old woman who lived in a thatched house before going to bed on Christmas night took her candles, quenched them and put them into a drawer in the table for fear that during the night the house might go on fire. She got out of bed early next morning to light the candles again. On opening the drawer to her surprise she found the candles lighting at both ends. She took it as a lesson that the Christmas candles would not burn anything.

Collector, Teresa Fitzmaurice- Address Beal Middle, Co. Kerry
Informant- Mrs H. Fitzmaurice, Age 42 Address, Beal Middle, Co. Kerry.
Location: Ballybunnion, Co. Kerry- Teacher: An tSr. Aodán.

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Event Guide


If you want to know what’s on in Listowel over the holidays, Listowel.ie has a great new page detailing everything that ‘s on.

Here’s the link

Events in Listowel

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+  R.I.P. Martin Hickey  +



I took this photograph on Church Street in 2013. Fred Chute took time out from his painting to chat to his old friend, Martin Hickey.

Sad to say that Listowel has lost both of these old stock in 2019.

Martin has been absent from our streets for a while now and you’d miss him. He was a great servant to his beloved Listowel Celtic and they appreciated their “boss”, installing him in the well deserved office of president.

May the sod rest lightly on Martin’s gentle soul.

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Christmas is a Time for Friends



I met Cathuy Mawe and Eithne Galvin in The Listowel Arms on Saturday Dec. 14 2019.

Stained Glass Windows, Switching on the Christmas Lights 2017and a few more trains

Mallow Camera Club Member’s Blue Photo

Photographer; Deborah Cronin

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Scully’s Corner, December 2017


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Stained Glass Windows


Anyone who reads this blog regularly will know that I am a great admirer of stained glass windows. It is an art form that is fascinating, colourful and detailed and some great examples of this artwork  are available for free in every town in Ireland.

Recently I was in Saint Mary’s and I went into the sanctuary to view the Famine window. Until Vatican 11 the sanctuary in a Catholic church was out of bounds to the laity and I still felt a bit uncomfortable going into this sacred space to take photographs.

It is a pity that this inaccessible space is the location chosen for some of the church’s fascinating artwork.

I had always presumed that church art depicted Christ and the saints. It was a revelation to me that a window was made depicting a local man and some local women that everybody knew. The man was the parish priest, Fr. Darby O’Mahoney and the women were the local nuns. The window was commissioned by the people of Listowel in recognition of the unselfish work done by these people to help alleviate the suffering of Listowel people during the Great Famine of the 1840s when close on 7,000 people perished in and around the parish.

Above is the Famine window. While I was about it, I went across to the other side of the sanctuary and photographed the window there and the plaque which commemorates Canon Davis.


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Switching on the Christmas Lights 2017



There was a huge crowd in Listowel Town Square for the switching on ceremony 2017. Aidan O’Mahoney did the honours. We had singing and dancing, face painting, Disney characters, balloon shapes, sweets and goodies and everyone was in great form. There is a real sense of the whole community coming together this Christmas.

Listowel First

Make Listowel Great Again


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A Few More trains


This cute one is in the foyer of The Listowel Arms.



Hartnett’s Pharmacy has taken the polar theme a step further. Polar bears, penguins and snow is everywhere. Even the elf has left his shelf for a swing on a snow covered branch.

All part of Listowel polar magic this Christmas 2017.

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Woodford Pottery



Pat Murphy of Woodford Pottery, Listowel has recently found a whole new seam of inspiration. Here are his latest Christmas creations.

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