Listowel Connection

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: hats Page 1 of 2

More from Listowel Races Friday Sept 16 2016

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On September 23, 2016

In Uncategorized

Handsome Couples at The Races

And the winners were local couple Anthony McCarthy and Sharon Heffernan.

This handsome pair were the judges.


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More Local People Enjoying Ladies Day

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Ladies Day at The Races is the new Easter Sunday



“In my Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it,

I’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade.

I will be in clover, when they look me over……”

So sang Judy Garland. The sentiments in the ditty were echoed on Listowel racecourse on Friday last as hats which were everything from the demure to the brash were paraded for the appraisal of the judges and the amusement or awe of racegoers.


(In some cases I’ve included the outfit so you can get the full picture.)



 Maura Derrane sported a very snazzy pillbox.


This one won. I think the category was the daftest or the jazziest or something.

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Harvest Knots at The Ploughing




You know the way you don’t think about a thing for years. It pops into your mind. You mention it in a blogpost and suddenly it’s everywhere.

My above photo was posted by the Dept of Arts Heritage and The Gaeltacht. It was taken in their stand at The National Ploughing Championships 2016.

At the National Library stand they were helping children to make them. 

Hats, Hats and more Hats from Ladies Day

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On October 7, 2013

In Uncategorized

Look away now if you have no interest in millinery.

 Fashion designer, Orla O’Connor, Milliner, Aoife Hannon and modelling Orla’s design, Miriam O’Connor

 This talented lady from Killarney made her own and her friend’s hats.

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Do you remember The Gleasure letters ?

In case you have forgotten, here is the story in a nutshell. The Listowel Gleasures were a merchant family who lived in The Square. They emigrated to Canada and then to the US and following the death of old George Gleasure’s wife the family returned to Listowel. The eldest son, Frank did not settle in Listowel and returned to the US. The family and particularly Frank’s sister, Mai wrote to him faithfully and kept him abreast of happenings in Listowel.

The extraordinary thing is that Frank kept every letter, postcard and photo that he got from home. Frank’s collection of letters dates from 1897 to 1955. A young relative, Ben Naylor, discovered them by chance when he was clearing out some old stuff and he is putting them all on line at the link above.

Ben and his wife Kathleen are making their first ever visit to Ireland and Listowel this week. I’m looking forward to meeting them and photographing them at the old homestead. The Gleasures were Church of Ireland and so attended St. John’s, which thankfully is still there for Ben to see. Not so the old Church of Ireland school.

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On Friday evening last we celebrated two retirements from Pres. Listowel, Geraldine O’Conor and Dolores O’Connor.

Fathers’ Day and Presentation Convent Listowel then and now

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On June 17, 2013

In Uncategorized

Yesterday was Fathers’ Day.  In honour of the day I bring you this photo of Jim Cogan and family and this “thought for the day”.

Photo by John Stack

‘It’s good to be blessed.
It’s better to be a blessing. ~Author Unknown



So often we do not realize what a blessing we are to others. We might
not think we make an impact, but often we do make a huge impact in someone
else’s life. The following story is just one example. 

In the faint light of the
attic, an old man, tall and stooped, bent his great frame and made his way to a
stack of boxes that sat near one of the little half-windows. 

Brushing aside a
wisp of cobwebs, he tilted the top box toward the light and began to carefully
lift out one old photograph album after another and his old journal. Opening
the yellowed pages, he glanced over a short reading, and his lips curved in an
unconscious smile. 

His eyes brightened as he read the words that spoke clear
and sweet to his soul as he read the inscription for June 14th . It stood out
because it was so brief in comparison to other days. In his own neat
handwriting were these words: ‘Wasted the whole day fishing with Jimmy. Didn’t
catch a thing.’

 With a deep sigh and a shaking hand, he took up Jimmy’s journal
and found the boy’s entry for the same day. Large scrawling letters, pressed
deeply into the paper, read: ‘Went fishing with my dad. Best day of my life.’

From  http://www.todayismygifttoyou.ie

>>>>>

Presentation Convent, Listowel

Now

I took these photos on May 28 2013.

Then

A picture paints a thousand words.

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Update on our 7 little chicks of three different breeds.  See how they have grown!

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Fungi taken from a Baltimore boat last week

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Alas, no more!

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They have a lot to answer for.

1947!!

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As an addendum to last week’s article about Cyril Kelly and Writers’ Week, Martin Sheehy, all the way from Phoenix, Arizona sent this comment:

“Hats off to Cyril Kelly and honour to his late mother-Mai Naylor ( Mrs. Kelly) and her friends from Upper Church St., all of whom brought joy to my boyhood-Babe Jo Wilmot ( Mrs. Collins), Masie Gleason ( Mrs. Sweeney), Maureen Horgan ( RIP), Noreen Horgan ( Mrs. Lynch), Marie Kiely, Moira Madden ( my late mother, Mrs. Sheehy), Josie Madden ( my late aunt, Mrs. Flynn), etc. Before and after Vatican II, with or without Mai’s hats, they were and are a memorable crowd. ”

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June 15 2013 in Ballylongford

Still more style from Friday, Love Listowel and local people

By

On September 26, 2012

In Uncategorized

Normal service will be resumed tomorrow. Believe it or not, my blog is proving more popular than ever since I took to posting these Ladies’ Day photos. I think I might cross over to fashion blogging!

 Betty McGrath, family and friends

Helen Holyoake, home from the US for The Races, James Kenny promoting Love Listowel and Joan Kenny

Junior Griffin spotting form.

The final 3; Sharon Heffernan on the right was the eventual winner.

 Judges in conclave; Celia Holman Lee and Daithí Ó Sé

Daithí admires a painting by Olive Stack which was part of the winner’s prize.

Busy promoting the brand: Team Love Listowel in action on Friday.

Anything in the paper? This man was oblivious to all the style and glamour as he studied the horses.

Martina Molyneaux was home from Dublin for the day. She is seen here with her dad, Mossy.

The Mojito Bar was doing a steady trade. It seemed to me to be a ladies only drink.

Stylish couple: Oliver and Sally O’Neill looked resplendent on Friday but then they are beautifully turned out every day.

This Tipperary lady loves Listowel and has been coming to The Races for over 50 years.

This poor “horse” spent the day promoting The Tote Jackpot. Reminded me of one of Mrs Brown’s Boys. 

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Having looked at yesterday’s hats,  Martin Sheehy, formerly of this parish, quips “There must be some nude birds flying all over Kerry”

Some mad and not so mad hatters and wrenboy video

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On September 25, 2012

In Uncategorized

Last Friday’s wren boy competition

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh6GlQS87dU&list=UUvu6UB8pWOY7MMn5MxCtj-w&index=1&feature=plcp http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=GGIcP5TZYgg&list=UUvu6UB8pWOY7MMn5MxCtj-w&index=2&feature=plcp YouTube – 

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