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: Iceland

TCD, The White House and Church Street

By

On February 28, 2023

In Just a Thought, Listowel

Taelane Store, Church Street, February 2023

The Taelane Store isn’t in Taelane. It’s on Church Street.

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Reprieved!

The new owners of the Iceland chain have had a change of heart. Iceland, in Mill Lane, Listowel is staying open.

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In Listowel Library

Vincent Carmody and Kathy Buckley’s niece, Orla Buckley.

On Friday February 24 2023, local historian, Vincent Carmody introduced us to one of Listowel’s most illustrious emigrants. Kathy Buckley of William Street, Listowel was the White House cook for three U.S. presidents.

Kathy’s Listowel home

Plaque unveiled by the US ambassador during Listowel Food Fair a few years ago.

Sections of the audience as we listened in fascination to Vincent’s story of this formidable lady who represented us so well in the U.S.

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Uplifting poem

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A Bookplate

This is another chapter in the MichaelO’Connor story. The Cork Examiner account found by Dave O’Sullivan explains this novel fundraising initiative by Trinity.

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Fact of the Day

Butterflies smell with their antennae and taste with their feet. The monarch butterfly’s feet (proper name tarsi) are approximately two thousand times more sensitive than a human tongue.

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Just a Thought

My last week’s reflections as broadcast on Radio Kerry

Just a Thought Feb, 20 to 24 2023

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If Music be the Food of Love, Play on

By

On January 26, 2023

In Ballybunion, Poem

Snow – Killarney – 18-01-2023 Photo: Kathleen Griffin

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Fleadh Cheoil Chiarraí 2023

Photo: The Kerryman

The Kerry Comhaltas committee organising the forthcoming County Fleadh. Back, from left, Sean Dee, safety officer, Karen Trench, assistant secretary Kerry County Board, Finola Fogarty, Fleadh Vice Chair, Martina O’Connor, Branch Secretary, Marie Houlihan, Fleadh PRO, Ann O’Donnell, DLP, Robert Stack, Ballybunion CCÉ.

Front from left, Catrina Heffernan, Secretary Kerry County Board, Aoife Mulvihill, Fleadh Secretary, PJ Mulvihill, Fleadh Chairman, Betty Joyce, Fleadh Treasurer, and John Lucid Treasurer Kerry County Board.

Two great weekends of traditional music, singing and dancing await us in Ballybunion in June. The County Fleadh will be held over two weekends, June 10 and 11, dancing competitions and the following weekend June 17 and 18 the singing and music competitions take place. These competitions are qualifying competitions of the Munster Fleadh.

As well as competitive music in venues around the town , busking competitions are planned for the streets and gigs in the pubs.

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Listowel Marching Band

Charlie Nolan took this photo in 1987. Two years earlier, in 1985, he filmed the band practicing before their performance in Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann.

Here is the link;

Listowel Marching Band 1985

The music and marching were top class. Well done all.

Dave O’Sullivan sourced a few newspaper clippings for us.

I know these will have brought back great memories for many. Thank you, Dave.

Many of the leading figures in conceiving and maintaining the band are no longer with us.

Music training, drilling at marching, making costumes, rehearsals, ferrying to Fleadhanna Cheoil was all done by a dedicated band of volunteers. They provided a great service to the young people of the town in the 1980s and 90s.

If anyone from that era would like to send us their memories, I’d love to get a first hand account.

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Caring for the Carer

Priscilla is home in Listowel after 20 years. She is looking after her lovely mam, Theresa. I met them on Church Street as they caught up with Carmel.

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Frozen Out

Sad to see this store closing and all the friendly staff being laid off.

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Last of the tennis shots, Super Valu/ Iceland, and NKM in Listowel

By

On February 25, 2019

In Uncategorized

Photo: Chris Grayson

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Then and Now


 2019


2004

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Tennis 1987

Photos; Danny Gordon

As I post this on February 24 2019, Bobby Cogan is still playing tennis and is on the court as I write playing with his club Lakewood.

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Whatever Happened to The Sweet factory?



This letter from Mary Murphy in 1990 asked a question we have all been wondering about since the topic of the NKM factory came up here.

Dave O’Sullivan has done a bit of research for us and the bottom line seems to be that the sweet factory relocated to Dublin in 1925 following a strike at its Listowel plant.

First, let’s go back to 1920 and ’21 when the factory was in full flight and offering good employment to what seems to be a predominantly female workforce.

(More tomorrow)

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There it is ……Gone




The mystery deepens. The box which was attached to this sign is gone. Any idea what that was all about?

Watching Rás Tailteann, Iceland Opens and an icon in St. Mary’s

By

On May 30, 2018

In Uncategorized

Photo: Chris Grayson

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People I met at Rás Tailteann on May 23 2018


Helen, P.J. and Joan stopped on their way from mass to wave the cyclists off.

Eilish, Maria and Sharon popped out of the Writers’ Week office to promote the festival to the race watchers.

Christy, Norita and Joan in The Square


Moriarty family out in force to support Eugene


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From the Johnny Hannon Archive



Batt and Gertie O’Keeffe

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It’s Open



Iceland Listowel in Mill Lane opened on May 22 2018

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In St. Mary’s Listowel




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Famous People meet a Blog Follower




Danny O’Connor from Gurtinard met father and son actors, Brendan and Domhnall Gleeson in New York

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Woodford Pottery



Pat Murphy gave me a sneak peak at his latest design innovation. He is still making his trademark blue  black and green kitchenware but now his creative juices are flowing in a whole new direction  and he is planning a white with a pop of colour range for the autumn.

I love them. What do you think?

Pat also has a beautiful range of souvenir mugs especially for Writers’ Week. You can pick them up in the craft shop at Galvins in William Street.

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