Jim Cogan – Listowel Connection

Remembering

On June 26, 2023

Magnificent tree in Listowel Pitch and Putt Course in June 2023

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Remembering an Inspirational Friend in Littor

His friends have erected a lovely beach memorial to Fr. Pat Moore on the beach near his family home where he loved to walk.

Photos and text from Asdee Community Development

On Fr Pat Moore’s 66th birthday, we want to sincerely thank Paddy Fitzell for his beautiful plaque commemorating Fr Pat, and our thanks to John & Hannah Fitzell for donating the plaque.

We also want to thank Tim Quilter for the stonework & the creation of this lovely commemorative seat, which now sits at the foot of Littor Road overlooking Fr Moore’s beloved Littor Strand.

The seat has taken much longer than we had hoped, hitting a number of setbacks, but it is now in place in time for summer. There are further finishing touches to be done in the coming months.

A final thanks to Kerry County Council who carried out work on the road entrance to the beach, allowing safe access to beach-goers for the months ahead.

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Remembering Fr. Bryan Dalton

Last week I got this email from Florida;

Hi,

My name is Duane Miller, I live in South Florida. Our former parish priest was Father Bryan Dalton of St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Deerfield Beach, FL. He passed away in 2018.

In my online research it says he was buried in St. Michael’s Cemetery in Listowel. I am seeking some information on his burial, preferably a picture of his gravesite which could be uploaded to Findagrave.com. Is this something you can assist with?

Best Regards,

Duane

I started with my neighbour, Jimmy Moloney, my go-to person on any civic queries. I didn’t make it clear that the burial was a recent one. He thought I had Florida relatives looking for an Irish emigrant ancestor.

In my search for the grave I found local undertakers to be the most helpful and obliging allies.

Noel Lyons told me where the priests were buried but I figured that Fr. Dalton was buried in a family grave rather than a single priest’s grave.

Noel sent me to RIP.ie to find out who the funeral directors were.

Seán Gleasure to the rescue. He told me that Gleasure’s Funeral Directors’ had looked after the funeral. He knew exactly where the grave was and even offered to take a photograph for me to send to Florida.

Here is the Dalton grave in St. Michael’s:

I was delighted to help Fr. Bryan’s Florida parishioners.

Sometimes the internet is wonderful at shrinking our world.

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Reunited in Listowel

It was nice to be together in Listowel, even if the occasion was a sad one.

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Dolly Day Photos Tomorrow

Meanwhile only in Listowel….

Listowel, Saturday June 24 2023, an unconvincing ‘nun’, an even more unconvincing Dolly Parton and a much too thin Elvis in Páirc Mhic Shithigh

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Teachers

By listowelconnection

On April 13, 2023

In Ballybunion, Listowel, Personal, Schools

April 2023

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April Horsefair 2023

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My Brave (aka Foolhardy) Easter Visitor

Cora felt that a trip to Ballybunion would be wasted without a bit of a dip. Her mother assures me she was well away from those dangerous looking waves. The camera foreshortened the distance.

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Listowel’s Presentation Sisters

Once upon a time the sisters used to be buried in a cemetery in the convent grounds. A nun’s funeral was a solemn ritual, full of ceremony and singing, her sisters chants accompanying their departed loved one into eternity. Now the local convent building and grounds, including the graveyard, is no longer sacred ground and the remains of the sisters are now interred in St. Michael’s Cemetery.

Many of the names on these simple stones are names of great women I knew as friends and work colleagues. They sacrificed much and their legacy will benefit Listowel and beyond for years to come.

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Retirement marked with a Tony O’Callaghan plaque

When Jim Cogan retired from St. Michael’s he was presented with a beautiful piece of Tony O’Callaghan’s artwork adorned with symbols of family, Jim’s work life and his interests. It is a treasure.

In the photograph with Jim are Bill Walshe and Fr. Seamus Linnane on behalf of the Board of Management and John Mulvihill, principal, St. Michael’s.

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Beautiful Signwriting

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A Fact

Both Shakespeare and Cervantes died on the same day, April 23 1616

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Mosaics and Painting

By listowelconnection

On February 15, 2023

In Listowel

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D Day in 1971

On this very day, February 15, in 1971 we officially changed from £sd to decimal currency. We had spend 2 years preparing for the changeover. We thought we’d never get used to it but we soon realised that life had got way easier and lighter.

To remind you of the good old days

There were 2 halfpennies in a penny, which we denoted with a d. There used to be farthings but we won’t go there)

There were 12 pence in a shilling which we sometimes balled a bob.

There was a threepence and sixpence which did what it said on the tin.

We had a 2 shilling piece and and a 2shillings and sixpence piece. We called this a half crown because there used to be a crown.

We won’t bother with the paper money but there was a guinea favoured by buyers and sellers of horses (No, I have no idea.) This was one pound and one shilling.

See what I mean when I said it got easier?

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Mosaics in St. Mary’s

On Feb. 1, St. Brigid’s Day, I brought you pictures of a few windows featuring our second patron saint. At mass that morning Canon Declan pointed out a mosaic of St. Bridget in our own parish church. My friend, Helen, our sacristan, pointed out the exact location of the mosaic to me. It is one of several saints perched very high up at either side of the main altar.

St. Brigid, ora pro nobis

She is dressed as a nun. We know she founded many convents and monasteries. She was an equal opportunities saint and welcomed both men and women into her orders. In her left hand she has an oak branch. St. Brigid founded her famous double monastery under an oak tree in Kildare town in the 5th Century. Hence the name Cill Dara, Church of the Oak. She has a bishop’s crosier under her right arm. Legend has it that she was the first female bishop. I dont know what she has in her right hand. It looks to me like some sort of lamp, a bit like the one Aladdin rubbed. It may be something to do with the fire that is associated with her. If you know what it is please tell me.

This is St. Ita

The fourth mosaic saint is St. Brendan but the spotlight on him was too strong to photograph on the day I visited the church. Interestingly, St. Patrick’s crosier seems to be topped with a celtic cross in place of the traditional shepherd’s crook.

St. Patrick is also celebrated in St. Mary’s on one of the wall plaques.

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A Facelift on Church Street

This premises is being painted a nice cheery colour.

It has some lovely celtic strap work being painted in a contrasting shade of green.

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Memories, Memories

For many years my summer morning routine involved a walk with my husband, Jim. Here he is bowling along beside the then Super Valu in Mill Lane.

Jim loved to stop and chat. Here he is with the late Dan Browne. May they both rest in peace.

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Some Old Things

By listowelconnection

On February 23, 2022

In History, Listowel, Poem

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Two St. Michael’s Colleagues, R.I.P

Two Corkmen, Jim Cogan and Michael Cody, many moons ago.

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Medicinal Recipes from 1852

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Good New for St. Michael’s

(text and image from St. Michael’s website)

Back: Mayor of Kerry, Jimmy Moloney, Johnny Mulvihill, Principal, St Michaels’, Minister for Education, Norma Foley, Mike Hassett, Deputy Principal. Tony Behan, Board of Management Front: Odhran Bucklety, Jack O’Connor, Ciaran O’Sullivan and Donagh Buckley

Statement from Norma Foley;

Multi-million Euro Extension for Listowel School!I am delighted to announce a multi-million euro extension project for St Michael’s College Listowel under the additional accommodation scheme.The state of-the-art building project includes provision for a special education teaching room, a multimedia room, a music room, an art room, two science labs and a project store room. Approval was also given for reconfiguration works to upgrade an existing art room, converting it into a mainstream classroom.It was wonderful to have the opportunity to visit St Michael’s College in Listowel this week and to personally deliver this good news.St Michael’s College is synonymous with the town and this extension is an endorsement of the excellence in education being provided by the entire school community.

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Dan Keane’s Limericks

Dan Keane who passed away in 2012 was a man of varied and extraordinary talents. I encountered Dan first as as storyteller and I was enthralled by him. His story was about a football match, a subject on which Dan was an expert. I later learned that Dan was a ballad maker and poet of some merit.

Much later I learned that Dan, while including scholars and literary men among his ancestors, was , himself, completely self taught. His appetite for knowledge coupled with his interest in local history and lore made him a knowledgeable and popular raconteur and writer.

His last volume of verse was the above, A Kerryman’s limericks, and I’m going to bring you a few over the next few days.

The next is not one of Dan’s but he professed it was one of his favourites.

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Great Old Photos

Tipperary Studies is a great website devoted to preserving and promoting the past.

They have a marvellous digital archive of old photos and videos. Among their collections is a collection of Photographs of Munster. These photos were taken by a professional photographer on glass plates in the 1930s.

While most of the images are of Tipperary there are some lovely photos of a few Listowel shops and their owners or workers.

Please respect Tipperary Studies copyright claim to these digitised images which may not be used for commercial purposes without permission.

This lovely photo was unidentified in the collection but an old neighbour has identified the late Mrs. Mona Dalton at the gate of her home in Bridge Road.

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A Christmas wreath, some shop windows and Colourful Spirits exhibition

By Listowel Connection

On December 12, 2019

In Uncategorized

A Kerry Donkey: Chris Grayson

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Cured, you say? Caused, more like!

Photo from Facebook

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Some Christmas windows

Utopia

Tae Lane

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A Christmas Wreath

My lovely daughter in law, Carine, treated me to a wreath making workshop in The White Horse in Ballincollig. Even if I say so myself, we made some lovely creations.

My Christmas wreath 2019

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John Paul 2 Cemetery

I put my Christmas wreath on Jim’s grave. The cemetery was looking lonely in the winter sunshine.

The burial ground is expanding rapidly with a whole new section opened up recently.

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Colourful Spirits Exhibition in St. John’s

I took the following photo s at the opening evening but the pictures will be there for the month. I’m delighted with my purchase. I’ll leave it hang for a few more weeks but I’ll have it in my home for Christmas.

Viveca Amato’s Santa greeted us at the door.

I think most of the Spirits who were exhibiting are in one or other of these photos. The group does have a few more members but their work is not in this show. The paintings are lovely. Well worth a visit. These artists do commissions as well so if you like someone’s work you could talk to them about doing something more special to you.

This mixed media picture is very eye catching.

This is me with my painting and the artist who painted it. Máire did a bad job on the photograph. I’ll have to take it again when I get it home.

Máire bought Jim Dunn’s Mad Hatter. ‘nough said!

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: Jim Cogan Page 1 of 4

Remembering

Teachers

Mosaics and Painting

Some Old Things

A Christmas wreath, some shop windows and Colourful Spirits exhibition