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: John Barry

Stylish Things and Stylish People

Wildflower Meadow in Childers’ Park in Sept. 2023

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Memories, Memories

The hand of a master craftsman at work

Martin Chute’s mural is on my way to town so I stopped by often to document progress. One day as I observed Martin putting the finishing touches to his masterpiece, the lovely Anne Marie ORiordan passed by. She stopped to admire the artwork and she kindly posed for a photo with Martin. Anne Marie had fond memories of that back lane in the days before Listowel murals when she and her friends were caffling and having fun. She remembers the odd stolen kiss in the nearby carpark too.

Martin’s work will evoke memories for many.

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Mystery Solved

Joe Cahill did the research for us;

M.J. Reidy was a writer known as Mossien Tommy Reidy from Cordal. He passed away on 1988.

Joe found him on a site called Find a Grave where people are invited to share memories of the dead loved one.

Here is what a relative wrote about our poet.

From “The Claddagh” a family newsletter for the O’Flaherty Reunion in Fort Valley, VA, in May 2000.
Maurice J. Reidy, Poet and non-fiction storywriter.
Known as “Mossien Tommie” Reidy, this was a term of endearment to those around Castleisland, Co. Kerry, Ireland, where he grew up. He was a local sports hero while in the secondary school system and later his work was used in the school curriculum. He grew up near Cordal where both sets of his grandparents had lived. He was the son of Helen Flaherty Reidy and the grandson of Maurice Flaherty, the youngest brother of my great-grandfather, Daniel.
Declan Horgan, a retired school teacher from Tralee, some 25 miles away to the west, said that his writings were very good but his antics were just as meaningful to locals. He related two stories about “Moss” that we would find of interest. It seems when Mossien developed an interest in horse racing and began to trade and build his stables he had no “colours” for his jockey. Since this was more or less a “Landed Gentry” sport he was probably ridiculed. Since our cousin was a great athlete in his own right he had a friend on the All-Kerry Football (soccer) team. This friend loaned him the green and gold jersey and this allowed him to meet the “Rules of the sport”. Don’t believe Mr. Horgan said whether he won or lost that day but he won over 200 races in his shortened life.
Another story was: It seems in the medical system in Ireland, like England and Canada, one has to wait their turn for care, unless it is life threatening. It happened our cousin needed a hernia operation and while on a trip to Dublin, feigned a collapse on a downtown street where he was taken to the local hospital and they fixed his problem on the spot. Doesn’t that sound a great deal like Uncle D.C.? Later I ask his brother John if this was all true and he said, “It tis.”, as a big smile spread across his face.
M. J. Reidy was the author of the followingworks: Borders of Hope (1978), Borders of Joy (1975), First collection of stories (1978),
Mirror of Truth (1980), Rays of Cheer (1978),
(1979), Pleasant Holidays (1983), Shades of
Fancy, with Jacinta O’Manoney, (1981), The
Kerry Piper (1974).

From Mirror of Truth we include a small sample:
Ode to Poetry

Oh, you, the one true art from high
To mortal ever given,
Such sweet fond music from the sky
With jewelry of Heaven.
Your sacred light,
Keep blazing true,
When injured here below.
You tended, this life’s hospital,
With care, for pain and woe,
Your oil and wine will polish mind,
And brightly cheer alway.
And only refuge each one find,
To help all night and day.
Thy blush, one fond, true friend can find,
To speak the color of your mind.

I was fortunate to have read most of his work at the Trinity College Library while my wife, sister and niece were out shopping all day. It left me feeling a small portion of the loss his family must have felt in his passing. His sisters, Julia and Kitty, along with a brother, John, still live in the old Reidy homestead at “High Trees”, Glenlaran, Cordal, Castleisland, Co. Kerry. He left a son, Dan, and a daughter, Helen, as well as, six grandchildren. May he have eternal peace with our Lord and Savior.

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Last few Races photos

Clíona met up with Mary Ellen and Aisling

Anne met Bridget and Carmel

In John Kelliher’s photo are Imelda, Joan, Julie, Helena and liz, just some of the local Tidy Town people who organise what was always my favourite event of Race Week. These people have no part in the judging. That is done by fashion experts and a representative from An Taisce.

I didn’t go on Saturday this year because the weather forecast was for very bad weather. I stayed home, child minding. I depended on Clíona, Breda and of course, John Kelliher, for news of the day.

Playing This little Piggy with Aoife

This event is all about reusing, up cycling and making fashion sustainable. Vintage has now become mainstream so it was no surprise to me that a professional upcycler took the prize.

These are some of the finalists. Cathy Troth, second from right, came first.

The very stylish John and Viveca both won prizes, John was the best dressed man and Viveca came second in the ladies’ section.

Here I must give a shout out to local girl, Maria Stack. Maria is a dedicated upcycler and reuser. She is a great supporter of this competiion. She has entered it every year since it first began. She not only wears the vintage outfit but she sources gloves, bag and other accessories. This year she wore a beautiful tara brooch which was a prize won by her mother. She always has the provenance of her attire and she has the best stories. Every year she makes the final but she just can’t win.

Another stylish lady who just can’t win is my friend, Anne Leneghan. This year she was too late to be considered.

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A Fact

Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

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WW1, Kilflynn and St. Mary’s Listowel 2014



A Picture paints a thousand words




Ronan McGreevey snapped this during yesterday’s game.



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One of the fallen







JOHN BARRY.

Rank: Private. Regiment or Service: Irish Guards. Unit: 2nd Battalion.

Age at death: 22. Date of Death: 17-March-1917. Service No: 7579.

Supplementary information: Son of Bridget Barry, of Knockanune, Newtownsandes, Co. Kerry. Grave or Memorial Reference: V. H. 6. Born in Listowel, County Kerry.

Enlisted in Listowel, County Kerry. Killed in Action. Cemetery: Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery in France.

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That was then; This is now



Scribes


MacMahon House 

Glamourous

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Kilflynn IRA

Kilflynn IRA

1922 Flying IRA Column

Front (L to r); Terry Brosnan, Lixnaw, John McElligott, Leam, Kilflynn, Danny O’Shea, Kilflynn, Timothy Lyons (Aero) , Garrynagore, Tim Sheehy, Lyre, Pete Sullivan, Ballyduff, Paddy Mahony, Ballyegan, Battalion O.C.

Back (L to r); Denis O’Connell, Lixnaw, Stephen Fuller, Kilflynn, William Hartnett, Mountcoal, Tim Twomey, Kilflynn.

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St. Mary’s Parish Church, Listowel August 2014


St. Mary’s Parish Church, Listowel is an absolutely beautiful church with very striking mosaic work in the sanctuary and some beautiful stained glass windows. The recent work on the floor has enhanced it even further. In my opinion, our church is now a new visitor attraction and worthy of asking tourists to make a detour to visit. It is, of course, primarily a place of worship and in that regard is a peaceful and prayerful place.

This is the piece of tile work that marks the recent refurbishment of our local parish church.

Just a bit of work remaining to be done in the adoration chapel.

section of  tiling

I was thrilled to see this. Wheelchair users are welcomed with their own designated places, centralized in the congregation. Well done to whoever is responsible for this.

border by the wall
entrance to the reconciliation room
The sanctuary with new ramp

Beautiful work of integrating the new ramp

Detail on the tomb in front of the altar

beautiful old mosaic tiling
entrance
door handle
centre aisle

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This is an old very poor quality picture of the men who worked on the last refurbrishment.

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Words fail me!



An internet picture of Rory McIlroy with the claret jug at Old Trafford. A word in your ear, Rory …If this outfit was chosen by a stylist, sack him. If you chose it yourself, get a stylist.

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Stolen

This is Ruby. She is 12 years old and useless for breeding purposes. She is dearly loved by everyone in Kennedy’s Pet Farm. She and several other more valuable animals and birds were stolen from the farm on Friday night last.  Ruby may be dumped when the thieves realize that she has no sale value. If you see her, please contact the Gardaí or the heart broken family in Kennedy’s Pet Farm.

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