Con Dillons in July 2023
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Big Changes Planned
According to a story in Kerry’s Eye, Listowel is due a windfall of €900,00 to bring “three transformational projects” to planning stage by 2024.
- The re-establishment of Listowel Town Square as the cultural heart and economic centre of Listowel.
- Positioning of Listowel as a hub of activity tourism in North Kerry
- Establishment of a state of the art enterprise centre space for remote working.
“The Public Realm Plan also aims to enable Listowel Town to transition to a competitive, low carbon, climate -resilient and environmentally sustainable economy.” John Kennelly, Listowel Town Manager.
Three more concrete parts of the plan are
Development of the Neodata site as an outdoor activity hub
Turn the Ball Alley into an outdoor performance space. (This is not part of the plan but I think that maybe when no one is performing there it could be used to revive handball)
Reimagining Kerry Writers’ Museum
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Bike Stands
Especially for the folk coming into town via our new greenway, but for local cyclists as well, bike stands are popping up all over.
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Memories, Memories
Eleanor Belcher’s story continues…
There were several families in the Small Square who were part of our ‘gang’ . Gertie Kennelly and I started school together. She cried so much that she was brought home for another year. Her father used to stand outside the shop and tell me on my way home from school that all my father had to do was to say ‘put out your tongue ‘ and ask for £1.
There were the Sheehy boys across the road who were very much part of our childhood. Jerry was the comic lover. The Galvins, Mercedes and Monty were at the Central Hotel with its ‘Erin go Bragh’ plaster relief. They had two older half brothers who lived in the USA and came home occasionally bringing amazing gifts for Merc and Monty. There was an icecream machine in Galvins and getting a cone from there was a huge treat.
There were not many cars , Mr Galvin had one similar to Mr McElligott. The road ran on the opposite side of St John’s church then. We played outside all the time, ball games and ‘picky’ and hopscotch on the footpath. . Rollerskating became very popular as we got to about seven/ eight and on halfday Mondays we had races along the main road. Maura Fealey was the star.! A picture of us rollerskaters appeared in the Kerryman and was used to illustrate a Kerryman book of photographs to capture the 60s which was published some years ago.
(Thank you, Dave O’Sullivan for finding the photo. And he found the other one referred to in the caption as well.)
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A Familiar Face in a Familiar Place
I ran into Kay Landy in The St. Vincent de Paul shop on Saturday July 22 2023. Kay was a stalwart of that shop and of the local Vincent de Paul society for years. It was lovely to see her looking so well. She was accompanied on Saturday by her daughter, Breda.
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A Fact
Greg Norman won the British Open Golf Championship at Tunberry in 1986.
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