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: Killarney Page 4 of 6

Killarney, an Oyster Drill and alas poor Gaeilge!

Birds at the feast   photo by Chris Grayson

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Killarney


I was at The Malton in Killarney to meet up with some old friends and I took a few photos while I was in that corner of the tourist capital of Ireland.

If ever there was a symbol of Killarney, it has to be the Jaunting Car.

“Jaunt” is a word that has fallen out of favour of late.

 This magnificent tree is at the entrance to the Outlet Centre.

 The Franciscan Friary is a beautiful church.

 I had never spotted this before. It is located opposite the Friary and just off the roundabout.

Look at the three very different architectural styles in this corner.


Killarney possesses great natural beauty but its built environment is a bit of a mish mash.

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Interesting Fact I learned from Ethna Viney in Saturday’s paper



On the rock where I fish there were bairneach (limpet) shells with holes and the contents not fully eaten. I found out that the holes were made by the oyster drill. How long have these molluscs been living in Kerry?

Fin Broderick, Listowel, Co Kerry

The oyster drill is an alien, invasive species that came in to oyster beds with imported Pacific oysters, and is found all around the shallow parts of the bays of southwest Kerry.



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A window display for the week that’s in it

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Lost in Translation



There is a blogger who calls himself the Geeky Gaelgoir. He is amused to see the mess some people make of translating even the simplest of phrases.

This week our geek found a cracker. You have heard of the US slogan Black Lives Matter. It grew out of anger at what seemed like the undue haste with which certain police officers fired their weapons if the suspect was black.

A counter movement was started by the right wing and they called their movement Blue Lives Matter. I can only suppose that it is because so many US police officers are Irish American that someone thought it would be a good idea to have this slogan printed in Irish on a T-shirt.

The huge irony arises from the use of words to describe colour in Irish. For instance there are two words for green, glas and uaithne, glas is used for organic things like féar glas and uaithne for things like a flag, brat uaithne.

But our ancestors perception of colour was different to ours and the Irish for a grey horse is capall glas.

Gorm is the word for blue. We are all familiar with súile gorma.

But remember our ancestors different perception of colour, so black people in Irish are daoine gorma. Our friend with the blue line through his shamrock is actually supporting black lives.

Since his slogan is gibberish anyway, I dont think anyone will get it.

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A Wet Sunday on the Island


Racing went ahead despite the showers and winds. This is Danny Mullins with Kylecue who won The Kerry Group Steplechase for the third time.



Clouds gather over a not too busy Bookmakers’ ring.

Solitary horse in the parade ring during a heavy shower on Sunday Sept 10 2017

From Tanavalla to Pittsburg, O’Connell’s Avenue and Gapo’s

Photo: Chris Grayson

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Down Memory Lane in The Seanchaí


Jimmy Deenihan gathered some old Tanavalla neighbours, a few cousins and assorted GAA friends to meet and greet Mary Kay Marince, daughter of Tom O’Donoghue of Tanavalla and Pittsburg. Tom was a great GAA supporter and a friend to any Irishman who found himself in Pittsburg and called into The Blarney Stone. Mary Kay was in Kerry with her two daughters for the Rose of Tralee Festival 2017.

Old friends, Peggy Brick, Junior Griffin and Kathleen McCarthy.

Mary Kay remembers her father and his love of Kerry in general and Listowel in particular.

Junior regales the Florida Rose with tales of her card playing grandmother.

Elizabeth meets the next generation of old neighbours, the Sheahan family of Listowel.

Elizabeth Marince with James Sheahan.

Elizabeth with Nora Sheahan, who lived beside the O’Donoghue’s in Coolnaleen and who visited them in Pittsburg.

Elizabeth’s Rose escort was a Donegal man. He came to Listowel to be part of her homecoming.

Elizabeth with her cousin Mossy Molyneaux.

Lots of Cousins and friends

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O’Connell’s Avenue 1961  or ’62


Noel Roche shared this one a while ago.

Included in the photo are:

Noleen Reidy, David Roche, Giggs Nolan, Pat Galvin. Seamus Fealey, Timmy Nolan, Sheila O’Connor, Jeremiah O’Connor, Mikey Hayes, Paddy Gunn, Anita Gunn. 

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Gapo’s of William Street




This restaurant has been doing business in Listowel for a while now. 

Recently it was featured in Listowel Food Fair’s Facebook page and here is what they wrote.

“From one of the world’s most ancient nations, to a North Kerry town at the heart of rural Ireland. The journey for Gapo’s begins far away in Armenia where Head Chef Artur Gabrielyan comes from. Born and raised near the country’s capital Yerevan one of Europe’s most exuberant and endearing cities, Artur was born into a family steeped in food culture. All family both immediate and extended were involved in cooking, his grandmother Nvart was the head village Cook, the lady who villagers called on whenever there was a cause for celebration; birthdays, christenings or weddings. Nvart would gather her crew, usually several other village women all great cooks they would get together and feed the party. Creating hearty feasts of their country, sharing dishes and great times. Having grown up in this environment, it’s not surprising that Artur chose a career in food, although it didn’t begin that way. 

Living in Yerevan in the late 1990s, Artur closed the business he was running largely due to the unrest around him, the city had remained in turmoil since its break from the Soviet Union in 1991. He felt a life away from his homeland was the best option for his future. Initially planning on heading to Sweden with his friend, this didn’t work out and he found himself in Ireland. His first experience of Irish culture was watching Riverdance while still living Yerevan, the iconic dance performance captured his imagination and planted Ireland in his conscious. 

On arriving in Ireland, he first came to Dublin and shortly afterwards arrived to Listowel. It was here he found his feet and began taking English classes that were being offered at the time to residents in the town looking to learn the language. While doing these classes, a local woman Sue McKenna who noted his talent for food, introduced him to Mario Del Alessandro who took him on as a chef. And so, began a 16-year career at Casa Mia’s Ristorante further up William Street. 

Not only did he find a job, he also met his wife Liene Druka who worked as a waitress at the restaurant. Liene had arrived on a gap year from college with her friend, a native of Tukums Latvia, she spent a year at Casa Mia’s before returning to college to complete her studies. Once her studies finished, she was back in Listowel and remained working at Casa Mia’s until the birth of their first son in 2007. Following on from that she worked locally in both Ballybunion and Listowel until 2016 when the couple decided to open their own restaurant. Spotting a demand for something different in the town, while also having the opportunity to create Armenian style dishes, Artur and Liene took over the property on William Street formerly known as Mai Fitz’s. Opening on May 11th, 2016 they have made their mark as giving a unique dining experience in the town. While there are several Lebanese style restaurants located on the east coast, close to Dublin, to find an Armenia exclusive restaurant is tough. So, it may be possible that Listowel has the only Armenian Restaurant in Ireland! 

The creations at Gapo’s are uniquely Armenian with a reference to European cuisine. Artur and Liene offer an experience for their guests by taking them on a journey through the different countries by using food as their vehicle. The main characteristics of Armenia Cuisine are a reliance on the quality of the ingredients, the use of wheat in a variety of forms, of legumes, nuts, and fruit as a main ingredient as well as to sour food, and the stuffing of a wide variety of leaves. The Tabule dish for just €6 served as a starter on the evening menu is a great way of trying out the cuisine. 

And what does the name Gapo’s represent? Gapo is the name of Artur’s grandfather who without doubt would be very proud of the success his grandson has achieved here in Ireland. 

We have had a real adventure this week with Gapo’s and would like to thank Artur, Liene and their two beautiful sons Gabriel and Mikael for having us and sharing their Food Story.”

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A Killarney Celtic Cross


This magnificent Celtic Cross is situated in the town centre opposite The Haha in Killarney.


West Clare Railway; a Listowel Connection and Ballincollig Fairy Trail

In the Gap of Dunloe

photo: Chris Grayson

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Every Picture Tells a Story

This photo was shared on a site about old Dublin. It was taken in 1917 in the Dublin National Shell Factory and it shows women transporting shells to a storehouse.

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In a Clare Railway Station

This photo is in the archives in Co. Clare Library and this is the caption;

Kilkee Railway Station, Mary T. Hynes and Mick Lenihan from Listowel, the last station master of Kilkee Railway station photographed in the station.

The year is given as 1956 and the donors of the photo to the library are Ignatius Lenihan and Mary T. Hynes

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I’ve been away with the fairies


Many towns nowadays are pandering to the demand for dwellings for  the fairy folk. Ballincollig has a lovely small trail with fairy houses and fairy stuff galore.


This is th waterfall Ballincollig Regional Park. The Fairy Trail is nearby.


As in real life, so it is in Fairyland. Some fairy folk are rich and have lovely houses, some have to work hard, repairing wings and collecting baby teeth and some just put their names on a door and disappear.

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Third Generation Healy is a Front Page Photographer




This photo of the Irish Field front page was tweeted by Healyracing. They are so proud to see the legacy is secure.

Someone in heaven is smiling right now.

Heron, Listowel then, Killarney now and his friends celebrate the life of Fr. Pat Moore R.I.P.

This heron in flight was photographed by Ita Hannon


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(Text and photo from Seán James Healy on Facebook)

Two great servants of Listowel Emmets GAA Club holding the Sam Maguire in the Square in Listowel in 1979/80…….no greater honour than to see one of our own (Tim Kennelly aka ‘The Horse’) lead Kerry to the ultimate honours the previous September. You can see their pride beaming from their faces as these two great men saw him grow from a boy to a man ….from a young lad playing club football to a leader of the greatest inter county team in the country.

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William Street in the 1940s



Bill Hannon of Beale in town (Photo shared on Facebook by Bill’s grandson Liam O Hainnín)

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in Killarney



Bridie Murphy took this lovely photograph

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Ballybunion May 11 2017


As Mario worked away on his beach picture we gathered for songs, prayers and stories to remember Fr. Pat Moore

Fr. pat’s great friend, Sonny Egan told stories and even sang Fr. Pat’s song, Ballybunion town. A few short months ago Fr. Pat and himself had great fun giving us this as a kind of duet at the launch of Weathering A Storm

Ballybunion Town

Two of his loyal carers, Sr. Kathleen Quinlan and his cousin Debbie.

Donie, Mary and Trish were part of the organising team.


Sr. Kathleen read a poem he loved.

Oliver Plunkett, Killarney, a great escape and a few St. Vincent de Paul Volunteers



Festive bike outside Eleanor’s Flowers in Tralee


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Blessed (now Saint) Oliver Plunkett

I came across this recently. It’s a relic of a relic; “a piece of linen that touched a relic…”


This prayer for his canonisation worked.


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Killarney, Christmas 2016

Killarney looks very Christmassy this year.

This is a brilliant idea. They have used the old phone kiosks to house defibrillators.

The key to access the life saving device is housed in a little box with  glass door.

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Smart Boys


26 May 1877 Freeman’s Journal



CLEVER ESCAPE FROM A BRIDEWELL. An incident of a novel nature occurred

at  Listowel on Monday, in connection with the cleverly planned

escape from the bridewell. A lad named Mulvihill, aged 13 year, had

been convicted about five months ago at Tarbert Petty Sessions, of

stealing a dog, and sentenced to five years in the Upton Reformatory.

On his removal, after leaving Tralee gaol, he succeeded in giving the

gaol officer the slip, and managed to elude the police until last

Saturday, when he was apprehended at Ballylongford, and lodged in

Listowel bridewell preparatory to being sent back to the reformatory.

His younger brother, aged about 11 years, visited him on Monday, and

while in the cell with him the prisoner exchanged clothes with him ;

and thus disguised, he was allowed to pass out by the official, who

naturally believed he was the brother who had passed in some minutes

before. The mistake was of course soon discovered.  but the escaped

culprit had a good start, and has not been recaptured. The brother is

kept in custody, having been remanded to next petty sessions.

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Listowel Humans




Christmas is a busy time of year for these ladies, Kay, Nancy, Hannah and Eileen. I met them at the BOI Enterprise town expo but they are usually to be found with their fellow volunteers in the Second Time Around shop in William Street or at bingo or Meals on Wheels at The Plaza or out visiting and quietly helping the less well off at Christmas time and throughout the year. 

They are the salt of the earth.

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Seán McCarthy’s Christmas



Christmas is often a lonely time for someone who has lost a life’s partner. Seán McCarthy puts it sadly and poignantly in this old song which I photographed from an old book among Junior Griffin’s treasures.






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Thomas F. O’Sullivan Update



Mark Holan contacted me to alert me that he has recently updated his blogpost about T.F. O’Sullivan of Listowel.


UPDATE:

I heard from Vincent Carmody of Listowel, a local historian and author. He writes that Thomas F. O’Sullivan and his book are not forgotten. Story of the GAA received at least five mentions in The G.A.A., A People’s History, a 2009 book by Mike Cronin, Mark Duncan and Paul Rouse.

Carmody continued:

When in Listowel, [O’Sullivan] was the driving force, both as a player and administrator of the local G.A.A. club. He later served as an administrator at both County and National level of the Association. He is credited with the proposal of Rule 27, of the G. A.A.s rule book. This came into force in 1902 and it read, ” any member of the association who plays in any way, rugby football, jockey or any imported game which is calculated or injurious affect our national pastimes, is suspended from the association” . This rule was commonly known as, The Ban. It was for a long time rigorously enforced, indeed in 1938, the then President of Ireland, Douglas Hyde, was banned from the G.A.A. , for his attendance at an International Soccer match in Dublin. The rule was deleted in 1971.

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