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: Kissane Gathering

Kissane Gathering, Some old ads and Listowel Post Office today.

Someone brought his tiger to the beach again.

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From Time Travel, Kerry




Bridge Road, then and now.

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Back to 1960


Kay Caball kept this programme from 1960. It was great value for two shillings. It is full of little interesting tidbits for the local historian.

I am fascinated by the language of the advertisements. Is there such a thing  as a Draper’s Shop any more? My late mother served her time for 7 years in one such shop. If you told her the size of your window she could cut your curtain material ready for you to sew. She knew the “secret” price marking system so that she could calculate the discount for the regular customer.  She wrapped and unwrapped everything in brown paper and tied it up before returning it to the shelf. If she had a spare minute (which was seldom) she had knitting at the ready out of sight of the customers. There was a men’s side and a women’s side in Crotty’s of Kanturk (that is where she worked). She never ventured to the men’s counter except as a customer.

It seems now like another era.







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Kissane Gathering….the schedule


This is what Eamon Ó Murchú writes:

“The Kissane Gathering is commencing on Friday 7th August with a banquet in the Listowel Arms Hotel when up to three hundred people, from home and abroad, gather to celebrate their Kissane connection. The Gathering continues on theSaturday with the launch of the family tree by Eileen Walsh, from Ballybunion.  This will also take place in the Listowel Arms Hotel.  Later on the same day we will have the celebration of Mass for the Kissane descendants in Ballybunion.  The Gathering concludes on the Sunday  (9th)with the “scattering” in Coolahan’s bar in Tarbert.  Further information about the Gathering is available from Eileen Walsh, 087 981 7053.

It is my pleasure to hold a photographic exhibition to mark and celebrate the Gathering.  The exhibition will contain ninety photographs of the Kissane family – thirty from each of the three branches of the family, Kilcox, Kilgarvan and Lacca.  Some of these photographs date back to the 1800s and early 1900s, and is, a remarkable and valuable family archive that I have been collecting and editing for the past two years.

This exhibition will be on display before and after the Gathering.  It will be launched by Minister Jimmy Deenihan on Sunday, 2nd August at 19.30 in the Gallery of the Horse Shoe Bar in William Street, Listowel.”

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Listowel Post Office Then and Now


At the left in this photo are the remains of the two telephone boxes. These were later blocked up completely.

Today’s much smaller post office in the foyer of Garvey’s Super Valu

John Kelliher photography,Convent closure and Ballyduff O’Donoghues

John Kelliher took these great photographs of the final mass in the convent chapel. When he posted them recently on Facebook they brought back many memories of another era when nuns and convents were part of everyday life in Ireland. Alas, no more.

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Photobombing giraffe



Joe.ie got  this great photo from a Dublin couple whose photo was photo bombed by a fellow with a hard neck.

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Ballyduff O’Donoghues








If you have Ballyduff O’Donoghues on your family tree this is a great blog to follow:

Ballyduff O’Donoghues

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On the street




I met Mary Sobieralski in Main Street with her German visitors, her son, Mark and his girlfriend, Sabrina

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Something to Look Forward To


The  Kissane Gathering weekend is planned for 7th, 8th and 9th August. Jerry Behan who is a Kissane descendant is opening a new gallery at the Horseshoe in time for the event. A Photographic Exhibition of Black and White Kissane photographs will be displayed in the Gallery the week leading up to and including the Gathering weekend. This exhibition is being prepared by Eamon O’Murchú formally from Listowel. Eamon’s mother was a Kissane.  Some of these photographs are from as far back as the 1880’s. The Launch of the Photographic Exhibition will be the weekend before the Gathering. 

Everyone is welcome to walk in and view the photographs as the Gallery will be open everyday from 12 o’clock.

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That Match!



Great match, shame about the result.  John Kelliher was there and he got some great photos. Here are just a few. View the rest on his page by following the link above.

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