Listowel Connection

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: library

A Minute of Your Time, Listowel Courthouse Plaza and Turf Cutting

By

On January 31, 2020

In Uncategorized

Walking in The Regional Park, Ballincollig in January 2020

<<<<<<<<



St. Bridget, Muire na nGael




These are actually Wren boys but in the same tradition of mumming Biddie boys traditionally came round at the feast of St. Bridget on February 1 bringing with them a Biddy or effigy of St. Bridget.

Her cross woven from rushes was thought to protect against fire.

There was an old proverb that predicted good weather until St. Patrick’s Day

Gach re lá breá ó mo lást amach

<<<<<<<<<<<


The Courthouse Plaza in January 2020


Listowel Courthouse

New seating in front of the courthouse

Arás an Phiarsaigh with new planting in the foreground

Listowel Public Library

New planting and seats outside the library

<<<<<<<<<

Another Kerry Winner in Dublin this Weekend




<<<<<<<<<



More Photos from my Book Launch

From Dunmanway, a friend from my schooldays, Elizabeth McCarthy

We three; with Geraldine O’Connor and Bridget O’Connor

Jerry and Annette

Hannah Mulvihill

Helen Lane McPhillips

The best neighbour and friend any one could have, Helen Moylan

Helena Halpin and  Sheila Horan

Jimmy Deenihan

Jimmy Hickey

Joan Kenny

Joe Murphy


John and Tina Kinsella


>>>>>>>>

Definitely not Lyre


Remember this poor man cutting turf. I posted this photo last week and I didn’t know on what bog it was taken.  I got this response from Joe and Kay in Lyreacrompane.

Great photo Mary but not Lyreacrompane. Bord na Mona cut only machine turf in Lyreacrompane and also the horizontal style of sleán cutting was never used in Lyre.  The Lyre style is displayed by Kate Ahearn from California in this photo. Kate and her father Bob had discovered their roots in Lyreacrompane and while on a visit, a few years ago, joined our annual Dan Paddy Andy Bog Walk which always includes a chance to try out cutting turf in the old style.

Joe and Kay in Lyreacrompane


Sextons, A Minute of Your Time and a Writers’ Week memory

By

On January 30, 2020

In Uncategorized

Kerry County Library, Listowel Branch

<<<<<<<<<

Changes at Sextons

This well known William Street facade is changing. The overhanging canopy is gone.

<<<<<<<<<


More Photos from St. John’s at the launch of A minute of Your Time

A lovely former pupil and now teacher herself, Julieaane Galvin.

Support from the North Cork contingent, Breeda, Margaret and Gael

Kay Landy

Keelin Kissane, former pupil and chair of the Dublin Kerry association

Anne Darby and her nephew, Killian Cogan

Lily Nolan

From Kanturk, a stalwart of Kanturk Arts Festival and friend, Lisa Egan

Lisa Whelan

Liz Dunne

Madeleine O’Sullivan

Máire Logue

Margaret O’Connell

From Galway, my old friend, Margaret O’Sullivan

From Kildare and Castlelyons,  a loyal friend, Margo Spillane

Doreen came from Ballyduff to buy a book for her sister in England

Marie Lucid

Mary Catherine Sheahan

Mary Dillon

Mary Fagan

Mary and Mairead meeting Cora

Another old friend and former colleague, Mary O’Connor

Clíona’s Kildare family who now regard Listowel as their second home, Tony and Mary McKenna

<<<<<<<


A Writers’ Week Memory


I’m still welcoming memories or photos of Listowel Writers’ Weeks past. Here his a lovely memory all the way from sunny South Carolina

I’m Robert Koch, the husband of Maeve Moloney of Skehenerin. We are retired and live in Columbia, South Carolina. I read your Listowel Connection regularly, as does Maeve, and she explains to me all the details about people and places in her beloved Listowel. 

I want to relate to you my fondest recollection of Writers Week. We attended Writers Week events in the 1970s and 1980s during our visits with our two sons to Maeve’s parents from our home in Washington D.C.  My fondest recollection relates to a conversation Maeve and I and the children had with the well-known, now deceased, Offaly-born, professor and literary critic, Vivian Mercier. 

During the 1960s in NewYork I had met and studied under Professor Mercier, but I had not seen him again until his appearance at Writers Week circa 1980. The moderator who introduced him mentioned that Dr. Mercier had retired from his professorial position with the University of California at Santa Barbara and that he and his wife, the well-known Irish novelist and author of children’s books, Eilis Dillon, were living in London and Dublin.

 At the conclusion of his presentation, I reintroduced myself to him and introduced him to Maeve and our sons.  Much to my surprise and pleasure, he actually remembered me! We talked for several minutes about our lives, and he was very much the friendly down-to-earth conversationalist with Maeve and the children. 

I then remarked how the climate in Santa Barbara was so lovely-warm and sunny- that I wondered how he could have possibly abandoned living there. At that point his demeanor changed. He became very professorial, pointing at me with his index finger, and he said what I have never forgotten and have been ever heedful of since: “Yes, but what about the intellectual climate.” “Enough said”, remarked Maeve, and we all smiled, talked for a few minutes more, and then parted.

The Gap, Bridge Road, Recognising Drowning

By

On May 7, 2018

In Uncategorized

Christopher Grayson is a man whose photographs often grace these pages. One of the other strings to Chris’ bow is running.  In this great photo he marries both hobbies. He took the photo while he was taking a rest from running in The Gap of Dunloe.

Sonia O’Sullivan was delighted to meet Chris when he ran the Cobh Marathon, named in her honour, recently.

<<<<<<<<<<<


St. John’s

An early summer 2018 picture of this Listowel landmark.

<<<<<<<


A Rare old Library Photo

Denis Quill sent us this photo of the old library in The Bridge Road. The photo was taken from the church steeple.

<<<<<<<<




<<<<<<,



A Timely Warning about water safety


Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is a secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled before speech occurs.

         Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale or call out for help. 

When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.

         Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.

         Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. 

Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.

         From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response, people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs. (Source: On Scene magazine: Fall 2006 page 14)

This doesn’t mean that a person who is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble — they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long, but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, reach for throw rings, etc.

Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:

o   Head low in the water, mouth at water level

o   Head tilted back with mouth open

o   Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus

o   Eyes closed

o   Hair over forehead or eyes

o   Not using legs

o   Hyperventilating or gasping

o   Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway

o   Trying to roll over onto the back

o   Appears to be climbing an invisible ladder

So, if a crewmember falls overboard and everything looks okay, don’t be too sure. Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look as if they’re drowning. They may just look as if they are treading water and looking up at the deck. 

One way to be sure? Ask them, “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all, they probably are. If they return a blank stare, you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them. And parents — children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you need to get to them and find out why.

<<<<<<<

UCC Social Science class, Scully’s Corner, some happy boys and a festival of everything seaweed related

By

On March 31, 2015

In Uncategorized

This group of local social scientists is pictured at their conferring ceremony in UCC.  My collaborator did not give me a year.

Front row. Cork UCC staff. Far right Paddy Drummond, —–? Fr Michael Galvin.

Middle Row L-R; Garda ?, Robert and Olive Pierse, Eileen Larkin, Mrs Sheahan, Mrs Walsh, Mrs Culhane, Mr and Mrs John Pierse, Pat Kennelly. 

Back Row, l-r; Garda ? , Bill Walsh, Michael Dillane, Pat Rochford, John and Jer Kennelly and Dan Keane.

<<<<<<<


Big Changes at Scully’s Corner

Broderick’s  is also now being renovated.

<<<<<<

Ellis Island



Little known fact:

Ellis Island is named after a farmer, Thos. Ellis who owned it
and used it for grazing animals. But when millions of people were arriving into
NY and creating all sorts of chaos, not only carrying diseases, the NY
authorities purchased the Island as an Immigration Station where people could
be “processed” before being allowed into the US. Prior to that the
people went to Castlegarden, in NY. Ellis Island opened in 1892 and it is said
that in 50 years 12 million passed through. There is a lovely Irish Balled
called “Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears” which tells the story of Annie
Moore, a 15 year old Irish girl who was the first to be processed on the Island.

<<<<<<



World’s Smallest Public Library?



My daughter snapped this in Bonn recently



<<<<<<<



Noreen O’Connell is a very proud Nana. She sent me these photos of her grandsons taken on St. Patrick’s Day 2015

8 year old Chris O’ Connell was busking in Castlebar on St. Patrick’s Day 2015 and 21 month Darren O Connor enjoyed a cone while watching the Listowel parade.

<<<<<<

Seaweed Festival

Ballybunion has come up with a great idea for a festival; the Wild Atlantic Seaweed Festival. This is what the organizers say,

“Ballybunion will be celebrating everything good about seaweed…from seaweed in cookery, in healthy living, in beauty products to soaking in the age-old tradition of our famous seaweed baths at the Wild Atlantic Seaweed Weekend on the 5th, 6th & 7th of June, 2015. Our weekend will also celebrate other bounty from the sea like our local Shannon Dolphin, periwinkles, mussels, oyster, fish and sea salt.”



<<<<<<





….days like this











Looks like the whole town decamped to the sports field on June 29 1953.

 In response to John Murphy, Margaret Ward identified a few more people.

“In reply to John Murphy(who I think is one of the Murphys of the Railway Gates), yes next to him is a Cahill but it is Maurice RIP. Next to Maurice is Paddy Mc Guinness, then an O’Mahoney from Charles St. (I’m not good on first names), next is Ned Boursin, an O’ Carroll from the Red Cottages, again no first name, then a Kennelly(Cloth Hall) who married one of the Harmon girls, who is also in that photo.”



<<<<<<<



Are you researching your Kerry Ancestors?



Here is a link to a great blogpost by Kay Caball outlining what resources and records are available to you:

Researching your Kerry Ancestors

North Kerry Reaching Out

By

On September 21, 2011

In Uncategorized

We had a meeting of North Kerry Reaching Out last night and we have made massive progress already.

We have a committee in place with Ger Greaney as the chairman.

Our website will be up and running shortly. This will link to the local websites in North Kerry.

Our Facebook page is under construction as I write.

Our first fundraiser is Ger’s Killarney Challenge

The first of our Irish night fundraisers will be held in The Harp and Lion on Oct. 14th.

If you want any more information about North Kerry Reaching Out or if you would like to be involved, email me at listowelconnection@gmail.com

I pass this lovely Listowel house almost every day and it was only very recently I learned something of its history. 

It came about like this. I belong to one of Listowel’s book clubs. If you’d like to join us, we meet in the library in Listowel on the first Tuesday of every month. We discuss the book of the month and then we often fall to discussing other books we have read.  One of our members had read a book called The Midwife. This lead to a discussion of changed practices in this sphere of medicine. Listowel once had several lying in hospitals, sort of cottage maternity homes and this house, pictured above was one of them.

Was any of my readers born here I wonder? I’d love to hear any stories anyone has to relate on this or any matters relating to Listowel in the past.

Page 2 of 2

Previous

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén