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: Listowel Military Tattoo Page 2 of 3

Listowel Military Tattoo 2015 and the launch of Teampall Bán, the book

Date for the Diary



Listowel Military Tattoo 2015. First schedule for 2015 unveiled.

May bank holiday weekend. Friday May 1st to Monday May 4th.

The story so far!

Friday May 1st:

‘military forces’ move in and occupy listowel.
Author and BBC military historian James Holland arrives as our special guest for the weekend.
Military vehicle owners and groups roll into town.


Saturday May 2nd:


Living history park
Military reenactors and airsoft groups displays.
Military vehicle displays
Garda Siochana displays
WWII battle reenactments
‘military patrols and checkpoints’
Wreath laying ceremony with various veteran associations, foreign embassies and dignitaries.
Armed forces representatives.
Flypasts
Military historian James Holland will give a talk on the D-DAY landings
Evening entertainment in town square- details to be announced soon.


Sunday May 3rd:


Living history park with military camp, vehicles, reenactment and airsoft groups. Militaria stalls and displays.
WWII battle reenactments
‘military patrols and checkpoints’
Street entertainment
Military history lectures to be finalised
Sunday night in the listowel Arms Hotel:
1940s hangar dance with the fabulous BombShell Belles and ‘frank Sinatra’ all patrons attend in full military uniform or vintage civilian dress, optional but preferred.


Monday May 4th:


Military forces withdraw from listowel and normal life returns!

ITS GOING TO BE A TRULY AWESOME SPECTACLE!!!

………………………

Here are a few photos I took last year just to get you in the mood;

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Fundraising in gratitude






This is Brenda Doody. Many Listowel people will remember her from when she ran a beautician’s in Church Street or will have attended one of her boot camps.

Benda plans to run 12 marathons in 8 months. She is doing this to fundraise for a charity close to her heart. Mercy Hospital, Cork

Brenda’s husband, Pat , had oesophageal  cancer. He was treated in the Mercy Hospital, Cork. After a regime of surgery, chemotherapy and radium therapy, the Doodys feel that they are coming out the other end of a dark tunnel.

Brenda wants to give something back. You can contribute to her fund HERE

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Teampall Bán Book Launch

I missed the launch by Listowel Tidy Town Committee of John Pierce’s eagerly awaited book on the Famine in North Kerry. The book is a huge contribution to the history of this era in this part of the world.

I scrounged a few photos to share with you.

Historians, John Pierse and Paddy Waldron

John is giving the proceeds of his book to the local Tidy Town Committee. Here he is with some of his fellow volunteers on the night of the launch.

Kieran Moloney, John Pierse and Hiram Wood

A section of the large audience in St. John’s

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Changed




The top of Patrick’s Street in 2010 and last week

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15 minute set down



Jimmy Moloney’s proposal of one free one hour parking in Listowel was shot down but we are being given 15 minutes free set down time. Small victory.

Knockanure, Pres. Class of 1994 reunion and Mary John B. on TV

Knockanure, Corpus Christi Church is 50 years old

This photograph from The Kennelly Archive was taken on April 21 1964 at the opening and blessing of the new Corpus Christi Church in Knockanure. The flat roofed building was a triumph for one of Ireland’s best known architects, Michael Scott. It was regarded as a break with traditional church architecture and a modern fit- for -purpose design. The minimalist nature of the furnishings and the absence of the usual embellishments was not to everyone’s taste at first but over time people have grown to love their iconic place of worship.

The following photos and accounts were collected and shared with us by Jer. Kennelly.  Jer. has done future generations of Knockanure people a great service by photographing and collecting so much of their history. He took more photos of the celebrations on Friday night which he has shared with us and I will post later in in the week.

Above is the old church.

The Old Church in Knockanure predates any
Dominican arrival. However, the evidence in most of these refuge sites is that
the friars lived like secular clergy and worked in the churches near to the
houses of refuge. The administration appears to have turned a blind eye to secular
clergy. Their particular interest was in breaking the religious orders. The
main reason for this is that the religious orders were international
organisations and open to continental influences contrary to the policies in
Westminster. In Creggs, Milltown, Donore, Castlewellan, Sixmilebridge,
Ballingaul, Longwood, Swords, Malahde, Thomastown, Killyon, Rathcabban, Boula,
Mount Mary, Castlelyons & Kilcommac the friars were living and dressing as
secular priests at that time – there is no reasonable explanation as to why
Knockanure alone would be the only one that was different. Their poverty would
have necessitated work in the area and, whilst it is possible that they never
worked in the chapel at Knockanure they would certainly have worked in other chapels
in the area as incumbents.

The arrival in Knockanure was probably at the
invitation of the Stack family but sadly there are no documents to tell us
anything about what was happening or how the friars arrived there or why
Knocknure was chosen. The friars were also in possession of a house near Spa
but the likelihood is that the bishop of Ardfert wanted help in more remote
places of his diocese during those troubled times. The redundant friars of
Tralee would have been a welcome help in the years between the Puritan era and
the rebuilding of Catholic dioceses in the early 19th century. Sadly much of
this story remains a series of speculations as records do not exist and living
memory is long gone by now!

the altar: Corpus Christi Knockanure
church interior; Corpus Christi, Knockanure
the stations of the cross in Knockanure church.
local people at the church
people leaving the church
Knockanure church

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Raise a Glass to our class



The class of “94 in Presentation Secondary School, Listowel are about to reunite to celebrate and recall 20 years on.  If you are one of these girls expect a call from some old classmate and put Sept 13 2014 in your diary.

The event page on Facebook is here:  https://www.facebook.com/Pres.Listowel1994

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Didn’t she do well?



Mary Keane was a star for a week last week as she made two appearances on the silver screen.

Anne Cassin (pictured above) made a lovely Nationwide episode based on interviews with Mary and old footage with her beloved John B.

Mary and Billy were Ryan Tubridy’s guests on

The Late Late Show on Friday night.

Two lovely programme segments with a lovely lady as her chatty engaging personality which we all enjoy in John B. Keane’s was shared for a while with a wider audience.

The plays of John B. Keane are enjoying a revival at the moment with Sive just finished its run and Moll beginning a run in The Gaiety on May 27 2014

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Next Weekend sorted

Class reunion, Price savers and Listowel Military Tattoo 2014

Old school friends, Jean Kiely and Eileen Greaney spent some time reminiscing last week. They are planning a 50 year class reunion on the last Saturday in June 2015. They are hoping to have a celebratory dinner in The Listowel Arms on that evening. If you were in Jean and Eileen’s class in Listowel 50 years ago then get in touch with me and I will pass any enquiries on to Jean and Eileen.

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Blast from the past: These girls could be due a reunion too.

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New shop with a range of goods similar to Denmyr’s .

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Early alert for those who are organizing their summer diary

I’ll remind you about this again but it looks like we are in for a great weekend

Here is Fealegood’s video clip of last year’s festival:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXZYK9FXm2w

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This is a photo from the early days of The London Irish Centre. The Centre opened its doors in 1954. The photo was posted on The London Irish Centre Facebook page.

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Below is a short excerpt from a great essay by Frank McNally on the behavior of fans at Rugby matches 


“The exaggerated respect for kickers is of course admirable in its own right. My problem is its sheer hypocrisy in the general context. After all, in just about every other situation that arises in a rugby match, the home crowd is allowed – even expected – to influence the outcome, unfairly or otherwise.

They can howl in indignation at the slightest transgression by opposition players. They can make mock-nervous noises as a snow-capped ball descends towards the visiting full-back. They can cheer like small-minded begrudgers as what was nearly a brilliant, try-scoring move is ruined comically by a pass sailing over the head of the winger. All that is usually filed under “atmosphere”.

Home crowds can also intimidate referees. Or at least they have to try. A big theme of the run-up to last Saturday’s game, in fact, was Ireland’s historically difficult relationship with the English referee, Wayne Barnes, who was portrayed as a whistle-blowing microcosm of the 800 Years of Oppression.”

Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/making-an-exhibition-of-ourselves-1.1687785

An Post Rás 2013 in Listowel and an appeal for information on Browns

A friend took this lovely photo of the cherry tree lined drive near Killarney House.

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Eily Walshe from Ballybunion is looking for help with this branch of her family tree. She thinks that one of this family was a state solicitor or judge.

1.    Ellen Walshwas born
1855 in Meenanare, Duagh (twin sister of Sean Rua Walsh of Knockaclare) She
marriedDaniel Brown, son ofJohn Brown, in 1879
in Lixnaw her parish church as the family had moved to Knckaclare.  She lived in Listowel with Daniel her
husband. Daniel also had a brother Robert and I believe they were from
Listowel.

Children ofEllen Brown [Walsh]andDaniel Brown

i.

2.

Johanna Brownwas born
in 1880 in Listowel, Co Kerry and died on an unknown date.

ii.

3.

Ann Brownwas born
in 1882 in Listowel, Co Kerry and died on an unknown date.

iii.

4.

John Brownwas born
in 1884 in Listowel, Co Kerry and died on an unknown date.

iv.

5.

Margaret Matilda
Brown
was born in 1886 in Listowel, Co
Kerry and died on an unknown date.

v.

6.

Ellen Brownwas born
in 1887 in Listowel, Co Kerry and died on an unknown date.

vi.

7.

Edward Brownwas born
in 1889 in Listowel, Co Kerry and died on an unknown date.

vii.

8.

Mary Gertrude
Brown
was born in 1890 in Listowel, Co
Kerry and died on an unknown date.

viii.

9.

Christina Brownwas born
in 1893 in Listowel, Co Kerry and died on an unknown date.

ix.

10.

Daniel Joseph
Brown
was born in 1895 in Listowel, Co
Kerry and died on an unknown date.

x.

11.

Michael Francis
Brown
was born in 1897 in Listowel, Co
Kerry and died on an unknown date.

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Today is THE day

Here are some more of the children’s posters

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Digging up the streets again.

Road works in Charles St. and Upper William St.

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The Listowel Military Tattoo organisers travelled to The Curragh to do a bit of research.

Lartigue Museum official opening and Military Tattoo 2013

Some more photos of local people at the official opening of The Lartigue Museum on Saturday May 4 2013

Brendan Kenny whose family were railway people in Listowel for generations and Eileen O’Sullivan, retired librarian. Both Eileen and Brendan volunteer in the Lartigue Visitor Centre.

Cousins, Canon Declan O’Connor and Kay Caball with Mick Roche, a key figure in the restoration work.

Among the well known faces in the crowd are Christy Holyoake whose family were Lartigue people and Darren Enright who made the plaque which was unveiled.

Helen and Eddie Moylan.

The Griffin Family were out in force

Jack McKenna, whose generous donation was, according to Jimmy Deenihan, the main reason that the museum went ahead.  Jimmy himself donated all the proceeds from his book to the project.

Jack McKenna, as a child, was permitted to “drive” the old Lartigue. He is thought to be the only living person to have done so.

I shot a little snippet of video showing the large crowd who attended he opening;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk8nj73s7GA&feature=youtu.be

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Below is a link to Jer’s video from the Military Tattoo. He videod lots of the war materials, and other of the re enactors props.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq8WqDG3VJs&feature=youtu.be

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Some photos from Saturday’s wreath laying in The Square. It was a very moving impressive ceremony…a first for Listowel. I dont know who everyone was but there were representatives of The British  Legion, some US veterans, FCA, Fire Service personell and local volunteer first responders.

Local army reservists

Seán McKenna an army reservist at The Curragh meets Michael Guerin.

Tom Fitzgerald was taking photographs. Jimmy and the ambassador were every nice and co operative. No Billy Connolly tactics here!

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