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: Listowel Writers’ Week Page 2 of 5

Listowel Food Fair 2019, Ballyeigh a Sculpture from Fear na Coillte and Early Morning at YABF 2019

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On November 15, 2019

In Uncategorized

Listowel Food Fair Sunday Fair in The Listowel Arms

Sunday November 10 2019. You could start the day with some delicious crepes.

When I reached the ballroom there was already a big crowd gathered.

This lovely lad offered me samples of Brona chocolates from an array of flavours that made choosing very difficult. They were delicious.

I remembered this man and his lovely wares from last year. He had some absolutely beautiful churches and farm scenes.

Pat Murphy of Woodford Pottery is constantly adding to his range of practical and stylish pottery. His beautiful stable at Bethlehem is still my favourite.

These Glin girls had some lovely animal pictures and jewellery .

Healthy food products like Kefir were on offer.

Orla sold out all of her delicious confectionery. They say we eat with our eyes. This display was as artistic as it it was mouth watering.

Doughnuts seem to be really popular recently.

This stall was selling cute and unusual ornaments.

This man won a prize for his vegan honey. Someone who knows told me that vegans don’t eat anything that dies. This honey was not made by bees.





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Shillelaghs at Ballyeigh


(photo and text from Facebook)



Faction fighting in Ballybunion

Did you know that the shillelagh, or Irish blackthorn walking stick, was actually a murderous weapon used in highly structured, regularly scheduled fights (called faction fights) between families, gangs, communities, and tribes, in which people – both men and women – fought to the death? Faction fighting was a phenomenon unique to 19th century Ireland. Factions were armies of country people, numbering hundreds or even thousands, armed with shillelaghs, stones, and, occasionally, with swords and guns. Their battle grounds were fair greens, market places, race courses and frequently streets of towns and villages. Many people were killed and scores wounded in the most famous encounters.

One of the most memorable faction fights took place on June 24, 1834, at Ballyeigh Strand, near Ballybunion, on the Feast Day of St. John the Baptist. This Holy Day traditionally served to commemorate the occurrence of the longest day of the year. Over 3,000 people, including the Coolens, Lawlors, Blacks and Mulvihills, went up against each other, and when the skirmish was over, 200 lay dead.

Anything could set off a faction fight; conflicts over non-payment of dowries, fights over succession to property, long-standing grudges or simple pushing and shoving at a previous fair.

Faction fighting was first reported in 1805 in County Tipperary. Coincidentally, the last recorded faction fight was also in County Tipperary, in a place called Cappawhite, in 1887.

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What a craftsman!



Will Fogarty, Fear na Coillte, sculpted this hiker using chainsaws for the Rhododendron Walking Festival  in Tipperary. This 8ft. tall man is carved from locally sourced oak.

What a talent!

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Young Adult Bookfest 2019


Close to 1,000 second level students flocked to Listowel Community Centre yesterday for Listowel Writers’ Week annual young adult event. Here are my first few photos of the day.

Early morning Listowel Pitch and Putt course November 14 2019

Catherine Moylan, chair of Listowel Writers’ Week is one of the first to arrive

John Kelliher making his way to the centre

The hall is being prepared.

In the carpark, Liz, Rose and Jim are directing traffic. A great day is about to begin.

Listowel in Summer 2019, Changes at Writers’ Week and a Tarbert picture revisited

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On August 5, 2019

In Uncategorized

 Lovely Listowel Pub

Tanker’s Bar on Upper William Street

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Entente Florale Entertainment



On the day the adjudicators were in town, while watching the entertainment I met my old friend, John O’Connor of Tralee who was working in town.

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Treoir magazine

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Máire’s Last Day



The end of an era for the dream team; Eilish Wren and Máire Logue who managed so many successful Writers’ Week festivals are pictured in their office in Kerry Writers’ Museum on Máire’s last day in the job before she moves on to pastures new in St. John’s Arts and Heritage Centre.

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Meanwhile in Tarbert, a reenactment



And here it is the photo you have all been waiting on… 34 years later!! Josephine, Kenneth and Thomas have recreated the photo. Remembering Derek always RIP x

Picture and caption from Tarbert.ie

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Old O’Connor House at Curraghatoosane



On July 30 1019, we, Listowel people were allowed to visit the site of the old cottage unearthed during excavations for the new bypass.

The house was a thatched cottage of mud construction and it stood on this site until the 1950’s. We know from the census that 6 adult people lived there in 1911.




There was great interest among local people to see and hear how people lived in the 1800’s

Shards of pottery were uncovered, probably plates and bowls.

The archeologist told us that this design is Scottish.

Paddy Keane remembered that olive oil came in phials like these.

This is what remains of an Infant of Prague statue.


The artefacts included a thimble and some buttons. The daughter of the family was a dressmaker, according to the census.


Mosaic Artist, A Listowel Style Icon and a Hurricane in 1961 Remembered

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On August 1, 2019

In Uncategorized

Schiller in Listowel’s Garden of Europe, July 2019

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Because I’m Worth it…….

I bought myself this absolutely gorgeous mosaic piece from a visiting artist in residence in Olive Stack’s Gallery. The artist is Diane Mendelson and here we are, happy customer and happy artist.

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Listowel Writers’ Week Bids Goodbye to Máire Logue


It’s not really goodbye. More like,  “See you in a minute.” Máire’s new job is across the Square in St. John’s. The vibrant Listowel Arts scene is not losing this massive talent at all.

July is not a good time of year for farewell parties. Despite so many people being on holidays, a goodly crew turned out in The New Kingdom on Friday evening, July 26 2019 to give our darling girl a great send off.

The lighting wasn’t very good for photographs but here are a few that look half okay.

A final hug from Catherine Moylan, Chair of Listowel Writers’ Week for departing Festival Manager, Máire Logue.

David Browne had many kind words to say in praise of Máire

Eilish Wren and Normalla Moriarty

John McGrath

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In The Small Square

All of Listowel’s people seem to pass through the Small Square at some time during any given day. I met Damien Stack and Christy Walshe there one morning last week.

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Stylish Eilish Living up to her nickname

Eilish, looking gorgeous as always stepped outside her place of work for my photo.

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Hurricane Debbie


Vincent Doyle, formerly of Listowel, wrote;

Hi Mary,

               With your knowledge and connections of Listowel I wonder if you know anyone who remembers Hurricane Debbie that hit Ireland in 1961.I was working in Maloneys garage in Market St.when it hit Listowel ,I remember the back wall of the garage was blown down and slates flying off the roofs of the shops opposite. It was scary at the time as we never witnessed anything like that before.

                            Hope you can find someone with a better  memory than me as I was only 17 then.        I also want to thank you once again for your wonderful blog.

                         All my best wishes.        Vincent Doyle.

I decided to write to Kay Caball (formerly Moloney of Moloney’s garage ) to see if she could shed any light on this destructive weather event.

Kay replied;

Mary, I only vaguely remember it myself, looking out the window at it.  Didnt know anything about the garage but I would say Vincent Doyle is right.  It was Saturday 16th Sept 1961 and 16 people were killed (none in Kerry)  according to the Kerryman 23 Sept 1961.  See the snips from that Kerryman attached.  


Ballybunion in March, St. Patrick’s Day 2019 in Listowel, Marconi remembered and Masked Ball in 1919

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On March 27, 2019

In Uncategorized

Róisín Darby playing in the foam churned up by the gale in Ballybunion on March 17 2019

When any of my family visit, a trip to Ballybunion is always part of the adventure.

March 17 2019 and Ballybunion is skinning cold.

Yes that is a man wearing only swimming trunks swimming in Ballybunion on March 17th 2019.

Molly loves the beach.

 The family huddled together for warmth until they grew accustomed to the wind chill.

It was all fun  and games in the foam but one little lady wasn’t wearing wellingtons.

Molly had to endure a freezing cold bath before she could get in the car.

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Remember Pól ?



It’s always lovely to meet an old friend. Pól used to teach Irish in Presentation Secondary School a while back. He now lives in Tralee and works in Killarney.

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Watching the Passing Parade








Many people braved the cold to come out and watch the parade

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December 12 1919  : Kerry News


Dance held in Listowel, most enjoyable for many years. Catering by Kidd’s of Limerick and music supplied by Seaward’s band. Masks were removed at 1 O’Clock and dancing in ordinary costume till morning did appear.

Thanks to Messrs. D W Judge, Bank of Ireland, the hon Secretary and R Sweetman the greatest possible credit is due for the energetic manner in which they principally worked up the pleasant event and made it a success it was. Thanks also due to Messrs Jack Rice, sub manager National bank. Killeen, Bank of Ireland and E Boylan. While the ladies category. Mrs Foran, V.C. P.L.C. and Mrs Sweetman, also Mrs Crowley, Mrs Leane and the Misses Buckley, etc.

They also had electric light.

(It was remarked that most of the patrons were Sinn Feiners, but there was some small irresponsible element mentioned).

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Marconi Centenary

On March 19 2019 Ballybunion remembered it’s role in communications history.


Jed Chute and Martin Griffin were there to represent the role of the Lartigue Railway in this piece of history. Martin and Jed told me that all the components for the broadcasting station were brought to Ballybunion on the monorail. All the components that is except the generator.

Because the Lartigue was a monorail and the passenger and goods carriages were balanced on either side of a central raised rail on trestles, a delicate balancing act had to be performed at embarkation.

The generator for the Marconi station was too heavy to put on the train so it had to be brought by road. It was too heavy for the road as well and it got bogged down at Dirrha. Steel girders had to be got and these laid across the road to reinforce it. These reinforcements had to be taken up after the load had passed over them and relaid in front of the lorry.

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Winners alright



Listowel had great success at the recent Irish Hospitality Awards 2019.

Jumbo’s won the award for the best family restaurant. Jumbo’s is a Listowel institution. If you grew up in Listowel no trip back home is complete without a trip to Jumbo’s. Curry chips and stuffing anyone?

Máire and Catherine picked up a highly commended award for Listowel Writers’ Week, another Listowel institution.

Tennis in the Rain, Advice for Emigrants and Discount shops in Listowel

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On February 8, 2019

In Uncategorized

Glenbeigh

Photo: Chris Grayson

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Rain Didn’t stop Play

I have a kind of policy of not naming anyone if I can’t name everyone. So you’ll have to enjoy seeing yourself and your friends in Danny Gordon’s photos from 1987.

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A National Treasure


This artefact is from the National Treasures collection. It reminds of a very different world in the 1950s and 50s

“A Catholic Handbook. This little booklet measuring 9cm x 11.5cm, which cost sixpence highlights a very different Ireland. Published in 1954, the handbook was drawn up because “economic difficulties especially the scarcity of work in counties like Mayo, Kerry and Galway have caused boys and girls to leave homes in Ireland and seek a living in the land across the water.” When I took up my first teaching post in Roscommon in 1974, it was part of the library in the school. I was given the responsibility to sort out the school library and when I found this document, I decided to keep it because it speaks volumes about Ireland at a certain period in time. You wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry reading it but when I first read it, I recognised its historical value. In many ways, it was sad that it was a reference book in a school library where many students would have emigrated from. It gives insight into the loneliness, isolation, and fear of emigration in the 1950s. On arrival in England, the book advises that one of the first things you should do is look up the local parish priest.”

Thanks to Eileen Fahey

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Listowel’s Discount Stores

Price Savers closed on Saturday February 2 2019. It is another in a long list of discount stores to come and go.

Meanwhile I had started a debate as to where this one was located. Let me tell you that my super sleuth a.k.a Cathy Healy, remembered the shop well because it was there she spent all her communion money on fancy paper, pencils and toys.

Others weren’t so sure and thought it was on Church Street at Bunyan’s, the location of the old NCBI shop.





A look at both shops today confirms Cathy’s conviction. I think people confused Crazy Prices with Wisebuys.

Emma McElligott spent a euro or two in Crazy Prices and she remembered it well at the corner of William Street and Market Street in the old Paul Shanahan’s shoe shop. Years later she ran into the people who used to run it at a fair in Curraghchase

Just to be sure to be sure, Cathy contacted Mary Buckley who was a good friend of Sheila McCormack, daughter of the owners, Tess and Jerry McCormack and she confirmed what we knew by now…definitely it is the premises that is now Horan’s Healthstore. It was run as a discount store by Nora Hannon after the McCormack family and then as Walsh Bros Electrical before Horan’s Healthstore

By the way does anyone remember “Tis only a pound”?

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Lyreacrompane Memories






Lyre emigrant, Liam Murphy sent this poignant email

Hi Mary, 



Thanks once again for your Listowel Connection Blog so great as usual, nice to read and see the different items from home. In the “Lyre 1956”,  photo of the opening of the new church. In the front row kneeling 3rd from left , that’s me, notice on  left sleeve the black diamond in memory of my mother who had passed away Sept 5th 1956. Back then and I don’t know when the custom ended, the male family members wore it for twelve months as I recall after a family death.

Thanks again, have a great year. Liam (Bill).

That black diamond that Liam refers to seems to have fallen completely into disuse. So too the wearing of headscarfs by women and skull caps by young boys.

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All Good Things Come to an End



Wednesday Feb 6 2019 saw raw last of the Literary evenings hosted by Listowel Writers Week in The Rose Hotel Tralee. The super star guest on this occasion was the spoken word poet, Stephen James Smith. It was a lovely intimate session where this honest man revealed much of himself to as as well as delivering some of his poems in his own inimitable style. Great night! Another triumph for Listowel Writers’ Week.

 

Stephen James with the writers Week gang, Mary Cogan, Catherine Moylan, Máire Logue and Seán Lyons

Eilish, Sinead and Bernie were working hard promoting Listowel Writers Week.

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