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

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Coin Holder, The Sacrament of Confirmation, work at the library plaza and Writers’ Week 2019 draws nearer

Irish Wildlife Photography Competition Finalist

Pine Marten; Kenny Goodison

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Remember These?




This is a handy coin purse. They were given to customers to mark the introduction of decimal coinage. That was in the good old days when banks gave little nick nacks to customers, money boxes, calendars, diaries, pens etc. 

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The Swallows are late this year


Mike and Sue Nilsson are great supporters of North Kerry in general and Listowel in particular. They spend part of ever year here. It is their second home. They are back just in time for Writers’ Week and the visit of our President to present our Tidy Town accolade.

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Gifts of the Holy Spirit




The sanctuary in St. Mary’s with the Confirmation altar cloth

These gifts are in addition to the seven big ones…..wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. ..

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The Library Plaza

Lots of work going on here. I’ll keep you posted. You would never guess we are expectoing a very important visitor.

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Listowel Writers’ Week 2019



Nearly there now!

Maria, Sinead and Máire  took a minute away from their busy lives to pose for me as I waited for my Ard Curam concert tickets on Wednesday.

Listowel Writers’ Week 2019 opens in The Listowel Arms on May 29th. There is a great festival in store so get booking before it’s too late.

My friends were planning their week when who should pop by but Catherine Moylan , this year’s chair of Listowel Writers’ Week accompanied by Liz Dunn, last year’s chair. Who better to advise  one on the not to be missed events?

And then this happened…….

The Listowel Writers’ Week team won Gold at the Kerry Community Awards in Killarney last evening, May 16 2019.

Still More from Opening Night LWW 2018, Listowel Hospice fundraising and Edna O’Brien’s award

Photo; Graham Davies



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Three ladies who starred on Writers’ Week Opening Night, May 30 2018

 Catherine Moylan, vice chair of Listowel Writers’ Week was first up. She conquered the nerves and we all relaxed along with her.

 Elizabeth Dunne, in her final year of her three year stint as chairperson, played a blinder as usual. She has worked tirelessly at this job and it’s a tribute to her professionalism that she insisted on mastering the Irish bits herself. She could so easily have called on the services of a native but that’s not Liz’s way.

The star of the night was Edna O’Brien who received the Lifetime contribution to the Arts award. She was a worthy winner and proved a big hit throughout the festival.

The magnificent silver piece which is presented to the recipient of Listowel Writers’ Week John B. Keane Lifetime Achievement Award is designed and made by Listowel silversmith, Eileen Moylan.

Each year, Eileen designs a bespoke piece uniquely relevant to the recipient. The photos don’t really do this piece justice. It is engraved all round with the titles of Edna O’Brien’s books. 

Not only is the award a singular honour, much to be desired, but the silver trophy is a unique piece of Irish silverware, to be treasured and valued.

Photo by the official festival photographer, Ger Holland

There was to be another strong woman doing the official opening. Poet, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill was ill and unable to perform the task. In her stead, American poet, Billy Collins took on the job at short notice.

Billy Keane told us that, when he met the prince of Wales in Killarney, he did his bit in securing a really big name to open the festival next year. Wouldn’t Camilla be perfect for the role?

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A Few More famous and not so famous people who attended Opening Night Writers’ Week 2018 and a few lucky volunteers who were ‘working’ on the night

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Hospice Flag Day


I met these volunteers last week out collecting for the Listowel branch of Kerry hospice.

Cruinniú na Cásca 2017

Writers’ Week and The Seanchaí do Cruiniú na Cásca 2017



Monday April 17 2017 and we, in Listowel, were privileged to make a piece of history. We took part in the first annual Easter Monday 1916 commemorative event.

Photo: Eilish Stack

In the town park another piece of history was being made. The politicians were attending the official opening of the 1916 commemorative garden. I would have loved to be there as I have watched this beautiful space develop week by week and I really love it. 

I chose instead to go the literary route and take a walk by the river with Gabriel Fitzmaurice and other poets, singers and thespians.

We started at The Seanchaí. When I arrived at 10.45 the early birds were already arriving.

I was greeted at the door by Liz Dunne, chair of Listowel Writers’ Week and Máire Logue

Gabriel Fitzmaurice, our guide, was ready to start.

We started with a dramatic interlude from Vincent and Evangeline, two of the best interpreters of the work of John B. Keane, even though they are Limerick rather than Kerry actors. They are more Kerry than the Kerry people themselves.

There was a large and very appreciative attendance.

Owen MacMahon had the audience in the palm of his hand as we paused for a while on the bank go The Feale.

David Browne gave a spine chilling rendition of the songs of Carthalawn from John B.’s Sive.

 Even the younger members of the audience were enthralled.

We walked along the river walk and under the big bridge to where Mickey McConnell and Billy Keane were waiting to entertain us.

Then it was on to the Garden of Europe and more songs and drama. Evangeline and Vincent had us in stitches with a scene from Big Maggie. Owen sang a song of peace from Gary MacMahon.

At the graveyard, Claire Keane sang, Paddy MacElligott performed and a trio of singers and dancers entertained us.

On to the 1916 commemorative garden with its newly unveiled plaque.

Then back to The Seanchaí. Job done.

Parade of veterans April 30 2016 and a Few More photos from Kennelly at 80

Sunset at Beal, April 2016

Photo: Ita Hannon

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Scribes says Goodbye to Abraham Nur


Abraham with his boss and good friend, Namir Karim, on Abraham’s last day in Scribes of Church Street . April 30 2016


Abraham posed for a last photograph with the knitting group on Saturday.

Abraham has been the chef in Scribes for some years now. He is like a second son to Namir who not only gave him a job, but a place to live as well. Abraham’s happy cheerful presence will be sorely missed in Scribes, as well, of course, as his delicious dishes. 

He now moves on to the next phase of his life in The Brehon in Killarney. Best of luck, Abraham.

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Veteran’s Parade and Wreath Laying Ceremony at Listowel Military Tattoo 2016


The most solemn and moving part of the Military Weekend for me happens on Saturday with the march down Church Street of the veterans and the placing of commemorative treats at the memorial stone outside St. Johns.

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Kennelly at 80

As part of The Seanchaí and Listowel Writers’ Week tribute to Brendan Kennelly on the occasion of his 80th birthday, a celebratory concert was held in The Listowel Arms.

Mark Patrick Hedderman

Jimmy Deenihan

Barrett’s from Ballylonford and Ballincollig

Noel O’ Grady   (singing Mo Ghile Mear)

Elizabeth Dunne, Chair of Listowel Writers’ Week (reading Brendan Kennely’s Hope)

Mary Kennelly

Christy Kenneally chilling with Jimmy Deenihan




New Chair of Listowel Writers Week and The last photos from Ladies day 2015

Stag in Killarney National Park       (Jim McSweeney)

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Elizabeth Dunn, Newly elected Chairperson of Listowel Writers’ Week

The reason that this essay is accompanied by a photo of both Liz and Jim Dunn is because Jim, through his work on the Athea mural is well known to my blog followers. Liz is his talented and hard working wife. In taking on the role of Chairperson of Writers’ Week, Liz is cementing her love of Ireland and her love of literature as she (and Jim) continue to contribute to the cultural life of their adopted home.

Who is Liz Dunne?

Here is the answer in her own words

Seventeen years
ago Jim and I were house hunting for our retirement home in France. We had
taken our daughters on holiday there on a regular basis and the lifestyle,
language and culture appealed to us greatly; as did the slim possibility of
meeting past pupils from our former lives as teachers.

Today, I sit at
my desk being congratulated on my election as Chairperson of Listowel Writers’
Week for 2016. How on earth did THAT happen?

My background is
that of teaching; my first and only choice of career (apart from a brief desire
to be a ballet dancer or vet).

In search of
‘free’ accommodation, I took posts in independent schools in the U.K. As many
such schools provide boarding facilities for their pupils, most of my teaching
posts involved being ‘in loco parentis’ and residential. As a result, I lived a
kind of ‘Downton Abbey’ existence in many beautiful locations with gardeners,
handymen, cooks, cleaners, matrons and assistant staff. The only downside,
forgive the pun, was that my accommodation was ’ in lieu’ of the very demanding
job of looking after the children morning, noon and night on both weekdays and
at weekends. This of course involved annual agonising over dormitory
arrangements, staff rotas, evening and weekend activities and the inevitable
mountain of paperwork now involved. I could regale you with tales of my charges
and their many adventures but in this day and age I have to protect the
innocent (and the not so innocent) and I can’t afford to be sued!! I did toy
with the idea of creating a board game to enlighten those who think working in
a ’posh’ school is a wheeze, nothing could be further from the truth but I
loved it.

As the thought of
retirement loomed, Jim and I realised that our ‘Downton Abbey’ style of
accommodation was drawing to a close and that, never having owned a house, it
was time to start house hunting in France. Friends who had already purchased a
home here encouraged us to visit Ireland before we disappeared to France for
good.

We docked at
Rosslare on a grim February evening with a grumpy teenager and little idea of
where we actually were; not helped by the weather conditions that meant we
couldn’t actually see where we were!

Jim suffered
Guinness poisoning on the first night and the weather (like the teenager’s
mood) showed little improvement over the long weekend. On our last day we
ventured into Abbeyfeale and casually looked into the window of Jerry Flynn,
saw a cottage, went to look at it, fell in love, put in an offer, had the offer
rejected, realised we were dealing with a different currency so upped the offer
and won ownership of our ’forever’ home (I did all this whilst Jim still
suffered. It wasn’t until three months later that he actually set foot inside
the house!)

In 2009 with both
of us facing yet another mountain of paperwork and stress as we each faced yet
another school inspection, we decided enough was enough and decided to retire
to Ireland permanently.

Going from a very
busy life to the quiet of the Irish countryside was marvellous for us both but
it wasn’t long before I needed an outlet. We had left family behind in the UK
and our beloved daughters had both moved to Switzerland. I needed to be needed.

Suffice to say
that the annual invitation for volunteers by Listowel Writers’ Week that
October tempted me, filled the void and the rest, as they say, is history.

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Ladies Day at Listowel 2015

The style at Listowel Races on Ladies Day 2015 was such that I had to drip feed it in here over time. Here are a few last photos I took later on on the day.

It is in the nature of a day at the races, that one wanders about mixing and mingling with different sets of friends. Inevitable that means that I have taken some people more than once in different combinations. It does not denote any favoritism on my part.

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The late Garda Kennelly of Moyvane



A few weeks ago I told you about the tragic drowning while on duty of  Garda Michael Kennelly of Knochanure in 1934.

Garda Michael Kennelly is featured in the
‘Gardai 1930’ photo, seated extreme left. He hailed from Newtownsandes
(now Moyvane) Co. Kerry and lived in Aillebrack with his wife Alice
McHale-Kennelly. He was killed ‘on duty’ in January 1934 when he and
his colleague Sergeant Forde, were returning to Maam Garda Station
after escorting a female patient to Ballinasloe Mental Hospital. On
driving through Galway the hackney car in which they were travelling
left the road and entered the River Corrib at Woodquay. Garda Kennelly
was drowned along with the others in the car.    (Clifden 2000)

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Newly refurbished and ramped Plaza




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Listowel’s newest shopkeeper




In the centre of this photo is Katie Heaton, flanked by her grandmother and father. Katie opened her new shop, Kerry Wool, in Main Street Listowel on Monday October 12 2015. The shop will sell knitting and sewing supplies as well as hand knit garments. In opening this shop, Katie is following in the footsteps of her grandmother, who has years of experience in the knitting yarn and craft business.

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