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: Lizzy’s Little Kitchen Page 2 of 3

Handball and Brightening Air, William Street and Newtownsandes Creamery and Some Writers’ Week Windows

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On June 9, 2021

In Listowel, Listowel Writers Week, Schools

Listowel Town Square, May 2021

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Another on on the Move

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Listowel Handball Alley June 1 2021

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Brightening Air

Ten Days of incredible arts experience in surprising locations June 11 to 21 2021.

Listowel’s turn is on June 18 and our surprising location is the handball alley. We are part of In the Magic Hour series of dance and interview events in handball alleys around the country. Only a limited number will be able to attend the free event because of Covid restrictions but we can all see it online on June 19.

In tandem with these arts in the alleys events Coiscéim sent a project manager around the country collecting the story of handball in Ireland. My appeal encouraged a few people to talk to her and share their stories and over the next days you will be seeing lots on Listowel Connection about handball and handballsers.

Junior Griffin has compiled a history of hand balling in Listowel and most of the information that follows if from Junior.

It would appear that the site for the alley was given by Lord Listowel and the alley built in the early years of the twentieth century. The front wall of the alley is part of the big bridge. Wire netting was placed on top of this wall to prevent the ball going out on to the road above. The side walls had a railing on top. This railing was part of rail track of the `Lartigue. The Lartigue closed in 1924 so we can assume that the ball alley was built shortly after.

In a message written for the match programme to celebrate the opening of Frank Sheehy Park on May15th 1960, Seamus Wilmot, Registrar of the National University of Ireland, wrote ” When I recall the Listowel I knew before the First World War, two places come immediately to my mind, The Ball Alley and The Sportsfield….

They were the only two places where we enjoyed freedom, unrestricted in the case of the Alley, conditional as to the Sportsfield….”

This newspaper story tells us that the court was upgraded in 1954.

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Newtownsandes Creamery staff

Old Newtownsandes creamery staff

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Some Writers’ Week Windows

The theme of the children’s festival was Out of This World

Matt Mooney’s poetic tribute to the late John Lynch beautifully illustrated in Lynch’s Coffee Shop window.

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I was Forest Bathing

It was great to be part of a live event at Listowel Writers Week 2021. Forest bathing was badly named on this occasion because we weren’t in a forest and we weren’t bathing ins the usual sense of the word.

We were in Listowel’s Garden of Europe and we were bathing in the feast for the senses in this beautiful spot.

We were “high on our own supply”, mindfully concentration on our 5 senses and letting nature heal us. This was a guided experience and most enjoyable and renewing even if I was well outside my comfort zone.

Saturday June 5 2021 Guided Forest Bathing in Garden of Europe as part of Listowel Writers’ Week 2021.

Feeling Creative after my treat for the senses I wrote this little poem

A Sense of Place

I am in Kerry, a carpet of green and gold before me.

I am in Europe, Schiller and all that is best in Europe to my right.

The Holocaust and all that is worst in Europe to me left

All around me is all that is most beautiful in Nature

Forty shades of green to see,

Birdsong to listen to

Scents of flowers

A taste of summer all around

Here I can touch all that is beautiful in Creation.

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Exciting Times in Pres. Primary School, Listowel

Girls from the Presentation Primary School were delighted to be invited by the office of the Minister for Education, Ms Norma Foley to be involved in the launch of the BLAST initiative for schools. This took place on Friday June 4th in Listowel.The girls had a lovely experience and enjoyed their chat, while remaining socially distanced, with the minister. It certainly looks like an exciting programme for schools, one which the Presentation Primary Listowel will certainly be participating in.

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Listowel Connection First with the News!

Straight from the horse’s mouth

I met Lizzy slaving away to be ready in time for the grand opening. She really really really hopes to open in Church Street on June 15 2021. The extra good news is that she will have outdoor seating for 40 patrons in her new place. Lots of food related news from Church Street lately, all good.

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The Blackthorn, Home Guards and A Lost Child

By

On June 7, 2021

In Listowel

St. John’s, Listowel on a quiet Covid Sunday in May 2021

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The Blackthorn

A Blackthorn Stick photo by Paddy Fitzgibbomon

I have noticed that you often don’t hear or think about something for ages and then suddenly it seems to be everywhere. It was like that with me and the blackthorn stick.

Paddy sent the picture and then everywhere on my walks I seem to see the snow white flower of the blackthorn in every ditch. It is interesting that the blossom of the blackthorn is snow white and the blossom of the white thorn is pinkish white.

Blackthorn blossom in Childers’ Park in May 2021

The fruit of the blackthorn is the sloe. It is sometimes made into wine.

Whitethorn blossom in Childers’ Park in May 2021

The fruit of the white thorn is the haw, good food for the birds. Thew bush is also known as the hawthorn.

According to Joe Kennedy in The Sunday Independent May 30 2021 the blackthorn is beloved of fairies and fighters. In the 19th century it was cultivated and honed as a weapon According to Kennedy the root was dug, seasoned in warm ashes, pickled in brine and rubbed with oil. A writer named William Wright claims that a magpie was shot and its blood used to polish the cane until it became ‘glossy black with a mahogany tint.” That last bit sounds a bit farfetched to me.

The blackthorn stick was the weapon of choice of faction fighters and it features widely as a weapon in the serial battles between the Cooleens and the Mulvihills in the 19th century.

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Lizzy is Moving

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Early Potatoes

Raymond O’Sullivan grew some early spuds in Newmarket.

Here is what he says about them.

Home Guard, developed during World War ll in the Dad’s Army days, and now the most popular ‘early’ potato in Ireland. Planted on the 1st March, digging 92 days later on the 1st June. Just about ready – you must take the little potatoes with the big ones.

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Resting, Remembering and Waiting

This piece of creative writing comes to us from Marie (Nelligan) Shaw of Listowel and the U.S.

St. Patrick’s Day, Lizzy’s, Tae Lane Cinema and a Look back at previous parades

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On March 15, 2019

In Uncategorized

Lower William Street

 Lizzy’s Little Kitchen where our celebrated TV chef runs a popular eat-in and take away business. This is one of Listowel’s many culinary attractions.

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A Cinema?



This building in Tae Lane was once a picture house. Listowel then had several cinemas, dance halls and places of entertainment.

You know the way sometimes in the theatre they warn you that your seat has a “restricted view” and you find yourself behind a huge pillar or other obstruction. This little cinema had just that…seats with a restricted view. There was a bend in the lane and the building was built around the bend so people sitting in this corner had to lean out a bit to see the screen. All part of the charm, I’m sure.

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St. Patrick’s weekend


Just to get you in the mood for our national holiday here are a few photos from previous years. Some of these are from overseas friends of Listowel.

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Celebrating Marconi




This event will be amazing! Fair play and all the best wishes to everyone involved. 

Ballybunion was very busy, exciting and ahead of it’s time too, 100 years ago!

On Tuesday the 19th of March Princess Elettra Giovanelli, daughter of Marconi and her son Prince Gugielmo Marconi will visit the former site of the Marconi Radio Station on the 100 year anniversary of the first spoken word from East to West from the Radio Station to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia Canada. In the afternoon they will unveil a commemorative plaque to this historic occasion in Ballybunion.
On March 19, 1919 Guglielmo Marconi made the first radio wireless voice transmission across the Atlantic. And he did it from Ballybunion. 100 years later, there is a commemoration of this historic event in the Irish College, Ballybunion. If you have ever used a radio, then you are enjoying the work of this man. Mark the date: March 19, time 9.30 – 1500

Events include presentations, demonstrations exhibitions , as well as the unveiling of a plaque to commemorate the event, by Prince Marconi (Guglielmo’s grandson). The presence of the Marconi family is a great boon.

The Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopter is expected to drop in for photos too!

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Calgary Tower




Barbara Watts sent us this photo to show us what Calgary Towel will look like on Sunday

Remembering dead soldiers, a U.S. visitor and Listowel Food Fair 2018 and Young Adult Book fest 2018

By

On November 21, 2018

In Uncategorized

Painting: Sharon O’Sullivan shared on Facebook

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Remembering Dead Soldiers


Church of Ireland folk were way better than us Catholics at centralising their war dead in their churches. Even though we held the same belief that there was something holy about giving your life for your country, we tended not to celebrate the war dead in our churches but in public monuments and memorials.

 In St. Mary’s in Killarney

 in Macroom, Co. Cork

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A frequent Visitor Returns with family


Conor and Samantha with Mike Flahive of Bromore when they visited the cliff walk.


Patty and John Faley love Listowel and North Kerry and they visit often. On this visit they were accompanied by their son, Conor and his girlfriend, Samantha. 

The Florida visitors suffered a bit in our cold weather but all in all the holiday was a success and here are the photographs to prove it.

 They stayed in MacMahon House and Patty took this photo from the window.

 Listowel Castle

Main Street

St. John’s

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Listowel Food Fair 2018



A highlight of the annual food fair is the Food Trail. The word is out that this is a super gig and on Saturday Nov. 10 2018 so many of us showed up for the trail that we had to split into two groups and take two trails. My trail went to Jumbos, John B. Keane’s and Lizzy’s Little Kitchen. Both trails started in The Listowel Arms.

Lots of local ladies enjoyed the food trail.

Patrice set us all off to  great start at The Listowel Arms.

In Jumbo’s Damien served us some delicious burgers. He buys his poultry from Larry Buckley so very few food miles here.

The lighting in John B.’s wasn’t great for photographs but the food and the craic were mighty. Now John B.’s is not a place known for its food but for Listowel Food Fair 2018 Billy enlisted the services of local chef, David Mulvihill, so, ironically, in a premises not known for food we got some of the best food of the trail. While we munched, Billy entertained us with his “Atin House” story. Such was the generosity of our host that everyone in the pub, regardless of whether they were on the food trail or not, was treated to some delicious Leah’s black pudding on apple purée.  Then we washed it all down with some delicious craft beers….all part of the deal,

Like last year’s trip to Mike the Pies, the pub stop proved to be the surprise hit of the day.

It was no surprise that Lizzy Lyons served us up some delicious fare in he little kitchen restaurant. Rice pudding is her family’s comfort food of choice for generations.

She also served us Bailey’s hot chocolate. This was new to me but I’ll definitely be having it again.

Here is Lizzy after a hard day slaving in her restaurant on Saturday Nov. 10 2018.

Here is Lizzy later on the same day. She is all dressed up for the Gala dinner at which she received a well deserved local food hero award.

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Older Adults at Young Adult Bookfest 2018


Writers Week helpers, Jim Dunn, Eilish Wren, Sinead Mc Donnell and Maria McGrath

Ensuring the day ran smoothly were Bernie Carmody, Eilish Wren, Catherine Moylan, Mike Lynch and Rhona Tarrant.



Above Listowel and below Tralee teachers

Paddy Drury, a tree creeper and a Food Trail

By

On November 15, 2017

In Uncategorized

November…a time for remembering

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A Fascinating Little Bird

Chris Grayson who is one of the best nature photographers I know snapped this little tree creeper. Isn’t he well camouflaged.

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Paddy Drury’s Epitaph


The late poet, Paddy Drury, was renouned for
his witty verses about other people. His tongue was caustic and many a one in
his time felt the lash.

Probably his best known lambast is his unjustified criticism of the lovely people of Knockanure.

Knockanure both mean and poor

Its church without a steeple

Hungry hoors looking out half doors

Criticising decent people.

Paddy composed his own epitaph

Here lie the bones of Paddy Drury

Owing their size to Guinness brewery

However, one of the good nuns in the
Killarney home where he died prevailed on him not to have it engraved on his
headstone. Paddy agreed, maybe because he was well aware that there was no
money there for a headstone anyway. However when a band of his friends, under
the leadership of  John B. Keane
collected enough to erect a gravestone to Paddy and the Drury family, they kept
to the usual conventions in these matters and put a more respectful and
dignified inscription on it.



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A Few Late Tourists Still visiting us

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Listowel Food Trail 2017

As part of Listowel Food Fair we took a trail around the town on Nov 11 and we stopped to sample some appetising fare at eateries along the wayWe started our trail at The Listowel Arms Hotel

The bar was set very high with lots and lots of delicious nibbles on offer. Like the bad sprinter who bolts like a greyhound out of the traps and then finds that there is nothing left in the tank for the last stretch, I ate way too much here. We had five more stops on our tour and I was beaten already.

On we soldiered to Allos

Here we settled down in the very comfortable back lounge while Armel told us the story of the food we were about to eat. I tasted friand for the first time.

In Café Hanna at John R.’s we had some delicious savoury and sweet treats

Our next stop was Mike the Pies and I told you all about that on Monday’s post

Then we strolled down William Street, well sated at this stage but we still had Jumbos, Lizzy’s and Gapos to come.

Damien served us turkey burgers and tacos. His butcher, Larry was on hand to verify the provenance of the ingredients. If you thought Jumbos was just beefburgers and chips you’d be wrong. This visit was an eye opener for me.

Lizzy is now a nationally acclaimed cook and her restaurant is one of the most popular in town. Food here was top class.

Lastly we went to Gapos. This is one of my favourite restaurants so I knew the food would be good. It was lovely to meet the chef and hear his story as well as tasting some of his native Armenian dishes.

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V.I.P in town on Friday




Colm Cooper will be signing copies of his autobiography in Woulfe’s Independent Bookshop at 5.00p.m. on Friday next November 17 1017

And

A little birdie told me that Mickey MacConnell will be one the Late Late Show with his ballad of Lidl and Aldi.

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