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: Mallow

A Morning in Mallow

By

On November 11, 2024

In Listowel

Photo; Chris Grayson in Killarney National Park

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This Week in Listowel Family Resource Centre

If you are interested in any of these groups, here is how you can contact the centre

Facebook page: Listowel Family Resource Centre

Phone: (068) 23584

Ballygologue, John B Keane Road, Listowel, V31 EC62

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In Mallow

A benefit of producing a book is that it has got me out and about and reconnection with family, old friends and new. I met Eileen Vaughan in Mallow, a lovely lady who will recognise a few faces in Moments of Reflection.

I visited the Church of the Resurrection, which is the newer of Mallow’s parish churches.

This church was designed by J.R. Boyd Barrett and completed by the Cork building firm of Daniel Hegarty in 1969. It cost €150,000. It has had a few upgrades since but its original design is remarkably innovative and practical.

The lady who gave the diocese the site is commemorated in a simple plaque.

The church is very big. It has a capacity of 1,000. It is build in a fan shape, with no side aisles so that everyone in the congregation has a clear view of the altar.

I couldn’t find any account online of where the stained glass was sourced but the theme seemed to me to be resurrection with depictions of the risen Christ appearing to various cohorts of disciples.

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A Date to Save

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An Ancient Stone

This is on the outside wall of Benners Hotel in Tralee. Does it really date back to 1656?

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She’s Nearly There

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Listowel Food Fair 2024

I’ll be posting my Food Fair pictures later on this week. The Fair ends gtodcay and it wax a great success.

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A Fact

The very first London Underground station was officially opened at Stockwell, South London in 1890

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On the Road with Barbara

By

On August 24, 2022

In History, Listowel

Grotto in O’Connell’s Ave in August 2022

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Mallow Train Station

I snapped these recently in the train station.

Here’s a random question for people who travel by train. Have you ever thought that the man who recorded the announcements in Irish sounds very like Gabriel Fitzmaurice? “Táimid ag teacht isteach i nGabhal Luimní. Seachain an bearna le bhur dtoil.”

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Round Ireland Trip

Part 3 of Barbara Kissane’s coach tour

On the 7th day of this trip was the start of my 10 day tour titled, The Wild Atlantic Way Experience.    Ireland is an addictive place to visit-beautiful, stunning and with ever-changing scenery.

Slea Head Drive
Cows at Ballyconry

We stopped off at the oldest licensed distillery in Ireland-Kilbeggan.   We did a tasting! 

We drove to Athlone and the River Shannon to Galway City.   The start of viewing incredible landscapes, dramatic coastlines, villages and cities.  Full of charming people waiting to give us the warmest welcomes.

Galway

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In Kildare

Bord na Móna head office in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. The Listowel Connection here is that my son in law and his mother both work for Bord na Móna

Beautiful utility boxes in Kildare Town. Wouldn’t they look good in Listowel?

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Won’t be long Now

Senan and Sadhbh took a minute away from the festivities at their aunt’s wedding to look out the window of The Listowel Arms at Listowel race course.

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A Fact

Someone asked me where I am getting these facts from.

The source is a book called Trivia for The Toilet, a book for the bog.

Sorry you asked?

Today’s fact; When Bugs Bunny first appeared in 1935 he was called Happy Rabbit.

In case you are thinking that I should have left that “fact” book where I found it, I Googled today’s fact and here is what it says in the Looney Tunes site

Happy Rabbit is the name sometimes used for an early rabbit character from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series who evolved into the Warner Bros. cartoon studio‘s most famous character, Bugs Bunny. Created by Ben “Bugs” Hardaway in 1938, the rabbit first appeared in the short “Porky’s Hare Hunt“.

Like most of the other Looney Tunes characters, the rabbit was voiced by Mel Blanc. The name of the Bugs Bunny prototype was not used publicly until Blanc spoke of Bugs’ origins in a 1970s interview, though there is some doubt that it was ever an official name.

(So maybe not quite a fact, but near as dammit.)

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Mallow and More

By

On May 6, 2022

In Ballybunion, Listowel, Schools

At Scoil Realt na Maidine, April 2022

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In Mallow

Recently I made a brief pit stop in Mallow and I photographed a few landmarks there.

Mallow clock House
The Nation

Mallow is a strange mix of architectural styles.

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Big Changes in Town in 1920

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From the Pres. Yearbook 2002/03

School staff 2002/03

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Moya Festival 2022

Let’s go fly a kite

Up to the highest height.

This was the scene in Ballybunion on the Saturday of the May bank holiday weekend 2022. MOYA goes from strength to strength.

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Danny Hannon’s Shop

This was Hannon’s newsagent’s and book shop back in the day.

It’s now Gamourous.

I told you the other day that I bought my Frances Kennedy cd in that shop.

Mike Hannon is sharing marvellous old photos on Facebook. This is one of those, Eileen and Danny in the shop.

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Raceweek, Duagh and Mallow

By

On September 20, 2021

In Ballybunion, Duagh, Listowel

Photo; Chris Grayson at St. Mary of the Angels, Beaufort

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St. Bridgid’s, Duagh

Beautifully detailed colourful window behind the high altar

The windows and stations of the cross were donated by local families and emigrants.

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Betty McGrath’s, September 2021

Few people loved race week as much as Betty McGrath. She loved the style, the excitement but most of all the days out with her beloved family and friends. This year, 2021, Betty’s daughter Grace has pulled out all the stops to dress a window that Betty would be proud of.

Sadly, Betty passed away before Raceweek 2021.

May her kind soul rest in peace.

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Clock Home, Mallow

Sept 2021

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Snámhaí Sásta

Friday Sept 10 2021 was International Suicide Awareness Day and this lady, June Curtin, is working hard to raise awareness of the tragedy that is suicide. .

June joined the Ballybunion Dippers sea swimming group in an event to highlight the therapeutic benefits of sea swimming.

The very well supported event was a huge success.

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Culture Weekend

Last weekend, Sept 17 to 19 2021 was a great weekend in town for it included an International Storytelling Festival, Poetry Town events and a free concert.

Oh and Listowel Races opened on Sunday too.

Friday evening was the opening night of the storytelling festival. Two very sketchy “nurses” were on hand to make sure Covid regulations were observed.

This storyteller is Colum Sandes and his story was graced with music and mimicry.

Maria Gillen was the bean an tí. She kept the show rolling, singing songs and telling stories.

Maria with Jimmy Deenihan who was dividing his time between the Poetry Town events and the storytelling.

Our own Frances Kennedy was one of the star turns. For me she also had the best line of the night. She said we were all so tired of Covid restrictions that “a straw would pull us out the door now”.

The audience loved Gabriel Fitzmaurice heart-warming anecdotes and poems.

On Sunday morning a crowd regrouped at Kerry Writers’ Museum for some very interesting story walks.

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