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: Mark Moriarty

A Prayer, a Signing and Shaving

The lovely old sign has been uncovered during upgrading at Jet’s

The Good Old Days

Watching My Father Shave by Joyce Sutphen

I see my father’s face in the mirror,
stripping off the white mask that wraps
along his cheekbone, over his mouth,
and, chin jutted up, down his neck.

The river razor tap-taps the sink;
the ivory-handled brush swishes back
and forth in the cup, and every time
he turns the handle, the faucet squeaks.

I watch the steaming water fill the sink,
and when he splashes it on his face,
the mask dissolves into his waiting hands;
the towel turns on the wooden roller.

How I regret being a girl and never
being able to find myself this way,
to prove how steady I am,
how close to the edge I can come.

Mark Moriarty Book Signing

at Listowel Food Fair 2024

Breeda planning what recipe she’ll try first.

A signed copy could become a treasure in time.

Mattie Lennon sent us this prayer.

Prayer for Good Humor

by St. Thomas More

Grant me, O Lord, good digestion, and also

something to digest.

Grant me a healthy body, and the necessary

good humor to maintain it.

Grant me a simple soul that knows to treasure

all that is good

and that doesn’t frighten easily at the sight of

evil,

but rather finds the means to put things back in

their place.

Give me a soul that knows not boredom,

grumblings, sighs and laments,

nor excess of stress, because of that obstructing

thing called “I.”

Grant me, O Lord, a sense of good humor.

Allow me the grace to be able to take a joke to

discover in life a bit of joy,

and to be able to share it with others.

A Corner of Tralee

Church avenue in Winter 2024

Mural inside the gate of St. John’s

A Fact

Both Shakespeare and Cervantes died on the same day, April 23 1616

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Antiques, Stained Glass and US Presidents

St. Mary of the Angels….photo: Chris Grayson

Listowel Traders at the Antiques Fair

The National Antiques, Art and Vintage Fair will be held in Limerick Racecourse on November 16 and 17. Dan and Maureen Hartnett of Listowel will be there.

Article from The Irish independent.

Book Promoting

I’m busy with engagements these days.

These doors lead to Listowel Garden Centre and Café. The lovely people there have invited me to be a (small) part of their customer appreciation evening on November 21. I’ll remind you all again next week.

Here I am in Super Valu, replacing the stock of my book which was sold out.

Tomorrow, Wednesday November 13 2024 I’m on Radio Kerry with Deidre Walsh on Talkabout and on Friday, November 15 2024 I will be a guest of Listowel Tidy Towns at their prize giving.

Moments of Reflection is available in Woulfe’s, Eason, Listowel Garden Centre, Garvey’s Super Valu, Prifma, Kerry Writers’ Museum, Watsons in Duagh, An Siopa Milseán in Abbeyfeale and O’Mahony’s in Tralee.

Presidential Messages

It is customary in the US for the outgoing president to leave a message for his successor. Below is the message George HW Bush left for Bill Clinton.

Biden never revealed the contents of the note Trump left for him in 2020 but he described it as “shockingly gracious”. I hope Biden will be just as gracious in defeat. I hope Trump will share the note with us all. It’s time for healing.

Windows of Wonder

In the Church of the Resurrection, Mallow there are some striking windows.

Doesn’t this look like a priest with outstretched arms blessing the congregations. The window looks like his vestments

This window is in the baptistry.

This blue resurrection window has a look of the Harry Clarke studio about it but I couldn’t find the information online.

Listowel Food Fair 2024

The big name celebrity guest this year was Mark Moriarty. His book sold out and his demonstration was enjoyed by a full house in the ballroom of The Listowel Arms.

Mark with Ruth O’Quigley, one of the longest serving members of Listowel Food Fair committee.

Jimmy Deenihan presented Mark with his commemorative plaque.

Breeda and Margaret, both keen cooks and fans of Moriarty, came from Co. Cork to see him in action.

A Fact

The rose family of plants gives us flowers, apples, pears, plums, cherries, almonds, peaches and apricots.

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