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: Maurice Walsh

In Kanturk

By

On May 8, 2024

In Listowel, Personal, Poem

Follow the yellow brick road…Glenlohane Co. Cork

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The Voice of Horse Racing

Racecourse commentator Jerry Hannon from Listowel says his career as the voice of Irish horse racing started out as a party piece

“From an early age I was fascinated by horse-racing commentators and how the one voice at a race meeting could create such an atmosphere. I think that’s what whetted my appetite.

“At the time, there was a TV programme called Sports Stadium, which showed races from the previous week. I used to record those races using an old cassette tape and then I’d play them back and try to put my own voice to it. Michael O’Hehir’s famous 1967 commentary of Foinavon winning the Grand National at Aintree became my party piece.”

This opening paragraph is from a recent article in The Irish Independent

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A Snooker Poem

I intend bringing you the poems, all sports related, that I found in the library on Poetry Day 2024. I’m starting with this one as it is topical when history has been made and three qualifiers dethroned the big boys and made their way to the last four at The World Snooker Championships. The dream faded in the final, however, and it was a seeded player, Kyren Wilson, who was crowned 2024 World Snooker Champion.

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In Kanturk

My recent visit to Kanturk coincided with the official reopening of Twohigs after a big refurbishment.

The ribbon was cut by this lady, Kathleen O’Connell who has worked in Twohigs for 50 years.

I met old friends and had a great catch up.

Mary Lynch is a pal from my school days. Kieran OSullivan was giving out samples of the various salads made that morning in his family business, GOS Salads

Mickey and Minnie were there for the children.

The party went on for 3 days.

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Maurice Walsh

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A Fact

A rat can last longer without water than a camel can.

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The Pen is Mightier

By

On April 26, 2024

In Listowel

KDYS Young Centre in April 2024

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Maurice Walsh Memorial Event in 1995

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Gaeilge ar Sráideanna Lios Tuathail

A 2007 school project

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A Soldier of The Great War

This is the flag of The Royal Munster Fusiliers

Eamonn Dillon found this Listowel man on a Fusiliers internet site.

2nd LT. EDWARD JAMES KEANE, 8th BATTALION
Joined the 8th Battalion as a 2nd Lieutenant in France on the 27th of August 1916. Wounded at the Battle of Ginchy, on the Somme, 9th September 1916. We do not hear of him with the Munsters after this but a Lt. E.J. Keane was placed on the Royal Air Force ‘unemployed list’ in December 1919. His home address, on his medal index card, was ‘The Square, Listowel, Co. Kerry.’

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Ballyseede Castle

I was in Ballyseede Castle for lunch last week. What a treat to feel like an aristocrat for a few hours.

It’s a beautiful place inside and out.

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A Fact

Before Christianity came to Ireland in the 5th century A.D., the year in Ireland was divided into quarters. This is often referred to as the Celtic calendar. The first days in these quarters, February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 were referred to as “gale days” and were the days on which the rent had to be paid.

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Something old, something new and the flea trainers are identified

By

On October 20, 2017

In Uncategorized

KDYS Building was once the Carnegie Free Library

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Two National Treasures

A cap gun

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A Dublin Street Scene in 1974

 This photo tells us a lot about Irish life back then.

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This fantastic evening sky scene was shared by Féach News

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Under our feet in There Square, Listowel



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Photo Of Old Dublin



Moore Street in the 1960s



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Clarification



from someone who was there

The boy on the left, the flea tamer  is John O’Sullivan, also known locally as Seán Tack, the boy on the right, the flea catcher, is Conor Keane and that is John B. Keane squatting down inside the frame

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No, It’s not a Holding Cell




This is the photo that set some blog followers talking this week.



I wandered down to the back lane and took another snap, this time from the other side of the building.

Still looks a bit like stables or a garage as described by Rose Shine who grew up nearby.

Then came this missive from Jim MacMahon who also remembers the building well.

“Mary , when I was a boy in the 1940s that building was a storehouse of a sort , maybe guards’ cars although there were few of them about . We used to gather there to watch the Mulcahy brothers , sons of the super , fiddle around with cars . On wet days there might be a dozen or so boys and youths about . Pat Given , of course, or Niall Stack would be able to give much more detail if you ask them , regards Jim”



Next stop Pat Given or Niall Stack. I’ll waylay them one day soon at morning mass.

I wonder does any serving garda follow the blog. We might be able to get a photo of the interior of the shed now.




This is the lane beside the building. That is the back of the Garda Station at the end. Looks like lots of the windows are boarded up. Could it be they feared they would blow in in the recent Hurricane?

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