Courthouse Road
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Molly on her Kerry Holidays
She has made herself at home on every chair in the house.
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Returning to the home of his ancestors
Dr. Michael O’Connor opened a door to many many memories on July 31 2024. Michael is the third generation of Michael’s to open this door. His grandfather, also Dr. Michael O’Connor lived here and his father, Michael O’Connor, the great illuminator, lived in this house too.
The house is no longer a family home. It is now Kerry Writers’ Museum. Michael is here viewing for the first time his father’s beautiful celtic artwork on display. Michael was 16 when his father died and he never fully appreciated how talented his father was.
Michael with his wife and one of his daughters in the room where Michael O’Connor’s artwork is exhibited.
The travelling party included family and friends. They were entertained to a tour of the museum by Vincent O’Brien.
Here, Vincent, in the John B. Keane room is playing his bodhrán and singing them the Sive songs.
Stephen Rynne who has dedicated much time and effort into collecting the works of O’Connor gave the visitors a talk on how he discovered various pieces by the artist. Some very important commissioned works are still out there, awaiting discovery.
Jimmy Deenihan is anxious to promote the artworks and to raise the profile of this great local artist.
The U.S. branch of the O’Connor family at the door of No. 24.
When Dr. Michael visited here on summer holidays as a child he remembers coming down these steps to go to play marbles with the local children in The Square.
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Just a Thought
All of last week’s reflections which were broadcast on Radio Kerry will be in included in my new book
https://www.dioceseofkerry.ie/our-diocese/communications/listen-now/
The book will be launched next month. Look out for details here.
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A Poem
I love to do crosswords. Recently I was doing the Simplex crossword with a little help from my son. The clue was a line from this poem with a word missing. Bobby had never heard of the Gray’s Elegy. Here it is (well, a bit of it) for all of us who learned it in school.
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Flowers and a Stone Wall
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From the Archives
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 1910.
New York NY Irish American Advocate
Moore and Healy-—Kerry joins Cork. On Sunday last January 22, 1911, Cornelius F. Moore, of Newtownsandes , Co Kerry, and Miss Mary J. Healy, Ardgroom, Castletown Bere, Co. Cork, were joined in the bonds of matrimony at St. Mary’s Church, Bensonhurat, Brooklyn.
The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Father Wightman,P.P., of that church.
After the ceremony was performed the happy couple were convoyed by a host of friends and relatives to their new home at 576 Seventeenth street, Brooklyn, where they entertained a large crowd of relatives and friends and gave them a most enjoyable time until a late hour on Monday morning. Mr. Moore has been president of the Jolly Sports Social Club for the past five years and is highly esteemed by its members,
The brides-maid was Miss Hannah Healy, a cousin of the bride, and the best man was James Foran, of Ballyguiltanan, Co. Limerick.
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A Fact
Why do Olympic gold medal winners bite their medal?
It is a silly tradition that harks back to a time when buyers sometimes tried to trick merchants by passing off inferior metals as gold. The trader would bite into the coin to make sure he was not being cheated, Biting into gold leaves no teeth marks. The biting now is purely symbolic as the medals aren’t gold anyway.
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