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: Mike the Pies

Listowel postmen 1937, Blennerville, Mike the Pies, Dillons and Scullys

Listowel Postal workers, 1937

Vincent Carmody shares this great photo with us. He has all of the names and even a story about the taking of the photo.

Back: Dick Broderick, Denis Horgan, Denis Stack, Tim Kelly, Paddy Moloney.

Front, Denis Dalton, Johnsie Reidy, Mick Enright, Jim Bambury, 

Jim Bambury was a clerk in the office and an avid photographer.  The morning the photo was taken, he organised the group and delayed the shot until he was in position himself.

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Vincent also told us a bit about the history of the post office in town.

The current post office in Upper William St. was previously a public house (and bakery at an earlier time) owned by Doctor Timothy Buckley and his two sisters Delia and Molly.  In all, they had five houses in Upper William Street.

 I was working in Tralee in the very early 1970’s when An Post ( Then Dept of Post and Telegraphs) bought the property, knocked it and rebuilt what is there now. I am fairly sure that Vincent De Paul were  major beneficiaries as the Buckleys were unmarried and the Doctor was very acive in V de P society all his life. It was the first custom built and An Post owned post office in town.

 Previous to this the post office was where Griffin’s butchers are now. This was rented from Niall Stack’s family. 

 Before that the office was located where Fashion Figure is now. This building was built by the Stack-Gibson family and came into Tom Walsh ownership when he bought the corner house.

 The above  photo was taken outside that building in the mid to late 1930’s. On the window are pamphlets advertising the draft constitution of 1937, which was ratified in December 1937. This was the first Listowel office to have a company Postmaster. 

Prior to this it was contracted out and the office was at 14 Main Street, ( see page 175, Snapshots), before that again, it was in the Square, again check the book ( page 197) .

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Blennerville in the snow

This picture was taken by a photographer who attaches a camera to a kite to capture some amazing aerial views. You will find lots of more lovely photos on his blog; http://ckitepics.blogspot.ie

Some stunning views of the Dingle peninsula.

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Mike the Pies celebrating 100 years in business




Denis Carroll posted this great photo on Facebook

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Dillons and Scullys



Pat Del Savio, whose mother was Theresa Dillon of Listowel sent me this photo from her family album. Pat’s mother was a sometimes child minder for the Scully family and the caption she put on this photo was Babins Scully (in white dress) and friends.

Has anyone any idea who the “friends” are?

This is a picture of the Scully family.

These are the Dillons, Jimmy, Theresa, Tom and William. The Dillons came from Gurtcreen

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The north wind doth blow and we shall have snow

And what will poor robin do then, poor thing…..?

(photo: Timothy John MacSweeney)

In these cold days remember our feathered friends. They would appreciate a few fatty scraps.

Them, pool in Mike the Pies and a few more old ones

November morning in Listowel


All photos taken in Listowel Town Park in November 2014.



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Christmas Tree in Craftshop na Méar

Some photos from the craftshop’s celebrations to mark one year in business coming up shortly.

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A New Business in town



Sewing Island is a brand new dressmaking, sewing and alterations service based in William St.

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A Few Old Ones

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Pool players in  Mike the Pies


Lofty Kelliher, Ned Broder, Jack Sweeney, Eddie Hartnett and Tom Lyons.

(photo; Mike the Pies on Facebook)

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Guess Who?



He hasn’t changed that much!

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Presentation

I don’t know the circumstances but it looks like the boys’ school hall, Bryan MacMahon, Patsy O’Sullivan making a presentation to the Church of Ireland rector. His retirement perhaps?

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North Kerry young people honing their internet skills

Techspace is a Foróige project for teenagers, helping them to explore computer usages. This is the first Listowel gang in the Seanchaí at their recent graduation.  (photo:Doreen Buckley)

Something old, something new…..

Another great oldie from Mike the Pies on Facebook



Mike the Pies early 60’s. Paddy Murphy, Jack Mangan, Dan Joe Leahy, Dan O’Donoghue, Danny Hayes, Jack Leahy, Mick Halpin.

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Then and Now







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Outward Bound for Rome 1950



Michael Kennelly’s caption on this group of photos says “On board the Inisfallen from Cork”




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Big job underway at Ballybunion Castle




The walls are being strengthened and treated to withstand the ravages of the sea. The top bit which was blown down in a storm will not be replaced. It’s good to see that this landmark will be with us for a while yet.

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Athea visit with some old friends



Phil and Frank visited me last week and I brought them to one of my favourite places, Athea

 Phil and Frank ar Shlí na Sí

They had seen bug houses but never before a bug hotel.

They left their worries behind with the worry fairy.

The local craft group were working that morning and their keen eyed marketing manager spotted some potential customers.

Phil and Frank bought a fairy door for their granddaughter  and one of the very artistic ladies customized it especially for Cara.

We had a lovely lunch in Blueberry Home Bakery where we found my book sitting on the table for the entertainment of the diners.

October, Mike the Pies, Lough Derg and I’ve seen the future and it’s digital

St. Michael’s Graveyard on a misty October morning, 2014


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Mike the Pies



This iconic bar in Upper William St. takes its name from the famous meat pies which were traditionally served there during Raceweek. The photographs below appeared on the pub’s Facebook page

Mike the Pies

Local people put the date of the first photo at 1984 or 89. The second one shows the popular pub in more recent times.

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Scouts in Market St. in the 1940s




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Memories, Memories!





Michael Kennelly’s Lough Derg picture brought back many memories for my blog readers. Listowel people took many of these pilgrimages right up to the 1980s. with many people traveling to the penitential island year after year.

Names for these ladies are slow in coming forward but this might be helpful:

From that picture of the Lough Derg group on the boat I recognize two people: Eileen Bunyan, Convent Cross (in the dark suit at the back) and Margaret Brown, Convent St. (looking at the camera with coat over her shoulders.





One diligent historian has taken it upon himself to write to the record keeper in Lough Derg. Below is her reply:


Thank you so much for your email .  It is amazing to see the old photographs from the pilgrimage in 1954.

I can check our pilgrim ledgers to see if 1954 Season is there – not all years were preserved.  If it is there then it simply lists the pilgrims names, no address etc.  But perhaps I can identify Michael Kennelly’s name and see who is listed immediately before and after him.  Did the 2000 pilgrims travel over the course of the whole Season (1st June – 13th August). 34,039 pilgrims in total made the pilgrimage in 1954, the second highest number for any one season since pilgrims numbers have been recorded since 1861.  The highest number was 34,645 recorded in 1952.  I wonder what was the reason for such high numbers in the early 1950’s?

Leave this with me .  Our archives are on the Island and I am now back in our office in Pettigo Village for the winter months but I do plan to go across to the Island one day next week to tidy up a few bits and pieces and I will check the ledgers then.

Best regards

Maureen Boyle

PA Fr Owen J Mc Eneaney, Prior

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Did you have one of these?


This is a photo from the 1970s of  little girl on her typewriter writing her first novel.

Fast forward to 2014. Today’s little girl who, in the parlance of the trade, is “a digital native” will write her novel on her tablet. It will never see paper. It will be downloaded by anyone who wants to read it and it will come with interactive graphics and lots of embedded content.

The long predicted demise of the book, as we know it, is upon us. Future generations will subscribe to a service like Netflix, pay a regular subscription and read whatever they want when they want on their tablet or smart phone.

Dedicated ebook devices like Kindle have had their day too. Future readers will merely flip their tablet into “book mode” and hey presto, they have all the benefits of back lighting, book marking etc.

Such is the onward march of progress!!!!

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Nowhere to go In Ballybunion

Changed and Changing Times

This is Áras an Phiarsaigh, our town hall. As I was visiting the library last week I noticed that this building was getting a face lift. All the old dead shrubbery has been removed and it’s looking a bit bare but much cleaner and more welcoming.

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I photographed this sign at Mike the Pies. Isn’t it lovely? Of course there is no Patrick Street in Listowel. Mike the Pies is on Upper William St. but thereby hangs another tale….

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This premises known as Chutes’ Bar has been unoccupied now for some years. Well, let me be the first with the news. Danny Russell of Changes has purchased the building and he has big plans for it. The project will be a long term one but Danny, with his innate sense of style and his love of interior design will, I’m sure, make a lovely job of it. He plans to change the facade and to give it a look more in keeping with a heritage town. He is thinking along the lines of a series of concession shops or maybe an interiors and soft furnishings shop. 

All of these plans will change and evolve over time so watch this space….

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Remember these?

This picture is from Dublin in March 1982 and it shows the last of the open backed buses. These were 2 man buses. You got on to a platform at the back of the bus. You bought your ticket from a conductor and you told him where you wanted to get off. The driver had one job only, to drive the bus.  Ah, changed times indeed.

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Another one for the emigrants, well written and informative.

http://niceirishlady.wordpress.com/

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