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Local Journals and Books
These are just two of the great local books I’d highly recommend this Christmas.
Some of my readers abroad have been enquiring where they can get local books. Woulfe’s Independent Bookshop is your one stop shop for books. Brenda stocks all the local books. She also has a wide selection of all the popular titles and she will post to anywhere in the world, but be warned, postage costs to places outside of Ireland are high.
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The Joy of Comics
This essay is by Declan Hassett from his lovely nostalgic book,
All our Yesterdays
( Footnote from your blogger; Many of our childhood and teenage years’ comics were published by the Thompson family referred to in this essay. The actor, Alan Cumming, worked there as a journalist and sometime model. Teenage romance comics were 64 pages long and were written as photo essays. The photos were posed by real people. Alan Cumming was one of these. In his autobiographical book, Baggage, Alan Cumming revealed that the company had a policy of not hiring Roman Catholics.)
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The Christmas Spirit
I was on my way to my hairdresser’s appointment when I saw a crowd gathered at the door of the shop.
All was shortly revealed. Danny had spotted the class of schoolboys looking at his lovely Christmas window. Danny, being Danny, grabbed his jar of lollipops and distributed them to the delighted boys.
Sometimes a small gesture can make your day.
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McGillicuddy’s Toy Shop
At the heart of Listowel Christmasses for over a century
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Memories brung back Memories
I got this email yesterday from Dave O’Sullivan.
Hi Mary,
Greetings from a wet and windy Kildare.
What a lovely essay from Nathalie this morning. Nathalie’s experience in Listowel in terms of warm welcomes and inclusion mirrors mine, one that has created a network of lifelong friendships and affinity for lovely Listowel.
I have attached a piece from the South Pacific show Nathalie references in her Listowel memoir which may trigger more memories for you readers.
Best wishes,
Dave
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