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: Presentation Primary School Listowel Page 3 of 4

A Raffle prize in 1926, Moore St. and opening a school extension

By

On January 13, 2016

In Uncategorized

Eventide in Ballybunion; January 2016




Photo: Mike Enright

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Mario Perez’s tribute to David Bowie on Ballybunion Beach on Monday January 11 2016. (Photo: Ballybunion TidyTowns Facebook )

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This Could be the Start of Something Big


Liam OHainín who grew up in Beale now lives in Germany. He has a huge collection of old TV cameras, wirelesses, record players, records and music related memorabilia. He is also a keen family historian and he has a huge stock of old photos recalling a way of life now largely forgotten.

He posts some of his photos on Facebook from time to time. 

Recently Liam posted the below photo.

The building is the old Presentation Listowel girls’ Primary School. Scaffolding is up around the building and half of the roof is stripped. The school is now demolished.

The sight of this photo prompted me to write to Liam to ask if he had any more photos of the convent or schools.

He replied with the following great story.

“A story about the convent . They were trying to raise
money for renovations in 1926 . So they had a raffle with this Radio as first
prize. My Grandfather, William Hannon won it and it was the first Radio in
Beale just in time for the opening by Douglas Hyde of Ireland’s first radio
Station, 2RN.

I spent years looking for this. My family  had given it to someone in the late 40ties,
It had given great service to the family and often all the neighbours as well
when a football match was on.

 My father had
given me such a good description of it that I could identify the make etc . He
remembered listening to Lord HawHaw broadcasting from Radio Bremen during the
war.

I found it at a market 10 years ago and paid the sum
asked. If the seller had know how long I was looking he could have made more
money.


 Now comes a twist, my father remembered also letting one of the wave
change coils fall and being relieved when it still worked despite having a chip
knocked off it. Recently while cleaning I discovered that one of the plug in
coils had a chip out of it, Could it be possible that this was the one my Dad
let fall all those years ago in Beale? I
like to think that I really found the one that my Grandfather won in the raffle.
It’s my prized possession .”

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Moore Street


Photo: Anne Coury

This old photo shows what Moore St looked like in the 1950s. I know it has emotional and historic connections that appeal to some who want to preserve it. I can see little architectural merit in it.

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Oficial opening of the Extension to Presentation Secondary School Listowel in 1985



Fr. Denis O’Mahoney C.C., Bishop Diarmuid O’Suilleabháin, Jimmy Deenihan…… Dick Spring, Sr Sheila Kelliher, Fr. Dermot Clifford and Sr. Eileen

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Victory Celebration




Sure to bring a smile to all Listowel people around the globe as Listowel Emmetts celebrate their North Kerry Final championship victory over Brosna last Saturday.



Barry O Halloran

School play over 20 years ago,The Garden of Europe and an old book by a prolific novelist.

By

On January 7, 2016

In Uncategorized

Cormorant photographed by Mike Enright

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The Good Old Days!



This photo was taken in the ‘lunch room” of the old Pres. Listowel Primary School. These young ladies who were then in 5th and 6th class were staging a kind of countries of the world Christmas play. They will probably recognize themselves and I’ll spare their blushes by letting the naming to themselves.

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Garden of Europe in Winter


 Schiller looks a little forlorn and bare those days.

 A lone crow searches for worms.

All looking bleak and deserted

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Flavins Bookshop and Library




This old treasure/ piece of junk came into my possession lately. It is a novel called The Search Party which was borrowed by persons unknown from Flavin’s library in Church St. Listowel.

As well as the Carnegie Free Library, Listowel had a library and bookshop in Flavins.

North Kerry has always had a love of books and literature.

A Christmas Card, Xtravision is Closing and some properties for sale

By

On December 22, 2015

In Uncategorized






Our  crib looks lovely in The Square.





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A Story of a Christmas Card in the digital age



This card made my day.

Here is the back story.

The card was sent to me by a lovely lady called Nancy Kelly. Nancy grew up in O’Connell’s Avenue but she has lived in London for many years now. She loves to keep in touch with home through Listowel Connection. She enjoys the photographs and the stories and even though her eyesight is poor now, she made the effort to write me a card to say thanks.

Now here is the extraordinary part. Nancy is my digital friend. We have never met and have never corresponded except on Facebook. So Nancy did not know my address. This is what she did.

Wasn’t that so thoughtful of her?

Betty passed the card to me but she wasn’t too good at explaining to me who this lovely lady was. On the day I collected the card from Betty, I met my good friend, Dolores O’Connor, in The Flying Saucer. 

I showed Dolores my lovely card, told her the story and I asked her if she knew Nancy.

I think what happened next is called synchronicity.

Would you believe this; Dolores now lives in the house where Nancy once lived.

Since getting the card, I have mentioned Nancy to several Listowel friends. Nancy’s family, the Murphys is remembered well by Listowel people.

I met Martin Griffin in Tralee.  He is a real life as well as a digital friend of Nancy’s. He too got a Christmas card which set a challenge for the postal service.

Junior remembers Nancy well and he asked me to convey his best wishes to her.

Nancy’s card forged an uplifting warm Listowel connection for us all.

So, in case you were thinking of cutting back on the cards, don’t. A card can mean a lot.

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Some of the manyListowel Cards available locally



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Closing Down


With the advent of Netflix, Pandora etc. business has dried up for DVD rental shops. Xtra Vision on Market St. is closing down.

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One Down, Two to Go


The old schoolhouse in Dromerin has been sold.

The below two are on the market

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In Bank of Ireland

The bank ran a Christmas card competition for primary school pupils. The winners are displayed in the bank

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New Kid on the Block on Charles Street







Ballylongford Hooley, Friends at Marty Sheehy’s Funeral and Convent Cross

By

On August 31, 2015

In Uncategorized

Celebration of Brendan Kennelly in Ballylongford


On August 21 2015, after the unveiling of the bust to Brendan Kennelly in the grounds of Ballylongford church, assembled family and friends milled around for a while and then repaired to the hall for the hooley. Local poets read from the works of Brendan Kennelly, Noel O’Grady sang a beautiful version of Home Sweet Home and then the great man, himself read a poem inspired by his daughter when she was three. It must have been the greatest thrill of the night for Doodle Kennelly, to hear her father dedicate a poem to her in his native Ballylongford on such a special night.

Some of the many Kennellys who were in Ballylongford for the big occasion pose with the bust.

The next generation

Some of the large attendance at the unveiling of the plaque to Brendan Kennelly.

Anne Dillon met up with Mary Barry and family and John Coolahan.

The Maddens and Breda Carmody were there.

Paddy McElligott and John Keane

Helen Lane and Breda Ferris checking to see how the photo looked.

Rebecca O’Carroll posed with the work of artist, Jarlath Daly, Tipperary born sculptor in bronze.

When we transferred to the hall Noel O’Grady regaled us with Home Sweet Home, a poignant and fitting welcome for Brendan Kennelly.

Professor John Coolahan read from the work of Brendan Kennelly.

Noel King read as did Mary Lavery Carrig (picture below)

Ann Egan is a protegee of Kennelly’s and she lavished praise on him as a mentor and teacher.

Paddy MacElligott brought Moloney to life as only he can. His antics and delivery were a great hit with his audience especially the poet himself.

 Gabriel Fitzmaurice read and sang.

The final say was left to the great man himself. He may have declined physically but he has lost none of his charm or his ability to hold an audience in thrall.

Noel O’Grady and Gabriel Fitzmaurice lead the audience in a Ballylongford version of Sé Ár Laoch ….A great way to end a great night.

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Upper William Street

The finished job at The Saddle Bar….lovely!

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Friends Reunited

Mary Sobieralski, Seamus Browne, Tony Dillon, Jimmy Griffin, Miriam Kiely, Batt Hannon and Jimmy Quigley

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Back to School Time





These are the days when I love being retired. So much has changed in education in general and in my old school that it’s hard to believe it’s only 5 years since I soldiered there.

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No Limbs, No Limits




I met Joanne O’Riordan at Kanturk Arts Festival 2014, where she was the special guest. This special young lady has been honored once again. This time she is The Outstanding Young Person of the Year 2015 and she will travel to Japan to receive her award.

Joanne was born with a rare condition, Total Amelia. This means she has no arms or legs. This has never stood in Joanne’s way. Her own feisty, bubbly, positive personality and the massive support of her family have bought Joanne to a place where she is the best known disability campaigner in Ireland, a much sought after motivational speaker and now a world leader of young people.

The title of her brother’s film about her is certainly apt.

No Limbs, No Limits

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The Secret’s Out



In her article in Saturday’s Irish Examiner, Darina Allen reveals Mary John B.’s secret recipe for Listowel Races’ famous meat pies

Meat Pies


Greyhound Racing, A poem by Jet Stack and more

By

On May 6, 2014

In Uncategorized


Gone to the Dogs


We had a great night at The Kingdom Greyhound Stadium on Friday May 2 2014 at the fundraising night for Pres. Secondary School, Listowel. I managed to make a few bob despite my lack of greyhound knowledge (or maybe because of it!)

Organisers, Eileen Keane and Lisa Whelan


The scene on the second floor. The real doggy people were downstairs and the VIPs upstairs.


Some of the greyhounds getting ready to enter the track for their race.


Fivestar Fantasy, winner of the ‘Presentation Listowel Tech. Graph & Arts Dept 525’, pictured with winning connections along with Brian Coffey (2nd from left) and Eileen Keane (4th from left) of Presentation Secondary Listowel. 


Bridget O’Connor, Breda Ferris and Theresa Deenihan

( All photos: Pádraig O’Connor)

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What a shame!

The garden at the old Kennedy Nursing Home is going to wrack and ruin. Pity!

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By way of contrast….



The well maintained old rectory

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New shop in Market Street


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Progress

Duagh Sports Complex is nearing the finish line.

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Another poem by Jet Stack, this one in praise of a local stream


That
Little Curragh Stream

There’s
a soft and purple water

Flowing
in that winding stream.

Flowing
there through Time and ages.

Scarcely
mentioned and unseen.

Through
the bog and by the meadow

Through
the sally’s sunlight beam

Flow
the soft and purple waters

Of
that little Curragh Stream.

Whence
its source in famed Clounmacon

Ripples
helpless towards the sea

Winding
‘round each hill of challenge

Flowing
gently through the lee.

Through
the rush and through the fern.

Where
it stops, as sometimes seem

Flow
the soft and purple waters.

Of
that little Curragh Stream.

Flowing
through Bedford’s glens and valleys

Down
th hillside gather speed

By
that old and silent graveyard.

Through
the gillcock stately reed.

Flowing
through Curraghatoosane and Curragh.

Through
the watercress so green.

By
the Cordal, through West Dirrha

Winding
softly ‘round Gurtcreen.

By
the road, beneath the mountain.

By
Saint Crossan’s blessed well.

Wide
and rapid through the toilery

Thus
the river Galey swell.

When
we are gone as those before us

To
that land beyond supreme

Still
will flow the purple waters

Of
that little Curragh Stream.

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Preparing for the Military Tattoo




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Ballybunion’s Happy



Warning: This catchy tune will be in your head all day. It’s a great video and a great promotion. Have fun spotting well known Ballybunion people in this great clip;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFcONb8LDGI&app=desktop

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Kerry Crusaders ready to undertake The Limerick Run     (photo: Mary Toomey Roche)

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