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 Secondary School Listowel Page 6 of 10

Yeats, Ballybunion and The Pogues Whiskey

Mistle Thrush




Photo; Graham Davies

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Photo of a Dying Poet



This extraordinary photo was shared on Twitter by the Irish Literary Trust. It was taken by W.B. Yeats wife, George, shortly before the poet’s death in 1939.

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Wintry Seas in Ballybunion in Winter 2018

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Staff of Presentation Secondary School in 1990




I’m issuing a renewed appeal for memories and photos of the secondary school for the forthcoming history of the school which will be launched towards the end of 2018.

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Extending the Brand?




Spotted in Cork

Dandy Lodge, a Strange Meeting and Marie Nelligan remembers The Races

Halloween 2017




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Dandy Lodge in October 2017



 The Dandy Lodge is the oldest house in Listowel. It originally stood on The Bridge Road until it  was moved stone by stone into the park.

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When Real Life is Stranger than Fiction

This is me in Bishopstown Library in Cork. With me is Ciara Crotty. Ciara is an artist and I had just purchased the piece she is holding.

Here are the three artists who were exhibiting their work in the library. They are all amateurs and they met when they all did a teaching course in art therapy. All three now work as art therapists. The reason I was at the opening of their show was because I know the artist on the far left, Sarah Murphy.

I know Sarah because she is a friend of my friend and former neighbour, Mary Salmon, who is on the right of this picture.

The art work on display was interesting and varied. I was particularly taken by Ciara’s work. She takes an old bottle, drills a small hole in it for a string of little led lights, and then  paints a picture on it. They looked appealing and different. I chose my favourite, well actually my second favourite. My favourite was sold.  I had to leave the piece behind until today which is the last day of the exhibition.

When I came home, I googled Ciara, as you do.

I nearly fell off the chair when I saw that Ciara is originally from Kanturk.  AND   then I realised that Ciara’s aunt was my mother’s bridesmaid.

Is ait an mac an saol. Life is full of surprises.

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Marie Nelligan Remembers The Races and Christmas 



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Upper William Street

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Park and Stride


Last week pupils of Presentation Secondary School took to shank’s mare for the trip to school. Walking to school is becoming a fashionable option. In my day it was a necessity for many pupils.

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Just a Thought



My last week’s “Thoughts” are on the Diocese of Kerry website now.

Minutes with Mary

Nuns, Childers’ Park and some funeral customs

November 2016 in The Black Valley

Photos; Catherine Moylan

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Listowel Nuns

I’m posting this in the hope that someone will recognise the sisters or the priests with them. The photograph is Mike Hannon’s

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NEKD is Moving



Work is ongoing at the old post office in William Street. It is to be the new home of NEKD or so I’m told.

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They Stretched in Never-ending Line…..


 along the margin of the pitch and putt course. Though not quite as picturesque as Wordsworth’s daffodils, Listowel’s fluttering and dancing narcissi brighten up the town park these days.

There is a new line of trees along by  this path as well which will act as a shelter belt and a new defining line to the pitch and putt course.

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We do Death well in Ireland


I’m told that at one time in Ireland when a person died, the first person to be contacted was the priest and the sacristan. People usually died at home and, since the priest would have visited the sick person to administer Extreme Unction, he would be expecting the call. The sacristan would ring the church bell to spread the news, three tolls of the bell for a man and two for a woman. The news of the identity of the deceased would spread by word of mouth. The creamery was a place where many heard the news.

In every parish there was usually at least one woman who took on the task of washing and laying out the corpse. There was no embalming in those days. There is a very poignant chapter in Peig Sayers much maligned autobiography in which she describes having to wash and lay out the body of her young son who had fallen to his death from a rough ledge on The Great Blasket while trying to collect fuel for their meagre fire.

The dead man was usually dressed in a brown garment known as a “Habit”. This was purchased especially for the purpose. Women sometimes had a blue one if they were members of the Sodality of Our Lady. These women were known as Children of Mary and it was an honour to be allowed to join this sisterhood. They wore a blue cloak and a veil in the Corpus Christi procession. Rosary beads and scapulars were entwined through the fingers of the dead person. There was always at least one wax candle alight to light a path for the soul to Heaven.

In the house of the dead person mirrors were covered and the clock was stopped. A black crepe ribbon was attached to the henhouse door. This custom was called telling the hens.

As soon as the corpse was laid out the wake began. Neighbours, family and friends came and went from then until the burial. The family was never left alone. Drink had to be supplied to the mourners, port for the women, whiskey for the men and a mineral for the children or teetotallers. At one time clay pipes and snuff were also part of the ritual.

It was considered bad luck to open a grave on Monday so if the death occurred on Saturday or  Sunday, a sod would be turned on the grave on Sunday. The neighbours usually dug the grave. The hearse was horse drawn and the priests wore white sashes and a white ribbon round their hats.

I have heard of a custom that others don’t seem to know too much about so maybe I dreamed it. The clothes of the deceased were given to a close friend and he had to wear them to mass for three consecutive Sundays. It was an honour to be asked to wear the clothes.

Black was the colour of mourning. A widow wore black for a full year after the death of her husband. Some women never again wore coloured clothes.  The men of the family wore a black diamond on the sleeves of their jackets. Widows had a special place in the community and got a lot of help from neighbours. Some widows remarried as they were often bereaved while still young and needed the help and protection of a man. A wealthy widow was often a good catch.

All of this is changed now .

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At The Convent



I was back at school last week. Planting on the front lawn has come on well and the foundation stone is now surrounded by a beautiful halo of heather.

I pointed my camera over the wall towards the convent. The lower windows of the convent chapel are now completely covered in ivy. The once beautiful garden is overgrown and untidy and the railing is falling down.





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Smalltown nominated for an IFTA in Best Drama category 


Photo of Smalltown team from Facebook

Ballybunion at Night, Life on the turnstile, Neodata Remembered, a return to school and a Book Launch

Spooky Photos of Ballybunion during in the early morning on the nights of the Super Moon



photos by Mike Enright



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Memories, Memories



Liz Galvin, who worked in Neodata, has very kindly opened her photograph album to us. Here are some of her photos from the good old days in the Bridge Road.

The girls relax during a break from typing

If you see yourself here or if you see someone you know be sure to share a memory.

Noreen Mc Mahon Mary O’Connor Sheila Hanafin and Liz Galvin.





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The Life and Times of a G.A.A. Stilesman   a.ka. Junior Griffin


The Talk at the
Turnstiles  John Griffin’s article, written for the souvenir programme of the County Final in 1999 and published in The Irish
World (London)

December 3 and December 10
1999

Quite rightly, the players on
duty in today’s eagerly awaited  county
final will be the chief focus of attention as they do battle for that coveted
county championship medal.

Perhaps decisions by the
referee or by his umpires or linemen at some stage in the game will also give
rise to comment.

But have you ever given thought
to the function of the  man who more than
likely,  will be the first official you
will encounter at today’s final- The Man Behind The Wire.

The whole structure of our
games has changed a lot over the past 30 years. Facilities for boith players
and spectators have improved tremendously with the whole country now dotted
with some wonderful stadia.

Finance, of course, is a fact
of life in the GAA and whilst sponsorship is much welcomed and needed, the most
important contributions come from you, the patron, by your attendance at our
games.

Hence the role of the
stilesman. The work of the stilesman is not as easy as some may think and, indeed it carries a lot of responsibility. I look on the stilesmen as the
front line troops of the GAA.

The abuse hurled at referees
often hits the headlines but it pales into insignificance at times with what
the stilesmen have to endure. I know stilesmen who have been hit, kicked and
even spat at. Indeed my own shinbone bore the brunt of many a well placed kick
on more then one occasion.

Definitely some people have a
Jekyll and Hyde personality when they go to a match. If the entrance fee is
considered dear- blame the stilesman.!

If there are no programmes
available- blame the stilesman! The festival of Kerry Sunday was a nightmare.
For many years, County semi finals were held on that Sunday and traffic and
parking was chaotic. Did people make allowance for delays/ Yerra- no! Sure
we’ll blame the stiles man!

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1916 Commemorative Garden in Listowel Town Park



The box hedge has been planted and the heathers are in. It’s looking beautiful. I hope the surrounding hedge does not grow too tall and cut off the lovely view we have of it currently.

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Like Old Times




Today is Presentation Day, a kind of Irish equivalent of Founder’s Day. In the good old days all Presentation schools closed on November 21, the pupils got a holiday and the sisters celebrated in their convents. Then the school year was standardised and everyone had to take the same school holidays. So the day was celebrated during the school day.

This year in Presentation Secondary School, Listowel, all the retired staff were invited back for a little get together. Here I am among my old school colleagues as we reminisced and reconnected. I think we were all delighted to hear that it is planned to make it an annual event.

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A Book Launch to Cap all Book Launches 


On November 18 2016, John Kelliher was among the many photographers and videographers recording for posterity the biggest book launch the Listowel Arms has ever seen and it has seen a good few. The outpouring of goodwill and support for one of our own as he made his first big public appearance since his tamall grappling with serious illness was uplifting to behold. The ballroom was heaving and there were hundreds more waiting to get in.

Fr. Pat was surrounded by friends helping him to celebrate this great night. The success of the book was never in any doubt. The event in the hotel was more a show of support and affection and  a rejoicing that a beloved priest had dodged another bullet.

Many of his friends were on hand to entertain us as well.

Sonny Egan opened the evening’s entertainment.

Jer Barrett, well used to being behind the camera, was recording the event for social media.

Joe Costello, Fr. Pat’s great friend and supported sang his song.

This was our super M.C.



The highlight of the proceedings was a duet of Ballybunion Town from the above two.

Mary Fagan sent me the following great memories of the night to share with you.

The Beamish Family Memorabilia in Listowel, Kennedy’s Pet Farm and NCBI official opening

Greenfinch at Beal

photo: Ita Hannon

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NCBI Official Opening



The lovely ladies in the NCBI shop on Church Street threw a party to mark their official opening.


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Summer on the Way!

The days are getting finer. I enlisted some help to prepare my summer transport.

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Pet farm Revisited, Sunday April 24 2016



I love visiting here so much that the Kennedys are now our friends.

 The setting is absolutely idyllic.

Mrs. Hen was brooding in the midst of it all.

Bambi feeding from Sean’s hand.

 Christmas is months away.

 This is one of the many cocks I saw. They seem to live and let live at Kennedy’s.

They had a nice young pot bellied pig.

 All of my boys loved the guinea pigs.

Cupboard love; Bambi is following Killian everywhere not because he loves him but he is watching for an opportunity to steal his food.

 Carine loves the puppies best.

 All of the animals at Kennedy’s live in harmony.

Sean tried his hands at the milking.

Posing with a rabbit

 Posing with a goat

They had an 8 week old litter of puppies on the day we visited.

It’s always hard to say good bye to Kennedy’s

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Presentation Secondary School, Listowel



Photo taken on Proclamation Day and posted on Twitter

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Beamish Exhibition in The Seanchaí

An event that happened at Listowel Military Tattoo 2016 was the display in The Seanchaí of the sporting and aviation memorabilia of the Beamish family of Dunmanway.

Here are just a few of the exhibits I photographed. The artefacts are on permanent display in Britain but were kindly brought by the family to Listowel for the Tattoo



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Darkness into Light



Next Saturday is the morning when all of Ireland walks into the dawn of a hopeful new Ireland without the pain of suicide and self harm.

Billy Keane is doing his bit to promote the walk by persuading all of his celebrity visitors to try on the T-shirt.

Actor, Patrick Bergin

Rugby player, Jonathan Sexton

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