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

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a Kingfisher, Washday blues, Rattoo Tower, Gaelscoil rebrand and Convent Memories

By

On January 16, 2017

In Uncategorized

This kingfisher was photographed by Timothy John MacSweeney on the river Blackwater near Kanturk in Co. Cork.

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The Bad Old Days



This is a picture of a washtub and a washboard. This was the washing machine of your mothers.

I dont know any man who ever washed clothes in one of these.

Picture it for a minute and count your blessings.

Monday was washday. There was no running water so water had to be brought in buckets from a water barrel in the yard. The water was boiled in a Burko, if you were lucky, or a big pot on the range or over an open fire if you weren’t. The boiling water was then transferred to the washtub. The clothes were scrubbed on the wash board, using a big bar of Ivy or Sunlight soap. There was rinsing, blueing an starching to follow.

Washing was a day’s work and hard work at that.

Now don’t you feel privileged to live in present times?

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Rattoo


Photos; Bridget O’Connor

Rattoo Tower

A Poem by Pat Given from his anthology, October Stocktaking

A slender pencil pointing to
the skies

I see you there. The story
that you wrote

Erased by time, by men
forgot.

But still you stand and still
you tantalise.

The leather books compiled
upon this site,

Are no longer legible to
human eye.

But you, clear stylus still,
endure to write

Their meaning on the
uncomprehending sky.

To all who pause and
contemplate this scene

These silent stones become a
speaking tongue

Of God and man and Christ
between,

And toil transmuted when for
Heaven done.

O Tower, to each succeeding
age

You preach more eloquently
than printed page.

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Beatha Teanga í a Labhairt



For a language to live it must be spoken




Gaelscoil Lios Tuathail has rebranded



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Convent Memories




Whenever I mention the convent or post a picture of it on Facebook, it always prompts a flood of memories. 



Not everyone is on Facebook, so here are a few recent comments;


Sr Dympna must be turning in her grave. Not a lady to turn lightly without ‘having a word’ with the Man on High. (Kay Caball)

Great memories of this little church, first confession etc . (Máire Logue)

What a waste! Sr Dympna loved the gardens, with the help of a man named Mackassey. I remember walking around the gardens following the Priest with the Blessed Sacrament all of us in our white dresses. It was Corpus Christi. We had another name for it. Does anyone know what it was ? (Maria Sham)

About 15 of us started our school days there. It was known as Babies and High Infants. Sister Claire and Sister Consolata. with Sister Frances keeping a very close eye on us. The down side was when we went to the boys school into 1st class we got a very frosty reception. It is so sad to see this beautiful building going to wreck and ruin. (Jim Halpin)

What a pity, such a beautiful church ⛪ and left there to rot. Wanted to get married in that church but it was bought before we started planning  (Catherine Nolan)

These are just a few samples of the many responses to the pictures. I think Liz Dunne’s comment summed up how everyone feels about the convent: 


 So sad to see it falling into decline – I wish I had the pennies to save it!

Wren boys continued, a Christmas poem, the Clauses of The Seanchaí and people at the Coca Cola truck event

By

On December 14, 2016

In Uncategorized

Abbey at Rattoo photographed a few years ago by Padraig O’Connor

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A Very Sad Seasonal poem from Seán McCarthy



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Wren boys in North Kerry by Wm. Molyneaux as reported in The Shannonside Annuals in the 1950s

Part 2

He (The Man from the BBC) asked me then what way we used to dress in the Wren boys. I told him we used dress in green and gold or any colour. I told him we had a Wren Cross (which we had in them days) and we had the Wren Cross painted in green and gold and we often took out two wrens in the morning and brought them back alive and restored them to liberty. I told him when we go in to a farmer’s house that we’d say those words to the farmer-the farmer’s houses where we’d expect to get a good reach the captain of the Wrenboys would address the man of the house by saying these words:

The man of the house is a very good men

And it was to him we brought the wran,

Wishing you a happy Christmas and a merry New Year

If you give us the price of a gallon of beer,

We’d continue on until we go to the next house-which was the landlady’s house. The captain addressed the landlady in these words

the wran, the wran, the king of all birds-

St Stephen’s Day she was cought in the furze;

although she be little, her family being great,

Rise up, landlady, and give us a trate;

Up with the kittle and down with the pan

We’ll thank your subscription to bury the Wren!

That’s the way the captain would address if he went into a big farmer’s house or into a landlady’s house.

(more tomorrow)

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Humans



John (Junior) Griffn and Billy Keane at the launch of Billy’s novel some years ago.


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The Seanchaí Claus family at the BOI Enterprise Town expo



Joe’s been a good boy.


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Gala Christmas Sunday in Town


Eoin Enright’s photo gives a good idea of the scene in The Square as the light was fading on Sunday December 11 2016.







Here are some people I met at the Coca Cola truck on Sunday December 11 2016



Rose of Tralee, Lisselton Cross, The Changing Face of Listowel and Glin Castle

By

On August 17, 2016

In Uncategorized

Rattoo at Night





Photo: Bridget O’Connor



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Rose of Tralee 2016…a Listowel Connection

The place to be is Tralee this week.

My Aisling and Róisín posed outside the beautifully refurbished Rose Hotel on a recent visit to Tralee. This will be the centre of much of the action this week.

Strolling through the beautiful town park and speculating what it would be like to be a Rose. For the time being, the playground is more in their line

This is the the statue of William Mulchinock, who wrote the song, and his beloved, Mary O’Connor, the Rose who inspired the competition.

Now for the Listowel connection. The New York Rose is a Stack. Kristin Stack called to see Damien last week to establish her Stack credentials.

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Memories of Lisselton



The hard workers on the Ballydonoghue parish magazine committee posted this picture on Facebook in the hope that it would stir fond memories of Lisselton Cross long ago. One man remembered going to the cross to make a phone call . Do you remember when you had to some armed with an ass load of change and then hope that the recipient of your call was in? If not you could press button B to get your money back.  Happy days!

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Then and Now




Lower Church Street




Market Street

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Glin Castle


Photos; Forur Genealogy

The fate of Glin Castle has been the subject of a bit of speculation recently with reports that the new generation of Fitzgeralds were to take over and run the Castle as a boutique hotel.

Not to be, apparently, so the castle will be sold.

Ger Greaney of Forur Genealogy attended the recent open day at the castle and he posted these photos on Facebook.

AND

The same Ger. who took the above photos has just been named Person of the Month in the Limerick Leader. Earlier this year Ger. organised a 1916 commemorative event which involved a reenactment of a march to Glenquin Castle. It was a great success. Well done, Ger.

Rattoo, the Travelling Rose Competition and a few changes to Listowel’s streetscape

By

On August 10, 2016

In Uncategorized

Lovely Rattoo



My friend, Bridget O’Connor, recently took these pictures of Rattoo Round Tower in Ballyduff.

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Local Win



This was the scene on Market Street, Listowel on Saturday last, August 6 2016. The occasion was the competition to select a Travelling Rose. This was an event organised by Travellers for Travellers and it took place in The Risin Sun in Market Street last week end. The winner was local girl, Sammy Joe McCarthy.

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A Few New Kids on the Block


This corner of town is going to look really colourful when Bailey and Co. opens its doors in time for Listowel Races.


This man was putting the finishing touches to the gold paintwork last week.

There is a new Hair and Beauty premises on Church St.

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To Market, to market…..


Not a fat pig this time, rather a fine goat.

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A Weekend of Music and Fun




On Saturday evening we will have the music event in The Square. And then on Sunday next, August 14 2016 we will have the ‘Love Listowel’ Family Evening in the Square. Kelly O’Sullivan says, “The idea behind it is to use the space that the Revival Concert used the night before and create a free community event. The event is co-funded by Listowel Traders & Love Listowel.



There will be bouncy castles, face painting, music, hot food stall, dog show & kids activities.”

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P.S. A big big thank you to all the kind people who have been in touch to tell me they missed me and to welcome me back. Your support and kind words are greatly appreciated.

Vehicles in the Parade on March 17 2016, Rattoo and a poem from Fr. Pat Moore

By

On April 4, 2016

In Uncategorized

Chris Grayson of Glenbeigh  and Killorglin posts some really lovely photos on Facebook. This is one of them.

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Vehicles at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade

I was reminded that I forgot the old cars which were featured in the 2016 parade. Here they are;

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Rattoo Tower viewed through the abbey window


Photo; Bridget O’Connor

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Easter Monday




This poem was written by Fr. Pat Moore on Easter Monday, 2007.  In Fr. Pat’s own words, “I wrote it after a walk with my friend, Brendan Walsh on Carrig Island. I talked to Brendan last night and he remembers that day too, the tiredness we felt and the rediscovery of energy  after the walk. 

 Easter Monday

“We walked to the furthest point of Carrig Island.

Nearby is the first monastic site in North Kerry.

Across the Shannon Estuary the round tower and monastic sites of Scattery break the skyline.

A northwest wind chills the sunlight that is gaining confidence this April morning.

Feeling like the last two priests in Kerry, we are full of Holy Week tiredness, inwardly more ashes than fire, more sickness than healing.

In this place and at a different time Senan of Scattery crossed over to build a causeway, a task abandoned for want of blessing.

“We have only ourselves,” we said as we stood there.

In our inner emptiness is the birthing place for Easter hope.

That it may overtake us and bring us forward.” 

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Na Fuinneoga is Gaelaí

Listowel winners of the competition for the most Irish St. Patrick’s windows

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Movers and Shakers of  Media on our Doorstep




I took this photo of the prestigious panel of women who spoke at last year’s women in Media in Ballybunion.

The ladies are, Moya Doherty, Miriam O’Callaghan, Dearbhail MacDonald, Dee Forbes, and Katie Hannon.

Four of the five were well known to me from Irish TV. The one I didn’t know in April 2015 in Ballybunion turns out to be the biggest name of them all.

Dee Forbes , originally from Cork, was then head of Discovery Channel in Europe .

She is now Director General of RTE.

This year’s Women in Media Weekend takes place from April 15 to April 17 2016 and Joan O’Connor has another star studded line up ready for us.

Women in Media 2016

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