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: Rhona Tarrant

Kingdom County Fair and three successful Listowel ladies

By

On May 19, 2014

In Uncategorized

Kingdom County Fair



I had one of the best days out this year at this event on May 11 2014.

My niece’s lovely horse, Mr. Riordan won his class and then went on to be reserve overall champion of the show. I was delighted to be there to record the event.

Showing animals is all about obedience and a willingness on the animal’s part to respond instantly to his master’s command. This was obvious in the horse showing ring but it was even more obvious in the sheep rounding up competition where the teamwork of man and dog was thrilling to watch. The sheepdog trials took place in a remote corner of the show field and I don’t think it got the exposure it deserves.

Mr. Riordan tried his hand at the show jumping as well and he scored two clear rounds. Maybe a future as a show jumper awaits him.

 There were competitions for all sorts of animals, skills and crafts. I took the photo below from The Kingdom County Fair’s Facebook page. It shows the enormously talented Philomena Sheehy from Duagh receiving one of her many prizes. Philomena has “a gifted pair of hands”. She has been winning  prizes at this fair for years.  2014 was no exception.




<<<<<<<<<







Car Boot sale…….Community Centre 



One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

May 25 2014 in Listowel Community Centre. Drop in and pick up a treasure.

<<<<<<<

“Oh stony grey soil of Monaghan 

You burgled my bank of youth.”

Patrick Kavanagh picking spuds  (photo from The National Gallery)

<<<<<<

Rhona Tarrant

This Cinderella got to go to the ball. Rhona Tarrant of Listowel is currently on an internship in New York. She recently got to go the Gala Ball for the American Ireland Fund. The famous Kerry fashion designer to the stars, Don O’Neill lent Rhona this fabulous dress from his Theia collection.

<<<<<<<

Kay Caball

Kay is always a powerhouse of information. Her latest blogpost about thinking outside the box when it comes to researching your ancestors is entertaining and informative.

http://mykerryancestors.com/blog/

Kay writes as she speaks, in an easily accessible narrative style with lots of interesting anecdotes to illustrate her point. This is why I know that her book:

The Kerry Girls: Between the Famine & The Crown

The Story of 117 Kerry Girls sent to Australia on the Earl Grey Scheme

will make fascinating reading.

Kay will launch her book at Writers’ Week 2014 on Saturday May 31st. in Scoil Realta na Maidine at 2.00 p.m.

<<<<<<

Jimmy Deenihan and Micheál OSuilleabháin turn the first sod in the Ard Curam building project.

Sluagh Hall and cleaning up

By

On April 22, 2013

In Uncategorized

    A view of the town from Dylan Boyer

>>>>>>

The Monday cleanup gang: Well done all.

>>>>>

Sluagh Hall 

At the ceremony to mark the
closure of the Sluagh Hall in Listowel and the standing down of F Company,
Michael Guerin gave an address on the background to the Sluagh hall and the FCA
in Listowel.

I am paraphrasing this address
from the account of it in The Advertiser.

At the outbreak of WW2 the
Irish government declared a state of 
emergency on June 7th 1940. The following year a Local
Defence Force was formed.

The Listowel District Command
covered 21 districts in North Kerry and included a Field Ambulance Company.

The first regular army
instructor appointed the LDF was Bill Kearney. 
(Bill became a stalwart of the Listowel drama Group). The LDF had its
headquarters at Moloney’s Garage in Upper William St. (This premises was later
Lonergan’s Supermarket and now houses Royal China.)

In 1943 the army bought an
old egg packing store by the railway bridge in Upper William St. This premises
was converted to a Sluagh Hall. There were 78 of these halls throughout the
country. The Hall had offices, a training hall and an indoor rifle range.

Down the years Listowel
Sluagh Hall has been used for basketball, tennis, badminton, volleyball, drama
productions, Writers’ Week exhibitions, boxing and Tae kwon do.

In 1946 the old reserve was
disestablishes and An Fórsa Cosanta áitiúil (FCA) was established. This was
formed into 6 companies in North Kerry. The company met for training on Tuesday
nights and parades at weekends. The highlight of the year was the annual
training camp in Ballymullen Barracks in Tralee. This was like a two week paid
holiday for many a young North Kerry youth.

In 2005 the FCA was disbanded
and the Army Reserve established in its place. The numbers joining the Army
Reserve never reached the peaks seen in the FCA in the 1960s and 70s.

In 2013 Listowel’s F Company
was finally stood down and the Sluagh Hall closed up forever.

<<<<

These two are taking part in a sketch in school. They are Rhona Tarrant and Chloe Walshe, both of whom have gone on to carve out careers in media.

<<<<<

Poster from 1980

<<<<<<

Don’t you wish you lived here all year round?

Ballybunion Sea Angling posted this from his morning walk by The Cashen on Saturday April 20 2013

Page 2 of 2

Previous

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén