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: Seán Moriarty

St. Patrick’s Day 2019, Death of a Rev. Mother, Pres. footballers and a poem for Mothering Sunday



Ballybunion in March 2019

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Some Stalwarts of Listowel Parades

Seán Moriarty provides a running commentary in The Small Square.

Charlie Nolan recording it all from the viewing platform.

Listowel 2019 Parade by Charlie Nolan

Denis Carroll records the day for us on the street. His lovely video of this year’s St. Patrick’s Day  is at the link below.

St. Patrick’s Day 2019 in Listowel

Billy Keane was back on the stand in 2019 doing his MCing.

Tim O’Leary and Donal O’Sullivan

Liam Brennan as St. Patrick blesses us all.

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St. Patrick Joins in The Fun



 St. Patrick dances with Mary Twomey  on St. Patrick’s Day 2019

 Meeting and greeting


And we all head home, St. Patrick’s Day done and dusted for another year.

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Death of Rev. Mother in 1919


Kerry News, Friday, August 01, 1919
(An Appreciation by a grateful patient) Condensed

DEATH of Rev Mother Michael, Superioress of St Bridgid’s Convent of Mercy, Listowel. Requiem High Mass was celebrated on Sunday 13th at the lovely little-church attached to the Mercy Convent, by the Most Rev. Dr. O’Sullivan, Lord Bishop of Kerry, with the Very Rev. Fr. Breen, S.T.L., President St Brendan’s Seminary, Killarney, and the Rev. T. Trant, P.P.,Ballymacelligott, her nephew, as deacon and sub-deacon ; Very Rev. Canon O’Riordan, P.P., V.F., Boherbee, as Master of Ceremonies. There was also present in the Sanctuary the Very Rev Dean O’Leary. P.P.. V.G.. Tralee, and the Rev. Fathers , Ferris, Behan and Conlon, O.P. Several members of the Christian Brothers from the Industrial Schools were also in attendance.
Amongst the chief mourners were- Sisters Benedict and Catherine (nieces) Rev. T. Trant, P.P.: Dr Trant. J.P. : Mr. P. Trant, J.P., and Mr Michael O’Connell, Clerk of the Union (nephews) Miss Danagher, Mrs O’Connell (sisters) Miss M. A. O’Connell, Miss B O’Connell, Miss N O’Connell, (nieces); Miss Nora Trant. Mrs. S. Fuller and the Misses O’Connell (grand nieces); Messrs P. Trant. junr., and D Trant (grand nephews} : etc.. etc. A full list of the general public is out of the question.

Rev Mother Michael came to Listowel some 36 years to take over charge, of the Union Hospital and let it be said that from the very start her work was cut out for her, for the Hospital Buildings though large enough were anything but sanitary or comfortable. Uninviting, rough, whitewashed, walls, straw beds, small apertures in the Walls instead of windows a room only fit for a stable to hear mass in were only a few of the many unsightly objects that met the view of Rev. Mother Michael and her faithful little band of nuns when first she entered the then unhallowed walls of the Listowel Workhouse. The change for the better which she wrought in this establishment would if described fully read like a chapter from Fairyland. The sisters transformed the place.

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Presentation Secondary School Team

I think this is a football team back in the day

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Richard Moriarty sent this poem home to us for Mothers’ Day


MY MOTHER

DEDICATED TO MOMS EVERYWHERE

WHILE WE’RE TOLD IN SONG AND STORY

OF PEOPLE OF RENOWN

BE THEY WRITERS, POETS OR CONGRESSMEN

OR KINGS WHO WEAR A CROWN

IT’S INSCRIBED THERE IN THE PAGES

THEIR NAMES AND WHERE THEY’RE FROM

BUT I BELIEVE THE UNSUNG HERO

IS THE PERSON KNOWN AS MOM

SHE’S THE ONE WE ALWAYS TURNED TO

WHENEVER THINGS WENT WRONG

THE GENTLE HAND THAT DRIED OUR TEARS

WHILE SHE HUMMED SOME SILLY SONG

SHE WAS ALWAYS THERE TO GREET US

AND HELP US ON OUR WAY

WITH THAT SPECIAL TOUCH

THAT MEANT SO MUCH

AND A GENTLE WORD TO SAY

AND THERE WERE TIMES WHEN

WE CAUSED YOU PAIN

AND TREATED YOU UNKIND

BUT ALL THE WHILE YOU’D SOFTLY SMILE

OH, HOW COULD WE BE SO BLIND

BUT YOU ARE THE ONE WE DO ADORE

AND LOVE LIKE WE COULD NO OTHER

WE THANK YOU GOD FOR GIVING US

SUCH A SPECIAL CARING MOTHER

Richard G. Moriarty

Lartigue Theatre, Jim Dunn’s Mural in The Square and an old play

Listowel Town Square, June 21 2018

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Many Hands Make Light Work

Jim and Liz Dunn work well as a team. But I don’t think Liz would really claim to be an artist. To illustrate that this was a project in which anyone can have a go Liz took up a brush and coloured in a bit.

From the wife of an artist to the mother of an artist, Helen Moylan chanced her arm at painting in a section. She did a good job too.

In between interruptions/assistance, Jim took the opportunity to advance his project a bit.

 Next up was Seán Comerford. Seán displayed an amazing (to me anyone) aptitude for this kind of thing. He is actually a quite good artist.

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Listowel’s Millennium Arch in 2018

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Friends’ Meeting

Summer in Kerry is a great time for meeting up with old friends

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From the John Hannon Archive

The late Eleanor Moore and Mark Walsh

Seán Moriarty

The play was in The Lartigue. Seán told me that he remembers a matinee dress rehearsal for children to iron out any glitches in the production. At one stage Seán’s character tells Getta Grogan’s character that he would like a brandy. As she is pouring the drink, he overhears one child saying to another, “She is giving him whiskey and he asked for brandy.”

Seán also remembers Mark Walsh’s character is shot. In rehearsal they just made a gunshot noise but in this final dress rehearsal, they had a genuine sound effect and Sean says he saw the fear in Mark’s eyes as he feared that the very real looking gun was an actual loaded firearm.

Happy days in the old Lartigue.

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Opening Soon

At 53 Church Street

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His Dream Job for a Genial Listowel Young Man



Story and picture from Mark Boylan of Racing Post

A familiar voice will greet racegoers in the post-Dessie Scahill commentary era with Jerry Hannon set to become Ireland’s primary racecourse commentator.

Scahill will depart from the commentary box on July 26 following an end to his contract with the Association of Irish Racecourses (Air).

Hannon said: “My dream has become a reality. I’m very grateful to the association for recognising the hard yards and sacrifices made over an 18-year period to get to this point.

“It’s on days like these that my late dad and the late Liam Healy are very much in my thoughts.”

The 37-year-old, who began his commentary career in pony racing in 1999, said of Scahill’s influence: “He’s been an inspiration of mine and I wish him all the best for his retirement.”

Paddy Walsh, chief executive of Air, said of the decision: “The model we have operated off in the past has been with one full-time worker for the association who looks after most of the commentaries and that has historically been Dessie. Jerry has been absorbing that role over the past number of years and he will now take over that function.”

Scahill’s retirement and Hannon’s increased role will lead to opportunities for new faces to join the commentary roster, according to Walsh, with Gary O’Brien expected to feature on the schedule, although plans have yet to be finalised.

Walsh added: “We have a panel of commentators to choose from when we have double meetings, holidays and other events. Peter O’Hehir and Richard Pugh have been members of the panel for a long number of years and they will continue to fulfil roles with us. We hope to be adding another couple of names to that group.

Saturday will mark Scahill’s final commentary of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and the 69-year-old said that although he felt he could have continued on a reduced schedule he had no complaints about the decision.

Walsh said: “I can’t get into the details of arrangements we have with Dessie or any of our other employees but all I can tell you is that arrangements for Dessie’s retirement were all done in full consultation – and agreement – with himself.

“I’d like to wish him all the best on his future as he’s been a great contributor to us for a long time, giving us great service.”

Vick’s Vaporub, Hunting in Ballylongford and a meeting with an Author

Lovely snap by T.J. MacSweeney

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A Panacea


The below ad. was found on the internet.

 Do you remember Vick’s VapoRub?

Does anyone use the word embrocation any more?

Maybe my question is answered. My autocorrect just changed embrocation to imprecation!

Is there anything this miracle embrocation couldn’t be claimed to cure?

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Ballylongford Sunday



Jason of Ballybunion Prints took this photo in Ballylongford a while back.



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The Listowel Arms Hotel, Munster’s favourite wedding venue


Couples are coming from all over to The Listowel Arms to book their weddings.

There are all kinds of special touches and details that make this the stand out venue for your special day.


My boys tried out a fireside pose in case a groom had a turf or Bord na Mona connection.

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Morning with the author in Ballincollig Library




Kristin Gleeson has written a novel based loosely around the story of St. Gobnait of Ballyvourney. Kristin is third from right in the photo. I, along with a group of other book lovers, got to talk to her and ask her about the writing process in general and this book in particular, recently in Ballincollig Library.

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Listowel Fireman Photographed by John Kelliher a few years ago




L/R Jimmy Sheehan, Pat O Carroll, John Curtin, Liam Enright, Diarmuid Walsh, Driving Dave Mary Caplice, Passenger Jerry Mullins.



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Look who I Met on Church St.?




On Monday morning Conor and Seán Moriarty and their men were making an early start on the Christmas lights. 

A more sure sign than the Christmas ads that Santa is on his way to Listowel.

Listowel Races 2012, Clery’s and old wren boys

Calendar boys! I met Pat Healy and Sean Moriarty on Tuesday. They were both fully clothed!

 By the way, I hear that the calendars are selling like hot cakes.

I had my money on this fellow No. 13, Western Passion who just beat Western Star at the post.

Can you see the rainbow over the town? No pot of gold for their punter anyway.

The fence builders were taking a rest between races.

Love at the races!

This is the newly revamped Captain Christy’s Bar. Below is the interior.


The Parade Ring

 You could bet on the Tote without ever leaving your comfortable vantage point by the bar window. Tote employee, Mairead is seen here taking a bet from her former teacher. It did not win on this occasion.

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Clerys

Much talk and much reminiscing about this iconic Dublin store this week. I took the following from Wikipaedia

The history of Clerys began in May 1853 when Mc
Swiney, Delany and Co. opened ‘The New or Palatial Mart’ on the site of the
present store in what was then Sackville Street. In 1883, the premises was
taken over and renamed by M. J. Clery (d.1896), a native of Bulgaden, Co.
Limerick.[1]William Martin Murphywas also involved in the business.

Clerys was bought out of receivership in 1941
by Denis Guiney (1893-1967)[2]for £250,000. (Denis Guiney came from Brosna. ) The receivers were Craig
Gardner & Co. Denis Guiney died in 1967 and his widow, née Mary Leahy,
continued to be Chairperson until her death on 23 August 2004 at the age of 103
years.[3]

 Clerys
also owned Denis Guiney’s original business,Guineysat 79Talbot Street, and operates three
home-furnishings stores under the brand name “Clerys Home
Furnishings” – inBlanchardstown,NaasandLeopardstown. These stores are now
closed as of Sept. 18 2012.

Clerys was placed into receivership on 17
September 2012.  It is to be taken over
by U.S firm, Gordon Brothers who have promised that all existing staff will be
kept on.

Clerys Clock

A large clock with two faces hangs above
Clerys’ central doors on O’Connell Street (opposite thestatue of Jim Larkin).
“Under Clerys’ clock” is a well-known rendez-vous, both for
Dubliners, and visitors from the countryside,[5]and is famous in the city’s culture as a place where many romances begin.[6][7]In 1990, on the fiftieth anniversary of Denis
Guiney taking over the store, a new clock was installed.

The following is from the blurb of Denis
Guiney’s biography. A remarkable Kerryman indeed!

Denis Guiney

Denis Guiney (1893-1967)
was one of the most remarkable Irishmen of his generation, who exerted through
his business career a significant influence on the development of the economy
and lifestyle of modern Ireland. As a draper, he rose from working in small
country shops to become the owner of one of the country’s biggest enterprises,
the largest private company then in Ireland, the successor to part of a
commercial empire created by a series of earlier Irish entrepreneurs, which he
transformed to serve the ever-increasing and ever-changing needs of the
population of a new kind of Ireland. He is one of those whose lives have
materially contributed to the creation of the country’s modern prosperity. Many
talked airily of a ‘New Ireland’. Denis Guiney helped create it.

It is sad to see the Talbot Street shop that bears his name close its doors. It sold everything “from a needle to an anchor” and was a very popular shopping emporium until recent times when  it was eclipsed by multi nationals.


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Robin O’Connell of the Kilkissan Wrenboys in Listowel in 2001. Here he is on Jer’s video telling stories to Ned O’Connor. He is very proud of his 4 in a row at Listowel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h66Yz6IS__U&list=UUvu6UB8pWOY7MMn5MxCtj-w&index=34&feature=plcp

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Emigration: A good thought provoking video with some home truths and some myths.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dgWnW6iyko&feature=plcp


Vintage Vehicles, more from Sunday and Ballybunion caves

As part of the vintage day on Sunday there was a display of vintage cars and farm machinery. One lady I met told me that she felt really old when she discovered that the cars she used to court in were now vintage! I too felt a pang of nostalgia as I posed for a photo beside a car of the same model as my very first car, a Ford Anglia.

The FCA marched at the head of the parade.

A lone piper played.

There were some local stalls. My photo is of Leisha who was there with Laura selling periwinkles and lobsters.

Local people turned out in  numbers to enjoy a taste of the 1940’s. Some, like Sean Moriarty, even made an effort to get into the spirit of the occasion by dressing the part.

Siobhán and Mark Hewitt were visiting from the U.K.

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At the weekend we had a super moon which led to unusual tidal patterns. When I went to Ballybunion on Saturday with my weekend visitors we found the tide out further than we had ever seen it before. It meant that we could explore some caves by the sea arch which we had never been able to access before. Unbelievably I forgot to bring my camera!!!! so we had to make do with some of my son’s phone pics. Here they are:

Look how far out the tide is as the boys fly their kites.

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Anyone interested in emigration should read the following thought provoking article;

http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/generationemigration/2012/05/05/remembering-where-we-came-from-but-embracing-where-we-are-now/#.T6d8tGKndhA.twitter

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I also enjoyed reading this from Shane Creevy on Vintage Dublin postcards.

http://www.worldirish.com/listening-post/view/vintage-postcards-reveal-dublin-history-1043

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