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: Sheehy’s Tea

Milk stands, Ladies golf, Adare for Tea and and A New Irish Rose of Tralee

Running in Carrantoohil




Chris Grayson running in The Devil’s Ladder

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 Do you Remember the milk stand?

They’ve kind of made a feature of our old milk stand in the yard at home. My brother doesn’t have cows any more so the old stalls have been put to other uses. He found an old milk churn and put it on the milk stand as a reminder of the old days. The idea of the stand was that when the churns were full of milk and therefore heavy to lift, they could be rolled from the stand on to the donkey cart. At milking time this stand would be home to a gaggle of mewling cats, all begging for their ration of the warm milk. This was in the day when my mother milked the cows by hand.

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A Famous Ballybunion Golfer

I took this photo of a picture in The Bunker Bar in Ballybunion. This is Mrs Rosalie Venn. She was a Shortis from Ballybunion. She was the first lady captain of Ballybunion Golf Club in 1941. Her daughter, Angela Gilmore, became lady captain on 1971.

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Tea for Two



Have you been to Adare Manor since it’s make over?

I haven’t.

But people I know who went rave about the opulence and luxury of the place. This is the little tea caddy my friend brought home. I’m glad she told me that it was special before I drank it or I’d never have guessed, Underwhelmed!

In my humble opinion the cup of tea I had with Judy MacMahon a while ago was far superior.

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International Rose of Tralee 2018



Kristen Mate Maher is not your stereotypical Irish colleen. She is a stylish confident accomplished young lady who will be a great representative for Ireland in her year of Rose duties.

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Listowel letter in yesterday’s irish Examiner



Writers’ Week fun prize, Sheehy’s Tea and a Gary MacMahon poem



This eagle owl was photographed by Chris Grayson. Superb photo you’ll agree.

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It’s That Time of Year




Saturday fun run in Ballincolllig Regional Park

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We have a Winner


At the recent BOI enterprise town expo the good folk at Listowel Writers’ Week set people scratching their heads and racking their brains to come up with the last line of a Limerick.


Here are some of the good sports who chanced their arms at a spot of poetry.

The librarian didn’t win it. The bankers didn’t win it. The solicitors didn’t win it. The boardgamers didn’t win it. The postmistress didn’t win it. Restauranteurs,  business executives and retailers all had a go.

The winner was a schoolboy. Here he is, Patrick Brosnan who might have got a little help from his sister and mother.


Here is his winning entry;

Finish the Limerick Competition

There was a young man from Listowel

Who wrote mainly prose on the whole

But a poem the right size

Won him a Writers’ Week Prize

And that sent him off on a roll.

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A Welcome Gift

Recently I called on a friend and she made me a lovely cup of tea. When I told her how much I was enjoying the tea, she reached into her press and presented me with this packet of tea.

As you can see from the lable, Sheehys, who pack the tea, have a few more strings to their bow.

My friend, Judy, as well as giving me the tea gave me an absolutely beautiful Christmas card. It was especially made a few years ago as a fundraiser for St. Gabriel’s in Dooradoyle in Limerick.

The image on the card is of Gallarus Oratory on Christmas Night and the verses inside are by the late great Garry MacMahon.

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