Chris Grayson took these rutting stags in The National Park, Killarney in October 2017
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A National Treasure
Gaeltarra Eireann made these dolls right up to the 1960s. They were much prized by U.S. tourists and are now “collectable’.
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Berkie Browne’s
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Sive Songs
These verses are on the wall of Lynch’s Coffee shop in Main Street
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Poetry in The Square
This is one of the pieces in Listowel Town Square
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One for the Exiles
Then and Now
Lighting Options 2007
All Regions Internet shop 2016
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Sive in the Papers in 1959
Journalists flocked to Listowel in 1959 to meet the real people who brought glory to the town by winning the All Ireland Drama prize with a play by an unknown local playwright.
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Where to get What if?
A while back I wrote about this book and its author. People since have asked me where they can get the book.
Sarah Murphy is a girl who believes in doing it for herself. She wrote, illustrated and published the book herself and you can buy it directly from her online in her Etsy shop HERE.
It costs €9.99 plus postage.
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You Heard it Here First
Bailey & Co. is the new shop being planned for Listowel by one of the town’s most stylish entrepreneurs, Danny Russell.
Danny has been slowly renovating the old Chutes Bar and now he knows what he wants to do with it. Bailey & Co. which is planned for August 2016 will be a (very) high end fashion destination. It will sell beautiful occasion wear for mother of the bride, bridesmaid, mother of the communicant or confirmandi, deb., racegoer, posh wedding guest or any occasion when a really special outfit is called for. Style advice will be available and Danny is recruiting a staff of kind, patient shop assistants.
Good news for the curvier ladies is that he will devote a whole floor to really stylish clothes in sizes 22 to 30.
Bailey & Co. will also stock underwear, millinery and accessories.
Danny has experience in the fashion industry as a stylist and he ran a model agency in the past. All of us who visit his hair salon, Changes or his Kerry Wig Clinic know that Danny has no airs and graces. He has that special knack of making everyone feel special. I wish him well in this new venture.
Watch this space for updates.
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History is Made
photo: Irish Examiner on Facebook
“29 TDs in the outgoing Dáil had family members who had a place in our lower house of parliament.
But siblings are rarer. In Irish history, there have been 26 sets of brothers and sisters, and 10 of them sat in Dáil Eireann at the same time.
What Michael and Danny Healy-Rae just achieved, however, is unprecedented. There has never before been a pair of siblings elected to the same Dáil, in the same constituency.” (The Journal.ie)
All Over Bar the Shouting
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Lovely Listowel
St. John’s in Listowel Town Square in Summer 2007
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Then and Now
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A Midland Event with a North Kerry Connection
Minister Brian Lenihan opening the rail bridge over the Shannon in 1969. He was Minister for Transport and Power from 2/7/69 to 3/1/73. The priest had blessed the bridge just beforehand. To the priest’s left is BnM MD, Dermot Lawlor and left and just behind Lawlor is BnM Chairman, Aodhagán O’Rahilly. O’Rahilly’s father Michael, known as “The” O’Rahilly” was a member of the GPO garrison and was killed on Easter Friday 1916 while charging a British barricade in Moore Street.
(photos and text: Bord na Mona Heartland)
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“I don’t care about Clifton Clowers…”
Who needs Clifton Clowers when we have our own old ploughmen here at home.
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Concert in Listowel in 1864
This concert seems to have been a bit of a pot pourri. Poor Mr McCarthy got an awful reception from the audience;
Tralee Chronicle and Killarney Echo
Tuesday, 15 November, 1864; Page: 3
CASTAGLIONI’S CONCERT IN LISTOWEL,
from a Listowel correspondent
On Thursday evening last, the
celebrated Madame Castaglioni gave one of her pleasing and entertaining
concerts in Listowel.
We have not had any concerts worth
speaking of in Listowel, ever since the Messrs Richardson performed the
beautiful piece of the harmonious Blacksmith on their curious rock band some
few years ago; and now accordingly heard with delight, this visit of a troupe
of clever artists, as the harbinger of a goodly number of future visits of a
similar kind.
The Signors Carletta Zerbini and Le
Petit Louis Napoleon were prime favourites with the audience and really, taken
on the whole, their performance was very creditable. The latter little marvel
of precocity gave “The Dark Girl dressed in Blue” and “Polly Perkins”, with
admirable effect, while the Senora Zerhiai positively enthralled the audience
with the flood of feeling and passionate pathos, which she infused into
Lurline’s” Sweet Spirit Hear My Prayer” and the capital manner in in which she
rendered the Italian air “ Una Voco pocofa”.
We were particularly delighted with the deft
and skilful manner, in which this accomplished cantairiea introduced the
tremulous quator and thrilling shake into her magnificent voice. At first she
warbles a few notes with bird like clearness and vivacity; then slowly and
majestically her voice falls, and for some seconds becomes pendulous with deep
emotion, then suddenly rising to the full height of her vocal powers, she pours
forth one sustained volume of delicious harmony. With reference to the personal
attractions we may be permitted to state, that when in repose, the countenance
of the Signora Zerbini seems immobile and statuesque, but when under the
inspiration of the spirit of song, every feature is animated and illumed with
the charming glow of eloquent enthusiasm.
The performance of Mr M’Carthy was
unsatisfactory; he seemed restless and fidgety and the slightest interruption
on the part of the audience discomposed his equanimity; In consequence of this
the “Hour of Ireland” was completely expunged from the programme.- M’Carthy who
seems to us to be either very sensitive or very irascible, had commenced his
comicalities, some of which were received with loud laughter by the audience,
whereupon he retreated behind the scenes in high dudgeon and did nor put in an
appearance for the rest of the evening. Mr. M’Carthy misunderstands the
effervescing and joystering disposition of his countrymen. But he should
recollect that a public concert, is not a humdrum Quaker meeting.
After Mr M’Carthy’s disappearance a
scene of considerable confusion took place. In the midst of the tumult “Patsy
the Cottoner”a well known character, rose to address the assembly, and was
received with tremendous cheering and waving of hats by his fellow townsmen.
This important personage who had been a long time absent from Listowel,
formally enjoyed a high reputation, as a village orator and was quite indispensable
at every gathering of the “great unwashed”.
He said,” ladies and gentlemen, I
have a very great cold, so that if I break down, I hope I am quite excusable.
After so long an absence. I have returned to visit my old friends and
acquaintances in Listowel again.” Having delivered himself of those two weighty
sentences, this individual blurted out a comic song of a very doggerel
character, which of course our musical sympathies and affinities do not permit
us record, much less notice approvingly.
Miss Carlotta Zerbini then rose and
said,- “It is unusual for a lady to address an audience, but I must say we have
come here to fulfil our engagement, and not to be insulted,- If therefore you
will have a little patience, we will terminate the performance. Miss Zerbini
concluded accordingly by singing a song. Then the company dispersed, though, it
must be confessed, not without some feeling of disappointment, caused by the
fragmentary nature of the entertainment.
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Times Past
A nun in Convent Street in 2007
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Listowel Drama Group’s Sive in 1959
What some papers said
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A Listowel Dance Card from 1908
Jim Halpin found this when he was renovating his shop in Church St. some years ago. It is in perfect condition. We can only assume that the young lady it was intended for lost it before she ever got to the dance . Jim has kept this treasure safely and you can see it if you visit the Listowel Military and Historical Museum at 24 Church St.
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Colourful Spirits in NCW
Beautiful Beale
Ita Hannon
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Your Help is Needed to Identify this old school, Teacher or Pupils
It’s somewhere in North Kerry but the sender of the photo has no further clue.
As they say on the TV programme, Crime Call, “The image is very clear. Someone must recognize someone…”
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The Success of Sive
Text and photos: Vincent Carmody
Vincent Carmody was at the premier of Sive in Walsh’s Ballroom and he wrote the following account of the night.
Premier of Sive.
I was there at the beginning.
John B. said, ‘All Souls Night’ was his introduction to three act plays. My introduction was Sive’s premier, at Walsh’s Ballroom, on Feb 2nd, 1959.
I remember it, as it was one, of only two times ( apart from attending Mass), that I ever went, to any social occasion with both my parents. The other was when we went to see the film, Oklahoma, at the Plaza. My sister, Maura was with us. She was entering the nuns shortly afterwards.
I had seen Walsh’s Hall, rising from a green field site, in the mid 1950’s, and the night of the premier, was my first glimpse of it internally, it appeared then to me, as the largest building, apart from our local Church, that I was ever in.
The hall was jam-packed, many of those around, were familiar to my parents, so there was a continual buzz of conversation. Looking back, much of what went on, on the stage that night, went over my head, However, there are certain moments that I can vividly remember to this day, after a distance of 57 years.
The first was, the distinctive sound of a bodhran being beaten, first in the distant, then louder as it came nearer the Glavin’s house, then louder as the two tinker men came into the kitchen, Carthalawn singing and being told by Pats Bocock, ‘your best, your almighty best’
I remember, Mena Glavin’s taunting of her mother in law, Nanna Glavin, and I am sure that I felt pity for her. What I remember most of the acting, was the shouting outside the house, before Sive’s dead body was brought back from the bog, and then as she was brought into the kitchen and laid on the table top.
Make believe became reality when the play finished, the lights were turned and the actors took several standing ovations.
All those on the stage that night were people that my family knew well, The Cahills, John and Siobhan (Carthalawn and Nanna Glavin), our mothers used attend Children Of Mary together, John Flaherty (Pats Bocock) as gentle a billiard player, as he was a gentleman, he was our tailor, Bill Kearney (Thomasheen Sean Rua, the Matchmaker) we knew him as Sgt. Kearney, he was officer in charge of the local F.C.A. headquarters, The Slua Hall. Nora Relihan (Mena Glavin) Nora was married to Mick Relihan, our neighbour. Brendan O Carroll, the play’s producer, my mother was a regular customer of his drapery shop, ( it was there I got my first pair of green and gold Kerry socks). Margaret Dillon (Sive). Her brother Tony and myself were for a while altar boys at the convent. John B, I did not know him then, at this time, he would have been known as The Joker’s ( Eamon Keane’s) younger brother. Kevin O Donavan (Mike Glavin), our friend and neighbour, he was our shoemaker. Brian Brennan (Liam Scuab), he was from out of town, he worked for the contractors that were building the new boys school at the time. Hiliary Neilson (Sean Dota) the Technical School’s metalwork teacher with the Swedish name, at the time, we only knew of him from lads attending the school. They used say,” you better keep on his right side or else he could hit you with anything” Meeting him in later life, I found him a kindly man, his sole interest in teaching, the progress and well being of his pupils.
I have since seen the play over 10 times, however those first night memories are indelibly frozen in my mind.
The photograph and program, I framed, and gave to John B. on his 70th birthday in 1998. It remain’s in the bar.
The original photo of the opening night cast,
From left, Sean Cahill, John Flaherty, Bill Kearney, Nora Relihan, Brendan O Carroll, Margaret Dillon, John B Keane, Siobhan Cahill, Kevin O Donavan, Brian Brennan, Cecile Cotter ( assistant stage manager, a daughter of Tasty Cotter) Hiliary Neilson.
From Kay Caball’s scrapbook comes the early reaction from the critics
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A Pleasant Surprise
When I opened the Weekend Magazine in my Irish Independent a few Saturday’s ago I saw a familiar face. It was Patricia Murphy who I remembered from Pres. a few years ago. Patricia was part of a feature about people sharing their favourite recipe.
I’ve included it here for you. I haven’t tried it yet so you might let me know if you do.
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Do you remember this?
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Then and Now
2007
2016
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Life in Downtown Asdee
Fr. Pat Moore continues his slow recovery. He is keeping us all posted on progress here
On Sunday he shared a memory of his good friend, Chrissie Nolan who passed away in December 2015
Fr. Moore’s photo of Chrissie Nolan taken at his deaconate ceremony in Rome in 1981
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Fealeside Frolics
All photos by John Kelliher
You have until Sunday night to catch this Widows’ Paradise It’s gas!
Holidays
Do you remember when going on your holidays meant going a few miles out the road to your cousins? Those were the best holidays except, maybe, for the times when your cousins came over from England for a bit and brought with them a few hand-me downs.
Those lucky enough to have visiting American cousins were the really lucky ones. Americans were rich and often has gadgets like cameras. I grew up in a house with no camera. Most of the photos of us as children were taken by American relatives.
When cousins came you got taken places, often only to visit other relatives but that was the height of excitement in the 1950s. Cousins from abroad loved jobs like saving hay, a trip to the bog or the well, bringing in the cows or having a go at pulping mangolds. This stuff was all new to them and they thought it was all “great gas’. Because they enjoyed it so much, it didn’t seem like drudgery any more.
I was reminded of all of this when I got some holiday snaps from my peripatetic friends at Christmas.
While I was at home in rain soaked Ireland other people were sharing their holiday snaps from exotic destinations.
My sister in law was in Vietnam
My niece went to Venice.
My friend, Mary Sobieralski, was in Cologne.
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Women pray at a holy well in Ardfert sometime in the 1930s
Photo; Ireland The Old Country
One thing that fascinates me about this photo is the very colorful shawls on the two women on the left. These are more like table coverings and not at all like anything I have ever seen before worn by Kerry women.
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Listowel Drama
Sive marked a pinnacle of successful drama for Listowel folk.
Below is Liam O Hainnín’s photo of the sleeve of his L.P. of the play.
Listowel Drama Group are taking to the road again. Next March in Holycross in Tipperary a wider audience will get a chance to see the brilliant production of Blythe Spirit we all enjoyed so much last year.
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Apropos My Flooding in Abbeyfeale Story
I posted this last week:
Irish Examiner 1841-1999, Saturday, 25 January, 1941; Page: 10
MRS. M. STACK, M0YNSHA. ABBEYFEALE.
The most destructive flood in the Feale for a century was recalled by
the death of Mrs. Nano Stack, of Moynsha, Abbeyfeale, which took place
in her 90th year, after some weeks illness. About the middle of the
fifties of the last century. Mrs. Stack, when a child of about six
years old, was save by her brother, the late Dl. O’Connor , Church
Street, Abbeyfeale, who took her in his arms, and climbing a wall of
their house at Islandanny, which the big Feale flood had isolated,
remained so until the flood subsided. This flood, which occurred in
August, broke down the Feale Valley with tremendous depth and force,
and swept to their death eleven persons.
and it drew this response from Nicky Leonard:
Hi, Mary, I have read your very interesting account of the narrow escape, at Islandanny. of Mrs. Nano Stack from the great Feale flood.
I had previously come across the following report in the Spectator of 1858; it probably refers to the same great flood. How factual the account of the deaths and destruction at Abbeyfeale is, I am not certain. The last paragraph is particularly apt in the light of the current Great Floods.
Best wishes, Nicky Leonard:
From The Spectator of 25 September 1858:
“…there have been very serious floods in Limerick, Kerry, and Cork. At Abbeyfeale, in the river Feale, five persons were drowned, bridges, houses, and a great deal of property destroyed.
In Cork and Connemara alike walls were swept down; vessels carried from their moorings; stacks of corn, hay, oats floated off; potato fields submerged; horses drowned.
The destructive effects of this sudden rising of the waters in the south of Ireland will be painfully felt in many a village and homestead.”
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