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: St. Patrick’s Day 2016

St. Patrick’s Day 2016, Martin Hickeys and Ballybunion Beach on St. patrick’s Day 2016

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On March 24, 2016

In Uncategorized

More from St. Patrick’s Day in Listowel 2016


The man himself     (photo: Elizabeth Brosnan)

In Listowel Town Square people gathered to watch a short concert before the parade. The weather was the kindest it had been in ages.

Even the animal companions were decked out in green.

On the stage Comhaltas had assembled dancers, singers and musicians. Glór na Gael members were keeping  a watching brief.

Their turn over, members of Listowel Folk Group stayed to see the rest of the concert.


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Collection for Cancer research and Services



Margaret MacAulliffe and Judy MacMahon were at Nora Mulvihill’s fundraising tea and cake party.

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Vincent Carmody posts a Poignant Picture

(photo and text Vincent Carmody on Facebook)

“Today, I am posting a photograph of two first cousins, two Martin Hickeys. The younger Martin on the left, lives in Colbert Street 

The older Martin, formally of O’Connell’s Avenue, was a long time resident in the Bronx, New York. Martin, predeceased by his wife Margaret, passed to his eternal reward on March 9th 2016 in the loving presence of his family, his daughters and son , Kitty, Coleen and Eddie.

I count myself very fortunate to have made friends with Martin, many years ago,and enjoyed his wonderful company on each of his many visits back to his beloved hometown of Listowel.
When he returned, his main pleasure was meeting up with his old neighbors and friends, walking the streets and back ways and above all, being down by the woods, ball alley and riverside. These places, he once told me, were those closest to his heart. He will always be remembered as a real gentleman by his many friends in Listowel. Our heartfelt sympathy to his grieving family.”

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Meanwhile in Ballybunion






Mario Perez, their resident sand artist had created another masterpiece on the beach.

The fine weather brought a nice few on the beach.

Amy Sheehy, Artist, The Convent and St. Patrick’s Day Concert in The Square

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On March 23, 2016

In Uncategorized




Another great capture from Jim MacSweeney of Kanturk, a member of Mallow Camera Club.

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I never saw a purple cow.

I never hope to see one.

But I can tell you, anyhow,

I’d rather see than be one.

(Gelett Burgess)

At the launch of Amy Sheehy’s exhibition of her latest work the cows were not purple but a fascinating shade of blue.

Amy’s show, which was dedicated to her late dad, featured cows and women and a bit of T.S. Elliot. There were some lovely paintings on show in St. Johns and I’m delighted to report that the exhibition was a great success with many of the paintings sold on the opening night.

Amy, Bernie and Ruth Sheehy in St. John’s on Sunday March 13 2016

By pure co incidence the play I attended in St. John’s just a few nights later was called Charolais and was based around one woman’s jealousy of her boy friend’s prized Charolais heifer.  It was well worth seeing so do catch it if you get a chance.

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May Jim and his former colleagues who have died rest in peace

Staff of St. Michael’s in 1979

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The Convent


Since I was in the neighborhood recently I took a few snaps of the convent. The new roof is in place and the building has been secured.


This building, the old primary school and later, Toirbheart, is for sale.

 Presentation Convent Listowel in March 2016

 The windows are repaired or boarded up.

 The trench through the front lawn has been filled in.


Ivy is creeping over the chapel.

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One Horse, One pack of hounds and a Dolphin




Ita Hannon took this photo at Béal on March 13 2016

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St. Patrick’s Day 2016 in The Square, Listowel


This year there was a concert in The Square to keep the audience entertained before the parade took off. Maybe next year beaming this concert to the Small Square on a big screen might be an option.  The big crowd that was gathered there missed it.

First up we’re Listowel Folk Group with some songs associated with 1916. They were excellent as usual.

A bigger, more sturdy stage would be another good investment before next year. This year the musicians were kind of in the next parish.

I know, I know its easy to criticize. The organizers did a brilliant job but a few tweaks would improve things greatly.

These were the Listowel Comhaltas troupe. They had a great variety of performers, singers, dancers and a young man to read the proclamation.

Garden of Europe, Flanagan’s, a new Art technique at Olive Stack’s Gallery and the first of my St. Patrick’s Day photos

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On March 21, 2016

In Uncategorized

Big Name for Listowel Writers’ Week






Joanne Harris of Chocolat and Five Quarters of the Orange fame is coming to Listowel. She has written lots of other great novels as well but the above two are my favorites.

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Good Idea!


Patrick Kavanagh asked that his memorial should be “a canal bank seat for the passerby”. This always struck me as a good idea.

Flanagans in Listowel has a similar idea.

Now, isn’t that clever? The seat can be removed and brought indoors when the pub is closed.

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Great Music and singing at the monthly session in The Seanchaí



March 2016

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Garden on Europe and Listowel’s Holocaust Memorial



Recently Kerry Business Women’s Network marked International Women’s Day by inviting a very interesting special guest. Eva Schloss is an 86 year old Holocaust surviver. She is the step sister of Anne Frank. Eva has written about her time in the “camp” and the horrors that she has witnessed in her books, Eva’s Story and After Auschwitz.

Maria Leahy was in Ballygarry Hotel to hear her on March 12 2016

“Eva took to the stage and you could not hear a pin drop from the time she started to tell her story,200 or so guests were totally in awe of this woman and the story she had to tell.”

    The day after her interview with Ryan Tubridy Eva was brought to Listowel to visit The Holocaust Memorial in The Garden of Europe.

    Junior Griffin gave me these photographs from the official opening of the memorial which was attend by the German ambassador and other dignitaries.

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    New Artist in Residence


    They are always making beautiful things in Olive Stack’s. The newest artist in residence is Sheary Clough  who paints using this ancient technique. Encaustic is a paint made from beeswax, pure pigments and tree resin. The finished effect looks a bit like enamel, really colorful, shiny and beautiful.


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    St. Patrick’s Day in Listowel 2016



    As I headed to town for the parade there was evidence on Church St. that local people were preparing.

    Denis Fitzpatrick had his vintage car polished and ready to roll.

    Flags were flying on Church Street shops.

    Jim Halpin had his army jeep ready for action.

    Our local historian, Vincent Carmody was amongst women as he headed home from mass before returning to view the parade.

    Bhí go leor Gaeilge le cloisteáil agus le feiceáil ar na bhfógraí ar na fuinneoga.

    From Listowel to Ukraine, Craftshop na Méar, Forever Living and billy Keane in The White House

    By

    On March 18, 2016

    In Uncategorized

    Dancing in the Ukraine…the Listowel Connection



    The success of Riverdance, Lord of the Dance and similar shows means that Irish dancing is known and loved world wide. It is not surprising then that children in foreign countries, even those with no Irish heritage want to learn.  Irish dancing schools are springing up in the strangest places.

    One of these unexpected places is Lviv in The Ukraine.

    Johnny Cronin travelled from his home in North Kerry to judge their feis. This is what he told me about it.

    The Lviv, Ukraine feis took place  on the  weekend
    March 4 2016. There was a very high standard of dancing from beginner level to championship
    level.

    Most of the dancers were from Russia and the
    Ukraine. I was flown out to judge the event.

    There was a major language barrier, but you
    could see they were all very much in love with Irish dancing.

    It made me proud to see Irish dancing executed to
    a great standard so far from Ireland.

    The teachers are all from the Ukraine. They
    would have learned to dance from teachers from Ireland or the UK, when those teachers were living in Ukraine. These teachers would have traveled to Ireland to take their TCRG exams in order to be qualified to teach.

    In reply to my question  “Why did they ask you to be the judge?” Johnny replied, “They would have applied to get me to judge
    through the dancing association head office.”



    Johnny with some of the Ukrainian dancers and teachers

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    Craftshop na Méar, Church Street Listowel


    The shop is currently undergoing a revamp. I took these photos before that took place. A new line of vintage clothing and jewellery is being added and a sale section is being introduced.

    Here are some of the gorgeous items you can buy;

    Maureen and Eileen are two of the crafters you might meet in the shop on a Saturday

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    Forever Living




    Bernie Carmody and her daughter, Aideen toast Aideen’s expansion of her new business into North Kerry.

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    St. Patrick’s Day 2016






    I’ll sort my photos of the parade for next week. Meanwhile look who got the golden ticket.

    Our very own Billy Keane with his lovely daughter, Laura, at The White House for the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

    Here I must beg your humble apologies. You could have been the first to hear the news, but, when I met Billy on the street and he told me that he was going to The White House, I didn’t believe him. After all it was Cheltenham week and we all remember Billy’s hilariously irreverent piece about O Baa Ma.

    This time two and two did make four and we have photographic evidence that Billy and Laura Keane of Listowel did indeed attend the presidential reception to mark St. Patrick’s Day at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C.  I’m sure they represented us well.


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