Tag: St. Patrick's Day 2023

Liam Brennan as St. Patrick leads the parade down Church Street in sunny Listowel on St. Patrick’s Day 2023.

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Listowel Pitch and Putt Club

Tom O’Halloran took a few photos of drainage works under way in the days when everybody pitched in and got dirty.

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Man’s Friend ; The Robin

Robin by Dick Carmody

The
Robin……          

            …….companion for a reluctant gardener.

Reluctantly I kneel to tend my garden, derived of some pride, devoid of great pleasure

Painstakingly I toil to keep apace of mother nature, as weeds compete with work rate

Then I am suddenly less aware on my ownliness, a companion ever present at my side

The Robin makes his predictable welcome appearance to distract from my discomfort.

Red-breasted, he sits proud upon the boundary wall to watch my laboured movement

Takes pride in that he fanned the fire in Bethlehem’s stable to keep the Baby warm

And how the flames had burned his then colourless breast to testify his zealousness

Or was it when he pulled the thorn from Jesus’ brow on his way to cross on Calvary

And now carries his blood-stained feathers as if to show his favoured ranking.

At arms length he follows my every move, often playing hide and seek with me    

Standing tall or sometimes with head erect, motionless he stares me eye to eye

I could believe him God-sent, no other bird in sight in hedgerow or on leafless tree

Or is it just that he sees me as his meal-ticket, as I gather and discard the
fallen leaves

Exposing tasty morsels in the unfrozen ground to help him cope with winter’s worst.

I move along, hunched on bended knee, he follows cautiously close behind, beside

Sometimes out of sight, I seek him out again and know I will not be disappointed

For sure enough he’s back again here, there and everywhere, not taken for granted

Now gardening is less of a chore as I’m gifted a companion, my new forever friend.

©
Dick Carmody                                           

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Celtic Art Postage Stamps

These recent stamps are based on The Book of Kells.

This is what An Post says about them.

Over half a million visitors view the Book of Kells at Trinity College, Dublin, each year but, on February 23, you will have the opportunity to lay your hands on two stamps that feature beautiful illustrations from this masterpiece.

The Book of Kells is widely credited as being the most renowned of all medieval illuminated manuscripts for its intricacy, detail and, particularly, the majesty of the illustrations. Measuring 330 x 255mm, the book is an illuminated manuscript of the four gospels of the Christian New Testament. It was reputedly created by Columban monks c800 AD.

The two stamp designs feature details of the profile of a lion’s head, a symbol of Christ and his resurrection. The FDC image represents a cat apprehending a rodent in possession of a communion host. The illustrations on some pages highlight how, in medieval monasteries, cats were seen to preserve the supply of food for body (and soul – chasing mice breaking into stores of Communion hosts.)

The images in the Book of Kells are called miniatures and were painted by artists who were known as miniaturists and later as illuminators. Abstract decoration and images of plant, animal and human ornament punctuate the text with the aim of glorifying Jesus’ life and message.

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Your help is Needed

Good morning.  My Name is Allen O’Callaghan and I live in Omaha, Nebraska, USA.  I’ve been pursuing my families history in Ireland, and particularly in the towns of Listowel and Ballybunion.  My G—G grandfather owned properties in both towns, as well as agricultural properties south of Listowel.  His name was Gerard J. O’Callaghan (1808-1888) and apparently prominent as he was in the local newspapers quite often.  He had a daughter named Mary Jane O’Callaghan (1845-1923), who professed with the sisters-of-mercy as Sr. M M Louis.  According to census records she was Mother Superior of a convent in Ballybunion.  I’m having problems reconciling modern day locations with the family lore and actual known records.  At one point I was told that a family home called Sea View Lodge was given to the Catholic Church.  If you have any knowledge of any of these old locations and/or can recommend any available histories I can review, I’d be very much appreciative.  

Sincerely

Allen O’Callaghan

If you can help Allen will you contact me on listowelconnection@gmail.com and I’ll put you in touch with Allen.

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