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: Thade Kelly’s Hen

The Saga of Thade Kelly’s Hin (continued)

By

On April 30, 2024

In Listowel

St. Michael’s graveyard in April 2024

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Trees in the Park

This beautiful cherry blossom is in the pitch and putt course.

I met Denis O’Rourke on his morning walk. I photographed him against the backdrop of this magnificent tree.

This one will forever remind me of picnics in the park during Covid.

This fairly bare one is in the middle of the car park.

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Thade Kelly’s Hen and the furore that followed

You’ll have to go back to yesterday’s post for the text of the poem and what David O’Sullivan found about the poet.

David discovered a very interesting joust in the papers between Foley (poet) and OSullivan (journalist) as to the merits or demerits of the ballad of the hen.

Here is some of the marvellous commentary in the newspapers of the time, mainly The Kerry Sentinel.

In October 26 1889 Foley got a good review from his own Tralee paper,

In March 1901 at a big Listowel Concert, Foley was going grand while he was singing familiar songs by other composers. However his encore, his own composition, Thade Kelly’s Hen, drew the ire of a local journalist who was prompted to write (anonymously) to the paper. Foley took offence and replied in his own defence.

Back came ” Your Correspondent’s” reply

The boys were going at it hammer and tongs in the local paper when, from beyond the Ganges, a retired Captain O’Sullivan enters the debate. He launches his scud at the poor hin while writing at a temperature of 105 degrees

But who was this Thomas F. O’Sullivan who took such exception to poor Foley’s attempt at local humour?

Dave found that out too and I’ll tell you tomorrow.

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May Eve

In the old Celtic belief, the new day began a sunset, so Bealtaine began on May Eve, April 30. Bealtaine celebrates the return of the light after the dark days of Winter. It is the first day of summer and traditionally it was celebrated with dancing and feasting.

The Christian tradition built on the old Celtic one and May became the month of Our Lady. May altars were built and decorated and processions were held in honour of the Blessed Virgin.

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A Fact

In some parts of Ireland where a lot of store is set by folk cures, a man who had never seen his father was thought to have a cure for many ailments.

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A Poet’s Hen, a Memorial and some Gaeilge

By

On April 29, 2024

In Listowel

Centra and Circle K in Cahirdown

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Gaeilge

Irish on Listowel Streets from a TY project in 2007

Gaeilge ag Seachtain na Scríbhneoirí 2024;

An Satharn Meitheamh 1

Cúirt Filíochta: Irish language poetry event. Filí na Gaeilge ag léamh a gcuid filíochta. Eagraithe ag Matt Ó Maonaigh, cléireach na Cúirte, i gcomhar le Seachtain na Scríbhneoirí, le Glór na nGael Lios Tuathail agus le tacaíocht Oifig na Gaeilge, Comhairle Co. Chiarraí.

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Thade Kelly’s Hen

A man called John Foley lived in Tralee at the turn of the century.

“It seems John J Foley was also an established painter and decorator based in Moyderwell, Tralee. In 1901 he was aged 34 and lived with his wife Martha (Knowling) and family. He died in April 1941, obit attached listing his active part in the town’s social activities including choirs, musical and philharmonic society.(account from 1889 attached). He is buried in Rath Cemetery, Tralee. He appears to be well established performer and famed in amateur circles for his performances.” David O’Sullivan.

One hundred years later a lady called Christan Bush in Georgia in the USA is doing a doctorate on Victorian literature. Her professor encourages her to study “unknown” writers from the period. Christan loves Ireland so she decided to research an unknown Irish poet.

Here the two stories converge. John J. Foley, as well as a performer was a writer of comic verses.

Where does Listowel Connection come in?

Every now and again Jer. Kennelly sends me snippets from old newspapers. One such snippet contained an account of a concert in Listowel in 1901 at which John Foley recited his poem, Thade Kelly’s Hen.

Christan found the text of the poem in an old Cork Examiner and here it is….

Now Christan had the poem but nothing about the poet. Enter our good friend and super researcher, David O’Sullivan.

Thade Kelly’s Hen garnered an amount of notoriety in these parts between March and April of 1901 due to a correspondence in the newspapers between Foley and Thomas F. O’Sullivan of Listowel, who took exception to the poem. David has researched it all for us and I’ll bring it to you tomorrow.

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Lest We Forget

Heads bowed in reverence, a staggering 1,475 giants now stand among the fields of the British Normandy Memorial, overlooking Gold Beach. 

: S. Frères / Normandy Tourism 

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A Fact

The time around Bealtaine was regarded by the Celts as a liminal time, a time when the spirit world and the earth world were close. At this time people who were in league with evil inhabitants of the spirit world could invoke their help to harm their neighbours. This belief was known as Piseogs.

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