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: Ukraine

Big Houses

By

On February 9, 2023

In Listowel

Egmond House, Kanturk, February 2023

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Those Lazy, Hazy Crazy Days of Summer

A few years ago Carmel Sweeney Gornall shared these two photos with us. They are well worth a revisit. Happy days!

1988 Summer Camp in Listowel Community Centre

1987 Summer Camp in Listowel Community Centre

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The sad end of Kilmorna House

This is how Kilmorna house is pictured and described in Kerry Writers’ Museum site;

Kilmorna House, known locally as the Great House, lay four miles south east of Listowel and six miles north west of Abbeyfeale. In 1834 the house was purchased by Pierce Mahony. It incorporated the original house that had been built in 1700, but Kilmorna House was of a much greater scale, much grander. It comprised three floors, 20 rooms, a library of books, a chapel, wonderful walled gardens and terraces with granite steps, all overlooking the river Feale as it flowed and meandered its way through the north Kerry countryside below.

Pierce O’Mahony had a step son, Arthur Vicars who loved Kilmorna and spent a lot of time there with his half brothers

Vicars had a glittering career. “In 1896 Arthur Vicars was knighted, in 1900 he was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) and in 1903 he was elevated to Knight Commander of the order (KCVO). He was also a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and a trustee of the National Library of Ireland.”

However he became embroiled in scandal when “The Irish Crown Jewels” which were in his keeping were stolen. The gutter press of the time had a field day with him, raising questions about his sexuality and his faithfulness to his wife and his suitability for high office. He refused to resign and protested his innocence of any wrongdoing.

He fled to his place of sanctuary, Kilmorna House.

In 1921 The War off Independence was being bitterly waged in these parts. Any Englishman, particularly an aristocrat who fraternised with members of the British Army was suspected of spying.

Vicars was shot on the grounds of Kilmorna House on April 14 1921 and a placard placed around his neck with the words ‘SPY. INFORMERS BEWARE. IRA NEVER FORGETS’

Kilmorna house was sacked and burned. His widow fled to Listowel to Gurtinard House.

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Former Presentation Convent, Listowel

This is how I like to remember the convent.

This is how it looked on Saturday February 4 2023

The good news is that the building is to be refurbished. The owner of the derelict building spoke to Donal Nolan of “The Kerryman”.

“Owner of the Convent John Whelan has informed The Kerryman that the refugees bound for Listowel will comprise women, children and elderly people in the main.” ………

“Mr Whelan said he was moved on humanitarian grounds to help accommodate Ukrainian people; in the building he owns that was once home to generations of nuns.”….

“This is purely for Ukrainian refugees, mostly women, children and elderly people. The building is there and it’s empty and it would be a shame not to look after people there in this way. I hope there will be a welcome extended them by the people of North Kerry and Listowel,” Mr Whelan added.

Asked as to how many would be accommodated in the old Convent, Mr Whelan replied: ‘In and around 50’. (The Kerryman Feb. 2023)

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Kiskeam and Tarbert

By

On April 25, 2022

In Listowel, Tarbert

Kieran Cogan, Mallow Camera Club

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Ballybunion in 1914

This photograph from the National Library was shared online by Cathleen Mulvihill.

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Aspects of Tarbert in April 2022

There is a lot about Tarbert that is old fashioned in an endearing way. One of the old fashioned features is this grotto which dominates the main street.

I dont know any other town that has a functioning public water hydrant. We used to call these fountains back in my day. Many is the refreshing drink I took from one on my way home from school.

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Bernard Casey, Comedian

I’m getting better at grabbing a selfie when I encounter a star. Cora took this one. Of course she had no idea who Bernard Casey was but I filled her in and she is now a fan.

Bernard is involved in a fundraising effort for Ukraine that sees him team up with Kiskeam GAA to promote the Dynamo Duhallow jersey.

Dynamo Duhallow

The link is to instagram. In case you dont have Instagram, here is the craic in Bernard’s words.

DYNAMO DUHALLOW BY KEOHANE ATHLETIC CLUB.

I am proud to support those involved in Kiskeam GAA and the wider Duhallow GAA community in this design initiative to raise funds for the people of Ukraine.

Dynamo Duhallow was inspired by an old Kiskeam GAA jersey from the 1940s which shared similar colours to Ukraine’s iconic football team, Dynamo Kiev. 

In the jersey designed by Paul Galvin To further unite two disparate communities, the border of the Duhallow region in North Cork is placed alongside the border of Ukraine, where a club crest would normally sit, as a symbol of solidarity, protection and community. 

The sash carries the Ukrainian word for SOLIDARITY across the front and back as translated by a Ukrainian national living in Ireland, as well as a Ukrainian symbol for memory. 

Design and sport come together to make a stand. The Duhallow division puts aside local club rivalries, wearing these jerseys in solidarity with Ukrainians suffering the pain of war.

Kiskeam is a place where if you don’t have three names you’re a blow in.

I’m told by my North Cork connections, some of them with three names, that the jerseys are selling well.

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Beware of NFTs

Remember I told you last week about crypto currency.

By now we are well used to trading with virtual money, with digital fund transfers and credit and debit card transactions but NFT’s are a whole new level of weird and require a whole new level of trust.

I read this cautionary tale in the weekend paper. I’m sharing it as a warning.

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I Met a Fan in Town

I love to meet a follower of Listowel Connection who really appreciates what I do. Such a fan is Marion Walsh, who stopped to praise and encourage me, when I met her last week.

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Our new Eating and Performance Space

I took these photo on Friday April 22 2022 as the foundations for the canopies were being laid. I can’t wait to see the finished Square. Listowel will never look the same again.

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Mr. Regan of Church Street

People remembered this man alright. He was a hackney driver and a publican. His pub was in Church Street where Flanagan’s is now. This was a new car he took to show to his relatives in Tanavalla.

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Sr. Consolata’s Memories Continued

By

On March 30, 2022

In Ballybunion, Listowel, Schools

Kerry Writers Museum, March 2022

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Welcoming New Pupils

I took this photograph from Scoil Realta na Maidine’s Facebooks page. In it Mr. Quirke, Principal, is welcoming two new pupils whose last school was in Ukraine.

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Sr. Consolata in her own words

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St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2022

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Ballybunion Seats

I was in Ballybunion at the holiday weekend and I noticed a few new seats. These seats are a lovely way to commemorate people who loved Ballybunion.

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Ukraine and Listowel

By

On March 25, 2022

In Listowel, Schools' Folklore

Spotted on Church Street on Sunday March 20 2022.

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Listowel Stands with Ukraine

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So much to see and do in lovely Listowwel

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Rose, Joan, Cara and the folks in Listowel Business and Community Alliance played a blinder on St. Patrick’s Day ☘️ posting live streams of the parade. This was greatly appreciated by those who love Listowel but couldn’t be here this year.

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Schooldays of Yore

About sixty-three years ago ( around 1874 or 75) there was an old school in Kilfeighney in Mr. Stack’s land.

Mrs. Kennelly herself attended it. It was a thatched one room building with seats going all round and four plain desks with inkwells in the centre. It had one open fire place, and two windows, and a door in front, and an earthen floor.
The teachers were Mr. B. Brosnan and Miss O Sullivan. There was no Irish taught then, and the principal subjects taught were Reading, Writing, Sums, Grammar, and Geography. It was a mixed school and up to sixty or eighty scholars attended it between boys and girls.
The school was opened at nine o’clock in the morning, and closed at four in the evening. There were no pictures hanging on the walls, but there were Maps; one of Asia, one of Africa, one of America, one of Australia, and one Map of Europe.
The teachers were paid by the English Board and when Clandouglas school opened Mr. Brosnan was again appointed Principal. Mrs. Kennelly who attended this school told this to Annie Hennessy who recorded it in the Clandouglas school’s folklore collection.

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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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