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: William Street Upper

Things Work Out

In Listowel Town Square in May 2025

Listowel Castle

My photo is from May 21 2025. Text is from Listowel and its Vicinity by Fr. Antony Gaughan.

Ballincollig, My Home Away from Home

Congratulations to Ireland’s Tidiest Town

the hard working volunteers

Jack, the cattle herder

Jack is a pal of Stuart’s. He helps him keep his ladies in line.

Where the streets have no name

Or have so many it’s hard to pick one.

I apologise to the people who have heard all of this before on here. If that’s you, just skip to the poem.

St. Patrick’s Hall is on William Street Upper. Some people prefer Patrick Street but that’s not an official address.

That’s the Sluagh Hall with the Palistinian flag. Wonder who put that there?

The Street sign at the top of the street giving the Irish and English street names…no Patrick, unless it’s Patrick Pearse but that’s stretching it a bit.

A Poem

Progress at Lidl Site

Warning signs at the site

I am standing on the footpath opposite to where Dowd’s house stood.

The present Lidl store

Another load of concrete arrives at the site.

A Fact

Our eyes are the same size from birth to death but our nose and ears never stop growing.

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Looking Forward to The Races

Listowel Castle in August 2023

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Football Quote

I found this quote from the legend that was Páidí O Sé in Gabriel Fitzmaurice’s book, In Praise of Football.

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Listowel Harvest Festival of Racing 2023

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Where the streets have 2 Names

This sign at Mike the Pies commemorates features of that end of town which it calls Patrick Street.

The presence of St. Patrick’s Hall leads people to believe that this is Patrick Street.

The proper name of this street is William Street Upper. We won’t even go into the other Patrick who gives it its name in Irish.

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The Concert to End all Concerts

Jer Kennelly researched these concerts ion the newspaper archives and he found this glowing account of one held in the Presentation School in 1900.

Kerry Sentinel, Saturday, 16 June, 1900; Page: 4

CONCERT IN LISTOWEL. SPLENDID ENTERTAINMENT IN THE CONVENT SCHOOLS.

On Monday evening a grand vocal and instrumental concert was held in the schools of the Presentation Convent, Listowel. From every point of view the entertainment was an unqualified success. Vocally and instrumentally, it was a treat of a very high order. There was a galaxy of talent in which local artistes were conspicuous. The audience was large, fashionable and appreciative, and handsome receipts were realised. The attendance was in itself a tribute of respect to the sisters of the community, who have by their zealous, unostentatious labours, on behalf of religion, and education, established a strong claim on the sympathy and support of the public. The programme submitted for discussion was admirably prepared and well balanced, while all the items were rendered in a most creditable style. In fact from start to finish their was not a single hitch in the arrangements. For the success of the entertainment, Mr Gibson, who presided over the practices, and conducted the concert, deserves the heartiest congratulations on the unqualified success which has attended his efforts. To those who have witnessed recent mediocre entertainments in Listowel, Monday night’s concert was a revelation of the high order of proficiency which our local artistes have attained.

The opening chorus, “Hail to the Chief” (Bishop), which was rendered by a choir composed of the artistes taking part in the concert, with Miss M. Hayes gave the audience a foretaste of the treat in store for them. ” I Fear No Foe” (Pinsuti), by Mr Gibson, was highly appreciated, while his encore contribution, “The Heart Bowed Down” (Balfe), was equally popular. Mr Hayes sang “The Warrior Bold” in dashing style, and for an encore, ” Nancy Lee,” and was as usual popular with his audience. Miss Crowley sang “The Flight of Ages” (F. Bevan), with a good deal of expression, and was warmly appreciated. The duet, “Whisper and I shall hear” (Piccolomini), by Miss Harnett and Mr. Gibson, was a pretty vocal item, which evoked a hearty encore, which was not, however, much to the disappointment of the audience, responded to ” The Last Rose of Summer,” with violin and piano arrangement, by Misses M’Auliffe (violin) and O’Callaghan (piano), was an instrumental item which was executed with & good deal of ability, and was deservedly popular. Mr. Hamilton’s fine tenor voice was heard to advantage in “The Lighthouse Keeper,” while in his encore song, ” The M’Gregor’s Gathering,” he was even more successful. Miss M’Elligott sang ” For All Eternity'” (Mascheroni), and as usual acquitted herself creditably. The violin solo, “The Broken Melody” (Van Beine), was rendered by Miss Dillon, in a charming manner—the execution being finished and sympathetic. In ” Thoughts and Tears” (Hope Temple), Mr. Wheatly Ellis sustained the popularity which he has achieved with local audiences, while in the martial Irish ballad, ” The Ministrel Boy,'” which he gave in response to an encore, he brought down the house.

The second part of the programme opened with the ” German Band Quartette,” played on two pianos by Misses Walsh, Keane, Collins and Fitzgerald, pupils of the concert schools. It was certainly one of the most popular items on the programme,  and deservedly so. The time and execution were perfect, and the rendering reflected the highest credit on the artistes, and on those who were responsible for their training. Mr. Hamilton sang “Beloved Again” (Barri), and he was compelled to yield to an encore, in response to which he sang “Beneath Your Window,” a humorous serenade, which tickled the audience immensely. Miss Harnett, who does not take part in concerts as often as the public would wish, sang the beautiful ballad “Asthore” (Trotere), with infinite taste and expression, and in response to an encore, ” Killarney,” which was rendered even in a more capable manner, and was enthusiastically applauded. Miss Creagh’s violin solo, “La Serenata” (Bragga) was a beautiful instrumental contribution, which was artistically interpreted, and an encore was imperatively demanded and acceded to. Mr. Gibson’s singing of ” Eileen Allanah” (Thomas) captivated the audience, while the “Bedouin Love Song” (Pinsute) was rendered in capital style. Miss Crowley was warmly appreciated in her singing of the “Winter Lullaby.” “The Moon has raised her Lamp” (Benedict), a vocal duet, by Messrs Hamilton and Gibson, was one of the most pleasing items, and was rendered in the most artistic fashion. The last verse was sung as an encore. Miss M’Elligott sang the ” Kerry Dance” (Molloy) in a fetching style, and was rewarded for her success by an encore, in response to which she sang ” Come Back to Erin,” which was extremely popular. Mr Ellis sang ” Last Night (Kergurf) with his usual ability, while his rendering of ” Kathleen Mavourneen” was highly appreciated. The singing of “Night, Lovely Night” (Berger), by the choir, brought a most enjoyable entertainment to a close.

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A Horsey Fact

A horse can breathe only through its nose, never through its mouth.

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Today and Yesterday

Garden of Europe July 2023

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Writers’ Week 1974

This is a long shot but worth having a go.

Wolfgang Mertens kept the list of participants who attended Bryan MacMahon’s short story writing workshop at Writers Week 1974.

Does anyone know any one on this list? I’d love to hear any memories or stories from that time.

Short Story Workshop, Writers’ Week, Listowel 1974

Director; Bryan MacMahon

Workshop Committee:

Mrs. Peggy Walsh, Mrs Eileen Fitzgibbon, Miss Oonagh O’Shea

Participants

Mrs. Eileen Kissane, Lisselton, Co. Kerry

Mr. M.F. OHolohan,  Drumcondra, Co. Dublin

Mr. Tim Cronin, Roscommon

Mrs. Sheila Gleeson, Limerick

Mr. Thomas Gormley,  Foxrock, Dublin

Mr. John Phelan, Fountainstown, Co. Cork

Miss Nora O’Sullivan, Brighton, England

Mr. J.J. King, Virginia, Co. Cavan

Miss Mary O’Sullivan, Ranelagh, Co. Dublin

Mrs. Joan McEvoy, Kiliney, Co. Dublin

Mr. Patrick W. Smyth, Tralee, Co. Kerry

Mrs Anita Mertens, West Germany

Mr. Wolfgang Mertens, West Germany

Mrs. Madeleine J. Beckett, Dundreum, Dublin

Mr. Walter Hayes, Droghedas Co. Louth

Mrs. M. Coffey, Newbridge, Co. Kildare

Mrs. Susan Poole McGraw, New York

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Listowel Fuchsia Centre

Some more photos from the official opening of the Fuchsia Centre on Friday July 7 2023.

Brenda O’Halloran with local ladies including Mary Pierse, Marie Moriarty and Beatrice Hayes

Denis O’Rourke and Robert Bunyan

John Kelliher and Church of Ireland Canon Joe Hardy

Helen Moylan and Mike Laffan

Robert and Olive Pierse

Micheál Martin, Norma Foley, Tom Pierse and Mike Kennelly

Helen Moylan, Mary Lynch and Mary Cogan

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A Dog and a Photograph

Upper William Street on July 8 2023

Listowel Tidy Towns have planted a beautiful display of flowers atop this wall.

Look at Molly doing everything to get in the picture.

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A Date for the Diary

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A Fact

The word mortgage comes from the French. It means death contract.

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Street Names Saga Drags on in the 70s and its daisies and dandelions everywhere in 2019 and Friends in The Áras

Signs of Summer in Upper william Street



The circus is in town. The ice cream cones are out. It must be summer.



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Biodiversity


We have all learned that we have to allow the daisies, dandelions and other wildflowers to grow and flourish as they play an important role in the natural world. Listowel is doing its bit.

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Listowel Street names





It would appear that the MacMahon family preferred Ashe Street to Church Street as their address.  Ashe Street is an English translation of the Irish Sráid an Aghasaigh

Many people to this day use Patrick Street instead of William Street Upper, even though that plebiscite was defeated. 

Colbert St. was changed by agreement from Bridewell Lane although I dont know why it is Street in English and Road in Irish.

To this day the naming of places proves controversial. We wont mention the Ballybunion/ Ballybunnion or the Moyvane/Newtownsandes debate. As for Dingle, An Daingean or Daingean Uí Chúis….

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Friends in High Places

Áras an Uachtaráin….the Listowel Connection

The Kerry Association in Dublin presented their Arts award for 2019 to Pauline Bewick. The presentation was made by Uachtarán na hEireann, Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin.

Jim and Elizabeth Dunn of Athea and Listowel, as friends of Pauline’s, “were (according to Liz) humbled to be invited and honoured to attend”.

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