Thursday 24 December 2015

Christmas 2015

Nollaig Shona ó Lios Tuathail

I wish every friend of Listowel who is reading this a happy and peaceful Christmas. Thank you to everyone who supported me in so many ways in 2015.

 Listowel Connection is a community effort. It is the input of so many people at home and away who make it what it is. We lost so many good friends in 2015.  Some of the Listowel people who passed away this year were among my staunchest supporters. I miss them.
So the rest of you, keep on searching for those old photos and memories. They are much appreciated.

I'll leave you for 2015 with a few images from Listowel by night at Christmastime 2015. 
I'm taking a short break and I'll be back in 2016, D.V., with some  more of the same.









































Wednesday 23 December 2015

Afternoon Tea in Adare

Afternoon Tea is the New Lunch

There was a much maligned group of ladies in South Dublin during the years of The Boom who were disparagingly referred to in the media as The Ladies who Lunch. The new breed of lady does not lunch. She takes afternoon tea.

While I would not consider myself in this class of socialite, I did get an invitation to such a repast last week. The tea in question was to be in Adare Manor. Who could refuse?

We decided to make a day of it so we started early with a visit to The Old Creamery. 
Have you ever been? 
No? You should correct that omission asap.
It's a kind of Alladin's cave of all things shiny and bright. Think Listowel Garden Centre Christmas shop and multiply that.
Below are a few of the many many displays.








The Old Creamery has a lovely tea room.


It also does afternoon tea but our date was elsewhere.

Adare will be forever associated in the public's mind with the atrocity that took place there in 1996.



We took a stroll down the street and visited a few of the glamorous shops there. Then it was on to the Manor for our tea.




Adare Manor's tree was stylishly co ordinated in red and gold and the the whole foyer area was warm , welcoming and Christmassy.


A shaft of sunlight from the floor- to- ceiling window illuminated by dining companions, the ladies who tea, as they studied the menu.






Ta Dah! Afternoon tea for two at Adare Manor.

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Somewhere over the rainbow


As I was a walking throughout the small square last week I spotted this rainbow over town. It's a bit hard to make out, but I assure you, it's there. A pot of gold awaits us in 2016!

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2016 the year of Mercy