A poem, Covid 19, Duhallow Knitwear and an old Áras Mhuire photo

Lower William Street in 2016

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A Timely Poem

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Duhallow Knitwear, a Listowel Connection

I included this old advertisement last week. It prompted Mike Moriarty, whose family ran Moriarty's on William Street for years to tell us his memories of Duhallow and the Sheehan family.

                 My parents would have done business with Duhallow down through the years. I still have vivid memories of their rep, Tim Vaughan. The brand was very highly rated by our customers. Once a year we would visit the factory with our parents, This was at a point of the year when they would be selling "seconds". Now you would be hard pressed to find a flaw in these garments but the regular customers to our shop could not get enough of them.

                  There was a strong personal bond between the owner, John Sheehan, and the retailers. We would have been entertained in his house. Indeed, when my brother, Ned, died John Sheehan, although quite frail, made his way to Listowel to the funeral. Later, when John himself passed away I was in Kanturk to represent the family at the wake in his house.

Rgds.,

Mike Moriarty.

P.S. "Hose" was/is simply socks. Eventually I guess it referred to knitwear generally.

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Áras Mhuire

I took this at a birthday party in Áras Mhuire a few years ago.

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More of Mike O'Donnell's Covid Cartoons

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Old Neighbours, New Neighbours

Patrick Godfrey who has family  roots in Charles Street shared this photo of Mrs Moloney and Mrs Stack with us.

Marie Nelligan Shaw saw this photo of her old Charles Street neighbours and sent us this photo.

This is Mrs. Stack's daughter, Doreen, celebrating her 80th birthday last year. Doreen and Marie are now neighbours in New York.


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It's a Fact

Rounded corners on electronic devices have been patented by Apple. 

(From Facts to make your Jaw Drop)

Last of the tennis shots, Super Valu/ Iceland, and NKM in Listowel

Photo: Chris Grayson

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Then and Now

 2019

2004

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Tennis 1987

Photos; Danny Gordon

As I post this on February 24 2019, Bobby Cogan is still playing tennis and is on the court as I write playing with his club Lakewood.

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Whatever Happened to The Sweet factory?

This letter from Mary Murphy in 1990 asked a question we have all been wondering about since the topic of the NKM factory came up here.

Dave O'Sullivan has done a bit of research for us and the bottom line seems to be that the sweet factory relocated to Dublin in 1925 following a strike at its Listowel plant.

First, let's go back to 1920 and '21 when the factory was in full flight and offering good employment to what seems to be a predominantly female workforce.

(More tomorrow)

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There it is ......Gone

The mystery deepens. The box which was attached to this sign is gone. Any idea what that was all about?

Another public Phone box removed and an up and coming bikeman and Opening Night WW18

A naonhóg on the beach photographed by Chris Grayson

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Writers' Week Opening Night 2018

We had a ball! Here are my first few photos. I'll be busy snapping away for the next few days so you won't see the bulk of my photos until later on. Meanwhile enjoy the sunshine and if you can at all come on down to lovely Listowel. The great and the good are here and there's music and dancing too. If you don't believe me look here.

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Gone

Last week they took out this phone box by McKenna's.

There it is...gone, just the rectangle of new paving bricks to show where it's been.

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Charles Street from Mill Lane

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From the John Hannon Archive

Phil Walsh who passed away recently . May she dance in heaven

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Conor Keane catches up with the Kellihers

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One to Watch

The cyclist on the left greeting his grandparents at the Listowel finish of Rás Tailteann is Dillon Corkery . This young man is only 19 and he finished 26th overall in the Rás. This is a magnificent performance considering that many of the other riders are professional. There were only four other Irish amateur riders ahead of him. He is surely going places.

Brendan Landy on Facebook reminded us of another super bike rider who rode into Listowel at the beginning of his cycling career. This is Brendan Landy's super picture of Sam Bennett winning stage 3 into Listowel  of the An Post Rás in 2013.

Could Dillon Corkery be the next Sam Bennett? 

Remember where you heard it first!

Listowel Rebranding, Christmas Shop and Sitting on Window Sills

Lots of Rebranding Going on

Rebranding is not about changes of ownership. It's more a change of ethos and business model. Listowel is seeing a fair share of this lately. It started with Stacks changing to Number 21 and on Saturday night, Oct 10 2015 the last pint was pulled in Sheahans of Upper William Street.

Listowel Community College has two new brands, Coláiste na Ríochta and North Kerry College.

What we knew as Esso is now Topaz.

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This is not an ad. for Listowel Garden Centre. If, like me, you love this stuff you need travel no further than Listowel.

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Nobody sits on the window sills anymore

Listowel people remember a time when ladies used to sit on the window sills outside their houses in the evening time and chat. The day's work done, the children in bed, the women took a welcome breather and availed of a chance to catch up with the news in the neighbourhood. People moved from one window to another but nobody left their perch for too long in case a crying child or a baking cake needed their attention. There were no televisions and no phones, mobile or otherwise, to bother them. The only sounds above the chatter were the happy sounds of children's games or the chirping of the caged birds that hung outside the doors…….Happy days!

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Saturday Night's Entertainment Sorted

Daniel may be out, but our own Daniels and Kristinas are all set and rearing to go on Saturday night, October 24 2015