Childers' Park and Brian Cowen in town in 2008 and more new Covid signs

Photo; Éamon ÓMurchú

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Listowel 

Upper William Street in July 2020

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In Childers' Park in Early July 2020

John and Dolly Stack were taking their two lovely Jack Russells for a walk when I stopped them for a chat and a photo.

Council staff were doing some pruning and tidying up.

 

The Pitch and Putt course was busy.

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Summers' Past!

When Brian Cowen, then taoiseach, came to town all and sundry came out to greet him. 

Tom Fitzgerald sent me a few photos

Group of the Fianna Fáil faithful

John Hannon, Dan Kiely and Ned O'Sullivan

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Everywhere looks better with Flowers

Sheahan's XL, Upper William Street

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Here a reminder,

Theres a reminder

Everywhere a reminder.

If reminders of the pandemic would make it go away we'd be out the gap.

A whole new set of notices have arrived now  to add to the signs on the pavements, the bollards marking off street widening areas and giant 2Metre signs.

I think Listowel has got the message. Covid 19 hasn't gone away.

Cork, Listowel Sports Field, a New Business Opens and Covid precautions at local level

Photo: Róisín Darby

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On the Banks of My Own Lovely Lee

Cork on Sunday June 21 2020

My visit involved a trip to The Bon Secours Hospital. This is the lovely chapel there.

I also called on my brother who was repairing a fence.

It's always nice to visit my old home.

These two are good friends and were curious to see what was up. Visitors are rare these times.

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From Minutes of the Board of Guardians 1986

A SPORTS FIELD FOR LISTOWEL

Mr. M. O’Connell, said—Gentlemen—I have great pleasure in moving for your adoption a resolution which needs only to be mentioned to meet with your unanimous approval.

Listowel, and, indeed, North Kerry in general, has been sadly handicapped in the past for want of suitable grounds for the many branches of sport, and the resolution which I intend to propose, if passed by you, will probably have a determining influence in remedying a very undesirable state of affairs. I am sure that when it is forwarded to Lord Listowel and his agent that his lordship will be prepared to act as owners of the soil have acted in other portions of the country. With these few remarks, gentlemen, I beg to propose the following resolution:—
Resolved—”That we, the Guardians of the Listowel Union, hereby heartily approve of the efforts which are being made by the North Kerry Cycling Club to procure a Sports Field for the town, which shall be open to every branch of sport, and that our Clerk be requested to communicate with Lord Listowel and his agent, Mr. J. D. Crosbie, J.P, with a view to getting his lordship to accede to the application which will shortly be made to him for a suitable ground, and, that furthermore, we consider that such a ground would have a very beneficial effect on the trade of Listowel, which at present badly needs the stimulus.
Mr. M. O’Connor, in seconding the resolution, said that the ground would undoubtedly have a good effect on the trade of the town. He was certain that Lord Listowel would act generously in this matter.
The resolution was unanimously adopted.

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New Business Opens

Grub Time is at Leahy's Corner. Good to see this sign of hope amid all the economic gloom.

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Yellow is the New White

Is yellow the official colour for Covid signs? Our new ones are yellow and don't mention 2metres. Could it be a sign that we are reducing to 1 metre?

Apropos the pedestrian lay-bys, apparently that was a decision made by Council management under Emergency legislation.ie

"The area between the AIB and the Listowel Arms was identified as being a busy pedestrian area with a narrow footpath."

Therefore this

Covid Signage, Kevin's and Behan's Prepare to Reopen

Castle and Seanchaí closed to the public in June 2020

Viewing platform by the river in June 2020.

The level of water in The Feale was very low before the deluge of Sunday June 15 when we had thunder, lightning and flash floods.

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Covid Signage at Spar in Market Street

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Kevin;s is being repainted before reopening.

Meanwhile across the road Behan's Horseshoe has been beautifully painted.

I even persuaded the painters to pose for me.

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Ard Churam Dementia Day Centre

Photo: John Kelliher

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In Connemara in 1959

I dont know who took the photo but it looks a bit posed to me.  Brendan Behan is not exactly dressed for a day in the bog.

Trees on the Pitch and Putt Course, Famous Visitors and GAA field still closed

Canty's Shebeen and Coco Kids on June 5 2020

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Some Beautiful Trees in Listowel Pitch and Putt Course

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Meeting the Famous

(Photos by Tom Fitzgerald)

 John B. Keane with Charles Haughey

Patrick Sheehan and Eamon Kelly at Sheehan's Cottage in Finuge

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A Fascinating Tale with a Listowel Connection

Schenectady NY Gazette 1952 

   GAZETTE,   TUESDAY,   AUGUST   5,  1952  

NEW   YORK,   Aug.   4   (AP)—An   ex-GI  explained  for  Ireland  tonight  for    his    first    meeting    with    the    Irish    milkmaid    -who    found     his     name    and    address    in    a    bottle    washed   up  by   the  sea  on  her   village  beach.  It    was    Christmas    night,    1945,    that    Frank    Hayostak,     returning     aboard     ship     after     three     years     overseas,  tossed  the  bottle  into  the  ocean   100  miles  from  New   York.

   THE    LONELY    medical    corps-wrote   a   wistful   note   giving   his    name,   his   address,    184   Iron   street,   Johnstown,  Pa.,  and  a  personal   description.   Breda     O'Sullivan     of     Listowel,     County   Kerry,   now   23,   found    It    near   a   farm   where   she   lived   on   the  southwest  Irish  coast   on  Aug. 23,   1946.   She    wrote     Hayostak,     27,    an    electric  are-welder   In  a  Johnstown  steel  mill,  telling  him   of   her   find.   The  pair  have  exchanged  70  letters.

[This story must ring a bell with someone. I would love to know who Breda is. Was there a happy ever after ending to this romantic story?]

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Emmetts Grounds still out of Bounds

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Out and About (with camera)

As I was having a socially distant picnic with friend in the park I met Marjorie Morkan and Eithne Galvin on their way to the pitch and putt course

Covid 19 in Listowel Co. Kerry and a look back to 2016 Ard Churam Opening

A Curlew photographed by Ita Hannon

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A Quiet Sunday Morning in Lockdown Listowel,  May 31 2020

An almost empty Lidl carpark

John B. Keane Road

Listowel fire station

Upper William Street

St. Patrick's Hall

Carmody's Corner, junction of Charles Street and William Street

William Street

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Here a sign, there a sign, everywhere a Covid sign

Main Street

One of our links with the outside world, the humble post box

Just a few cars in The Square

Entrance to Erskine Childers' Park

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Photos I took at the Official Opening of Ard Churam in 2016

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Made in Stag Cutlery, Listowel

Vincent Doyle found this old one among his souvenirs

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A Word of Caution in Rhyme

An easing of covid restrictions,
Has some people having conniptions,
They fear a new wave,
From being too brave,
Let’s hope that’s just wrongful predictions. 

Our poet, Róisín Meaney, has just published her 17th novel, The Restaurant. If you have enjoyed her little rhymes, you may enjoy her book. She deserves our support in thanks for keeping our spirits up in lockdown.