Blennerville, Tomb of the 12th Knight of Kerry, A Timebomb in Tralee and a Pilgrimage to Knock in 2019

This stunning image of Blennerville comes to us from Eamon ÓMurchú

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Burial Place of The Knight of Kerry

(Photo and text from Lixnaw Heritage and Historical Society)

This is the grave of John Fitzgerald, 12th Knight of Kerry.

The knight is buried in Dysert graveyard outside Lixnaw.
The yew trees in the background and the beautiful countryside around it create a very fitting atmosphere.
The Knights of Kerry were also known as the 'Green Knights', and it was a hereditary feudal knighthood, established by the Norman lords who invaded Ireland in the 12th century.

Katherine Fitzgerald (nee Fitzmaurice), the 12th Knight's wife, the 13th Knight and his two brothers, are also buried in this peaceful crypt.

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Ah, Sweet!

Christy Walsh and his lovely daughter, Olivia, having a cuppa and a natter in Main Street last week.

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Believe it or Believe it Not

A story from The Kerryman of August 2011 and shared on Facebook

August 24 2011 2:00 PM

 

ONE of the Crimean War cannons outside the Courthouse was a timebomb until the Army defused it this week.

People walked past the cannon, one of a pair standing outside the Tralee Courthouse in Ashe Street, unaware the five sticks of gelignite, a detonator and a fusewire were hidden inside the barrel.

The explosives had lain hidden there for about 20 years following an abortive attempt to destroy the cannons.

Following a tip-off, an Army disposal team, with Garda back-up, moved in last Thursday and removed the explosives, later destroying them.

It is understood that the gelignite could have exploded; especially as the condition of it deteriorated over the years.

A Garda spokesman told The Kerryman: "Any gelignite found after a numbers of years would almost certainly be in a dangerous condition. And dampness would increase this danger."

He said he believed the gelignite found in the cannons would be damp, making the situation more dangerous.

The two cannons at the Courthouse serve as memorials to Kerryman who died in the Crimean War of 1854-56, the Indian Mutiny of 1857, and the Chinese War of 185860.

Tralee Courthouse, except for the outer circular limestone walls, has been reconstructed at a cost of £0.5m.

It is due for re-opening within weeks and the stonework was being sandblasted in the cleansing processs. This work included the plinths upon which the cannons are placed.

It is believed that people who became aware of the presence of the gelignite decided to notify the authorities for safety reasons.
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In Knock

Knockanure, Tarbert and Moyvane pilgrims on their recent trip to Knock.

Ballylongford, The Price of a Bodhrán, Crubeens, Phone Boxes and Memories of Two Papal Visits

Ballylongford by Ita Hannon

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Lyreacrompane Honours Kay

Pat McCarthy, Duagh and Dublin, makes a surprise presentation to Kay O’Leary, who initiated the Dan Paddy Andy Festival twenty-one years ago, for her role in the community, especially for her work in building the Festival over the years.


Photo and caption from the Lyreacrompane website

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The Price of a Bodhrán

The late, great John B Keane was a Limerick Leader columnist for more than 30 years. This column first appeared in the edition of November 24, 1973

Awful price

“SEVENTEEN pounds is an awful price for a bodhrán,” writes Drummer of Sirand, who does not want his name mentioned but is a familiar face at wrenboy competitions all over Limerick and Kerry.

The remark was prompted by Sonny Canavan’s statement in last week’s Leader that he was charging £17 apiece for homemade bodhráns.

“I can walk into any shop,” Drummer continues, “and buy a span new drum for twelve pounds, a drum that will last.”

I showed his letter to Canavan and asked him to reply.

“Tell him buy the drum,” Canavan countered, “and let them that wants bodhráns buy bodhráns.

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Cork Heritage

Cork is doing its best to hang on to its distinctive vocabulary.
On August 18 2018 I had a langerload of Cork heritage.

This is a statue to the shawlies in The Coal Quay. The Coal Quay is the Moore Street or Covent Garden of Cork. It's nice to see the tradition of outdoor stalls continuing although most of them were not selling foodstuffs or, if they were, they weren't native Cork food stuffs.

One tradition The Cornstore revived for Heritage Day was the eating of crubeens.

They were serving them to us with a dollop of mustard sauce.

I did try one but there was nothing to eat, just skin, fat, gristle and bone.

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In Cork, A Spire and Phone Boxes

I spotted this along the quay before the Clayton Hotel. It looks like a kind of a crooked spire.

There is an old fashioned phone box on the pavement outside the mobile phone shop on Patrick Street.

The streets were very quiet. It was early in the morning but I think this no traffic lark is biting a bit.

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Knock Apparition

P. J. Lynch painted the mural depicting the apparition at Knock. Pope Francis visited and prayed there on August 26 2018.

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Just a Thought

Here is the link to my most recent set of Thoughts for Radio Kerry.

Just a Thought

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Listowel People who saw the Pope in Ireland

Lots of Listowel people went to Dublin to attend  the pope's mass. Members of the Listowel Folk group went to sing.

Eileen, Catherine, Mary, Tina and Mike were in The Phoenix Park in August 2018
But Junior Griffin was in Limerick in 1979. He took these photos as the pope landed by helicopter at Limerick Racecourse and took a jaunt in his popemobile before saying mass.

Knock, a polka set and Nicola Dore

Changes at Knock

Recent pilgrims to Knock found the interior of the basilica much changed.

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The joys of Reading

What am I reading?

Just finished The Children Act by Ian McEwan:  Brilliant….perfect for a rainy day


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Listowel Polka Set

(newspaper cutting from Betty Stack)

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 From Limerick Leader  by Anne Sheridan

NICOLA DORE has had cerebral palsy since birth.

Now 27 and confined to a wheelchair, the young woman is positively beaming about the opportunities that lie in store for her - and she is literally grabbing one chance with both hands and all the strength she can muster.

Already a seasoned competitor on the track in Limerick, where she has won the wheelchair race of the women’s mini marathon on several occasions, Nicola has now made the Irish para-powerlifting team and has become the first Irish woman to do so.

“I want to be the first Irish woman to make it to Rio [in this sport] in 2016,” she enthuses. “I have a lot of confidence, don’t see any limitations in my life. I like challenges and I want to prove it’s not just a sport for men.”

Nicola only started training in earnest this February, when someone enquired if she would be interested in trying it out.

She got on to the team “fairly quickly”, which she is still thrilled by, and is now hoping to make the European championships in Hungary this coming November.

She lifted 37.5kg in a bench-press on her first night, and is on a programme to lift 55kg, but already has that feat under her belt. In the early stages of her training, she managed to do two reps of 50kg - now she is doing 24 reps in one session.

In addition to training in Limerick, Cork and Dublin - particularly under Ryan Flanagan and Arthur Lynch in the UL Arena - her own home is kitted out with all the equipment she needs, allowing her to train at any given opportunity.

Para-powerlifters lift weights while lying on their backs and with their legs strapped down, she explained.

While Nicola enjoys all sports, particularly basketball, para-powerlifting is now consuming all of her focus, as she prepares for the European and potentially the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

In the London Olympic Games in 2012, Roy Guerin, a former wheelchair track athlete, became the first Irishman in over 50 years to compete in Paralympic powerlifting. Could Nicola also enter the history books?

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