Cois Tine in Craftshop na Méar etc.

The first Cois Tine event in the craftshop was a great success. Everyone who came enjoyed themselves and the audience left asking for more.

Here are a few photos from the day:

Listowel Writers' Week supported us in force.

 Mary Boyer was looking after the shop.

Seán Lyons, chairman of Writers' Week chatted to Danny and Eileen Hannon.

 John McGrath and Wendy Brosnahan were there.

Surprise visitor, Alice Taylor, listening intently to a reader.

This is a section of the audience.

Billy Keane read one of John B.'s Christmas stories.

Gabriel Fitzmaurice was a big hit with the ladies. Here he is with Maureen Connolly .

Miriam Kiely dropped in late.

Gabriel brought his guitar and lead us in a Christmas singalong medley.

John McGrath read some poetry.

Kay Caball recounted a sad tale of a drowning in Oz. Australia featured in many of the more modern tales and poems as well…..a sign of the times!

<<<<<<

A long way from Alice Taylor's To School Through The Fields, my granddaughters and friend make their way to school through the traffic in Ballincollig last week.

Meanwhile these two happy volunteers were manning the shop at Second Time Around.

<<<<<<<

Lovely photos by John Stack from North Kerry Footballs review of the year

https://www.facebook.com/yearinreview/northkerryfootball

Christmas break 2013

I am going to take a little holiday from blogging but I will be back early in the New Year. Happy Christmas to all my "followers" and a big thank you to everyone who helped me during 2013.

I'll leave you with a few odds and ends.

New look Printing Works

New sign at Craftshop and below some of the lovely stock.

And some visitors to the shop.

St. Mary's

St. Mary's Listowel Christmas 2013

<<<<<<<<

The hotel at Christmas. 

<<<<<<

This little piggy went to market. This is Crubeen, Craftshop na Méar's pig. As he heads off to market each day he dresses up or dons a jaunty scarf or hat. When I took my photo he was taking Polly and a Tilly doll for a spin "on the pig's back". The shop has become known as the shop with the pig in the window. Meanwhile Fred Chute has just completed a new sign but I suspect many will still know it by Crubeen.

<<<<<<<<

Santa Claus busking outside Carrolls on The Square December 2013

<<<<<<<<<

Tina and Denis are busy putting the Christmas edition of The Advertiser together.

Santa, a sister in law of Lord Listowel up before the beak and some Christmas goodies

This is Santa's Listowel home for 2013.
Meanwhile over on the other side of town a Teddy is typing his letter to Santa. He left it a bit late but his friends in Lawlers might help him.

<<<<<<<<


Vincent Carmody shared his Christmas Santa memories in Craftshop na Méar on Monday last.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-2tj6YD0VI&feature=youtu.be

<<<<<<

Jer. Kennelly found this interesting snippet when trawling through old newspapers.

Washington Herald August 10 1913

SOCIETY WOMAN FINED FOR THREAT TO SHOOT
Sister-in-law of Earl of Listowel Taxed $5 for Menace to Postman. 

London. Aug 9  1913. The Hon. Mrs Hough Hare, a sister-in-law of the Earl of
Listowel. living at Forest House, Binfield near Windsor, was fined $5 at the
Brentford Police Court recently for threatening to shoot a postman named Henry Pizzey under extraordinary circumstances. 

Mr. H C. Duckworth, who prosecuted, said that Mrs. Hare's motor car knocked an old woman down in Brentford High Street and seriously injured her.  "Pizzey gave assistance," he continued and when the old woman was on the point of collapsing from loss of blood, he suggested that Mrs. Hare should provide some stimulant for the woman and take her to the Cottage Hospital in her car.

 "Mrs Hare ignored the request for a stimulant, but after some demur consented to allow the woman to be taken to the hospital if she sat next the chauffeur. There was a few minutes delay in getting the woman admitted to the hospital.  Mrs Hare said 'Get that old woman off my car. Look at the blood on the car. I have some shopping to do, and I have also to go to a luncheon.'

 'Pardon me Madame.'" Pizzey replied, '"this woman s life is a great deal more important than our luncheon. "  Mrs. Hare then became very excited and is alleged to have said: "You are a low-down, vulgar fellow to speak to me like that.  I am a lady and I have my revolver here, and will shoot you like a dog.

' Did you see the revolver?" asked the chairman. 

"No. replied Pizzey.  

"What I said was that if I were a man I would shoot you for insulting me, "said Mrs Hare. 

Her chauffeur and husband confirmed her story, and said they did not hear her use the language quoted.

There was no pistol In the car.  

"Under no circumstances should you have acted as you did." said the chairman to Mrs Hare in fining her £5 and costs.

 Leave to appeal was granted

<<<<<<

 We have had great weather for hunting lately. Timothy John MacSweeney took this photo of the Duhallows last week.

<<<<<<<

Some of the lovely stock in Craftshop na Méar

<<<<<

Duagh Community Centre nearing completion Dec. 2013

GAA Social, Pioneer Walk and Talented Craftspeople

Amazing talent for crafts emerging in Listowel

People passing Betty McGrath's florists recently can't have helped but notice the beautiful crochet angels and delicately crafted nativities on display in the window. They are the work of the lady on the right of this picture. I photographed her with  with the staff of Betty McGrath's.

The lady's name is Zsuzsanna Misik, known as Susan in Ireland and she comes from Hungary. The Bethlehems,, as she calls them are made from corn on the cob. She tells me that they will last for several years. They are absolutely beautiful.

Susan is learning English but she already knowswords such as  beautiful, gorgeous and brilliant as they are words she hears often.

<<<<<<<

A youthful Dan Kiely at a GAA social in Moyvane or Knockanure.

Another photo Jer. rooted out of that  Pioneer walk for Gorta in the eighties. Could that ever be Norella with her late mother?

<<<<<<<<<

All the way from Canada comes clarification on this one. Francis is the FIFTH generation of Chute painters.

<<<<<<<<

True tale of derring do…

Limerick General Advertiser

24 June 1808

On Monday last, a fool-hardy fellow named MOORE, a slater by trade, undertook for the trifling wager of a gallon of porter, to ascend to the Ball on the Spire of St, Patrick's Steeple, Dublin, which a late storm had thrown from its perpendicular direction.  After passing to the upper scaffolding, which did not approach to within twelve feet of the terrific point of his destination, he clambered up by his hands and knees, and placed himself astride on the apex of the Spire that had been thrown into a horizontal position.  In this tremendous state of peril, he had continued but a few seconds, when to the horror of the astonished spectators, the whole gave way, and with the Ball, and about one ton of the fractured stone-work, the unfortunate man was precipitated in a moment from a height of 200 feet; his weight carried him thro' three stages, when his cloaths became entangled, and exhibited him suspended between heaven and earth.  Merciful Providence, however, and his own exertions, enabling him to seize some of the scaffolding, and he succeeded in regaining a safe footing.  He came down through the Church and was carried off by by [sic] the crowd, toenjoy the triumph of a Gallon of Porter, won at such a tremendous risque.  The Ball broke throu' to the fourth scaffold, and the stone work fell in St. Patrick's Close, without further injury than tearing up the pavement, into which it sunk upwards of 3 feet. <<<<<

This photo captures the atmosphere in Craftshop na Méar. Maureen Connolly sits crocheting while our new mascot, Dinny sits in his aran sweater by the range.

On Monday Dec. 16 2013 the craftshop hosted its first Cois Tine Event. Among the storytellers, poets, singers and dancer Alice Taylor was the star turn. She happened to be in town for a reading in Woulfe's and she very kindly dropped in to the craftshop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khqBcIWIMCk&feature=youtu.be

Signatures design Studio opens in Church St, old photo of Pioneers and the late Peter O'Toole

Listowel Town Square at Christmas 2013     ( photo by John Kelliher)

<<<<<<<<

Peter OToole R.I.P.;  the Listowel Connection

Last week I looked for photos or memorabilia from the Big Scout Jamboree in Listowel in 1948. I am making some progress and I will bring the full story to you in 2014. BUT while he was trawling through old newspapers and articles for me, Mike Lynch, County Archivist, remembered that Peter O'Toole came as part of the Leeds Scout group.Mike failed to find a photo but there must be one somewhere. Please ask around.

<<<<<<<<

Signatures Design Studio opens

The very talented trio of Aoife Hannon, Orla O'Connor and Pat Tobin have embarked on a brave new venture in Church St. in the premises that used to house Urma Bridalwear. Each business operates separately but if the customer so chooses she can get outfit, headpiece and photos all in the one place.
I was there  for the grand opening on Dec. 10 and I took some photographs of the salon fashion show.

<<<<<<

Pioneers from Listowel, Moyvane and Knockanure. I have no idea what the occasion was.


<<<<<

Lovely new paint job on Church St.

<<<<<<,

Irish Traveller Boy 1956