Thursday 8 May 2014

Listowel Military Tattoo 2014, Castleisland, Frank Greaney and a poem from Jet Stack of Greenville

As part of Listowel's Military Weekend 2014 Listowel (Caen) was captured by German forces on Saturday and the citizens arrested and taken off to await execution on Sunday.
On Sunday we were all back in The Square to see what would happen.


The Germans have taken over and moved their tank into a defensive position.


The prisoners are led out to their doom.



A huge crowd has gathered to see the action.








A troop of French Canadians arrive to the rescue.


The fog of war was a phrase that referred to the difficulty of making decisions in the midst of the smoke and the din of the battlefield. The fog on Saturday was real as well as metaphorical.


We are deafened with firing and blinded by smoke.


Germans are falling fast. Some are surrendering and being taken prisoner.


The French and Canadian flags are raised. It's all over.

Great stuff! Well done everyone!

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Some of those who organized the tattoo


Jim Halpin, Damien Stack and John O'Sullivan

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Tirelessly keeping Listowel tidy


Mary and Joe were out bright and early setting up huge bins and trying to keep the town litter free. 

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Something completely different

In my searching through the internet to bring you things that might be of interest, I recently came upon a page from Castleisland Race Walking Club. It had these great old photos of Castleisland.





Confirmation Boys, Castleisland 1971





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All for charity



This is Frank Greaney. Frank is a kind of one man fundraiser for the Nano Nagle school. Frank has seen at close range the great work that the school does and he has decided to do what he can to help them out financially. Frank is appealing for old phones or old coins. The old phones can be exchanged for iPads for the pupils and the old coins can be turned into cash at the Central Bank.
If you have old unwanted phones or coins you can leave them into the Nano Nagle school or give them to Frank anytime.

While I was chatting to Frank, he told me of an interesting Greaney he has recently been in touch with. This man is a more famous Greaney. He is Mark Greaney a thriller writer who has co laborated with Tom Clancy as well as writing books himself. 


While Mark's Irish ancestry came from Cork rather than Kerry, he might still like a visit to this literary town someday.  Writers' Week take note!

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Jet Stack, dancer, musician and poet




This is a poor quality image of the late Jet Stack who wrote the poem I feature today.  If anyone has a better picture, I'd be glad to post it.


The Banks at Sweet Scartlea

The sky is clear, a gentle breeze. 
The sun is in the west.
The furze in bloom, a pigeon cooing.
Quietness peace and rest.
By the river side, where swallows glide.
What beauty there I see.
As I take a stroll on an eventide.
By the banks of sweet Scartlea.

The thrush on the hawthorn bush 
singnotes, so loud and clear.
The blackbirds flutter through the briars.
Sound warning notes of fear.
The river Feale, flows gently
 on its way to join the sea.
As I take a stroll on an eventide
By the banks of sweet Scartlea.

The music of the water
 as it ripples on its way.
The rabbits coming out to feed.
The smell of new mown hay.
The fragrant scent of woodbine.
The hum of a bumble bee.
As I take a stroll on an eventide.
By the banks of sweet Scartlea.

The graveyard in the distance,
 its walls of whitish grey.
An old man climbing o're its stile.
For some poor soul to pray.
The otters paddle through the ford,
Where trout and salmon spree.
As I take a stroll on an eventide.
By the banks at sweet Scartlea.

The sun is set, the grass dew wet,
The stars begin to shine.
The air is pure, the blind bat lure.
The morrow will be fine.
The boys at the crossroad gather
with hearts light and carefree.
As I take a stroll on an eventide.
By the banks of sweet Scartlee.

As darkness falls there's peace for all
The moon of a reddish brown
To the east appears above the hill
That overlooks the town.
The stars they twinkle brightly
no more that I can see.
As I take a stroll on an eventide.

By the banks at sweet Scartlea.

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Youth Theatre



It's great to see Listowel's young thespians tackling this demanding play. They deserve support.

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