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)

Watching Tennis, Barna Bog, Féile an tSolais 2019 and a 1972 pantomime

Abandoned House in Valentia Island

Photo: Chris Grayson

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Watching the Tennis in the 1980s

Photos; Danny Gordon

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Bord na Mona and Barna Bog

This photo was taken by a Bord na Mona employee, Mr. E Switzer, (related to the Grafton Street family) in 1948. It shows a tipper full off hand cut turf being loaded on to a Cadbury's Rathmore truck.
Photograph and information from Bord na Mona Living History

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Can you Help?

THE LEVIATHAN PROJECT

Féile an tSolais is looking for 15-20 volunteer artists and craftpeople, to complete an amazing project for its 2019 festival this October/November.

Key Skills
- Metal Fabrication
- Wirework
- Experience using Dremel tools
- Sculpture
- Upcycling

Please send a short bio with your name, age, skills and experience.

Email: feileantsolais@yahoo.com

The beautiful Illustration below is called 'The Destruction of Leviathan' by Gustav Doré.

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When the Pantomime was the Talk of the Town

Jack and The Beanstalk in 1972 was a show not to be missed.  With scriptwriters like John B. Keane, Bryan MacMahon and the panto king himself Declan Mangan, Colm O'Brien and Cathal Fitzgerald in charge of the music and a cast of thousands this panto had all the ingredients for success. So successful was it that it awakened an appetite among the audience for an annual panto and the players   and other participants had been bitten by the bug. So pantomime became part of Listowel's entertainment calendar for a few years. People cherish very fond memories of those years. It also raised much needed funds for the building and fitting out of Listowel Old Folks' Home, now Áras Mhuire.

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People You Meet at a Conferring

Bob Geldof was lucky enough to run into Martin Moore at a recent conferring ceremony.

Windows and Statues in Ballybunion and Jimmy Hickey at West Point

Rough Seas this week photographed by Mike Enright

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The Old Brigade

The Old Brigade

 This poem by Daniel J Broderick was published in Striking a Chord, a fund raising anthology sold in aid of Aras Mhuire. Try to get your hands on this book before they are all gone.

‘Tis often my thoughts go back to the days

When our homes were more Irish in a good many ways,

People were happy, good humoured and gay

And they danced and went gambling at the end of the day.

At night they’d walk in and pay you a call

And sit by the fireside or around at the wall.

But the years have rolled by and great changes are made

Since the days of our childhood and The Old Brigade.

There were the Johnnies, the Gers and the Keanes,

And Dan Leary beside them with his hands on the reins.

Mollie Murphy, they said, could be heard miles away,

While the Dagger  was monarch of all he’d survey.

Bill Lyons had the learning but his grammar caused dismay.

I remember “Let to have I”, he oft did say.

While the Picker would smile as he sat in the shade,

Three cheers you old devil, you of The Old Brigade.

Ol’ Lane, as you know, a great ball of a boy,

In his youth often lifted a horse to the sky,

He would jump o’er the horse and do it back-ways again

“Twas mane strength, a bhuachaill,” said Tadhgh the Twin

And Joe Falvey ‘pon my soul, had a way all of his own

And many’s the argument he rose with Jack Meade.

They had hunour and wit – the Old Brigade.

And while I am writing I cannot forget

All those who toiled in the sun and the wet.

Remember “Ol Kelliher with his shovel and spade.

Sure they worked like Trojans and never got paid.

“Thank God” kept Our Lord in the heel of his fist

And called on His name at each turn and twist.

Sometimes I think of the troubles they had.

Though they still worked for ol’ Ireland- The Old Brigade.

Now the old guard are gone, bar but a few.

They were honest, kind hearted and true.

And looking back as the light starts to fade

I’m glad I paid tribute to The Old Brigade.

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More Photos from St. John's Ballybunion

This is the most famous window in the church. It was created by Harry Clarke, who had a family connection to Ballybunion. Some of the other windows were made by the Dublin firm of Earley.

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Jimmy Hickey Danced in West Point

I told you before that Jimmy Hickey brought North Kerry dance all over the world. One corner of the world he forgot to tell me about until now was this very prestigious venue in the USA.

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Party at Oaklands

There aren't many that can say they have attended a birthday party to celebrate someone turning 105 !! However, on Tuesday, February 14, 2017, celebrations were in full swing as Bridie MacNiel, a resident of Oaklands, Nursing Home, Derry, Listowel celebrated her 105th birthday with her nieces, grand-nieces, and extended family. Bridie was born Bridie McNamara, Cahara, Glin in the year 1912. She emigrated to Boston, USA in 1928. She married Don MacNiel of Nova Scotia, Canada and lived there until Don's death (RIP) Bride returned to Ireland in 2002, and lived with Breda and Jack Culhane at Cahara until recently (Breda is Bridies niece) Huge congratulations to you Bridie on turning 105 .
 (Source; Glin Community News)

T.F. O'Sullivan, Enterprise Town Expo and a Memento of the Roadworks

Robin photographed by Chris Grayson

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The First History of the GAA.....the Listowel Connection

Mark Holan writes a very interesting internet blog. A recent post which spiked my interest was all about T.F. O'Sullivan of Listowel who wrote the first history of the GAA.  This man seems to be largely forgotten except for Vincent Carmody's references to him in his historical walking tour of the town when he points out where he was born and mentions his fame as the first to record the history of the GAA.

Below is the text of the blogpost. If you go to Mark's site, you will also be able to see a photos of the book's cover.

"A journalist's book about the early decades of the Gaelic Athletic Association this year quietly reached the 100th anniversary of its publication. T.F. O'Sullivan's Story of the GAA was based on an earlier series of newspaper articles.

The book's 1916 publication has been lost amid all the attention to the same-year Easter Rising. Even the 1916 entry of the special 1913-1923 centenary section of the GAA's website overlooks the book, written by one of its own members. You can read the organization's 28 May 1916 official statement after the uprising.

Michael Cronin of the International Centre for Sports History and Culture at De Montfort University, Leicester, England, briefly noted O'Sullivan's book in a larger essay on "Historians and the Making of Irish Nationalist Identity in the Gaelic Athletic Association."

O’Sullivan was a GAA official and the book presents a highly simplistic notion of the Association’s past beginning with the seven pioneers who met in Thurles in 1884 to reawaken the Gaelic nation through sport and taking the narrative up to 1916 by recounting details of major personalities, decisions taken by the Central Council and recording the results of matches.

Although there is no explicit mention of the Easter Rising as such an inclusion would have meant that the book would not be approved by military censors, there is an implicit celebration of the Rising as those GAA men who took part are included in the list of GAA personalities.

Although not a widely researched history, as it is more of a contemporary account, O’Sullivan’s book is important as it sets out an accepted chronology that is rarely challenged by subsequent authors. This chronology, while celebrating the games of the Gael, primarily revolves around the role of the GAA in reawakening the national spirit.

O'Sullivan's book does receive several mentions in The GAA & Revolution in Ireland 1913-1923, edited by Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh, a 2015 commemorative publication specially commissioned by the GAA.

O'Sullivan was a Kerryman, born in Listowel, according to a short History Ireland bio. He wrote for the Freeman's Journal."

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Saturday November 26 2016 in Listowel Community Centre

As part of BOI's enterprise town initiative, we got to see a number of local clubs and charities in the community centre. Below are some of the people I photographed on the day.

Members of Listowel Tidy Town's Committee cut the ribbon to perform the official opening.

Dawn Thomas had a beautiful display of crafts, all handmade by herself. Dawn's work is for sale in Craftshop na Méar and at local craft fairs.

Denis O'Carroll of Fealegood Productions was there.

Eabha Joan's Restaurant was there on Friday and Saturday.

Edel O'Connor of JK Sports made a sale to Sheelagh Dillon of BOI.

Eileen O'Sullivan is a multi talented crafter. Eileen's ceramics and knits are available at Craftshop na Méar.

Lorraine O'Hanlon runs Listowel's very successful play therapy business called Anam Saor.

Sand in Our Boots is a History of Beale GAA Club.

The Lixnaw area has a new Facebook page from Pride of the Parish

Christina was minding the Little Lilac Studio stall.

Imelda was taking Tom on a trip down memory lane at the Comhaltas stand.

Croí is Lyreacrompane's Gym

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Humans of Listowel

Matt Mooney and John McGrath share an interest in writing.

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Party at Áras Mhuire

If you have family or friends at Áras Mhuire they invite you to join them for their Residents' Christmas party

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We'll Remember the Road Works

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Listowel Badminton Club held their annual Christmas Party in John B.Keanes  on Friday Night last and on the night the presentation of Club Person of the Year Award took place.  This Award was first inaugurated in 1987 and this year's very popular recipient was Norma Leane for her commitment and dedication to the Juvenile section of the Club.  Norma works closely with coach Roly Chute who himself was one of the recipients of the Award in 1993.  Norma is seen here with Club Chairman, James Sheahan on the left and President/Secretary John (Junior) Griffin on the right.