Sean Byrne, The Kerryman Mural and Listowel Marching Band

Strickeen Mountain

Sandra Johnson shared this fab. photo to This is Kerry

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Kerryman Building 2020

 The Kerryman with Mike O'Donnell's great paperboy mural

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Listowel Marching Band 1987

Photo: Charlie Nolan

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A Family Hero

From the Dúchas Folklore collection

Martin Leahy's Story

A great man 
My Uncle who lives with me says the strongest man he ever knew was Sean Byrne. He says although he was very strong he was as quiet as a child. 

There was a policeman in Abbeyfeale and he said that he himself was a good man and that he was stronger than any other policeman in the barrack. It happened one day that Seánwas in Abbeyfeale and that he was drunk, this policeman saw him and to show off his strength went up to arrest Seán. When he came up to Sean he said "You are drunk."
 "I am" said Sean. 
"You are" said the policeman "and I must arrest you." 
Sean went along quietly with him for some time and when he saw his opportunity he threw the policeman into a pool of water that was near at hand. Sean went home and policeman went into the barrack and he was never boasting after that. 

I heard about that there was a son of his at Latchfords in Listowel and that he too was a very strong man.

Martin Leahy st.v
Dromore, 27 . 6 . 1938
Information from my uncle,
Edmond Leahy, Bromore, Ballybunion.
He got it from his grandfather.

James Carmody, An Upcoming Lecture and Faction Fighting in the nineteenth century

Photo; Lisa Egan

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Date for the Diary

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Faction Fighting in North Kerry

I haven't read this book yet but it sounds fascinating. Here is a small section of a long extract that was published in The Irish Examiner;

"At Lisselton, on Christmas Day 1828, Maurice Flaherty was attacked by three men of the Mulvihills and a man named Fitzgerald, and ‘cruelly beaten’ with sticks and stones.

‘It appeared that a drunken fellow [,] one Fitzgerald, infuriated with whiskey, brandished his cudgel and halloed for one faction; he was instantly replied to, and a most bloody affray soon commenced.’

It was asserted that Flaherty was killed ‘under circumstances of the

most shocking and unmerciful cruelty’.

John Mahony Mulvahill, ‘a young man’, was convicted of manslaughter, and, seemingly based on the terrible nature of the killing, sentenced to transportation for life, ‘amidst the deafening shrieks and lamentations of his male and female friends’.

At Ballyheigue, on the evening of St Patrick’s Day 1839, a crowd of about 20 people, whom a policeman believed to be Cooleens and Lawlors, struck each other ‘as hard as they could pelt’.

At Beale, Ballybunion, the pattern day ‘was usually marked out for a faction fight between the two great factions then in North Kerry — the Cooleens and the Mulvihills’, said a later folklore interviewee.

A recollection of Beale fair, which was held on 21 September, written in 1928, stated: ‘It was the battle ground of the old faction fighters and next to Ballyeigh ranked as North Kerry’s biggest event. Many and sanguinary were the fights that took place there between the rival factions that held sway in North Kerry and old men still tell tales of broken heads and bones.’

The two parties also met at the pattern days held annually in Knockanure on 15 August.

In the earlier part of the nineteenth century this Pattern was the scene of many a faction-fight between what were known as the Couleens and the black Mulvihills; young and old assembled there to see the fight; the contending parties being armed with black-thorn sticks … Hard strokes were given and received, and many a young man was maimed for life.

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An Unlikely Hero

I have heard that there was once a strong man in Beale. His name was James Carmody. One day he was forced to fight a bull and with the first blow of a stick he gave the bull he killed him. After that he was forced into a wrestling match with a strong man from Tarbert. When he got his hands firm around the man's body he squeezed him to death. He was considered the strongest man for miles around and he was a famous man that lived around the locality at that time.
Patrick Mulvihill v.
Lensechane, Ballybunion.
June 24th 1938

James Moriarty, Hurler, Ultra Marathon Running and a Hurling Hero

Seat in The Garden of Europe

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From the Archives

The Riverine Herald (Echuca, Vic. : Moama, NSW : Wed 26 Aug 1874-Page 3

DEATH UNDER EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES.—The following extraordinary story (says

the Cork Examiner) is sent to us from our correspondent at Listowel, whom, we think it right to say, we have always found trustworthy and accurate:—

A young woman named Murphy aged about 19, the daughter of a farmer in the parish of Abbeyfeale, with a younger sister of about 17 years, had gone to the early Mass at Abbeyfeale, last Sunday, and, it is said, they both received the sacrament that morning. Having returned home, the sisters went out for a walk about twelve o'clock, and proceeded along the bank of a stream which runs adjacent to their residence. They had not gone far, when they observed four men bearing a coffin coming towards them from the fields, and as they approached where the sisters stood they deposited the coffin on the ground. The men then advanced, and attempted to lay hands on the elder sister, who, with a piercing shriek, retreated from them, but the men closed upon her and as they dragged her towards the coffin, she cried out in a piteous tone, 'Oh leave me until I am better prepared.' The younger sister ran home in a state of intense alarm. The young girl's mother, on hearing what occurred proceeded at once with the younger daughter to the place where the latter had witnessed the struggle. On nearing the spot they observed no trace of the men nor the coffin but they beheld the form of the young woman lying apparently lifeless on the ground. On attempting to raise her, they found that she was dead and her features were so altered as to be scarcely recognisable by the bereaved mother.

 Such are the facts, as narrated by the surviving sister and the impression the story has made in the minds of all who have heard it cannot be well described. I have not heard that an inquest was held on the body, though one might suppose this was a case that certainly ought to be thoroughly investigated.

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David Toomey and his Ultra Marathon

Many of us in Listowel know David best in his day job as our very talented town horticulturalist and planting expert. What you may not know is that David is also a very keen runner and his latest distance is ultra marathon.


At any time of year marathon running is not for the faint hearted but on the weekend of February 15/16 2020 with Storm Dennis battering the country, anyone with any sense would deem it a day for the fire. Not David Toomey. He was committed to doing the Gaeltacht Mhuscraí marathon.

Here is David's own account, as posted on Facebook, of his adventure


Sorry about the long post but I felt I'd better share the epic journey of the Slí Gaeltacht Mhuscrái 2020.

We started the run at about 8.20 from Kealkil after a 1hr 30m bus journey. It was raining and cold at the start line. The first few miles went ok. It was actually warm and I felt I was over dressed.

I got about seven miles in when the calf started to play up. After another mile or two I was reduced to a walk with serious pain. At this stage I was gutted because there was nice running conditions, flat and downhill sections which I had to walk. I decided to take it handy, not panic and get to the checkpoint where I could assess the leg.

After arriving at the checkpoint, I think around mile 11 I took some painkillers and after talking with the support crew at the feed station I decided I'd continue to the next checkpoint at Ballingeary which was about 7 miles.

A tough slog over the mountain's there was wind and driving rain but I got to Ballingeary. On arrival I told the lads my problem and fair play, one of them rubbed out the calf for me. It was very sore and swollen. A big knot had formed at the top of the calf. This was causing most of the problem. I asked them how far to Ballyvourney, the next checkpoint, and they told me about 19kms so I decided to plough on and hopefully make it. 

I had decided to call it a day at Ballyvourney because I was afraid of doing damage and there's a long year ahead. I'll never forget the next section. With all the rain the river had burst its banks and we had two crossings waist deep. Also the trail was flooded so we had to navigate that. At one stage I went to the chest in water. All I could think of is God help the lads coming behind us because the river was rising rapidly. The bog sections were very difficult, slippery, soft, wet and ankle deep rough going. 

Ballyvourney came at last. I felt lucky to have made it this far. A pit stop for tea,food and a little chat to myself. 24km to go. So I said I'd struggle now and walk if I had to.  Again tough going, mountain, bog, fire road and lots of water. Long story short I met a few lads on this section and we helped each other. The calf had loosened out a bit so I was able to jog/walk along. 

Finally got to Millstreet I couldn't believe it when I could see the lights in the distance. The joy I felt is indescribable. I thought at seven miles I was going home, now I'm finished possibly the toughest race I've ever done. Thanks everyone for all the lovely comments, messages it really keep me going. Thanks to my love for keeping me going on the phone and finally to the MMRA crew for putting on a fantastic race support and volunteers. 

I'll be back again on a better day. Storm Dennis no match for ultra runners. 

Ps if someone has a loan of two legs I'd be happy to take them.

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The Guardian......A Listowel Connection

When you're a freelance  photographer getting your photo on the front page of The Guardian is a triumph. This is just what happened to Cathal Noonan. His photo of the MV Alta, grounded off Ballycotton was chosen as the front page picture on Tuesday's paper. Cathal has two Listowel aunts and many Listowel cousins.

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A Local Beale Hero

From the Dúchas Schools' Folklore Collection

The best hurler the oldest people ever remember was James Moriarty.He lived somewhere around Kilconly. One Saturday he and his wife removed to the border of the County of Cork. After going to bed that night his wife said it was better for him to be there than to be going to the "Moneens." The moneens are in Flahives farm, Bromore. "What is in the Moneens"asked the man. The woman told him that she had received a letter that he should go and attend the hurling match which was to be held there. He made up his mind to go and jumping out of bed he went off to Bromore. When the ball was thrown up he was the first man that struck it and after striking the ball he leaped thirty three feet. There is a mark to this day on the place where he jumped. The place is pointed out above at Dan Flahive's field of Bog

Nora Griffin vi
Beale, Ballybunion
June 24th 1938
Information from people at home.

Doodle, Diarmuid and Grania in Bromore and Bill Murphy of Lyreacrompane

Schiller in Listowel's Garden of Europe in February 2020

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From Lyreacrompane to the Streets of New York

Bill Murphy took up my invitation to tell us where he is now and how his life as an emigrant has been.

After mass at the church of the Sacred Heart  in Lyreacrompane, on Sunday January 31st 1965 I traveled to Shannon Airport, There I joined a Pan American flight from Italy to Kennedy Airport for my trip to  New Jersey, U.S.A.   

A young twenty one year, first time on a plane, there was two others from my area on their  way to Chicago. After about three hours flying there was quite a lot of air turbulence, the pilot announced fastened seat belts we are experience  " some difficulties ' I was scared stiff and was on my way to the rest room when a attendant said "You are supposed to remain in your seat." and I said "What is the difference where I am when this plane crashes. The attendant must have thought I was nuts.

Anyway some hours later I arrived safely in New York and traveled on to New Jersey. Worked a few different jobs until I got citizenship  and joined the Newark, N.J police force, where I served for twenty six years retiring as a detective in 1999. 

I am still living and enjoying my retirement in Ocean County N.J. Had three sons the youngest, passed away almost thirty years ago from Cystic Fibrosis. We have five G-Children.

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A Bromore story from the 1938 Schools' Folklore Collection

Dan Daly got this story from Dan Flahive of Bromore

Fields
The names of some of the fields in my townland are Lisheen Rúadh, the Fort field, and Léim na muiche. An important story is told about Léim ná Muiche.
In the time of the Fianna when Diarmuid and Grania were fleeing from the anger of Fionn there is a tradition that they passed by this field. There is a chasm in the cliff side of the field and, when they reached the chasm they found they could not cross. They got on a pig's back, and suddenly the pig made a leap which took Diarmuid and Grania across to the other side of the chasm and ever since since that time the field adjoining the chasm is called Léim na muiche. The field called the fort field got its name from the fort which is in it.
Dan Daly 23 .6. 38 st.v
Bromore, Ballybunion

Mr. Dan Flahive, farmer, aged 72
Bromore, Ballybunion Co Kerry. (In whose land this field is.) got it from his own father.


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An Unusual Election Candidate

Doodle promised to return when his country needed him. Could that time be now?

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A Fact

Parrots can live for up to 80 years.

Childers' Park, a Cautionary Tale and Some Listowel Firsts

Crocuses in Gurtinard Wood in February 2020

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Childers' Park Do's and Dont's

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Drunk Man's Wall

This is Lower Bridge Road as it divides for the riverside walk and the road to Tralee. When I came to town first there used to be a wall here. Local people told me that a low wall was built at the end of the footpath so that drunkards who were making their way home on foot would be alerted to the danger of going straight ahead and into the river. The wall would make them stop and veer to the right so that they could continue their homeward journey in safety.

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The New Look William Street

Sexton's canopy has been removed and a new sign hasn't been erected yet. Sexton's children's clothes shop is now located between two new style shops, phone and PC repairs and vaping.

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Listowel Firsts

From the Schools Folklore Collection

1. The first man having a gramophone in Listowel was Timmy Molyneaux and he had it where Mrs Stack in Church St. has her house now. It was staying in a box and the country people used flock in and thought it was a man in the box was singing. There was a slit in the box and the people used put in 1d for every tune. They thought it couldn't work without the 1d and the owner used lead them on I believe this so as to get money. This man had also four St. Bernard dogs.

2. J. J. Kennelly of Patrick St. (Tailor) had the first motor-car; J. T. Galvins garage in Market St. the first wireless

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A Fact

Entrance to The Tower of London used to be free if you brought a dog or a cat to feed to the lions.

Banna , Convent Street and Flavin's of Church street

Banna by Bridget O'Connor

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Convent Street, Listowel

The sign is on the wall at the entrance to the hospital. I've discussed this at length on the blog but it still fascinates me to see street signs where the Irish has absolutely no connection whatsoever to the English name. In most cases the English street name is an English Christian name, thought to be named after Lord Listowel's sons, e.g. William and Charles. In this case however and in the case of Church Street the English name refers to a well known building, a landmark located on the street. The Irish name refers to an older superstition. One didn't mess with the Púca. He was a wicked spirit who rode around the countryside after dark spiriting away anyone foolish enough to be out late.

The entrance to Listowel hospital grounds

They are making great progress with the dementia day care centre. The organising committee are still looking for volunteer cyclists to do the Ring of Kerry Cycle to raise funds for them. If you can't do the cycle, please sponsor one of the cyclists.

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Bryan MacMahon and  Flavin's Bookshop

Dan Flavin and his son, Micheál at the door of the shop sometime in the 1950s. The photo appears in Vincent Carmody's Snapshots of a Market Town.

Flavins is closing tomorrow, Saturday February 8 2020

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Famine Poverty and a Kind Landlord

from the Schools' Folklore Collection

The Quarter field is situated on the side of a hill. It contains nine acres in the begining of the nineteenth century many families lived in this field The field was owned by a Land Lord and he allowed these poor people build houses in it. Each family got a quarter of ground. There was no division between the quarters only paling. They used to set potatoes in the quarter every year and used to get the manure from the neighbouring farmers. These people had no other way of living only when ever they would work for another farmer for small hire. When the potatoes failed in the years 1845 to 1847 all these people died of starvation. When they were gone my grandfather bought this field with more land surrounding it and my father is in possession of it now My grandfather threw the remains of the houses away and it is all one level field at present. If you walk through parts of it on a Summers evening you could see the form of the houses and the little gardens alongside it

COLLECTOR

Liam Ó Duilleáin

Gender

male

Address

Gortacloghane, Co. Kerry

INFORMANT

(name not given)

Relation

parent

Gender

male

Address

Gortacloghane, Co. Kerry

Garda Station, a poem, Mat the Herder and some local ladies

Listowel Garda Station in January 2020

The burning of Listowel police station in the Civil War, Aug 1922.
Republicans held Listowel. They burnt the police station as Free State troops advanced on 3 Aug 1922. . Courtesy of Vincent Carmody. 
This building was restored, and today is the impressive Listowel Garda station, Church St.

(photo and caption shared on Facebook by Historical Tralee and Surrounding Areas)

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A Poem from Noel Roche

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Girls' Night Out

Snapped in Allos last week, Aimee, Maria, Eilish, Máire and Sinead

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Mat the Herder 

From Rathea in the Schools Folklore collection

Mat Sheehy lived in the townland of Gurtaclohane in the begining of the nineteenth century. He was commonly known as Mat the Herder. He was a stout firm man and had great arms. Another great man lived long side him by the name of Sean O Leary. The two of um used to go to Cork once a fortnight with firkins of butter in a horse & car.

 At the same time there was a great fighting man in Cork. One day the Buffer of Cork challenged any man to fight him. Mat came up to Leary and said that it wouldnt take such a great man to beat him. "You better keep your tongue in your pocket" said Leary dont he hear you. At that the Buffer heard him and challenged him to fight and handed him a black torn stick so they took at it. 

The Buffer was giving him great strokes in the head but they were taking no effect out of him. In the finish Leary said to Mat in Irish "Tóg íseal é" to take him low. At that Mat struck him across the ribs and brought him to the ground and the Buffer said to Mat "You're a good man. I was never beaten before". The Cork people said they would give him his hat full of gold if he shouted as a Cork man but he said he would not saying "I am a Kerry man and I'll shout for no other County but Kerry".

Mat had fourteen heifers grazing in the mountain owned by Stephen Galvin at present. He had a big dog. His dog was called Bully and he used to be always minding the heifers for fear they would be stolen. One morning as the ground was covered with snow Bully came came barking to the door and made signals to Mat that the heifers were stolen. 

So the two started out in search of them. They tracked um as far as Limerick and there they found um between two glens. They went about turning the heifers home when ten men attacked um to take the heifers of um so they started fighting and he beat the ten men but he would never do so without the dog. When five of um would come in front of him and five more behind him the dog would jump up and ketch um by the cape of the coat and bring um to the ground and in that way he beat the ten men and brought home his heifers to Gurtaclohane

Soon after a great man from  County Limerick heard about Mat so he said he would have a trial out of him. He picked two good sticks one for himself and another for Mat. He enquired from house to house until he came to Mat. As soon as Mat saw him he got in dread of him so he said he was not Mat the Herder at all but he'd carry him to Mat's house. But that if he'd like, himself would fight him but that Mat (M) should be present at the fight. 

Mat was indread to attack him alone without Leary with him for Leary was a better man than himself. If he beat him himself Leary would have an other chance and if Leary beat him Mat would still hold his good name. When they landed at Leary's house Mat had a private talk with him and Leary said to him not to be in dread. Then they started fighting and no one of um was getting the upper hand for a half anhour. It was getting very hot then and Mat was getting two much of it Then Leary told him in Irish not to draw at all but to keep up his guards and that he would get tired. Mat did so and stroke by stroke the other fellow was failling. Then all of a sudden Mat struck him across the ribs and brought him to the ground so Mat held his good name and gave up fighting at the age of fifty.

COLLECTOR

Liam Ó Duilleáin

Gender

male

Address

Gortacloghane, Co. Kerry

INFORMANT

(name not given)

Relation

parent

Gender

male

Address

Gortacloghane, Co. Kerry

The actual handwritten version states 

"ó m'athair a fuaireas é seo."

Glenteenassig, Europe on William St. and Listowel Primary Care Centre and Knockane

Glenteenassig

Photo Credit:  Gosia Wysocka on This is Kerry

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Clounmacon GAA

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Polish Restaurant

Sometimes I regret not putting dates on photos. Listowel people will recognise this as Lower William Street and the premises that is now Lizzy's little Kitchen. For a short time this restaurant was a Polish restaurant called Europe.

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Entrance to new Primary Care Centre

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Hidden Treasure

This is from the Dúchas folklore schools collection. I'm including the original manuscript because the handwriting is so beautiful.

This is what it says in case you are finding it hard to read. Cnochán is Knockane.

There is a hill in the townland of Listowel and it is called the Cnocán. This is a fairly large hill and it covers about two acres of ground. It is composed of a mixture of sand and clay. It is supposed to have been drawn in bags by the Danes. The hill is situated midway between two Rivers - the Feale and the Gale and according to local legend the Danes drew the sand from both rivers on their backs. At the south end of this hill which is about twenty feet high there is a beautiful well continually overflowing with clear water and which never runs dry even in the most prolonged periods of drought. But the most remarkable thing about this hill, is that it was raised up in the middle of a flat boggy plain and was supposed to command a view of the River Feale and the River Gale.

COLLECTOR

B. Holyoake

Gender

male

Address

Listowel, Co. Kerry

INFORMANT

Michael Holyoake

Gender

male

Address

Listowel, Co. Kerry