NKM Leaves Listowel, Account of an Old School in Derrindaffe and North Kerry MS Fundraiser

Photo: Chris Grayson

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Two Gentlemen

The late Jim Cogan and the late Dan Browne stop for a chat on a summer morning in 2004.
May the sod lie gently on both their souls.

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Maurice Mul in Ballybunion

Poster thanks; Liam OHainnín

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Listowel's First Strike

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An Old School 

(In the Dúchas Folklore collection )

Mrs Quill of Derridaff told this story to an unnamed schoolgirl. 

There was a school in Meenganare. It was a low thatched building with only one very small window.The floor was earth and in Winter, when the roof leaked, the children’s feet were mired in muck.  Seating for the pupils was a plank of wood resting on two blocks of wood.

It was a one teacher school. The teacher was a Mr. Purcell, a native of Cork. He taught there from 1844 to 1879. Mr. Purcell lived in lodgings near the school and he was paid every Friday.

Both pupils and teacher spoke only Irish. The only subjects that were taught were Irish and English. The teacher wrote on a large stone flag which rested against the wall and the children wrote on slates.

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M.S. North Kerry Fundraiser

On Saturday February16 2019, I spent a very pleasant morning in Tomáisín's in Lisselton. My old friends in the North Kerry branch of MS Ireland were holding their annual Valentine's coffee   morning.

The confectionery was mouthwatering, all made locally by volunteer bakers. The company was good and there were lovely raffle prizes. It was a very enjoyable event.

Here are some of my photos from the day.

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Mystery Solved

I asked someone who knew. It's a traffic counter according to Jimmy Moloney.

Old friends, more from 1988 and McKenna's Social

Whenever I am out and about with my husband, it is my custom to ask people who approach us, to pose for a photo with Jim. I included many of these photographs in my book but I didn't put in any of people who had passed away for fear of upsetting anybody. Now I realize that I was wrong. People like to remember familiar faces which we no longer see. Here are 3 such photos that I came across lately. The man in the wheelchair in all three is Jim Cogan.

Michael Cody R.I.P. formerly of Ballybunion Rd. and St Michael's College

Dan Browne R.I.P. well loved butcher and local businessman

Mrs. O'Loughlin R.I. P. formerly of Church St.,  Jim's first landlady when he came to Listowel.

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A few more snippets from my 1988 Pres Secondary School Yearbook

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This is how the cinema looks now with the new extension nearly finished.

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Posters for upcoming events

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Jer. had a much
better copy of that McKenna's Social photo and he has a few but not all of the names.

Front (left to Right): Junior Griffin (standing), Angela Flaherty (Nee Hayes), Kathleen Clifford??, Mrs Burke??, Kitty McCarthy??, Michael Crowley?? & Mrs Crowley (standing).

Middle (L-R): Mrs Mickey Mahony, Mrs O'Connor??, Mikey O'Connor, Pat Walsh, Sean Lynch, Dick Kiely, Willie Barrett, Tim Shanahan, Johnny Mahony, A N Other, A N Other, A N Other, A N Other.

Back (L-R): Michael O'Neill, Brendan Daly, Maureen O'Connor, Tom O'Connor, Mickey Mahony, John Daly.