Greenlawn, Road works on William Street and The New Kingdom

The Early Bird Catches the Worm

I met this little fellow in Listowel Town Park early one morning last week. He likes to have his breakfast at the table.

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Lovely job at The Kennedy Home

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William Street Road Works

Signs pointing the way to the free car parks are beginning to appear on our streets. This is in preparation for the upcoming roadworks on William Street when on street parking will be limited.

Here is the low down.

• Work will commence on Monday September 26th 2016.
• Work is expected to last 9 weeks.
• William Street, in 2 phases, will  be closed day and night.
• Church Street will be 2 way. 
• On street parking on Church Street only on the side of the Garda Station.
• Shops and footpaths on William Street will remain open throughout the upgrade.
• Phase One from Lynch's Corner to the Market Street junction: Traffic from Market Street will turn left at McKenna's corner.
• Phase Two from McKenna's Corner to Charles Street junction: Traffic from Lower William Street will turn left into Market Street.

The whole thing will cost €600,000. Water, Gas and other underground works will all go on at the same time as the road resurfacing. I'm presuming there will be an archaeologist on site. Who knows what they might dig up when they go do delving under our town?  Remember they found a well under the road in The Square.

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New Kingdom Reopens

1972 communion in Knockanure, Some Listowel Placenames, a Listowel Marathon and works begin at Greenlawn

 The King of all Birds

Wren photographed by Ita Hannon

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Clarification

Yesterday's announcement was a bit premature. When I passed through William Street today there were the roadworks….gone! Looks like it was only a temporary patching job which leaves the surface marginally more drivable. Be warned! the margin of improvement is small.
Please accept my apologies for getting your hopes up.

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First Holy Communion in Knockanure in 1972

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Some Listowel Placenames and their meaning

Ballinruddery;  I used to think that this one came from Baile an Ridire, meaning the home of the knight. The Knight of Kerry did have a house close by.

Dan Keane's great book on the placenames of North Kerry, Tralee and Ballymacelligott set me straight.

Baile an Riodaraigh means the home of the riddles or Ruddles. A family of Rddles lived in the area.

Ballyduhig: This is in Irish Baile an Dhufaigh, meaning the home of the Duffys.

Ballygologue: Baile na Gabhlóige. A gabhlóg was a fork in a road.

Ballygrennan: Baile an Ghrianáin:  The home of the elevated sunny place.  True enough!

However Bedford has no Irish root whatsoever. An English man (probably from Bedford in England) built his home here and he called it Bedford House and the name stuck replacing the previous name for that area: Ath an Turais meaning ford of the journey or pilgrimage. The ford was on the Listowel Ballylongford road which is now crossed by Shrone bridge. There are two holy wells across the river, Tobar Rí an Domhnaigh ( The King of Sunday's well) and Tobar Naomh Parthalán ( St. Bartholomew's well)

Behins: Na Beithiní  means little birch trees.

Here endeth today's lesson

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A Few Photos I took during last week's marathon

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Another premises being refurbished

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The Country Boy at St. John's

Drama is thriving in Listowel in 2016. The latest offering was The Country Boy from the resilient Lartigue company. It was sad, funny and sweet  and very popular with Listowel audiences.

Norella Moriarty and Batt O'Keeffe took Joan Kenny's ticket and gave her a programme.

 The cast take a curtain call

The Very last Ladies Day photos, a Christmas shop opens in Listowel and a fire in Greenlawn

Photo;   Timothy John McSweeney

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Saturday Oct. 10 2015

Yes, I have the date right. Bank of Ireland Listowel was open last Saturday for a mortgage event. Could the Celtic Tiger be creeping back on to our streets? If so, let's hope we have learned the lessons of history.

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Some more well dressed ladies at Ladies' Day 2015

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Where did you get that hat?

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Big Houses in Tralee in the 19th century

IN the early to mid 1800 s The principal gentlemen's seats in the Tralee area were :

• Ballyseedy, the finely planted demesne of Arth. Blennerhasset, Esq., occupied by Sir Edward Denny, Bart.; 
• Oak Park, the residence of John Bateman, Esq., situated in grounds well wooded with oak, among which are some trees of singular size and beauty, and open to the public; 
• Belmont, of the Rev. A. B. Rowan; 
• Ballard House, of Fras. Crosbie, Esq.; 
• Spring Lodge, of F. J. Martelli, Esq.; Lower Cannon, of J. Eagar, Esq.; Magh, of W. Seely, Esq.; 
• Chute Hall, of W. Chute, Esq.; 
• Spring Hill, of Captain Chute;
•  Arbella, of Fras. Feet, Esq.; 
• Plover Hill, of George Gun, Esq.; and 
• Frogmore Lodge, of the Rev. Barry Denny.

from Historical Tralee

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The countdown has begun

All the elves at Listowel Garden Centre have been really really busy. They opened their Christmas shop on October 7 2015. Every year I think their display just can't be better than last year's and every year it is. Do drop in and see for yourself.
Danny Russell tells me that he has seen Christmas displays in Harrods and Brown Thomas and he thinks that Listowel Garden Centre Christmas Shop 2015 is better.

I dropped in early to take some photos before all of this beautiful stock starts to walk out the door.

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What a Shame!

Greenlawn Nursing Home has been vacant  and neglected for some years now. On Thursday last, October 8 2015 it was extensively damaged internally by fire and smoke.