More from Listowel Races Friday Sept 16 2016

Handsome Couples at The Races

And the winners were local couple Anthony McCarthy and Sharon Heffernan.

This handsome pair were the judges.

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More Local People Enjoying Ladies Day

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Ladies Day at The Races is the new Easter Sunday

"In my Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it,
I'll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade.
I will be in clover, when they look me over......"

So sang Judy Garland. The sentiments in the ditty were echoed on Listowel racecourse on Friday last as hats which were everything from the demure to the brash were paraded for the appraisal of the judges and the amusement or awe of racegoers.

(In some cases I've included the outfit so you can get the full picture.)

 Maura Derrane sported a very snazzy pillbox.

This one won. I think the category was the daftest or the jazziest or something.

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Harvest Knots at The Ploughing

You know the way you don't think about a thing for years. It pops into your mind. You mention it in a blogpost and suddenly it's everywhere.

My above photo was posted by the Dept of Arts Heritage and The Gaeltacht. It was taken in their stand at The National Ploughing Championships 2016.

At the National Library stand they were helping children to make them. 

More from Ladies Day 2016 and the state of the convent in September 2016

Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness

I had help with the apple harvesting

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Well Dressed Ladies 2016

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Oh Dear!

Since I was passing the gate on my way to The Races, I took a few snaps of the convent.

Ladies Day 2016 and Junior Griffin at 80

A Thing of beauty is a joy forever

Ladies Day at Listowel Races 2016 was the biggest day in terms of numbers of the Listowel meeting.

There were prizes for the best dressed lady, the best dressed young racer and the best dressed couple. There was plenty for the judges to choose from.

Maria Stack's handbag was made especially for her using her own photos of her syndicate's horse.

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John (Junior Griffin) at 80

Junior would pass for a man 30 years younger. He is fit and healthy and still contributing as a volunteer to his town and his county. If you meet him on the street be sure to congratulate him on the big birthday. He tells me that his old boss, Jack McKenna, has a birthday this week as well. He will be 98.
Junior always has a story to tell. He is one of Listowel's best company to be in. He told me that he and the late Justin Stack were born in Miss Chapman's lying in hospital in Church St. They were born within an hour  of one another but because it was either side of midnight Junior's birthday is on the 17th and Justin's was on the 16th. Justine used to refer to Junior as "young Griffin" and Junior called Justin "old Stack".
Junior's nieces and nephews came from near and far, from Belgium and England to celebrate with him in The Listowel Arms on Sunday. His niece, Imelda, sent me this photo of them all with their beloved uncle.

I took a few photos of Junior after morning mass on Monday Sept 19 2016 when he was 80 years and one day. With him in my photo are his friend and old work colleague, John Brosnan and P.J. and Joan Kenny.

Old friends, Sr. Áine Ashe and Junior