Dublin Kerry Association, St. Michael's boys Survey and NKRO in 2000

Photo; Liam Downes

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The Dublin Branch of the Kerry Family

in happier times

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Remembering Schooldays in St. Michael's


From a cocoon in New York comes John Anthony Hegarty wrote

Hi Mary,

I just found this article from the Kerryman newspaper from my days in St Michael's. 
 It definitely has that Listowel Connection.
My class was what was considered a diverse class in those days, 
Apart from those us in the photo below , there was one American (Yank) Mike Regan, one English (Cockney)  : Kevin Summers they were both exempt from learning Irish, we had Fitzell from Ballylongford. Alas I forgot his first name, he was Church of Ireland so he was exempt from the religion class. John B's son, Conor Keane, was also in my class , I must say even though his father was famous Conor was down to earth , there certainly no airs and graces about him, he was a regular person. Louis McDonough was also in my class.

That first year we spent in the prefab class room behind the main college building Our teachers were : Margaret Savage from Bedford :PE ( a new concept back then) and Civics ,  Mr Cody :Science, Mr Harman : Math: "the square of the hypotenuse of right angle triangle is equal to the sum the squares of the other two sides" has stuck with me, he said that phrase quite a few times back then, the Regans husband and wife team: Mr Regan :Commerce, Mrs Regan : French, Mr. Molyneaux ( Junior ) :  Irish and History /Geography,
Mr Given :English, Fr O'Sullivan : Music and Religion and he was headmaster of the College.
Teachers were all allowed to use the cane back then and they did use it.

Lunch break we used to go down to a shop called (I think) Crowley's for an ice cream wafer. 

The biggest crime back then was cigarette smoking.

John-Anthony pointed out they were already practicing social distancing in this photo.
These are the names of the boys in the order in which they are standing.

First row : Tony O' Carroll, Jim Hannon , John-Anthony Hegarty, 
 Second row: Tony Barrett, Thomas O' Connor,Joe Walsh, Patrick McElligott, 
 Back row: Edward O'Connor.

So in regard to the survey below , it wasn't  very scientific because the people were very reserved in that , they didn't want to say the wrong thing so  the most the common answer was " well what are rest of the people putting down"
The photo was taken in front of then Cash and Carry ( Walsh hall) across from the Astor.I have met Paddy MacEligott and my neighbor Joe Walsh a handful a times since those days.

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Looking Back

This photo was taken during a North Kerry Reaching out event in Greaney's Spar Listowel in 2000.

Brenda Sexton was sharing photographic memorabilia with Ger Greaney and James Kenny.

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River Feale

Mike Guerin has shared some lovely and many never before seen photographs of the river and its fishermen

Stolen Waters

Listowel Primary Centre, Writers' Week in 1983 and Evictions in 1881

Listowel Primary Care Centre in February 2020

The Primary Care Centre looks finished, landscaping done and all.

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Listowel Writers' Week Committee 1983

In Writers Week we're looking back at 50 festivals and the people who helped run them. Here is the 1983 committee. Apologies to the two ladies whose names I can't remember.

Front Row: Kieran Moloney, Helen Kenny,  ? , Gabriel Fitzmaurice, Marjorie Long, Maurice Lonergan, Maureen Beasley

Back: Margaret Reidy, ? Mairead Pierse, Louise Griffin. Madeleine O'Sullivan, Michael O'Connor, Mary McGillicuddy, Joe Murphy, Nora Relihan,Anne Kennedy Truscott (née O'Rourke), Mary Cogan (hidden) Noreen Buckley and Padraig Kelly

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Evictions in North Kerry in 1881

Kerry Sentinel 06.05.1881, page 3 (Edited Version)

Important Meeting of Lord Ormaithwaite’s Tenantry in the parishes of, Listowel, Ballydonoghue, Newtownsandes, Lixnaw, Irremore and Ballybunion were at a meeting in the Land League Rooms in Listowel. They decided that 25% over Griffith’s valuation was a fair rent. Mr George Sandes the landlords agent refused the offer and offered an abatement of 15%, he agreed to meet Lord Ormaithwaite and let them know his reply in a few days.

The cases of the eviction in Gunsboro of Broder and Kissane, who were uncharitable put out on the road at the end of their working life, had the sympathy of all tenants.

Priests in attendance Rev. M O’Connor , P.P. Ballybunion; Rev James Burke, P.P. Newtownsandes, Rev James Casey C C. Listowel; Rev F Cremin, C.C. Lixnaw; Rev. M. Godley, C.C. Ballybunion; Rev F. Carmody, C.C. Newtownsandes, and the rev B. Scanlon, C.C. Duagh.

Priest of the Listowel Deanery held meeting and deplored the evictions on the property of Mr. Gunn Mahony and absentee, a dying man, father of large family was flung on the roadside without any shelter. North Kerry was tranquil, but it is with horror they contemplate the future, if  the evictions of law abiding and industrious people, continues.

Meeting of influential Listowel people, about the water supply, £1,000 spent on works, at present quite useless, they are going to the Board of Guardians to complain.

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River Feale in stormy February 2020

the Blaket Islands, ducks on The Feale and some local images

Cycling home with the newspaper through Childers' Park,  Listowel in July 2018

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A Date for the Diary

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West Kerry Islands

Last week I posted this photo from Seán Mac an tSíthigh of An Fear Marbh. I told you that this island is also called The Sleeping Giant. Well, this prompted Denis Quille to write to tell us that the same island is also called An tEaspag (the bishop). It's proper name is Inis Tuaisceart  ( The North Island)

Denis says;

The old people at the tip of the Dingle Peninsula knew Inis Tuaisceart (The Sleeping Giant) as "An tEaspag" (The Bishop), it is also easy to see why. 

On a family boat trip on 30 June we went into the island (some of my family with my brother Bryan's living in Listowel) and I'm attaching a few of the numerous photos taken by my daughter Neassa and nephew Micheál for you. We also landed on other outlaying islands but could not land on An Tiarach due to the spring tide swell. The landing/climb on to Inis Tuaisceart is dangerous and we had a very calm day, it not advisable for all ages should any of your followers be contemplating a visit. There is no ferry.

This is the Great Foze Rock (An Fós = Rage) taken on 30 June. This is the most westerly landfall in Europe and is situated quite a distance from An Tiaracht. 

The families had a swim here but in hindsight was probably foolish as there was a very strong drift in the direction of the rocks.

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Ducks on The Feale during the summer drought of 2018

There are several families of ducks in the river. I photographed these by the Big Bridge.

Peter McGrath collects some stale bread from a local shop and he makes his regular trips to feed the ducks.

These were further downstream

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Look who I met on my Sunday morning walk

Fred Chute is a man who loves Nature. On this lovely Sunday morning July 22 2018 he was enjoying a stroll by The Feale with his dog.

Ballygologue Cross, The Feale in Summer 2018 and The Abbey in 1963

Ballybunion as you've rarely seen it

Photo credit; Salva Tore

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Is this the best kept corner of Listowel?

 This is Ballygologue Cross, always in pristine condition.

Across the road is the entrance to Hawthorn Drive, another pristine estate.

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Started Early, Took my dog

Molly posed by a local landmark just to prove to her family that she is seeing all the sights while she is on her Kerry holidays.



We took our early morning walk by The Feale, which is the driest I have ever seen it.

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An Old Abbey programme

Mary McKenna of Newbridge brought me an old Abbey programme when she came for the John B. Keane Festival.

Health and Safety in 1963 was the spraying of Jeyes'  Floral Spray

"Ireland's gift to a thirsty world"

Ah, The Queen's!

So many of the Abbey greats!

Ballydonoghue, A Doctor in Spite of Himself twice, Doran's Then and Now

The Cross at Lisselton in glorious June sunshine in 2018

Photo; Ballydonoghue Parish Magazine

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A Doctor in Spite of Himself X2

Remember I told you about this open air performance of Moliére's play in Listowel Town Square during an early Writers' Week. Mike Moriarty who is  in the white coat on the left of the stage remembered that they were all delighted when their performance made The Irish Times. David O'Sullivan did a bit of delving for us and here is what he found.

The above is an extract from the 1978 programme. What a feast of drama they had!
Two other performances aroused my interest. They are  The Life of O"Reilly with Brendan O'Reilly. Was this the late great high jumper and later sports commentator?
And what was The Ball on the Hop by Eamon Keane?

I'll have to go back to the oracle.

 I hope you can enlarge this to read it. It reminds me of accounts of early performances of Shakespeare and miracle plays in courtyards of inns and town squares when people would drop by to see a play on their way home with the shopping and maybe shy a tomato or two at the villain.

Seems like the evergreen Mickey McConnell was the highlight of the ballad competition. No surprise there then.

This is the 1991 production. Mike Moriarty is on the right, playing the part he first played in 1978. Danny Hannon, who founded the Lartigue Players was also involved in the acquiring and refurbishing of St. John's decided to reprise a successful play for the opening performance.

The "smallest theatre in Ireland and England" had been closed down for 9 years when the lease ran out. Gerard Lynch, who owned the building, had given the Lartigue the use of the theatre rent free for ten years.  Now drama had found a new home in St. John's and the Lartigue company was just one of the many local drama groups who used it as their home for many years and some still do today.

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Then and Now on a Corner of Church St.

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Evening Stroll by The Feale