Bromore Cliffs, Thomas Moore and Covid Queueing and last Week's just a Thought

     

Listowel Credit Union Building in Church Street in May 2020

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Good News from Bromore Cliffs

We are open again since Monday 18th of May ! the Seapink and Vetch are in full bloom.  The Bromore Fox had three cubs. The Ravens fledged two chicks and all the other birds and wildlife are busy high and low on the Cliffs

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Róisín Meaney is on Song

Earl Grey in the garden for me,
Or maybe a large g&t;
I won’t let this jazz
Steal my razzmatazz,
To covid I won’t bend the knee

Róisín Meaney

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Are you Right there, Thomas, are you right?

Boston Pilot (1838-1857), Volume 1, Number 47, 15 December 1838

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ADDRESS TO THOMAS MOORE. ESQ.

It having become known to the inhabitants of Fermoy that the high-minded and disinterested patriot, Moore, was sojourning at Convamore, the seat of Lord Listowel, a meeting was held in that town on the 22d ult. to frame an address to him on his visit to the land whose wrongs, whose sorrows, and whose sufferings he has immortalised in song. It was intended that the address should be presented by deputation, but the sudden departure of Mr. Moore having prevented the adoption of this course, Counsellor O’Flanagan (author of “ Impressions at 'Home and Abroad,”) who acted as secretary to the meeting, forwarded it to his residence. We insert, with much pleasure the address and answer, confident that every Irishman must feel proud of any tribute paid to the writer of Those songs whose every tone, When bard and minstrel long have past, Shall still in sweetness all their own Embalmed by fame undying last.

(Break)

THOMAS MOORE. Answer.

Bowood, October 5. Dear Sir —Owing to my absence from home, your letter and the flattering address from the inhabitants of Fermoy which it enclosed, did not reach me till this morning, and I lose not a moment in endeavouring to express to you how truly sensible I am of the value of the high compliment thus conferred upon me. I should feel too vain could I, for a moment, persuade myself that my own deserts were in any degree proportionate to the generous estimate set, upon them by my fellow-countrymen. Such tributes, however are not less gratifying for the kind excess of praise over merit in which they indulge ; and, for myself, I can only say that, accustomed as I am to such overflows of heart from my countrymen, I still feel them with all the freshness of my first gratitude and surprise. Wishing every happiness to you and the other unknown but kind friends who have thus honoured me, I am, dear Sir, your

Obliged servant,

To J. R. O’Flanagan, Esq., Fermoy.

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Follow the Yellow Brick Road

We are becoming familiar with yellow markings like these on the pavements. They mark where we are to stand while queueing.

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Leaving Cert 1970; a few more names

By email;  Re the St Michael's photo.. I think Stephen Stack in middle of second row.. And myself John Hynes  second last in middle row.

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Covid Thoughts

My last week's reflections are at the link below

Just a Thought

Presentation Chapel in 2007 and a short history of Pres. sisters in town and a big win in badminton for a Moyvane family

St. Brigid's Day

Celebrating St Brigid at her Well near the Cashen River between Ballyduff and Ballybunion in North Kerry

(Photo and caption: Diocese of Kerry on Facebook)

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Presentation Chapel, Listowel in August 2007

Mairéad O'Sullivan shared some of her really beautiful pictures of the convent chapel with us. Here are the first few.

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Hard Times come again no more

Frances Kennedy found this photo on a site called Ireland Long ago. It shows a young woman whose home has been destroyed in a Black and Tan reprisal attack. The atrocity took place in Meelin Co. Cork.
The Black and Tans (they got the name from the colours of their uniforms) were as feared in Ireland in the 1920s as The Taliban. They went around the countryside spreading fear and exerting their own brand of rough justice. This young woman appears broken but unbowed. Hopefully the menfolk of her household had found safety somewhere before this photo was taken.

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Presentation Sisters in Listowel

Photos of the convent in 2007 by Mairead O'Sullivan and text from Sr. Éilís Daly

Sr. Eilís with a tree with the names of the sisters who had gone before her up to 2002.

As we celebrate our tradition of Presentation Catholic education in
Listowel, we take inspiration from the lives of the Four Presentation
Sisters who began Catholic education in Listowel in 1844.  On the 7th
of May 1844, Sr. Mary Augustine Stack- a native of Listowel and three
sisters from Milltown, Sr. Mary Teresa Kelly, Sr. Mary Francis
McCarthy and Sr. Mary Francis Brennan founded a convent and school in
Listowel.

During the Famine of 1845-48, the sisters had to close their school.
They opened soup kitchens to feed the starving people. The Famine resulted in
the deaths of many families and of some of the young sisters. Sharing
their meagre resources with the poor, over the course of twelve
months, the sisters supplied 31,000 breakfasts to the starving
children. The Convent Annuals read of the Sisters baking bread to feed
so many, eventually being reduced to rye and black bread. The Sisters
also initiated groups to make garments for the women and shirts for
the men in the workhouse closeby – so that people could earn wages.



A significant event in the life of the early Listowel Presentation
community was the ‘Battle of the Cross’ in 1857.  The Sisters were
ordered to take down the Cross from the gable end of their school by
the Education Board. In spite of dire threats, the sisters refused to
do so, and defied the Board. Eventually the Board yielded.

In 2007 the sisters closed their convent, after 163 years of service
in Listowel. The tradition of Presentation Catholic education is still
alive in Listowel.  Our school is now under the trusteeship of CEIST
which is committed to continuing the great tradition of Presentation
Catholic education in Listowel into the future.

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Badminton in the Genes ?

Junior Griffin has a long list of Kerry badminton families. This family must be the most high profile at the moment.




"A pair of very proud parents, Breda and William O'Flaherty of Moyvane with their daughter Niamh and son James who created their own bit of Kerry Badminton history at Killarney on Sunday last, January 29 2017 by both winning Kerry senior singles championships; Niamh at 16 years of age is the youngest ever winner of the ladies senior title and they are the first brother and sister div 1 title holders to do that double since 1996.


For both it was their first senior title. In the mens decider James overcame 10 times title holder Tom Bourke in a three set final that was a pure joy to behold. Indeed, it has been acclaimed as one of the greatest Kerry finals ever." Junior

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Grandparents' Day

Yesterday, February 1 2017, feast of St. Brigid  was Grandparents Day. My photo shows St. Michael's boys on their way to mass in the parish church. Pupils and staff from Scoil Realta na Maidine also attended. On behalf of all grandparents, "Thank you, boys."

KnitWits, St Michael's staff and Famine donors

This is the KnitWits crew in Scribes on Saturday last. We knit there every Saturday from 11.00 to 1.00 and we welcome new members. Call in for a chat or just to see what we are at.

This is our newest doll model showing off one of the dresses that will be for sale in aid of the St. Vincent de Paul Society at the craft fair on November 4.

Quinny modelling  a smart pink coat.

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The quality of these pictures is really poor but I thought some people might like to see them anyway. The staff of St. Michael's College in the 1990's.

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Famine Donors

A little known fact is that many people worldwide came to the aid of Ireland during The Great Hunger. A new book sheds some light on just who reached out the hand of friendship to us in our darkest hour.

Former US President Abraham Lincoln, a tribe of Choctaw Indians and a Turkish Sultan were among a group of 15,000 people worldwide to donate money to Ireland during the Great Famine.

That's according to a new book by the historian and lecturer Christine Kinealy, who is one of the world's most respected authorities on the Great Hunger, having studied it for over 20 years.

The Drew University Professor says Abraham Lincoln's donation, made when he was a newly-elected senator, came as part of a wider effort organised by the then-vice president George M Dallas.

In 1847, the vice president of the United States convened a massive meeting in Washington and he called on all senators and congressmen to go back to their states and do something for the Irish poor. 

At that stage Abraham Lincoln, who was newly-elected, really wasn't very well known except for maybe in his home state. But he sent about ten dollars, about five pounds.

The president of the US sent a donation which was 50 dollars.

Christine says that that mass donation didn't pass without incident, however:

There was a whole controversy about the vice president Dallas, who was a slave owner. 

So people in Ireland - most of whom were opposed the slavery - had a dilemma: should we take money from people who owned slaves? 

In the end they decided that they would and he was happy with their decision.

She says one of the great myths of the Famine surrounds Queen Victoria's donation. It is widely believed that the British monarch only sent five pounds to help with the famine relief. 

In reality, she sent much more than that:

People say that 'Queen Victoria gave five pounds, she gave a far higher amount to a local dogs' home'. In fact, this is is a myth. 

Queen Victoria was the largest individual donor to famine relief – she gave two thousand pounds and she became involved in some other ways. 

But I think people prefer to hold on to the fabled fiver myth. That fits into their image of [her].

Help came from further east too. A Turkish Sultan, who was the head of the Ottoman Empire and had an Irish doctor, offered to give ten thousand pounds to Ireland. 

However, in the end gave a thousand pounds. It's believed that he tried to help out in other ways  - the subject of which may be made into a movie - but Christine says that the story is difficult to verify:

One of the myths, it just hasn't been substantiated so maybe its just a myth waiting to become a fact,  [is] that he sent three ships that the British government said couldn't land in Dublin so they made their way to Drogheda. 

So there are all these debates about whether the Sultan of Turkey's ships came to Drogheda. It’s a myth that people like to think was true because it’s a heartwarming story.

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A shocking picture from Life magazine of London during the blitz

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Picture from The Farmers' Journal of the scene outside Dáil Eireann yesterday. The picture below is from the Irish Times.

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Great news: Kerry Group announced 800 new jobs to  be created in a new R&D plant in Naas.

Published on Tuesday 9 October 2012 16:12

Having started out as a local dairy co-operative, Kerry Group is now a world leader in food ingredients and flavours.

The group’s origins date back to 1972 when they opened a dairy processing facility in Listowel, Co Kerry.

The company started out with a workforce of about 40 people and reported profits of €127,000 on a turnover of €1.3 million in it’s first year.

Today, Kerry Group employs more than 24,000 people around the world and generated revenue of €5.3 billion in 2011. They supply over 15,000 food, food ingredients and flavour products to customers in more than 140 countries.

This is made possible by Kerry’s manufacturing facilities in 25 countries and international sales offices in 20 other countries.

Headquartered in Tralee, Kerry Group is listed on the Dublin and London stock markets, having launched as a public company in 1986.

The group makes several well-known household brands, including Denny, Galtee, Shaws, Cheestrings, Charleville, Mitchelstown, LowLow and Dairygold.

- Liam Godinho