Tidy Towns Committee on TV, A Lixnaw Farm, Sr. Eileen's Infants' Class and Christmas comes early

Listowel Tidy Towns Committee in Celebratory Mode

Irish TV filmed our Tidy Town heroes last week.

And they're planning a party for us all. Put Sunday October 23 at 3.30 into your diaries. The venue is Listowel Community Centre.

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Sr. Eileen's class looking Cute

No date......maybe nineties? If someone has the names I'll publish them.

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A Lixnaw Farm featured in Irish Tractor and Agri Magazine in September 2015

THE BARRY FAMILY FROM LIXNAW

 3 FEB , 2016  

Brothers James and Padraig Barry run separate farms in Lixnaw and Listowel, Co. Kerry along with their uncle Con. The family has also recently set up an agricultural contracting business to cater for the needs of local farmers.

The Barry’s operate enterprises which include a large dairy farm in Lixnaw and a dry stock and tillage farm in Listowel. As well as milking 300 cows, they finish about 1,000 beef cattle every year and also grow winter and spring wheat, spring barley and maize.

In the past year, they have branched into the agri contracting sector with the formation of J, P & C De Barra Contracting Ltd. There is no such thing as a quiet time of the year for this well-respected family, who wouldn’t have it any other way.

For James and Padraig, farming has always been a way of life. The excellent working relationship that exists between the brothers and their uncle makes the task of milking 300 cows twice-a-day a good deal easier.

“We share the milking duties between us. When you have three pairs of hands, you are able to do other things. We are not ‘tied’ to the milking parlour like some people are,” James says.

The Barry’s have travelled a rocky road to get to where they are now with their dairy enterprise. In 2000 and 2002, their herd was devastated by separate brucellosis outbreaks. Undeterred, the family bought in 140 pedigree Holstein Friesian cows in 2003. Two years later, they purchased a 200-acre farm in Listowel, which allowed them to more than double their milk quota from 180,000 to 380,000 gallons.

“The farm in Listowel, which is eight miles from our home farm in Lixnaw, came with its own milking parlour,” James explains.

“But having invested in a new milking parlour in Lixnaw just a few years earlier, we decided to keep our dairy operations there. Our farm in Lixnaw is 120 acres and is big enough to cater for our dairy herd.”

Two separate calving seasons between mid-October to early December, and mid-January to mid-April, means there are always cows to be milked. The pedigree herd is milked at a 20-unit Dairymaster parlour which features swing-over arms, automatic feeders and automatic cluster movers.

Headquartered in nearby Causeway, Dairymaster is recognised as a world leader in dairy equipment manufacturing with customers in over 40 countries worldwide.

“After 15 years, the parlour is going like a bomb,” James enthuses.

“While Dairymaster have become a global company, they still look after the locals. Their aftercare service has always been top-class.”

The Barry’s supply their milk to the Kerry Group plant in Listowel. Kerry Group has enjoyed phenomenal success since commencing operations in the north Kerry town in 1972. It is now a leading player in the global food industry with current annualised sales of approximately €5.8 billion. Well-known butter spreads and margarine spreads, such as Dairygold, Kerrymaid and Low-Low, are produced in Listowel.

There were many column inches given to the lifting of milk quotas on March 31stlast after 30 years in which Irish dairy farmers were restricted on the amount of milk they could produce. Now, new rules mean they can produce as much milk as they want, leading to fears of overproduction.

“I believe they went a step too far by abolishing milk quotas completely,” a sceptical James says.

“I would be fearful for the future of people who have borrowed heavily to increase their herd size and invest in new equipment. We were tempted to add to our herd, but have decided to adopt a ‘wait-and-see’ policy. What happened in places like New Zealand, where huge losses were experienced after milk quotas were lifted, should be a lesson to Irish farmers.”

“Milk is heading to a price that’s unsustainable for farmers. Ideally, we should be getting 35c a litre rather than the 27c we are getting at the moment. There is no point in producing more milk for less profit.”

He adds: “Instead of abolishing the milk quota overnight, I think Europe should have considered the French and German model which suggested that milk quotas be raised by five per cent each year over the next four years. I hope I’m proved wrong, but I’m very worried about where the Irish milk industry is heading.”

The calves born on the Barry farmstead are a mixture of Holstein Friesian, Aberdeen Angus and Hereford. They keep the Friesian heifers as replacements for their dairy herd, while the Angus and Hereford are reared for beef.

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This Year We're Skipping Halloween and Going Straight to Christmas

Listowel's Garden Centre Christmas Shop is a wonderland in the heart of Listowel

These are some of the hard workers who are behind the great displays and who were putting on a party for shoppers on the opening day.

Mairead Roberts took a break from answering shoppers questions to pose with her former teachers, Breda Ferris and Bridget O'Connor.

It was roses roses all the way....

The title is a bit misleading because I don't think we have too many roses on show but everywhere you look in Listowel these days there are flower displays.

Listowel Tidy Town Committee in Dublin, where they proudly accepted their 6th gold medal for a job well done.

The Square looks magnificent. Its not only the town council, some business people and the Tidy Town  Committee have also done their bit.

The Square

Courthouse

Corner of Market St.

Upper William St.

Stack's The Arcade

Behans

Main St.

Writers' Well

Changes at Nine Seven

Corner by St. John's

Feale Sculpture

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Next week is race week. I will bring you any photos I take but I dont intend going as often as in previous years. If anyone else is there and takes photos I'll gladly put them up.

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Jer. was at Ballyheigue Pattern and he took this smashing photo of our bishop Ray.

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Listowel Rugby Club helped by Christy's The Well and Supervalu showed some good old Listowel hospitality to the charity cyclists passing through town yesterday.

Scenes from summer 2013 with a nod to nostalgia

This wynnd by the sea was built at Ballybunion's first Hay and Tae festival. Brings back many happy memories to me.

This turf was saved in Athea.

Ger Greaney took a photo of a re enactment of an old style threshing at Rathfredagh. Co. Limerick.

John Stack took this photo in Derry while he was there at Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann.

This one was taken in Killarney National Park in July 2013. This trap is not too unlike one I used to go mass in with my family when I was about 4.

A marquee was erected in the church grounds in Duagh to house an outdoor market during their Gathering event.

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This lady is Cathleen Dower. I will  paste the interview with her from Irish Central here,

Background: Dower is the founder of Fitzgerald School of Irish Dance in Central New Jersey.

Tell us about your Irish heritage.

“I am third generation Irish American, with my mother’s family coming to New York from Listowel, Co. Kerry and Mohill, Co. Leitrim. My father’s side is from Co. Galway. They eventually settled in New Jersey.”

What is your earliest memory of Irish dance?

“When I was 12 I was able to see Riverdance at Radio City Music Hall with my mom and grandmother. I was mesmerized by the performance and instantly fell in love with Irish dancing.  After my first few classes I was hooked and subsequently left ballet, tap, and jazz to concentrate solely on Irish stepdancing.”

Why do you think Irish dancing is increasing in popularity in the U.S.?

“I believe it’s due to shows such as Riverdance and Lord of the Dance. Before these shows Irish dance was largely unheard of unless you were first generation Irish American. Riverdance brought Irish stepdancing to the forefront, and with it came an influx in interest.

“Many of my contemporaries have gone on to teach Irish dance full time now, and many modern dance schools are now adding an Irish dance class to their schedules along with the standard ballet, tap, jazz and lyrical classes regularly offered.”

Do you think there should be less emphasis on the costume and make-up in Irish dance and more focus on the skill itself?

“This is a good question because I feel strongly on this subject.  I feel that in competitive Irish dance the line between costumes, make-up and the skills of a dancer has gotten blurred. I can understand the importance of stage make-up, but it should not be about how many rhinestones you can fit onto one dress. The dress does not make the dancer. Talent, passion and perseverance do.”

What is the hardest thing about learning to Irish dance?

“The hardest part for me transitioning from contemporary dance to traditional Irish step dancing was remembering to keep my knees straight and my arms by my side. It truly takes incredible core strength and endurance to jump in the air without the use of your arms.” 

Tell us about your recent trip to Ireland.

“My trip to Ireland was for my brother’s wedding in Kenmare, Co. Kerry as well as part family vacation.  Meeting my Irish relatives and seeing the birthplace of my great grandparents really meant a lot to me. 

“My love for Ireland and the culture has grown tenfold now because of this trip. The trip and wedding experience far exceeded all of our expectations! A return trip to Ireland in the near future is certainly part of my plans.”

Anyone we know on this lady's family tree?

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Jer. Kennelly recorded some lovely harp music in U.L. at a conferring in August 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9JiYs2hnO4&feature=youtu.be

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Malin to Mizen cycle passing though Listowel

Listowel RFC will be supporting the Rugby Legends cycling from Mizen to Malin in 7 days and are encouraging you to get involved too and raise awareness and vital funds for the registered charity CROSS. The charity invests in laboratory equipment to drive transnational research projects aimed at the prevention, understanding and treatment of various forms of cancer.


The mission of the registered charity CROSS is to support Cancer Research and improve patient care at the Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College and St. James Hospital . The charity does this through supporting the education and training of high quality medical and scientific students in their careers as young cancer researchers. Cross Rugby Legends was set up to raise funds for this vital cause.


From midday until 2.00 pm on Thursday 12th September 2013, a BBQ will be running at Christy’s Well Bar in The Square, Listowel, Co. Kerry. We will be essentially providing refreshments for the 270 riders as well as anyone who would like to see these Legends of World Rugby arriving in town. We would ask that North Kerry helps us give them a warm Kerry welcome and hope to see you there.


In addition as part of this year’s Rugby Legends cycle an exciting evening is being organised in the I.N.E.C. on Thursday 12th September 2013. Here you will have an opportunity to meet our rugby legends including David Campese and Anton Oliver, Lions players, Irish Stars and International legends from the Northern Hemisphere.


The evening will consist of supper, a question and answer session from the legends and a chance to socialise afterwards. Tickets are priced at € 35 and will be available online from the INEC website www.inec.ie. 


For further information go to www.crossrugbylegends.com.

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Seán McConnell R.I.P.

Seán McConnell, brother of Mickey McConnell, and former journalist with The Irish Times passed away unexpectedly last week. At his funeral one of his former colleagues in The Irish Times read a poem that Seán had written for his father and was also very apt in this new context.

When my father died

The professionals cried,

The undertaker and doctor.

Little more need be said

Of a man with a heart of gold

Locked in a tabernacle of arthritic bones

who could melt stones....with his words.

Who loved children and dogs.

Deep lakes and cotton covered bogs.

Ballads dropped from his lips

And a mercury brain generated

Quips worthy of the best.

For that he was.

The best.

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Heartiest congratulations to everyone who helped the Tidy Towns Committee secure yet another well deserved gold medal.

Sluagh Hall and cleaning up

    A view of the town from Dylan Boyer

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The Monday cleanup gang: Well done all.

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Sluagh Hall 

At the ceremony to mark the closure of the Sluagh Hall in Listowel and the standing down of F Company, Michael Guerin gave an address on the background to the Sluagh hall and the FCA in Listowel.

I am paraphrasing this address from the account of it in The Advertiser.

At the outbreak of WW2 the Irish government declared a state of  emergency on June 7^th 1940. The following year a Local Defence Force was formed.

The Listowel District Command covered 21 districts in North Kerry and included a Field Ambulance Company.

The first regular army instructor appointed the LDF was Bill Kearney.  (Bill became a stalwart of the Listowel drama Group). The LDF had its headquarters at Moloney’s Garage in Upper William St. (This premises was later Lonergan’s Supermarket and now houses Royal China.)

In 1943 the army bought an old egg packing store by the railway bridge in Upper William St. This premises was converted to a Sluagh Hall. There were 78 of these halls throughout the country. The Hall had offices, a training hall and an indoor rifle range.

Down the years Listowel Sluagh Hall has been used for basketball, tennis, badminton, volleyball, drama productions, Writers’ Week exhibitions, boxing and Tae kwon do.

In 1946 the old reserve was disestablishes and An Fórsa Cosanta áitiúil (FCA) was established. This was formed into 6 companies in North Kerry. The company met for training on Tuesday nights and parades at weekends. The highlight of the year was the annual training camp in Ballymullen Barracks in Tralee. This was like a two week paid holiday for many a young North Kerry youth.

In 2005 the FCA was disbanded and the Army Reserve established in its place. The numbers joining the Army Reserve never reached the peaks seen in the FCA in the 1960s and 70s.

In 2013 Listowel’s F Company was finally stood down and the Sluagh Hall closed up forever.

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These two are taking part in a sketch in school. They are Rhona Tarrant and Chloe Walshe, both of whom have gone on to carve out careers in media.

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Poster from 1980

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Don't you wish you lived here all year round?

Ballybunion Sea Angling posted this from his morning walk by The Cashen on Saturday April 20 2013