Dandy Lodge, a Strange Meeting and Marie Nelligan remembers The Races

Halloween 2017

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Dandy Lodge in October 2017

 The Dandy Lodge is the oldest house in Listowel. It originally stood on The Bridge Road until it  was moved stone by stone into the park.

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When Real Life is Stranger than Fiction

This is me in Bishopstown Library in Cork. With me is Ciara Crotty. Ciara is an artist and I had just purchased the piece she is holding.

Here are the three artists who were exhibiting their work in the library. They are all amateurs and they met when they all did a teaching course in art therapy. All three now work as art therapists. The reason I was at the opening of their show was because I know the artist on the far left, Sarah Murphy.

I know Sarah because she is a friend of my friend and former neighbour, Mary Salmon, who is on the right of this picture.

The art work on display was interesting and varied. I was particularly taken by Ciara's work. She takes an old bottle, drills a small hole in it for a string of little led lights, and then  paints a picture on it. They looked appealing and different. I chose my favourite, well actually my second favourite. My favourite was sold.  I had to leave the piece behind until today which is the last day of the exhibition.

When I came home, I googled Ciara, as you do.

I nearly fell off the chair when I saw that Ciara is originally from Kanturk.  AND   then I realised that Ciara's aunt was my mother's bridesmaid.

Is ait an mac an saol. Life is full of surprises.

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Marie Nelligan Remembers The Races and Christmas 

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Upper William Street

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Park and Stride

Last week pupils of Presentation Secondary School took to shank's mare for the trip to school. Walking to school is becoming a fashionable option. In my day it was a necessity for many pupils.

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Just a Thought

My last week's "Thoughts" are on the Diocese of Kerry website now.

Minutes with Mary

Twin Tubs, Crafts and 1960s Charles Street

Ita Hannon's Béal

Another great photograph from Béal's own photographer, Ita Hannon.

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Do you Remember This?

For those of you too young to remember this machine, it is a twin tub washing machine and it was the state of the art in laundry machinery in the 1970s and 80s.

The machine was top loaded. In our house it was stored in a room we called the back kitchen but nowadays is glorified with the title, Utility Room. It had to be hefted out to the kitchen on wash day…always a Monday. Then a hose was run from the tap to the wash tub and it was filled with water. We only had cold water on tap so a kettle of water, boiled on the range, was added to speed up the heating process. The lid was put on and the water heated. As soon as the water was hot enough, (this could be tested with your elbow!!!!) the clothes and the washing powder were added. The machine then "washed' away like billyo, i.e. swirled the laundry hither and tither for what seemed like ages. Then the water had to be drained off. This was another labour intensive job. The machine had to be hefted to the back door, a hose attached and the dirty water drained off. Then the machine had to be filled again and the clothes rinsed of the dirty water. Then that water had to be drained off.

Now comes part 2. Before the twin tub we had a washing machine with a mangle. Do you remember the mangle? This vicious implement stood on top of the washtub and you had to spear a piece of washed clothing from the boiling hot water and push it into the mangle, which was two rollers with no room whatsoever between them. You turned a handle and the rollers turned, mangling the clothes and squeezing the water out of them. 

The twin tub was a huge advance, for the second tub replaced the mangle. It was, in fact, a spin dryer. Nowadays we are only used to the gentle tumble dryer. A spin dryer was a horse of a totally different color. It extracted the water from the clothes by spinning the bejasus out of them. They usually ended up inextricably entwined in each other and clung to the sides of the "dryer". This was after the machine had done a performance to beat Daniel O'Donnell on Strictly around the kitchen floor.

You are now beginning to realize why it was called washday. By the time the clothes were on the line the day was gone and you were too exhausted to do anything else.

Happy Days?

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A Few More Lovely Gift Ideas from Craftshop na Méar

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Upper William Street, Listowel in October 2015

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Outside No. 60 Charles St. circa 1960

Photo: Noreen Carroll on Facebook

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Upcoming

People at the Aras Mhuire concert, Ballybunion Sept 25 2015, Fleadh committee 2001 and more from 1961

At The Tinteán Sept 25 2015

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Ballybunion Team from The Advertiser

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Another view of Upper William St., Listowel

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From a 2001 Fleadh programme

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Listowel Vocational School trip to Killarney in 1961 continued

On the right is Patsy O'Sullivan and beside him is Dick Fitzgerald

This student is a bit of a mystery. Maureen remembers him as Bertie but that's all.

This photo was taken in Tralee on the way to Killarney.  We need a bit of help here to identify the girl on the far left and the girl standing a little in front of the others second from right. The other girls are Eileen Buckley, 4th Rita Finucane-Moyvane, 5th  Maura O Sullivan-Ballylongford, 6th ?, 7. Kathleen Buckley-Keylod,Moyvane.




4 girls with bus behind them at Ladies View, Eileen Buckley (don't know from where), Maura O'Sullivan from Lenamore, Ballylongford, Maureen Barrett, Ballylongford(me) and Kathleen Buckley-Keylod, Moyvane

Ballybunion, some wild life and Tae Lane Listowel

Ballybunion from the Sea

Photo: Ballybunion Prints

Ballybunion Goats

Mike Enright took this great picture this week.

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Remember these in the bog?

Photo; Timothy John MacSweeney, wildlife photographer

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The Quad, UCC

(Photo: Random Cork Stuff on Twitter)

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William Street Upper

There is no problem finding a parking space in this corner of town nowadays.

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A Little visited Corner of Listowel….Tae Lane

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So Proud

These are my twin grandsons with their new neighbours.
 Why am I so proud?
Because they are pictured walking a section of the Camino de Santiago. They walked 15 kilometers. The walk was an organized one with pit stops, drinks, cake and bands. Well done boys!
They are only 9.

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