Ballybunion Ballad, Waterford Greenway and Recycle Reuse Fashion Event 2017

Chris Grayson and one of his favourite models

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Old Ballybunion Ballad

Liam O'Hainnín is a great lover of music and of all things old and precious. He shared this old ballad on Facebook.

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Waterford Greenway Trip

Bobby Cogan and family took a cycling holiday for the weekend on Waterford's greenway. They had a great time and even met someone famous at a pit stop. Sonja was also cycling the greenway but at a slightly faster pace.

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Recycle, Upcycle Day at Listowel Races

Listowel Tidy Towns had the great idea to start this recycle reuse event 5 years ago. It has grown from year to year and now rivals Ladies' Day in popularity. It has now become known as Vintage Day and some participants this year bought their outfits in vintage shops and online vintage outlets.

The very popular winner was a local lady who looked really chic in a outfit first worn by her mother and she brought the photo to prove it.

Here is Lisa with her sister, her grandmother and mother , a very stylish family, you'll agree?

John Kelliher took these photos of Lisa talking on stage to the judge. The judge showed the photo of Lisa's mother in the same dress, holding Lisa as a baby. Lisa's grandmother, Mary Keogh, made the handbag on a course in An Grianán.
This outfit was the perfect example of timeless fashion that this competition is all about.

This man won the best dressed vintage man section.

Part of the judging process is that the finalist gets to tell the judge the provenance of the outfit. This is often the most entertaining part of the process.

Tally Ho regaled us with a story that involved fleas, moths and bees. I think the judge never met anyone like him. She was enthralled.

Vincent Carmody is a great man to tell a story. His tie and watch stories were very entertaining and all the better for being true.

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Lovely People I met at The Races

Imelda Murphy was organising the Tidy Town event. She was dressed in a vintage cardigan that once belonged to Mary John B. In the photo with her is Cliona Cogan in a vintage Michelina Stackpoole dress and scarf.

The McElligott family, Emma, John, Ian and Gillian were celebrating Ian's engagement.

Old friends meeting up is one of the great benefits of the races.

A very popular and stylish winner of a special category at Vintage Day was local lady, Nell Canty dressed from head to toe from Listowel's St. Vincent de Paul shop.

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Thank you for Making my Day

Go raibh míle míle maith agat, Joyce.

Maire MacMahon kindly sent me this photo she took of Joyce at The Races. Joyce, Máire and Keelin were class mates but hadn't met for 6 years. Joyce now lives in Cambodia.

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Good News story of the Week

Photo; Pascal Sheehy on Twitter

This is Mary Murphy, the postmistress of Bere Island off the coast of Co. Cork. She sold the winning ticket in the Euromillions draw that won €500,000 for a syndicate of local people. While the world's media was making its way (on a ferry skippered by her husband)  to the island to try to locate the elusive winners, the syndicate was in Dublin collecting their cheque.  The winners wish to remain anonymous but say they will be generous to people in their small island community.

It was been established that the post office only sold 2 euromillions tickets on Monday so I'd say Mary has a good clue who the winners are.

Dingle, Gaelscoil Uí Riordain, more from Ladies Day 2017 and Celebrating 100 years of Irish people in Kenya

Dingle by Chris Grayson

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From an 1899 Newspaper

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The School around the Corner

My granddaughters attend Gaelscoil Uí Riordáin in Ballincollig

Although it is a brand new school it is at capacity already.

My little girlies are lucky in that they live within walking distance of the school.

Other little pupils cycle.

There is a scheme whereby when a new school is built the contractor has to set aside a "percentage for art". Gaelscoil Uí Ríordáin used this money very inventively. They commissioned senior pupils to draw scenes associated with Ballincollig. The children's pictures, which featured the old gunpowder mills, the river, the castle (a deCogan stronghold), the school which started life in an old supermarket, the GAA and, of course Sean ÓRiordáin  after whom the school is named. The artwork was transferred to tiles and these in the form of a river flow along the wall by the entrance.  Below are just a few of these tiles.

Children leaving behind the old building for their new school building.

Tho old army barracks with cannon.

The road race at Carrigrohane

The castle, games and the countryside. 

I could spend hours looking at this work of art and every time something new stands out for me.

The school has a vegetable flower and herb garden, which is looked after by the pupils.

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Old Friends

Old pals, Murt McAulliffe and Jimmy Hannon meet for a coffee at The Flying Saucer.

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Style from Ladies Day, Sept. 15 2017

This Galway couple bagged the Best Dressed Couple prize

While the best dressed finalists were assembling in the parade ring the business of racing was continuing around them.

I noticed that the young men were all beautifully turned out. This man was at work but still managed to look dapper.

Anne and Patrick Brosnan met up with some Brosnan and O'Connor relations

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100 Years of Irish Kenya Relations

I am lucky to know the chairperson of the Irish Kenya Society. He is Jack O'Regan formerly of Ballyheigue and now living, working and raising a family in Kenya.

On September 22 2017, Culture Night, Go Kerry and Jack organised a night of celebration of a very different part of our unique culture.... our reaching out to other nations and the influence Irish people have had in far flung corners of the world.

The M.C. for the evening was Michael O'Donnell

The event was attended by the Kenyan ambassador to Ireland, Mr. Richard Opembe.

In her role as Mayor of Tralee, Norma Foley welcomed the ambassador and reminded us all of some of the outstanding contributions of Irish people to Kenya. Many of Kenya's leaders were educated by Irish nuns and the Medical Missionaries of Mary (The Flying Nuns) contributed greatly to improving healthcare in this African country.

The ambassador was presented with the Freedom of Tralee. Norma told him that he now had the right to graze his sheep in the town park whenever he likes. In his speech the ambassador told Norma that he actually is the proud owner of 4 sheep.

Jack told us a bit about the work of the Irish Kenya Society. He brought 20 Kenyan people with him to Kerry for this event and to celebrate his birthday. They had spent the previous week as tourists visiting Dublin, Blarney, Killarney and other places.

The story of the Irish contribution to Kenya was told on banners, which are now on display in The Ashe Memorial Hall, Tralee. I was interested in the story of Edel Quinn. She was born in Kanturk, lived for a short while in Tralee and worked and died in Kenya.

I apologise for the very poor quality of this photo. It's a picture of some of the Kenyan visitors.

Gilian Wharton Slattery, Norma Foley, Richard Opembe, Grace O'Donnell, Joan O'Regan and Jack O'Regan

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A 10th Gold Medal for Lovely Listowel

Listowel Tidy Towns posted this photo of the hard working volunteers and their supporters who went to Dublin yesterday, Sept. 25 2017 hoping for good news.
They got it in the form of another 10th gold medal and an improvement of 4 marks over last year. A huge congratulations is due to Julie and all the gang. You did Listowel proud, as always.
Well done too to our neighbours who all did very well too. Killarney and Tralee retained their gold medals and Ballybunion, after a massive effort this year improved their standing.