Listowel Thread

boroman wrote: »

A very interesting Literary Tour of Listowel took place on Sunday June 6th 2010 in association with Writers Week. Tour guide, readers and singer for the day included Vincent Carmody, Mary Cogan, Mary Moylan, Paddy Fitzgibbon, Paddy Keane and Tom Dillon.
The tour which was beautifully recorded and filmed for posterity by John Lynch and Charlie Nolan halted at the various locations where readings took place.
The first was at the former home of the infamous George Sandes where Vincent summarised Sandes life.
Mary Cogan was up next and she spoke of the famous O Rahilly family from the steps of their former home in the Square.
It then moved to the front of the Shebeen Bar where Mary Cogan and Vincent regaled the audience with a story and reading of the life and times of Listowel’s blind poet and newspaper correspondent D.C.Hennessy.
Paddy Fitzgibbon then gave a most humorous self penned story from outside his old home.
The next reading was performed by Paddy Keane outside the gateway of the old market place. The piece which Paddy choose was from Bryan Mc Mahon’s “The Storyman” and it recounted an episode from the early life of the towns’ famous wordsmith.
Then it was back to Glounaphuca where Vincent spoke outside the ancestral home of the Hollywood and cinematic great Mary Pickford.
Paddy Keane then read from Sean Ashes “The place we call the Gleann”
The next stop was appropriately at the car park which overlooks both the river and racecourse and with the vista of a horserace in progress and a meandering river, Mary Moylan then gave an appreciative audience a beautiful rendering of “My Silver River Feale”.
Next up again was the lovely Mary Moylan, this time outside John Bs where she sang “Quilty” from “Many Young Men of Twenty”.
Following this it moved on to the former home of the Cuthbertson printing family and Vincent gave a history of the family’s time in the town.
This was followed by a visit to the site of the former home of Tim. Enright at the rear of St. Patricks Hall, here Vincent spoke of this sometimes forgotten Gaelic scholar who has contributed to the Blasket Island lore with some translations.
Returning to Charles Street where a stop was made to honour Thomas F. O Sullivan, journalist and historian.
In Courthouse Road, Mary Cogan did a reading from the work of Luai O Murchu, first Chairman of Writers Week.
In Church Street, Sheamus Wilmot and his cousin Joseph O Connor were remembered with readings by Paddy Keane, while Vincent read a poem by Salmon Roche.
This was followed by a reading on the steps of the Garda Station on the history of “The Listowel Mutiny”
After this Vincent gave a brief outline on Pat McAuliffe, the plasterwork craftsman, and then Thomas Dillon read John Bs “The Street”
As the tour was finishing Mary Moylan sang the renowned “Town of Listowel” from the doorstep of the Mc Mahon old home and then Vincent finished with memories of Flavins bookshop.

This great value DVD which in time will surely become a collector’s item can be ordered from,

Vincent Carmody,
25 Patrick Street,
Listowel.

Copies suitable for USA and Canada cost $20, P&P included,
All others, 15 euro, P&P included.

Lovely writer wrote: »