Listowel Thread

xxyyzz

And don't get me started on the abandonment of cars on the Greenville road just so people don't have to walk more than 1 minute to the funeral home

Cherry Tree

Don't forget that tomorrow is Daffodil Day. Daffodil sellers will be everywhere in town. Please support their invaluable work

BK92

BPKS, Ciarrai 76 and xxyyzz you've all got it spot on there, the standard of driving in this town leaves a lot to be desired !
The roundabout on the John B Keane road being the worst offender though, makes me wonder if people should have to do their driving test more than once to maintain their licence ?

Two other gripes I have with the town's road layouts:

1)Tim Kennelly roundabout: This mightn't bother some of the more experienced drivers but I find it a bit scary that it's really hard to see what's coming at the other side. I always feel like I'm taking a bit of a chance when I enter it.

2)At the end of courthouse road: How many times can you count having seen people (obviously not from this neck of the woods) stop here instead of going on ? A sign should be put up to let people know that they have right of way. At the entrance to the garden centre there should also be a yield sign instead of the stop sign that is currently there.

Although it was already touched on by someone else I think the parking outside Sheahan's was just atrocious. Parking on a bend, forcing cars to pull out into oncoming traffic at a corner that you can barely see around ? If there's any good thing to come out of the post office's relocation, then this is it.

boroman

Adding to the gripe list of unlawful parking, people park at the bend, on double yellow lines between the cemetery gate ( in Upper Church) and the Boys National School, admittedly, mainly on days of matches at Frank Sheehy Park. Traffic coming the Tarbert have to come around that bend on their wrong side.

michael999999

These guys may be on the road, but at least there staying fit!

Dozer Dave

michael999999 wrote: »

These guys may be on the road, but at least there staying fit!

Have to work off the Supermacs :pac:

BK92

Good to see that the Star & Garter has re-opened under new management. When I first noticed the small blackboard with '10 draught craft beers' on Wednesday night I thought it was a cruel April Fools' Day joke by Diageo . Even if Stacks seem to be doing really well out the rising interest in craft beers it seems a risky bet with a good share of the town's pus still struggling to get numbers in the door. One of the things that will definitely be in their favour is that they'll be the only pub in town selling craft beer, I know John B's have a Franciscan Well tap and a few of their bottles in the fridge but I don't think they're taking it too seriously tbh. I know the same people behind Roundy's Bar in Tralee will be running this new pub but Listowel is a much smaller town. Wishing them the best of luck !

xxyyzz

BK92 wrote: »

Good to see that the Star & Garter has re-opened under new management. When I first noticed the small blackboard with '10 draught craft beers' on Wednesday night I thought it was a cruel April Fools' Day joke by Diageo . Even if Stacks seem to be doing really well out the rising interest in craft beers it seems a risky bet with a good share of the town's pus still struggling to get numbers in the door. One of the things that will definitely be in their favour is that they'll be the only pub in town selling craft beer, I know John B's have a Franciscan Well tap and a few of their bottles in the fridge but I don't think they're taking it too seriously tbh. I know the same people behind Roundy's Bar in Tralee will be running this new pub but Listowel is a much smaller town. Wishing them the best of luck !

Do John B's have Fran Well now? They had White Gypsy red ale on tap but its pretty bland TBH and even a pint of it gives me an unmerciful hangover. Stacks is a goldmine for craft beer. The owner and the Scottish guy who work in there are real enthusiasts and they always have a great selection.

I must check out the S&G to see what's on tap.

BK92

Sorry xxyyzz it was indeed White Gypsy that they had on tap ! I'm pretty sure I saw some Fran Well bottles in the fridge though.
Stack's is brilliant for craft beer, they've really improved in the last year or so and especially since they broke away from Carry Out. Martin and Alan (the Scottish guy) are really into their beer and they're always trying to get new stuff in and it's really encouraging to see them trying to bring in as many Irish craft beers as they can. A few days ago I even got a bottle of Galway Bay's 200 fathoms off them !

BK92

Tonight I decided to pop down to the new 'Star & Garter' to and see how things have been going on. Had a chat with a barman who's a nice lad, he offered me a few tasters and told me about their set up. They'll have 9/10 craft beers on tap, 1 Guinness tap, draught wines, bottled Coors/Miller/Bud/Heineken and the usual minerals. They'll also do light snacks like cheeses and chorizo.
This is probably the right approach to take for a few reasons:

1)People don't like craft don't feel left out going to the bar with craft drinking friends. This is the most important bit because craft drinkers are still in the minority and you don't want to alienate a big potential customer base.
2)Free tasters means that people will be more likely to try out new beers and might get a taste for a few of them.
3)Draught wine allows them to have a larger selection of wines as they keep fresh longer (no 120 to be found here !) and the chorizo and cheeses will go well with these. Maybe this might encourage more female clientele to come in ?
4)Low to mid-ABV beers and a good choice of beers that aren't all hopped to the max ! . Maybe this will make the transition from macros easier for newcomers to craft beer.

On the negative side I haven't seen any Facebook page or Twitter feed for the new bar. If it wasn't for the small chalkboard I spotted through the window then I wouldn't have noticed that it was there at all. The promotional side really needs to be worked on as from the outside it still looks to be business as usual for the old 'Star & Garter', you wouldn't know it's now a craft beer bar. Very quiet this weekend he said, I was the only person in there when I arrived. About 10 minutes later a couple walked in but that was only 3 of us.
Also, I don't think keeping the old bars' name/deco would have been something I would have done if I was in charge. I'd have associated the bar with more of a younger crowd and for some reason I don't think Listowel's craft drinking people are as young as you'd imagine !
I'd have opted for a more traditional bar feel. Well, minus the dirty toilets, the bar area with a timber floor so dirty your feet stick to it *cough* John B's *cough* and the obligatory bank notes pinned to the ceiling/nudie postcards from Lanzarote or Santa Ponsa !

BK92

Made a hash of editing that post. Could the mod please delete the first one ?

mikehn

Came across this article from the Kerryman in 2002. I had forgotten all about this earlier frightener from an post.

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cyning

Is there anyone aside from South west whatever doing skip bags in listowel? Really don't want to have to leave a bag outside my house for a week before having it collected.

mikehn

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A blast from the past, Buckleys being renovated for the "New Post Office" :rolleyes:

Also Listowel has featured in the water charges controversy for the wrong reason.
http://www.thejournal.ie/irish-water-bill-sent-to-dead-man-2053943-Apr2015/
It begs the question as to how many of their database are actually alive and kicking.!!

Japandamo

So, Listowel has recently become a Geocaching playground.

Don't know how many of you have heard of it, but it's basically an online treasure hunt, with millions of 'caches' hidden all over the world, and now thirteen in town (see map).

Listowel Tidy Towns are getting in on the action, with a 2 hour Cache in Trash Out (CITO) event in the park on Saturday at 12pm (followed by teas and coffees in the Community Centre). More info on that here.

All welcome to come and join us, and we'll answer any questions you might have about Geocaching!

mikehn

Another oldie, Pic taken during renovation of Post Office from roof.
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cyning

I'd love to see a recent pic from that vantage point to see the differences

boroman

The photo taken about 1970, shows ( I think ) Sonny Carroll, he worked with M.A. Hannon, who were the main contractors. Looking across the street is St Patrick's Hall and two houses, no's 17 & 19, which originally were owned by Mike Joe Hennessy, formally of this street and Ballyduff. When the photograph was taken, number 17, was occupied by Tony and Marie Fealy, number 19, had stood derelict for some years previous, and would remain so, until both houses were eventually bought, and renovated by the Listowel Urban Council. St Patrick's Hall, built in 1893, was at this stage (1970) also showing its age and a badly needed face-lift. Happily, the two house's were rebuilt when the council took ownership and both looked resplendent until May/June 2014 when during a change of tendency in number 17, the council or engineer, for some outlandish reason, more than likely, only known to themselves, decided to put in a new window. This box like window, ( more suited to an outhouse) is half the size of the original, and completely out of variance with all the upper story dormer window's of this unique terrace of houses.
However, I have been assured, that after nearly a full year, of kicking up an ungodly fuss, the council have at last relented, and I have been assured, this hugh mistake is been corrected and a replacement window of similar size to the rest of the houses, will be reinstated in the very near future.
As I said St. Patrick's Hall, through the great work of a hard working committee under the chairmanship of Michael O Sullivan had a wonderful refurbishment between 1999/2003, well over 100 years after another hard working under the chairmanship of Lar Buckley built it first as a Temperance Hall.
The house at the lower side of lane-way had been the surgery of Doctor Timothy Buckley ( whose home was the house been knocked), alongside the house was wall and high railing with gateway from the street given access to rear of the house.

Ciarrai76

Katie Taylor set to fight in Listowel this weekend!
http://traleetoday.ie/katie-taylor-set-for-listowel-fight-this-weekend/

dobman88

Ciarrai76 wrote: »

Katie Taylor set to fight in Listowel this weekend!
http://traleetoday.ie/katie-taylor-set-for-listowel-fight-this-weekend/

This is the event on facebook

https://m.facebook.com/events/819166958136729?acontext=%7B"ref"%3A2%2C"ref_dashboard_filter"%3A"upcoming"%7D&aref=2&arefdashboardfilter=upcoming&ref=bookmark

I'm heading up myself from Killarney. Trojan is a cracking little boxing club doing great things in Listowel and surrounding areas. Great cause to support.

ch750536

Was a great night, Katie was awesome. Well done Trojan BC for bringing them all to the town!

boroman

Another Writers Week has come and gone, the praise congratulations of the townspeople is due to the hard working WW committee who do so much by organising such a varied and diverse festival each year. From workshops, talks, poetry slams, poetry corners, poetry without pints and book launches, major and minor. Theatre, morning, noon and night. Literary walks,talks and pub trails with drama therein. Art, poster and photographic exhibitions. Concerts, films and on top of that two days racing at the town's famed Island racecourse ( even though the weather does not always oblige). Roll on our week long festival of racing in September and we look forward to the forty fifth year of Writers Week in 2016.

Japandamo

Went to see Jurassic World in Listowel Cinema yesterday. Single ticket, plus popcorn and a bottle of water and it came in under 12€. You'd hardly get the ticket for that in Tralee! Been ages since I was last there, but will be going again. Hugely impressed.

And the film was actually much better than I'd hoped for! So it was an all round win!

xxyyzz

Japandamo wrote: »

Went to see Jurassic World in Listowel Cinema yesterday. Single ticket, plus popcorn and a bottle of water and it came in under 12€. You'd hardly get the ticket for that in Tralee! Been ages since I was last there, but will be going again. Hugely impressed.

And the film was actually much better than I'd hoped for! So it was an all round win!

It's not a bad little cinema. A bit shabby outside but it has character.

Japandamo

chainreaction wrote: »

So what's up in Listowel these days

I just realised as I accidentally navigated to the very first post that the tenth anniversary of the Listowel Thread passed us by unacknowledged on Friday!

Interestingly chainreaction, the original poster, only seems to have left that opening post which then lead on to subsequent 3415 replies, 228 pages and God knows how many topics of conversation. I wonder if he/she still checks on them.

Anyway, hats off to chainreaction, ten years on (plus four days).

Boring username

Hey guys, if anyone is down in Lidl today could you check if the 4 in 1 cutting tool is still available? They are all sold out in Tralee. They only went on sale yesterday

http://www.lidl.ie/en/Offers.htm?action=showDetail&id=26912

I tried ringing a few times but no-one is answering. Thanks in advance.

Japandamo

Boring username wrote: »

Hey guys, if anyone is down in Lidl today could you check if the 4 in 1 cutting tool is still available? They are all sold out in Tralee. They only went on sale yesterday

http://www.lidl.ie/en/Offers.htm?action=showDetail&id=26912

I tried ringing a few times but no-one is answering. Thanks in advance.

I'll be passing by in about an hour. If they only have one left do you want me to get it for you?

Boring username

Japandamo wrote: »

I'll be passing by in about an hour. If they only have one left do you want me to get it for you?

No that's ok thanks, although I appreciate the offer. Just let me know a rough number of how many are available please

Ciarrai76

Boring username wrote: »

Hey guys, if anyone is down in Lidl today could you check if the 4 in 1 cutting tool is still available? They are all sold out in Tralee. They only went on sale yesterday

http://www.lidl.ie/en/Offers.htm?action=showDetail&id=26912

I tried ringing a few times but no-one is answering. Thanks in advance.

Please don't keep posting the same post in each thread, one post would have sufficed on its own thread. Thanks MOD

Japandamo

Boring username wrote: »

No that's ok thanks, although I appreciate the offer. Just let me know a rough number of how many are available please

Bad news I'm afraid. Sold out yesterday apparently.

Sorry for the delay, got held up.