Listowel Thread

ejmaztec

John Granville wrote: »

That's it. Thanks ejmaztec. Don't know how I missed it first time. Having a photo to go with the name makes it even more poignant.A fine looking chap he was too R.I.P. What a waste of life but just one among many unfortunately.

It's quite possible that he's on this census form back in 1911, aged 15.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Kerry/Newtownsandes/Gortdromagownagh/276047/

It was probably one of the most pointless war in history.

I see that Kitchener is also on the list of the Kerry war dead as having "drowned", although some conspiracy theorists think that he was tossed overboard.

Mark142857

One of my wife’s relations, Maurice Hannon (6488 - 2nd Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers), fought in the First World War. Maurice lived in Lixnaw, but was the son Patrick and Ellen Hannon of Bullyduhig, Listowel. Sadly, he was killed aged only 23 on 10 November 1917 during the ‘big push’ at Passchendaele.

Living near London, I can get access to the Army records at the National Archives and have read harrowing day-to-day accounts of the fighting kept by each Battalion in hand-written War Diaries.

This is an extract for the 10 November 1917:

“The Munsters advanced well capturing Void farm after a short fight and then taking Veal and Vat Cottages on their way to the objective, which they reached at 6.45 am. From here they advanced 400 yards without orders half way up a ridge. Here they were caught by the German attack, with the British counter barrage falling on them as well as the enemy. The Munsters withdrew to Void Farm where, being pressed by the enemy, they threw balls of mud at the Germans who, thinking they were grenades, fell back momentarily. Void Farm fell at 8.30 am with the Munsters back on the Start Line. At 9.30 am they attacked again and captured Tournant Farm.”

Another extract from a monthly summary:

“By 6 November 1917 the 2RMF now numbered 20 officers and 630 other ranks when it arrived at Irish Farm in the Ypres salient. The ground was a quagmire full of water-logged shell-holes after four months of battle. It was to be the last British effort of the Passchendaele campaign. The 2RMF was to be one of two battalions leading the 1st Division’s attack at 6 a.m. on 10 November. Weighed down with equipment they waded waist deep through mud and water, initially taking all objectives within 45 minutes. Seeing the progress by the Canadians on the right they pressed on. The artillery support requested to break up the enemy landed as so often on the battalion's extended positions. The South Welch Borders advance had left a gap the Germans made use of to cut off most of the 2RMF. Three hours later saw only 7 officers and 240 other ranks present. 12 and 393 having become casualties.”


I have visited the area in Belgium where all this happened and all the farms mentioned in the War Diaries are still there. Maurice is one of the many soldiers who has no known grave, but he is commemorated on the huge Tyne Cot Memorial.

If anyone needs any information from the National Archives for soldiers who fought or died in Irish Regiments in the First World War then let me know, and I’ll see what I can find on my next visit.

xxyyzz

Could anyone tell me where you can order home heating oil in Listowel?

ejmaztec

xxyyzz wrote: »

Could anyone tell me where you can order home heating oil in Listowel?

Lynch's Oil 068 27304, based at Upper Tullamore, Ballybunion, but they deliver all over the place.

boroman

As you see from the Kerry County WW1 archive there were quite a few from the general North Kerry area who were killed. Unfortunately,due to prevailing politics and state of the country at the time, these men were regarded by some, totally wrongly as second class Irishmen. A lot of those who enlisted, went for many different reasons , adventure, financial, family tradition. I know that in Listowel many enlisted from certain areas, ie, Clieveragh, Cahirdown. In the Cahirdown area there are a group of houses still known as the "Soldiers Cottages", these were build for the familys of returning soldiers.
When younger I was good friends of two lads my own age whose fathers had fought in the great war, each Saturday a gang of us used go to a large grove of trees and swampland at the top of Mulvihills farm in Bedford. Here the day would be spent at all sort of adventure, on one of these days when we played wargames, one of my friends produced his fathers medals and a number of us spent the day decorated with a a hard earned medal swinging of our young chests. Speaking to my friend afterwards in London, he said that he would have suffered a fate worse than any Nazi, if his father knew he had taken the medals out of his house.
Some years ago while doing a local history course, one of our assingments was to write a soldiers story, mine was inspired by well known incident from WW 1, later remembered in song by Cormac McConnell. Mine is from WW 2 with a Kerry flavour.

May the sod rest lightly on all of those who died in all the wars.

A Kerry Soldiers Story.


For three days the roar of the canon fire was incessant, repeated thunder claps and lightning flashes lit up the rain filled Flanders sky. The Allied front line had made significant advances and had dug in within sight of the German lines.
It was Christmas Eve, nineteen forty two, and even with the hostilities ongoing there were rumours among the trenches that the soldiers of both sides were intending to hold a ceasefire to honour in their own way the birthday of Christ the Saviour.
However for one Irishman the final push to secure the front line had left him with serious injuries, always a leader, Paddy McCarthy, had led the others in those last few yards when suddenly an unexploded mine had tripped and carnage ensued, as the back up and medical personal arrived there were ten fatalities and many injuries.
Paddy McCarthy was laid on a stretcher at the bottom of a trench, his body throbbed with pain and was fairly oblivious to the morphine injection when it was administered. He drifted in and out of consciousness and waves of nausea swept over him, in the gloom he could hear snatches of whispered conversation, “poor Paddy , all over, Doctor, Priest, Confession”.
Paddy was from Co.Kerry, he always wanted to be a soldier, the Irish Army would not take him, he was too young ,they said. He wanted to be like his grandfather, he used say, his grand dad was in the Munsters and was decorated, they told him. So he made up his mind, the opportunity came in nineteen thirty eight, he went on the ghost train to Dublin to support Kerry against Galway, after the match he made for the border and Belfast, where he enlisted and became a British soldier. That day he became ostracised from his own.
Now as he lay badly injured on a foreign field his thoughts and dreams again returned to his Kerry home and town which he left, he always loved Christmas, one time he was chosen to sing solo, above all the others, at Midnight Mass, his parents were so proud, he could see their lips moving as he sang, "Silent Night, Holy Night, All is calm, All is bright".
Now someone was stirring him, holding his head gently, “come on now Pat, try to drink a mouthful of hot cocoa”, again he was dreaming, of his mother in the kitchen, he could smell the goose roasting and the curney cake, only his mother could bake so well, again there was a singer, he dreamt of Johnny Purcell, the ballet singer, he was walking towards the trench, singing, he could hear him , he could see him, again it was about war, another war, another time.
Silent night, no canon roar,
A king is born of peace for evermore,
Alls calm, alls bright,
Alls brothers, hand in hand,
In 19 and 15 in no mans land.
He must have slumbered, it was morning and bright when he awoke, his whole body ached, what was different now was the deadly silence, the doctor arrived, he heard him wishing the others merry Christmas, the medicos made their way along the line, the blanket was lifted from his lower body and quickly replaced, then Paddy said “am I dying Doctor", the directness of the question caught the Doctor by surprise, and he said “that is in the hands of your God, but I have send for your Priest", salty tears moistened Paddy’s already bloodied cheeks.
Next he was been lifted upwards and out into the open ground, as he looked he saw the ghostly forms of the opposing armies rising from their trenches, hesitantly at first, walking,then running towards the allied fortifactions, his comrades rose from theirs, onwards as they met, embracing on a bloodstained and muddied no mans land. Noisely greeting, laughing and crying. Suddenly a wave of pain engulfed him, his body shook, as his eyes were closing a Priest was praying, a pain crossed his chest and he was dead.

I was lying with my mess mates on that cold and rocky ground,
When across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound,
Says I now listen up me boys, each soldier stand to hear,
As one young German voice sang out so clear.

Stile nacht, Heil’gt nacht,
Alles schlaft , Einsam wacht,
Nur das traute lochheilige parr,
Holder knabe in lockage harr,
Schlaf in himmlischer ruh!
Schlaf in himmlischer ruh

halfstack

boroman wrote: »

As you see from the Kerry County WW1 archive there were quite a few from the general North Kerry area who were killed. Unfortunately,due to prevailing politics and state of the country at the time, these men were regarded by some, totally wrongly as second class Irishmen. A lot of those who enlisted, went for many different reasons , adventure, financial, family tradition. I know that in Listowel many enlisted from certain areas, ie, Clieveragh, Cahirdown. In the Cahirdown area there are a group of houses still known as the "Soldiers Cottages", these were build for the familys of returning soldiers.
When younger I was good friends of two lads my own age whose fathers had fought in the great war, each Saturday a gang of us used go to a large grove of trees and swampland at the top of Mulvihills farm in Bedford. Here the day would be spent at all sort of adventure, on one of these days when we played wargames, one of my friends produced his fathers medals and a number of us spent the day decorated with a a hard earned medal swinging of our young chests. Speaking to my friend afterwards in London, he said that he would have suffered a fate worse than any Nazi, if his father knew he had taken the medals out of his house.
Some years ago while doing a local history course, one of our assingments was to write a soldiers story, mine was inspired by well known incident from WW 1, later remembered in song by Cormac McConnell. Mine is from WW 2 with a Kerry flavour.

May the sod rest lightly on all of those who died in all the wars.

A Kerry Soldiers Story.


For three days the roar of the canon fire was incessant, repeated thunder claps and lightning flashes lit up the rain filled Flanders sky. The Allied front line had made significant advances and had dug in within sight of the German lines.
It was Christmas Eve, nineteen forty two, and even with the hostilities ongoing there were rumours among the trenches that the soldiers of both sides were intending to hold a ceasefire to honour in their own way the birthday of Christ the Saviour.
However for one Irishman the final push to secure the front line had left him with serious injuries, always a leader, Paddy McCarthy, had led the others in those last few yards when suddenly an unexploded mine had tripped and carnage ensued, as the back up and medical personal arrived there were ten fatalities and many injuries.
Paddy McCarthy was laid on a stretcher at the bottom of a trench, his body throbbed with pain and was fairly oblivious to the morphine injection when it was administered. He drifted in and out of consciousness and waves of nausea swept over him, in the gloom he could hear snatches of whispered conversation, “poor Paddy , all over, Doctor, Priest, Confession”.
Paddy was from Co.Kerry, he always wanted to be a soldier, the Irish Army would not take him, he was too young ,they said. He wanted to be like his grandfather, he used say, his grand dad was in the Munsters and was decorated, they told him. So he made up his mind, the opportunity came in nineteen thirty eight, he went on the ghost train to Dublin to support Kerry against Galway, after the match he made for the border and Belfast, where he enlisted and became a British soldier. That day he became ostracised from his own.
Now as he lay badly injured on a foreign field his thoughts and dreams again returned to his Kerry home and town which he left, he always loved Christmas, one time he was chosen to sing solo, above all the others, at Midnight Mass, his parents were so proud, he could see their lips moving as he sang, "Silent Night, Holy Night, All is calm, All is bright".
Now someone was stirring him, holding his head gently, “come on now Pat, try to drink a mouthful of hot cocoa”, again he was dreaming, of his mother in the kitchen, he could smell the goose roasting and the curney cake, only his mother could bake so well, again there was a singer, he dreamt of Johnny Purcell, the ballet singer, he was walking towards the trench, singing, he could hear him , he could see him, again it was about war, another war, another time.
Silent night, no canon roar,
A king is born of peace for evermore,
Alls calm, alls bright,
Alls brothers, hand in hand,
In 19 and 15 in no mans land.
He must have slumbered, it was morning and bright when he awoke, his whole body ached, what was different now was the deadly silence, the doctor arrived, he heard him wishing the others merry Christmas, the medicos made their way along the line, the blanket was lifted from his lower body and quickly replaced, then Paddy said “am I dying Doctor", the directness of the question caught the Doctor by surprise, and he said “that is in the hands of your God, but I have send for your Priest", salty tears moistened Paddy’s already bloodied cheeks.
Next he was been lifted upwards and out into the open ground, as he looked he saw the ghostly forms of the opposing armies rising from their trenches, hesitantly at first, walking,then running towards the allied fortifactions, his comrades rose from theirs, onwards as they met, embracing on a bloodstained and muddied no mans land. Noisely greeting, laughing and crying. Suddenly a wave of pain engulfed him, his body shook, as his eyes were closing a Priest was praying, a pain crossed his chest and he was dead.

I was lying with my mess mates on that cold and rocky ground,
When across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound,
Says I now listen up me boys, each soldier stand to hear,
As one young German voice sang out so clear.

Stile nacht, Heil’gt nacht,
Alles schlaft , Einsam wacht,
Nur das traute lochheilige parr,
Holder knabe in lockage harr,
Schlaf in himmlischer ruh!
Schlaf in himmlischer ruh

Thanks for the story. I just wanted to say that many of those who fought in the War of Independence got their training courtesy of the British Army (including my grandfather) and given the poverty both before and after independence it was not at all surprising that many joined up. I wear a white poppy at remeberance for all who died, including civilians. The British have not changed their ways though or learnt any lessons about the horror of war - perfidious albion engages in one imperialist war after another even now and Syria will be the next most likely.

FerrisEnright

pauloc wrote: »

Hello
I just got your private message now, I'm afraid I don't know much about the family, I do have a lot of photos which might help you, I will get them out and have a look, some of them have names and dates on the back. talk to you again soon

I know it's been a while. I was wondering if Pauloc is still around. I was promised some pictures on the Ferris or Collins family from Church Street daughters Kathleen and Ena. Waiting for reply

ejmaztec

Nice to see that some Listowel "hoodies" think it great fun to pelt eggs at cars passing through the town. Late last night apparently, the antics of these scumbags resulted in a car crash in the town, near Nolan's car-park.

I hope that no-one was injured, and that the culprits get *the punishment that they deserve.


* which is highly unlkely.

John Granville

I have extracted as many of the Listowel-linked fatalities as I can from the Kerry County Library Archive. Some of the connections are a bit tenuous but I'm sure the list doesn't tell the whole story. Many of the entries make fascinating reading. "Lions led by donkeys" is how someone described the brave soldiers of WWI and while some historians dispute this generalization I think there must be a large element of truth in it.

Lovely writer

Church Newsletter

michael999999

ejmaztec wrote: »

Nice to see that some Listowel "hoodies" think it great fun to pelt eggs at cars passing through the town. Late last night apparently, the antics of these scumbags resulted in a car crash in the town, near Nolan's car-park.

I hope that no-one was injured, and that the culprits get *the punishment that they deserve.


* which is highly unlkely.

There are cameras in the bottle bank, so hopefully they came out of there!

From what i heard its the same gang that robbed two people (locals)during the festival.

ejmaztec

michael999999 wrote: »

There are cameras in the bottle bank, so hopefully they came out of there!

From what i heard its the same gang that robbed two people (locals)during the festival.

I find it strange that a lot of the dodgy stuff that goes on in Listowel, never ends up in print. It must be time for a new newspaper.

ifitburwilll

ejmaztec wrote: »

I find it strange that a lot of the dodgy stuff that goes on in Listowel, never ends up in print. It must be time for a new newspaper.

it was in the kerrys eye this week
there goes another conspiracy theory

ejmaztec

ifitburwilll wrote: »

it was in the kerrys eye this week
there goes another conspiracy theory

There's no conspiracy theory. I've seen no mention of car crashes caused by scumbags.

theaceofspies

ifitburwilll wrote: »

it was in the kerrys eye this week
there goes another conspiracy theory

Another feather in the cap for the "ah sure he had a hard upbringing" Brigade. Thanks to the likes of you we are heading towards vigilantism thjrough a society where the law of consequence matters none. I sincelerely hope that you sir/madam don't meet the said hoodie gang down a dark alleyway some dusky Listowel evening.

ifitburwilll

theaceofspies wrote: »

Another feather in the cap for the "ah sure he had a hard upbringing" Brigade. Thanks to the likes of you we are heading towards vigilantism thjrough a society where the law of consequence matters none. I sincelerely hope that you sir/madam don't meet the said hoodie gang down a dark alleyway some dusky Listowel evening.

I do not condone crime in any form, I merely dislike the tendency of some to highlight every single event in an effort to rubbish the reputation of our fair town. Can we highlight the positives as well as the negatives please.

Lovely writer

Church newsletter

michael999999

Some serious questions need to be answered by the Listowel council re the bridge lights!

Has the contractor been paid in full for the job that was done on the bridge?

If they have been paid in full, why did the person who signed off the job do so when the lights had not been commisioned yet?

Over two months since the contractor left site and we still have no lights!

You can be bloody sure that if it was work carried out in there private homes, they wouldnt have paid in full before the job was finished. Ah but sure its fine, Joe taxpayer is paying for it!

ejmaztec

michael999999 wrote: »

Censored!

Lovely writer

Church newsletter

crazzzzy

Our 9 yr old black and tan alsatian/german shephard is missing since late Wednesday night from the Castleisland area. He answers to the name Bailey and is very friendly. If anyone has any information please let me know. I have attached a recent picture

Thanks

ejmaztec

michael999999 wrote: »

Some serious questions need to be answered by the Listowel council re the bridge lights!

Has the contractor been paid in full for the job that was done on the bridge?

If they have been paid in full, why did the person who signed off the job do so when the lights had not been commisioned yet?

Over two months since the contractor left site and we still have no lights!

You can be bloody sure that if it was work carried out in there private homes, they wouldnt have paid in full before the job was finished. Ah but sure its fine, Joe taxpayer is paying for it!

Are they working yet, or is the council waiting to buy some bulbs with the new household tax?

Lovely writer

Church newsletter

kerryphoto

North Kerry Photographic Society have published a calendar this year to raise funds for the society, it features photos from Listowel and North Kerry and can be purchased on their website for €3.
http://nkdphotographicsociety.com/?page_id=197

UpTheAshes

John Granville wrote: »

I have extracted as many of the Listowel-linked fatalities as I can from the Kerry County Library Archive. Some of the connections are a bit tenuous but I'm sure the list doesn't tell the whole story. Many of the entries make fascinating reading. "Lions led by donkeys" is how someone described the brave soldiers of WWI and while some historians dispute this generalization I think there must be a large element of truth in it.

Thank you John granville for posting the info above. I saw my grand-uncle's name on that casualty list, who my father was named after. He was killed in Salonica, which is now Thessalonika, Greece. I wondered if anyone of his family had ever visited his grave, or even seen a photo of it, so I started digging around online. Eventually I came across The War Graves Photographic Project, http://twgpp.org/ , and sure enough I found a photograph of his grave in a military cemetery in Greece. If you find a photo of a fallen relative on their site you can buy it either online or a hard copy for a reasonable fee.

Yakult

ejmaztec wrote: »

Are they working yet, or is the council waiting to buy some bulbs with the new household tax?

Nope, STILL not working. Dopes.

ejmaztec

Yakult wrote: »

Nope, STILL not working. Dopes.

We have to be positive on this thread, apparently.:pac:


....Listowel Town Council is to be congratulated on its energy-saving initiative, and is working on a plan to illuminate the bridge using a combination of methane and hot air piped from the council offices.

ejmaztec

ejmaztec wrote: »

It's good to see Listowel getting a new shop:

http://www.radiokerry.ie/news/

Listowel Printing Works expands with new Easons branch

Listowel Printing Works is expanding its operations. The company will be opening a branch of Easons in Church Street. 8 jobs have been created as a result. It's the first Easons outlet to open in Listowel. The new store is due to open on December 1st.

It's not very nice to now see no new shop, and no new jobs:(

michael999999

ejmaztec wrote: »

It's not very nice to now see no new shop, and no new jobs:(

Are they not in the process of renovating the old printing works?

ejmaztec

michael999999 wrote: »

Are they not in the process of renovating the old printing works?

I don't know, but it all went quiet after I saw this a while ago.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0330/easons.html

20th Nov 2011
Easons says it expects there will be some redundancies as part of its €24m cost-cutting plan over the next three years.
Easons - Employs 1,000 people in 60 outlets around Ireland


The bookshop chain says it does not have a figure for the number of job cuts but it is starting consultations with unions and shareholders from today.
The company employs 1,000 people in 60 outlets around Ireland.
Along with the cost-cutting plan, Easons is investing €20m over the same time period in a bid to reposition the company.

I don't know how this affects franchises, but all of the Eason notices seem to have disappeared from the old LPW shop.

If they are renovating the place, then perhaps they're using the same shower that fixed the bridge, which is probably why it didn't open on 1st December when it was supposed to.:o