Listowel

Listowel (Lios Tuathail, "Tuthail's fort", in Irish) is a market town in County Kerry, Ireland, and is situated on the River Feale, 28 km (17 miles) from the county town, Tralee.

The combined population of Listowel Urban and Rural Districts is 22,668; the town itself has a population of 3,589 (CSO census 2002).

A famous horseracing meet called the Listowel Races or Harvest Festival takes place here annually, usually in the last week of September.

A number of nationally known playwrights and authors have lived there, including John B. Keane.

Geography

Listowel is 15 km (8 miles) from Ballybunion, home to one of the most famous golf courses in the world.

Listowel is on the N69 Limerick - Foynes - Tralee road. Bus Éireann provides daily services to Tralee, Cork, and Limerick. The nearest railway station is Tralee. The town was connected to both Tralee and Limerick by railway, until the closure of the line in the 1970s. Sean

History

A unique part played by Listowel in Irish railway history is that of having hosted the world's first monorail operation. The Lartigue system connected the town with Ballybunion, with a double-engined steam locomotive straddling an elevated rail. Coaches, with a compartment on either side of the rail, had to be kept balanced. If a cow was being brought to market, two calves would be sent also, to balance it on the other side. The calves would then be returned, one on either side of the rail.

The 15th century ruins of Listowel Castle have been rebuilt and now the castle is a tourist attraction in Listowel. The castle formerly belonged to the Fitzmaurices of Lixnaux, who held it by grant of Henry II. It gives title to the Earl of Listowel.

Writers Festival

Listowel is also the home of Irelands biggest literary festival. Held annually. For more information check out the following link: Listowel Writers Week.

People from Listowel

Jimmy Deenihan, Gaelic footballer and TD
John B. Keane, writer
Tadhg Kennelly, footballer
Tim Kennelly, footballer
Bryan MacMahon, Judge
T. F. O'Rahilly language scholar
Michael J. Stack, Member of the United States House of Representatives

Related places

Listowel, Ontario is a town in Ontario, Canada, named after the Irish town.
Sister city (since 1985)] with Shawnee, Kansas, United States [1]
Sister city with Los Gatos, California, United States

References

Prideaux, J.D.C.A. (1981). Odd Man Out, in The Irish Narrow Gauge Railway, pp. 26-27. David & Charles (Publishers) Ltd. ISBN 0-7153-8071-0.
Gaughan, Father Anthony. Listowel and its vicinity. 1973.