 History of Listowel Square |
The Earliest appearance of Listowel in available written documents is in the Plea roll of 1303-04 as Listokill. It first appears as Lios Tuathail in the Annals of the Four Masters under the years 1582. The town of Listowel developed out from the Castle which was situated beside the River Feale. One of Listowel’s most distinguished features is its magnificent market Square. Originally designed in the 1820/1840s it is reputed to be modelled on Convent Garden, London. The Current layout of the Square is similar to Larkin map of 1810, however, it was redeveloped in the 1990s by Listowel Town Council.
Several Georgian Houses envelop The Square, some of these were the homes at one time of:-
• Bertha Beatty (nee Creagh), author of ‘Kerry Memories’ lived at Ivy House & No. 24 which now houses the Kerry Writers’ Museum at the Seanchaí Centre.
• George Sandes lived at Bridge Road, side of the Square.
• The O’Rahilly Family, including Celtic Scholars and celebrated academics - Thomas, Cecile and Alfred.
• Three Bank Buildings
• Misc. other gentry of the 19th Century & 20th Century as well as commercial buildings.
Some public buildings of note in the Square are:
Listowel Castle – This 15th century Castle overlooking The Square was built as a fortress by the Anglo Norman Earls of Kerry, the Fitzmaurices. The present Castle stands on a steep bank overlooking the river Feale, above the location of a strategic ford and it probably extended close to the river’s edge. Much of the Castle has now gone, however, one end of the structure does survive consisting of two square towers of four-storeys standing connected by a wall and linked by an arch at high level.
One of the earliest references to the castle in Listowel is in 1549, when it was recorded that Thomas Fitzmaurice, the 16th Lord of Kerry, died there. During the Desmond Rebellions of 1579-83 the Fitzmaurices were at arms against the crown. In 1592 following the growing threat of the successes of the queens troops Patrick Fitzmaurice, the 17th. Lord of Kerry ordered the destruction of Lixnaw, Listowel, Beale and Ballybunion all estates in his ownership, presumably to prevent them falling into the hands of the English.
Following his father’s death Thomas Fitzmaurice continued the struggle against the English forces in his resistance of the subjugation of Munster by Sir George Carew. By 1600 Listowel was the only fortification in the possession of the Fitzmaurices and became the focus of attack. On 17th November 1600 English forces, led by Sir Charles Wilmot, marched on Listowel Castle and laid siege to it.
By 1687 the castle had evidently returned to use more as a dwelling than a strategic fortress. An account of it in that year describes is as being ‘decayed’. In 1803 the Knights of Kerry sold their estates in Kerry, including Listowel, to Richard Hare of the City of Cork.
Listowel Castle was renovated by the Office of Public Works in 2005 and is now open to the public for guided tours during the summer.
Seanchaí - Kerry Literary and Cultural Centre – Housed in a 19th century Georgian residence adjacent to Listowel Castle, the Seanchaí Centre featured an interactive audio-visual museum on the great writers of North Kerry - John B. Keane, Bryan MacMahon, Brendan Kennelly, Maurice Walsh and George Fitzmaurice. The house itself dates back to the 1820s when it was built by local solicitor John Fitzgerald who was land agent for Lord Listowel.
A multi-purpose Cultural Centre to the rear of the museum was built on the site of the stable attached to the house. This incorporates a performance area, book/craft shop, restaurant, archival library and reading area. Activities throughout the year include traditional music & singing sessions, visual art exhibitions, literary workshops, lectures & readings, and children’s activities. The entire Complex is wheelchair accessible. The Seanchaí Centre was officially opened in 2001.
St. John’s Theatre & Arts Centre - A former Church of Ireland Gothic style church, located in the centre of the newly developed Town Square. In 1814 the site for this church was presented to the community by Lord Listowel. It was designed by a Cork architect, named Payne and it is believed that the stone used to build St. Johns was taken from the ruins of Listowel Castle. It was used by the faithful of North Kerry as a place of worship from 1819 until its deconsecration in 1988. The Church of Ireland community and the people of Listowel were anxious to preserve the building and make it a centre for local cultural activities and heritage. It now houses a Theatre & Arts Centre and Tourist Office. St. John's Theatre & Arts Centre features and annual programme of performances including theatre, music and dance, exhibitions and educational programmes and an annual summer school.
St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church - Built in 1829, St. Mary’s Church is centrally situated in the Square and its spire and porch were added in 1865. The side aisles were added in 1910. In line with reforms that followed Vatican II, much of the old altar was removed and the pulpit taken out. Local folklore has a story that Lord Listowel prevailed upon the clergy to ring the Angelus bell at 7.00 p.m. so that he could get an extra hours work from his men.
Listowel Arms Hotel – This boutique style hotel has been a fixture in the corner of The Square since the late 17th century. The Victorian writer W.M. Thackerey recommended the hotel in his 1843 Irish Sketchbook. It has hosted many famous visitors including Daniel O’Connell and Charles Stewart Parnell, who is said to have addressed a large political rally from one of the windows telling the people of Listowel and surrounding North Kerry that "no man has the right to set a boundary to the march of a Nation". It was also owned for a brief period in the 1960s by acclaimed Irish tenor Josef Locke.
