Beautiful Listowel, serenaded night and day by the gentle waters
of the River Feale.
Listowel where it is easier to write than not to write,
Where first love never dies, and the tall streets hide the loveliness, the heartbreak and the moods, great and small, of all the gentle souls of a great and good community.
Sweet, incomparable hometown that shaped and made me.
John B. Keane
Nestled in the northern half of the County of Kerry is located the traditional lively market town of Listowel, situated on the banks of the River Feale. Listowel has a long history dating back to 1303 where it first appears in the Plea Roll. Fortress to the Fitzmaurice family the town developed around Listowel Castle and its magnificent market Square, one of its many distinguishing features.
Described as the 'Literary Capital of Ireland', Listowel has produced an abundance of world famous writers including John B. Keane and Bryan MacMahon, giving it a uniqueness not to be found in any other part of Ireland. Listowel is home to Writers' Week, the annual Literary Festival held in June, the famous Listowel Horse-Racing Festival held in September and Listowel Food Fair held in November.
One of only 26 designated Heritage Towns in Ireland, Listowel displays a myriad of wonderful architectural features, including the magnificent five arch bridge traversing the River Feale at the entrance to the Town, which dates back to 1829. According to local tradition, the bridge replaced a smaller wooden structure, which had been destroyed in floods. The bridge is usually referred to locally at the ‘Big Bridge’ and is considered one of the finest examples of bridge building in County Kerry.
Travelling through Listowel the distinctive craftwork on many shopfronts is clearly visible, from ‘The Maid of Erin’ in The Square to ‘The Harp & Lion’ in Church Street. These were the work of master craftsman Pat McAuliffe (1846-1921) who left an indelible mark on his native Listowel through his unique plasterwork designs.
The Listowel Heritage Trail leaves the Square at 6 pm each evening during July and August.
A Tour Guide will bring you to the many historical sites of the town and explain the history attached. A Visitors Guide is available.
Other acitivities include a visit to the Kerry Writers’ Museum in the Seanchaí Centre, a drive on the Lartigue Monorailway, radio-controlled model car racing, horse riding, fishing, golfing, crossroads dancing in Finuge, fine dining in Listowel’s top quality restaurants and daily showings in Listowel’s modern three theatre cinema complex.
Each September thousands travel to Listowel for the annual week long horse racing festival, one of the premier events in Ireland’s sporting calendar. The meeting is run on the Island Course located on the opposite side of the River Feale from the Town. The Harvest Festival of Ireland is run in conjunction with the September race meeting and hosts the All Ireland Wren Boys Competition. Both festivals have been part of Listowel’s folk tradition since 1858.
