Moyvane.com is an expression of the Global Village in its truest sense. By means of the internet, the old country village has been reborn online. The
old village corner has become the the modern website where others from many different cultures can visit to observe the transformation
of old ways into new. These stangers may never get to physically experience the passage of life in the village but by means of this
site, they may taste the sense of rural life there.
Travels Through a Kingdom
Moyvane was featured on Radio Kerry'sTravels through a Kingdom show on November 30th, 2008. Many locals who are active in different organizations around Moyvane were interviewed.
Julieanne Donegan spoke of the Kilbaha Wrenboys
Teddy Keane and Gerry Brosnan on the Moyvane GAA Club
Mike Brosnan on the Farming community;
Anna Maria Kennelly on the Moyvane Marian Hall and Community Centre
Cathy Kennelly on the Knockanure Community Centre
Jill McCarthy on the ICA
John Scanlon on the Newtown Athletic Soccer Club
Seamus Roche on the Moyvane Development Association.
Moyvane was awarded 241 points in the 2008 Tidy Towns Competition which was an improvement of 1 point. The plans for 2008 include repairing the footpath to the Lime Kiln, erecting new street name and townland signs, erecting Information Boards and pursuing a Plebiscite on the name change of Newtownsandes to Moyvane. View the 2008 Newsletter here.
Well done to the Development Association and all those in the village who have worked hard to ensure Moyvane's attractiveness and charm.
Moyvane Notes
The weekly Moyvane Notes are now online. Many thanks to Anna Maria Kennelly for posting them online and for providing so many of the recent photos in our Gallery section. If you wish to have items included in the Moyvane notes, please email Anna Maria.
July 1st, 2009
North Kerry Eagles Special Olympics Club:
Congratulations to all the athletes who competed in the Munster Regional Finals held in the Mardyke, Cork on Sunday, June 21st. The ... more
June 23rd, 2009
Moyvane Development Association:
Illegal dumping of rubbish at the Bottle Bank has been a problem for some time. Security cameras have been installed and are proving very ... more
Knockanure Notes
The weekly Knockanure Notes are now online. Many thanks to Jer Kennelly for writing them.
Leo Finucane has been producing movies locally for over 30 years. You can now purchase some of those films directly on our website.
The Hard Times series which were written, produced and directed by Leo have already been screened by RTE, TV3 and SKY.
Moyvane Exiles making International Ripples
Celine Kennelly recently received an award for being one of the most influential Irish-American women.
Tom Shanahan coached an American athlete, Nick Symmonds who took part in the Beijing Olympics.
Kennellys Hardware
Trading in Moyvane since 1978, Kennelly's Homevalue Hardware has grown and expanded to become one of the leading branded building supply outlets in Kerry. It is run by friendly, experienced and motivated staff and comprehensively stocked with building materials, electrical, household, paint and plumbing goods to facilitate all domestic, industrial and commercial needs.
Radio Kerry recently produced a wonderful tribute show to the legendary Gaelic Games commentator. Our own Dan Keane and Gabriel Fitzmaurice were invited by Weeshie and Terrace Talk to say a few words about Micheál and here is an mp3 of Dan's superb ballad. Tribute to Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh
Newtown Athletic
Moyvane has its own vibrant soccer club called Newtown Athletic. Sponsored by Speedy's Bar, they play their Kerry District League home games in the Creamery Field - a well maintained pitch right in the heart of downtown Moyvane. The club has been in operation for the past few years and has been going strength to strength with promotion last year to Division One. Indeed, the hopes of some fancied teams from around the Kingdom have been dashed by the artistry, artillery and trademark Newtown passion. Newtown Athletic are coached by Brendan Hogan and managed by John Scanlon. Read more »
Stories from the Past by Moyvane Locals
These stories were written as part of the Community I.T. Access Tarbert Over 55's Programme 2006.
On Saturday, September 30th, Mass was celebrated to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the building of the Church of the Assumption in Moyvane. The Church was full to capacity to celebrate this memorable event. The main Celebrant was the Bishop of Kerry Bill Murphy, the other con-celebrants included the current parish priest Fr John Lucid and past Parish Priests Fr Michael O’Leary, Fr Joseph Nolan and Fr Michael Fleming. Past Curates Fr Tom Hickey and Canon Pat Horgan were in attendance as were Moyvane/Knockanure natives Fr John Shine, Fr Pat Ahern, Fr Tom McMahon, Fr Brendan O'Callaghan, and Canon Declan O’Connor.
A large crowd retired to the Marian hall afterwards for refreshments and a special Golden Jubilee cake.
We have put videos on YouTube of some Moyvane singers like Gerry Brosnan and Eileen and Aine Cronin singing in Jimmy O'Briens pub in Killarney last August. We also put up a video of the demolition of the old Marian Hall back in 1996 and footage from a 'no holds barred' minor match in 1993 between Moyvane and Castleisland. Thanks to Anna Maria Kennelly for providing the Marian Hall and minor match original footage.
Moyvane is very proud to have a talented seanchai such as Tom Moore living in our midst. His storytelling is a blend of Eamonn Kelly and Eddie Lenihan washed down with a healthy North Kerry accent.
Here is a sample of Tom in full swing in Brosnan's Bar Mickeen and Paideen
Length: 3mins - Size: 3mbs
Radio Kerry Tribute to Dan Keane
Frank Lewis presented a tribute show on Radio Kerry to Dan Keane on February 11th. Dan recounted stories and poems from his 87 years living in Moyvane and friends and relations called in to the show to share their memories of the man.
Bryan McMahon once decribed Dan as: "His genial personality, his racy-of-the-soil competence as a Master of Ceremonies on festive occasions, his sensitivity as a poet and balladmaker, all mark, and indeed hallmark him, as a true son of his environment and one in complete harmony with the rural background from which he sprang."
Moyvane is unusual in that three of our establishments refer to different names of the village - Murhur National School, Moyvane Post Office and Newtownsandes Co-op. The Village Development Association are gearing up to have a second plebiscite to make Moyvane the legally recognised name on the register of electors and bring to an end more than a century of name-changing. The name Moyvane was adopted by the village in 1939 when Father O'Sullivan, who was the Parish Priest at the time and he had hoped that "Newtownsandes be given a Christian burial". However, Newtownsandes remained on as the name of the village's electoral division.
Dan Keane hoped then that their plebiscite plans had not gone up in smoke like the poem he wrote about the landlord whom Newtownsandes is named after.
When Georgie Sandes went down to hell the Devil got the thongs,
Saying a long time I have waited to roast this tyrant Sandes.
The poor he hunted from their beds, the rich he robbed and broke,
And now he'll be tormented with plenty of fire and smoke.
Now 5 years later, they are hoping that a second plebiscite will be successful with the majority of the Moyvane population expected to vote for the name change. Recently, Gabriel Fitzmaurice explained to Pat Kenny on RTE Radio One, the many aspects of the plebiscite and the multiple village names used down through our history. Click here to listen to the fascinating 10 minute interview (6mbs - WMA file)
The tragic ballad commemorates an atrocity during the War of Independence at Gortaglanna near Knockanure. Gabriel Fitzmaurice recently published a book, The World of Bryan McMahon, in which he wrote an essay describing the events surrounding the atrocity, the various ballads written about the incident, and clearing up once for all the authorship of the original "The Valley of Knockanure". Click here to read the essay.
Irish Life and Lore
Maurice O' Keeffe has traveled through the length and breadth of Kerry and beyond, gathering and preserving on cd, the unique oral tradition of folklorists, storytellers and musicians. Here are some audio clips from the North Kerry Collection:
All video clips have been taken from the "Our Parish - past and present" video produced by Leo Finucane of Finucane Films. All clips are in Windows Media Video (.wmv) and should stream automatically.
Tribute to Con Brosnan
Gabriel Fitzmaurice introduces Con Brosnan Park. Gerry Brosnan, Sean Walsh, Liam Hanrahan and the late Cormac O' Leary remember Con. Billy Cunningham recites a ballad about Con to the man himself.
Length: 8 minutes - Size: 6mbs
Tour of Moyvane Village
Detailed tour of the houses and businesses that make up the village. Narration by Gabriel Fitzmaurice
Tour Part 1 - Listowel Rd with activities in the Community Centre, history of the Church and pupils of the National School.
Length: 5 minutes - Size: 3.8mbs
Tour Part 2 - Listowel Rd, Glin Rd with dancing and bingo in the Marian Hall.
Length: 6 minutes - Size: 4.6mbs
Tour Part 3 - Glin Rd with locals outside of Shine's shop, Tarbert Rd with locals inside McElligotts Shop, footage from the old Carnivals.
Length: 5.5 minutes - Size: 4mbs
Tour Part 4 - Tarbert Rd with locals talking football inside the All Star Bar, music in Kearney's Bar, cutting meat in Stacks, songs in Enright's Bar.
Length: 3.5 minutes - Size: 2.7mbs
Tour Part 5 - Knockanure Rd with photos of the old Church, young scouts on the Nature Trail, inside Kennelly's Hardware shop.
Length: 4.5 minutes - Size: 3.3mbs
To celebrate
the millenium in Moyvane, a book on the parish was published with a great collection of old photographs and articles from the many great writers around the village, past and present. Some material from the book has now been included on this site which we hope you'll enjoy.
"The Boro and The Cross"
details the history of Moyvane and Knockanure
through pictures and stories and contains a
veritable wealth of information on the exploits
and biographies of well known denizens both past and present.
The book, which was compiled and edited by Áine Cronin, John Looney and Gabriel Fitzmaurice, retails at €10 in "Holly's Gala Foodstore" (+353 068-49311).
Moyvane has its own vibrant soccer club called Newtown Athletic. Sponsored by Speedy's Bar, they play their Kerry District League home games in the Creamery Field - a well maintained pitch right in the heart of downtown Moyvane. The club has been in operation for the past few years and has been going strength to strength with promotion last year to Division One. Indeed, the hopes of some fancied teams from around the Kingdom have been dashed by the artistry, artillery and trademark Newtown passion. Newtown Athletic are coached by Brendan Hogan and managed by John Scanlon.
On Saturday, September 30th, Mass was celebrated to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the building of the Church of the Assumption in Moyvane. The Church was full to capacity to celebrate this memorable event. The main Celebrant was the Bishop of Kerry Bill Murphy, the other con-celebrants included the current parish priest Fr John Lucid and past Parish Priests Fr Michael O’Leary, Fr Joseph Nolan and Fr Michael Fleming. Past Curates Fr Tom Hickey and Canon Pat Horgan were in attendance as were Moyvane/Knockanure natives Fr John Shine, Fr Pat Ahern, Fr Tom McMahon, Fr Brendan O'Callaghan, and Canon Declan O’Connor.
We have put videos on YouTube of some Moyvane singers like Gerry Brosnan and Eileen and Aine Cronin singing in Jimmy O'Briens pub in Killarney last August. We also put up a video of the demolition of the old Marian Hall back in 1996 and footage from a 'no holds barred' minor match in 1993 between Moyvane and Castleisland. Thanks to Anna Maria Kennelly for providing the Marian Hall and minor match original footage.
