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 takes place here annually, usually in the last week of September.

Listowel is also famous for hosting an annual Writers' Week. A number of nationally known playwrights and authors have lived there, including John B. Keane and Brian McMahon .

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.

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 ruins of a 15th-century castle are still to be seen in Listowel. The castle formerly belonged to the Fitzmaurices of Duagh, who held it by grant of Henry II. It gives title to the Earl of Listowel.

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.

Listowel, Ontario is a town in Ontario, Canada, named after the Irish town.

Tralee, Ontario is a small town in Ontario, Canada, named after the Irish town.