Why has north Kerry produced so many great writers? The answer from one of its most famous sons, John B. Keane, is that it's probably easier to write in this part of the world than not to do so.
Fittingly, the literary output from the region is to be acknowledged in a cultural centre which is nearing completion and which will cost £1.2 million. It has involved a huge community effort on the part of the people of Listowel and the surrounding area and it will be a lasting testament to a unique group of writers.
The project will be known as the Kerry Literary and Cultural Centre and will be located in a restored Georgian house in Listowel.
One of the driving forces behind the concept was the north Kerry Fine Gael TD, Jimmy Deenihan, who says its completion will bring substantial benefits to Listowel and its hinterland.
It is estimated that in the first year of operation - after it officially opens in three months' time - the centre will attract some 15,000 visitors, a figure projected to rise to 25,000 in the fifth year. Once the centre opens its doors to the public, Mr Deenihan adds, Listowel will receive full heritage town status, further enhancing its claim to be one of the leading literary towns in the State.
Furthermore, Shannon Development will spend £200,000 on environmental works in the vicinity of the newly-opened centre and for the first time in its history, Listowel Castle will be officially opened to the public in a joint promotion by the management of the centre and the Office of Public Works.
Close to the centre, and as part of the project, a new building has arisen which will be a showcase for the rich tradition of music, song and dance in north Kerry. This is an integrated and multifaceted approach which seems destined to give a new dynamic to the Listowel area.
The really interesting thing about the centre is that five rooms will be dedicated to the memory and works of Kerry writers, some living and some no longer with us.
The George Fitzmaurice Room will commemorate the writer born near Listowel in 1877. A contemporary of Yeats, Lady Gregory and Synge, his first play, The Country Hair- dresser, was staged by the Abbey in 1907.
Another room will mark the achievements of Maurice Walsh known far and wide as the author of The Quiet Man, the short story which was brought to the screen memorably by the director, John Ford. Walsh said famously once: "I don't know why my books ever sold. They were just yarns - that's all, just yarns."
It goes without saying that John B. Keane will have a room named after him. One of Ireland's most popular playwrights, his inclusion was a must in the town he helped put on the map. In fact it could be said that the very presence of John B. in Listowel, which provided much of his inspiration, was an influencing factor in bringing the project to life.
The compelling presence of the great Listowel writer, the late Bryan MacMahon, was another. His work will last and his memory in Listowel will never die.
The poet, Brendan Kennelly, will have a room named after him. He was born at Ballylongford, nine miles from Listowel, and is another shining light in the north Kerry literary tradition.
Each of the five rooms will have a theme, reflecting the milieu in which the writers worked. For instance, the John B. Keane Room will depict the William Street pub in Listowel which John B. continues to run and where he has done much of his writing.
In much the same vein, the Bryan MacMahon Room will take as its theme the fact that he was an outstanding schoolteacher in Listowel, who inspired generations of youngsters with his love for language, words, and the essence of the art of living.
The centre, of course, will have a section on such writers of the Great Blasket Island as Peig Sayers, Tomas O Criomhthain and Muiris O Suilleabhain.
It has not been easy to bring the project to its final stages. Since 1995 a major fundraising effort has been under way, involving events at the National Concert Hall as well as other towns and cities in Ireland; and trips to America and Britain in an effort to elicit support.
Now it has all come together and in not too many weeks there will be a grand opening.