Kerry- Decade of Centenaries Plan 2022
Ciarraí- Plean Leathscór an Chomóradh Céad Bliain 2022
1. Decade: Kerry 1918-28 in 10 Objects
An exhibition at Kerry County Museum
Taking ten objects from the collection of Kerry County Museum this exhibition will explore the lived experience of people in Kerry during the turbulent period of 1918 – 28. This is a diverse collection of objects, ranging from a Biddy Hat to a cup won in a tennis tournament, to a pocket figure of St Anthony, telling stories of power, love, generosity, conformity, bravery, courage, hate, and a whole host of other things. They will be mounted in a large display case in the permanent gallery of Kerry County Museum and twenty new interpretive panels will be produced to place the objects in context. This display will remain in situ up to and including 2028. It will also be produced as an online exhibition on the Museum’s website, allowing for a Covid Plan B should one be necessary.
In 2021 ten objects were researched in detail by the Historian in Residence and this work uncovered fascinating stories that covered a whole range of topics and themes including political, military, social, cultural, class and gender history. This was a time full of fervent convictions that impelled people to commit terrible as well as courageous acts. To understand what drove them we must try to see them first as people, in all their flawed humanity, who acted and reacted in accordance with the times they lived in. This display will unlock some of their stories and allow us to present a creative and reflective exploration of life in Kerry during this period.
2. Digitisation programme:
Continuation of the Kerry Library digitisation programme which aims to electronically secure and also make publicly available a range of unique Kerry holdings from the Kerry Library Archives collection [for 2022 the Charlie Daly archive papers will be digitised.
This collection of 475 items of correspondence was kindly donated to Kerry Library Archives in November 2021 by the family of Charlie Daly, who was executed at Drumboe Castle (Donegal) in 1923 by order of the Free State Government.
The correspondence dates from the period 1919 to 1924 and includes letters from both Charlie and his brother Liam Daly, the former from Drumboe and the latter from the Tintown Detention Camp at the Curragh. It also includes letters from many public figures expressing sympathy with the Daly family following Charlie’s execution.
This is a largely intact family collection of great importance for researchers of the impact of the Civil War in Kerry and beyond.
3. Publications: Provision of a wide range of both Kerry and national Decade of Centenaries related publications for public lending and for addition to the library local history publications holdings.
4. Cultúr – The Importance of Culture in Difficult Times
Throughout the history of difficult times in Ireland, people continued to sing the songs, play the tunes, and dance the dances, as a means of coping.
The years 1922-1923 were a difficult time in Ireland. Kerry, in particular, suffered great unrest, as the people tried to come to terms with a very new political system.
Cultúr takes a look at what the people of Kerry, and of Ireland as a whole, were doing in their times of leisure - the dance masters continued work as they travelled the very often dangerous highways and byways of Kerry; the songs that were sung in homes and on the street as people went about their daily lives; the tunes that were played for dances that were held in homes and at gatherings in the countryside.
A great many things changed but the music, song and dance continued.
Join the National Folk Theatre Choir and friends for a night of music, song and dance.
Event Details:
An exhibition at Kerry County Museum
Taking ten objects from the collection of Kerry County Museum this exhibition will explore the lived experience of people in Kerry during the turbulent period of 1918 – 28. This is a diverse collection of objects, ranging from a Biddy Hat to a cup won in a tennis tournament, to a pocket figure of St Anthony, telling stories of power, love, generosity, conformity, bravery, courage, hate, and a whole host of other things. They will be mounted in a large display case in the permanent gallery of Kerry County Museum and twenty new interpretive panels will be produced to place the objects in context. This display will remain in situ up to and including 2028. It will also be produced as an online exhibition on the Museum’s website, allowing for a Covid Plan B should one be necessary.
In 2021 ten objects were researched in detail by the Historian in Residence and this work uncovered fascinating stories that covered a whole range of topics and themes including political, military, social, cultural, class and gender history. This was a time full of fervent convictions that impelled people to commit terrible as well as courageous acts. To understand what drove them we must try to see them first as people, in all their flawed humanity, who acted and reacted in accordance with the times they lived in. This display will unlock some of their stories and allow us to present a creative and reflective exploration of life in Kerry during this period.
2. Digitisation programme:
Continuation of the Kerry Library digitisation programme which aims to electronically secure and also make publicly available a range of unique Kerry holdings from the Kerry Library Archives collection [for 2022 the Charlie Daly archive papers will be digitised.
This collection of 475 items of correspondence was kindly donated to Kerry Library Archives in November 2021 by the family of Charlie Daly, who was executed at Drumboe Castle (Donegal) in 1923 by order of the Free State Government.
The correspondence dates from the period 1919 to 1924 and includes letters from both Charlie and his brother Liam Daly, the former from Drumboe and the latter from the Tintown Detention Camp at the Curragh. It also includes letters from many public figures expressing sympathy with the Daly family following Charlie’s execution.
This is a largely intact family collection of great importance for researchers of the impact of the Civil War in Kerry and beyond.
3. Publications: Provision of a wide range of both Kerry and national Decade of Centenaries related publications for public lending and for addition to the library local history publications holdings.
4. Cultúr – The Importance of Culture in Difficult Times
Throughout the history of difficult times in Ireland, people continued to sing the songs, play the tunes, and dance the dances, as a means of coping.
The years 1922-1923 were a difficult time in Ireland. Kerry, in particular, suffered great unrest, as the people tried to come to terms with a very new political system.
Cultúr takes a look at what the people of Kerry, and of Ireland as a whole, were doing in their times of leisure - the dance masters continued work as they travelled the very often dangerous highways and byways of Kerry; the songs that were sung in homes and on the street as people went about their daily lives; the tunes that were played for dances that were held in homes and at gatherings in the countryside.
A great many things changed but the music, song and dance continued.
Join the National Folk Theatre Choir and friends for a night of music, song and dance.
Event Details:
- Venue: Siamsa Tíre, Tralee V92 XW44
- Date/Time: 28th October 2022 @ 8pm until 9:30pm
Historical Sources on the history of county Kerry during the period 1919 – 1923
Under the Decade of Centenaries programme, Kerry County Council contracted Thomas Dillon as a Historian-in-Residence in January 2020 for a three-month period. One of the main objectives outlined for the residency was to produce a comprehensive list of sources, focusing in particular on the Irish War of Independence.
The holdings of various repositories all over the world in relation to the history of County Kerry during this period - and the years leading up to and after the conflict - have been gathered together in this list. From manuscripts, letters, photographs and museum artefacts to books, folklore, newspapers and the military, pension and compensation records of individuals - the range of sources is diverse and seeks to represent many different perspectives.
Sources are an important link to the past and play a key role in understanding the events of times gone by. It is hoped this resource will be a useful tool for historians and the general public for research purposes and that it will further promote an interest in exploring the events of this important period in the history of Kerry.
Access the complete list of sources here:
The holdings of various repositories all over the world in relation to the history of County Kerry during this period - and the years leading up to and after the conflict - have been gathered together in this list. From manuscripts, letters, photographs and museum artefacts to books, folklore, newspapers and the military, pension and compensation records of individuals - the range of sources is diverse and seeks to represent many different perspectives.
Sources are an important link to the past and play a key role in understanding the events of times gone by. It is hoped this resource will be a useful tool for historians and the general public for research purposes and that it will further promote an interest in exploring the events of this important period in the history of Kerry.
Access the complete list of sources here:
What it said in the Papers: How the Press reported on the War of Independence in Kerry
Kerry has always been well served by its newspapers. There have been only short periods in the past 200 years when there was just a single provider of published news in the county. In the early twentieth century there were as many as 10 titles serving County Kerry. The War of Independence was a period when many of these were hard-pressed to survive, needing to walk a very thin line – if a paper was too republican in its editorial, it was prey to Auxiliary Police action; too establishment-leaning and it was liable to attack by republicans. By the time the Truce was agreed in July 1921, just 1 title (The Kerry People) was still in publication.
This lecture by Michael Lynch, Archivist with Kerry Library, examines the difficulties of reporting in wartime, and some of the reportage carried in the various Kerry titles during the War of Independence. The lecture was presented by Kerry Writers' Museum as part of it's North Kerry War of Independence Centenary Commemoration Programme. The lecture is kindly supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Art, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for its generous support under the Decade of Centenaries Programme.
This lecture by Michael Lynch, Archivist with Kerry Library, examines the difficulties of reporting in wartime, and some of the reportage carried in the various Kerry titles during the War of Independence. The lecture was presented by Kerry Writers' Museum as part of it's North Kerry War of Independence Centenary Commemoration Programme. The lecture is kindly supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Art, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for its generous support under the Decade of Centenaries Programme.
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Decade of Centenaries: key resources & contacts.
Decade of Centenaries: www.decadeofcentenaries.com
Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media: www.gov.ie
Military Archives: www.militaryarchives.ie
Century Ireland: www.rte.ie/centuryireland
National Cultural Institutions: www.gov.ie/en/publication/03d30-cultural-institutions
Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 local authority co-ordinators: www.decadeofcentenaries.com/programme
Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media: www.gov.ie
Military Archives: www.militaryarchives.ie
Century Ireland: www.rte.ie/centuryireland
National Cultural Institutions: www.gov.ie/en/publication/03d30-cultural-institutions
Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 local authority co-ordinators: www.decadeofcentenaries.com/programme
