Decade of Centenaries

Kerry- Decade of Centenaries Plan 2021
Ciarraí- Plean Leathscór an Chomóradh Céad Bliain 2021

1. Decade: Kerry 1918-28: 10 Artists/10 Objects: An online exhibition, Using ten objects already in the Kerry County Museum collection, this exhibition will set the tone for the parameters of a project that will continue into the next crucial and difficult period of commemoration. The artefacts will be situated not just within a political or military context, but also within a wider framework of social, cultural, class and gender history. Ten visual artists will be commissioned to work with one object each over the course of 2/3 months and they will each produce one piece of art in response to an object selected by the Museum. The artists will participate in a public engagement online outlining their creative process in responding to the objects and describing how they arrived at the finished piece of work.

Leathscór: Ciarraí 1918-28: 10 Ealaíontóir/10 Déantán: Taispeántas ar-líne, ag baint úsáid as deich déantán atá i mbailiúchán Mhúsaem Contae Chiarraí cheana féin. Leagfaidh an taispeántas seo síos conair do thionscadal a leanfaidh ar aghaidh isteach sa chéad tréimhse fhíorthábhachtach, dheacair eile den chomóradh. Lonnófar na déantán ní hamháin laistigh de chomhthéacs polaitiúil nó míleata, ach anuas ar sin i gcreatleach níos leithne den stair shóisialta, cultúrtha, aicme agus inscne. Coimisiúnfar deichniúr amharc-ealaíontóirí, gach duine ag obair le déantán amháin thar thréimhse 2/3 mhíosa, agus cruthóidh gach duine acu píosa amháin ealaíne mar fhreagra ar an déantán roghnaithe ag an Músaem. Glacfaidh na healaíontóirí páirt i bplé poiblí ar-líne ag cur síos ar a bpróiseas cruthaitheach ag freagairt do na déantáin agus conas mar a chruthaíodar an saothar ealaíne críochnaithe.

2. Exhibition catalogue: The production of a printed catalogue based on the online exhibition - a tangible and a permanent legacy that will be given to every donor and lender to the wider project Revolutionary Kerry in 100 Objects.

Catalóg an Taispeántais: Cruthú catalóg chlóite bunaithe ar an taispeántas ar-líne – leagáid inbhraite agus buan a bhronnfar ar gach deontóir agus iasachtóir a chuireann ábhar ar fáil do thionscadal níos leithne Ciarraí Réabhlóideach i 100 Déantán.

3. Revolutionary Kerry in 100 Objects: Development of a website to explore the lived experience of people in Kerry during the period of the War of Independence and the Civil War and how they coped with the aftermath. It will bring together a collection of artefacts that will create a mosaic of what life was like in Kerry during this period. building the structure this year and beginning the process of a call-out for artefacts will give a foundation that will be built upon on in 2022.

Ciarraí Réabhlóideach i 100 Déantán: Forbairt suíomh gréasáin chun fiosrú a dhéanamh timpeall ar thaithí saoil daoine i gCiarraí le linn tréimhse Chogadh na Saoirse agus Cogadh na gCarad, agus conas mar a chuadar i ngleic le hiarmhairtí na coimhlinte. Tabharfaidh sé le chéile bailiúchán déantúsán a chruthóidh mósáic den tslí go raibh an saol i gCiarraí i rith na tréimhse seo. Leagfar bunsraith i mbliana tríd an struchtúr a thógáil agus tús a chur le próiseas 'glaoch oscailte' do dhéantáin, agus tógfar ar an obair seo i rith 2022.

4. 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 2021 the Tom Sheehy papers will be digitised. Tom was O.C. of the Oakpark I.R.A. unit in Tralee, during the War of Independence and Civil War. It also covers his involvement with the LDF and later FCA, his work at Ballybeggan Racecourse, and his later involvement with Fianna Fáil.

Clár Digitithe: Leanúint ar aghaidh le clár digitiú Leabharlann Chiarraí, go bhfuil sé d'aidhm aige réimse ar leith d'ábhar uathúil faoi Chiarraí ó bhailiúchán Chartlann Leabharlann Chiarraí a dhaingniú go digiteach agus a chur ar fáil go poiblí [le linn 2021 beidh páipéirí Tom Sheehy digitithe. Bhí Tom ina Oifigeach i gCeannas ar aonad Pháirc na Darach d'Óglaigh Éireann i dTrá Lí le linn Chogadh na Saoirse agus Cogadh na gCarad. Clúdaíonn siad, chomh maith, a bhaint leis na Fórsaí Cosanta Áitiúla, a obair ag Ráschúrsa Bhaile Uí Bheagáin agus, níos déanaí, a bhaint le Fianna Fáil].

5. 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.

Foilseacháin: Soláthar réimse leathan foilseachán bainteach le Leathscór an Chomórtha i gCiarraí agus go náisiúnta araon, le tabhairt amach ar iasacht phoiblí agus le cur le bailiúchán foilseacháin stair áitiúil na leabharlanna.

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:

Historical Sources on the history of county Kerry during the period 1919 -1923, Part 1.

Historical Sources on the history of county Kerry during the period 1919-1923, Part 2

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.

National Decade of Centenaries Plan 2021

The national Decade of Centenaries Programme for 2021 was announced Tuesday, 28 April, by the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Minister Martin and Catherine Heaney, Chair of the National Museum. The launch took place in the National Museum, Collins Barracks.

The programme is available to view here.