The Irish Tourist Association (ITA) Topographical and General Survey
The ITA Topographical and General Survey was carried out during the period 1942-1945 to assess the level of tourist amenities and facilities that existed in the country, and to identify areas with potential for development. Towns and villages were surveyed under the following headings: Natural Features, Antiquities and Historic Associations, Sports and Games, Amenities and General Information, and Accommodation.
Many of the original, completed, forms for County Kerry were donated to Kerry County Library by the Irish Tourist Association and are held in the Local History & Archives Department, Kerry Library, Moyderwell, Tralee.
The material (and associated photographs) has been digitised and added to the online digital archive on the Local History & Archives webpage.
For each return, a surveyor would complete a series of standard forms to compile a picture of each area and capture the state of tourism provision at the time. Not all forms survive for all of the parishes in Kerry, but those that do present a unique insight into more than just the tourism potential of the county.
Layout of the Forms
Form A
This form dealt with the natural features, antiquities and historical associations in each area. Information was sought in relation to topography, geology, mansions, castles and estates, antiquities, historic sites, historic houses, burial places, spas or mineral springs, curiosities, customs and patterns.
These forms were also often accompanied by copious rough notes, additional information and some occasional editorial comment by surveyors.
Form B & Form Ba.
This form was concerned with Sport & Games in each area. Angling (Freshwater & Sea), Golf, Racing, Hunting, Coursing, Greyhound Racing, Shooting (& Clay Pigeon Shooting), Rowing & Sailing, Games & Recreations, Athletics & Cycling, and Annual Events were all documented for each district.
Further information on the nature of Freshwater Angling was given in Form Ba.
Form C
This Form considered the attendant Holiday Amenities and General Information, specifically in relation to Seaside Resorts. Each resort location was described in terms of its village/town, its beach and facilities, availability of shelters seats and lavatories, amusement parks, dance halls, sewerage and water supply, availability of other recreational activities, public services, cinemas and theatres, libraries, churches and services, postal facilities, banking, sport & photographic supplies, social clubs and cultural societies, industries and handcrafts, public monuments, important public buildings, schools and colleges, hospitals, fairs and markets, garages and petrol stations, and camping sites.
Form D
This Form considered the same information as that sought in Form C, but only for non-seaside towns and villages.
Form E
This provided a list of accommodation and catering facilities available in each area. In the earlier versions, this form only listed names of hotels, guest/boarding houses, and restaurants/cafés. Information sought on hotels and guest houses covered numbers of bedrooms and bathrooms, and whether licensed to serve alcohol.
Later versions of this Form detailed name of premises, numbers of bedrooms, bathrooms, lavatories and public rooms. It also stated whether licensed or not and had a column for Remarks in each case.
For the purposes of the Survey, Kerry was broken down into three distinct areas, and within these divisions, returns were collected on a parochial basis, giving returns for:
Kerry North
Kerry Middle
Kerry South & East
For South & East Kerry, there was also a more general report on Hotel accommodation in that division.
Many of the original, completed, forms for County Kerry were donated to Kerry County Library by the Irish Tourist Association and are held in the Local History & Archives Department, Kerry Library, Moyderwell, Tralee.
The material (and associated photographs) has been digitised and added to the online digital archive on the Local History & Archives webpage.
For each return, a surveyor would complete a series of standard forms to compile a picture of each area and capture the state of tourism provision at the time. Not all forms survive for all of the parishes in Kerry, but those that do present a unique insight into more than just the tourism potential of the county.
Layout of the Forms
Form A
This form dealt with the natural features, antiquities and historical associations in each area. Information was sought in relation to topography, geology, mansions, castles and estates, antiquities, historic sites, historic houses, burial places, spas or mineral springs, curiosities, customs and patterns.
These forms were also often accompanied by copious rough notes, additional information and some occasional editorial comment by surveyors.
Form B & Form Ba.
This form was concerned with Sport & Games in each area. Angling (Freshwater & Sea), Golf, Racing, Hunting, Coursing, Greyhound Racing, Shooting (& Clay Pigeon Shooting), Rowing & Sailing, Games & Recreations, Athletics & Cycling, and Annual Events were all documented for each district.
Further information on the nature of Freshwater Angling was given in Form Ba.
Form C
This Form considered the attendant Holiday Amenities and General Information, specifically in relation to Seaside Resorts. Each resort location was described in terms of its village/town, its beach and facilities, availability of shelters seats and lavatories, amusement parks, dance halls, sewerage and water supply, availability of other recreational activities, public services, cinemas and theatres, libraries, churches and services, postal facilities, banking, sport & photographic supplies, social clubs and cultural societies, industries and handcrafts, public monuments, important public buildings, schools and colleges, hospitals, fairs and markets, garages and petrol stations, and camping sites.
Form D
This Form considered the same information as that sought in Form C, but only for non-seaside towns and villages.
Form E
This provided a list of accommodation and catering facilities available in each area. In the earlier versions, this form only listed names of hotels, guest/boarding houses, and restaurants/cafés. Information sought on hotels and guest houses covered numbers of bedrooms and bathrooms, and whether licensed to serve alcohol.
Later versions of this Form detailed name of premises, numbers of bedrooms, bathrooms, lavatories and public rooms. It also stated whether licensed or not and had a column for Remarks in each case.
For the purposes of the Survey, Kerry was broken down into three distinct areas, and within these divisions, returns were collected on a parochial basis, giving returns for:
Kerry North
- Abbeydorney (Form A; Forms B & Ba; Forms D & E)
- Ardfert (Form A; Forms B, D & E)
- Ballybunion (Form A; Form B; Forms C & E)
- Ballyheigue (Complete Return)
- Ballylongford (Complete Return)
- Causeway & Ballyduff (Complete Return)
- Duagh (Complete Return)
- Listowel (Complete Return)
- Lixnaw (Complete Return)
- Newtownsandes & Knockanure (Complete Return)
- Tarbert (Complete Return)
Kerry Middle
- Annascaul (Complete Return)
- Ballyferriter (Form A Handwritten; Form A Typescript; Forms B, C & E)
- Ballymacelligott (Complete Return)
- Brosna (Complete Return)
- Castlegregory (Form A; Forms B & Ba; Forms C, D & E)
- Castleisland (Complete Return)
- Castlemaine (Complete Return)
- Dingle (1943 Survey, Complete Return; 1945 Survey, Complete Return)
- Killeentierna (Currow & Farranfore) (Complete Return)
- Killorglin (Complete Return)
- Knocknagoshel (Complete Return)
- Spa (Complete Return)
- Tralee (Form A; Forms B, D & E; Typescript)
Kerry South & East
- Cahirciveen (Complete Return)
- Caherdaniel (Complete Return)
- Dromod (Complete Return)
- Firies (Complete Return)
- Fossa (Complete Return)
- Glenbeigh (Complete Return)
- Glenflesk (Complete Return)
- Kenmare (Complete Return)
- Kilcummin (Complete Return)
- Kilgarvan (Complete Return)
- Killarney (Complete Return)
- Milltown (Complete Return)
- Prior (Complete Return)
- Rathmore (Complete Return)
- Sneem (Complete Return)
- Tuogh (Beaufort) (Complete Return)
- Tuosist (Complete Return)
- Valentia (Complete Return)
For South & East Kerry, there was also a more general report on Hotel accommodation in that division.