In earlier times, the McElligotts held an impressive number of castles in the parish which takes their family name: Bally Mac Elligot distant to the east from Tralee about three miles, has in it the ruins of some considerable castles but it is chiefly remarkable for its name, which it takes from the Mac…… Continue Reading
Maps of Kerry through the Ages
You do not have to be a cartographer to enjoy the fascinating compilation of maps of Kerry, dating from the 1500s to the present, held in the Castleisland Collection.1 It contains almost one hundred maps which illustrate not alone the geography of Kerry but the peculiarities of spelling and the artistry…… Continue Reading
Herbert family and the Seigniory of Castleisland
An inscription on an early eighteenth century map of the Seigniory of Castleisland records its association with the Herbert family:1 A MAP of the SEIGNORY of CASTLE ISLAND, MANOR OF MOUNT EAGLE LOYAL, in the County of KERRY IRELAND The Estate of the Honourable Henry Art. Herbert Esqr of Oakley Park IN ENGLAND Survey’d…… Continue Reading
Development of Roads in the Castleisland district
Eighteenth and nineteenth century maps in the collection help to illustrate the development of the roads and town of Castleisland and district during the period 1729 to 1822.1 The maps were drawn by Hogan in 17292, George Taylor and Andrew Skinner in 17773 Alexander Nimmo in 18124 and by ‘unknown’ in 1822.5 …… Continue Reading
Landlordism in Castleisland
‘Forfeitures of Kerry lands have been taking place since 1200’, observed Jeremiah King in his History of Kerry, describing the occurrences as ‘systems of robbery’.1 Within the ‘systems of robbery’, King identified the period of landlordism as 1710 to 1921. Michael O’Donohoe took a particular interest in this period. The collection contains…… Continue Reading
Castleisland and the Herbert family
Michael O’Donohoe created a useful reference to names and places of local interest found in the 1963 edition of Herbert Correspondence (edited by W J Smith).1 Smith’s introduction to the Correspondence explains its relevance to the Castleisland collection: The letters printed in this volume constitute all the sixteenth and the greater part of the seventeenth…… Continue Reading
Sir Richard Griffith in Castleisland
In the year 1822, the town of Castle Island, in the county of Kerry … bore the most unequivocal signs of poverty in its inhabitants … the street presented a mass of uneven rock, resembling a quarry rather than a road – Richard Griffith, Civil Engineer1 It is clear from material in the collection…… Continue Reading
Redmond Roche’s Map
A series of farm maps of the Castleisland area complement the collection. An accompanying note describes the nineteenth century ordnance survey maps as ‘Redmond Roche’s Map’. The maps, numbered one to six, include names, evidently land or lease holders, handwritten onto the map.1 The maps are undated. However, the Glebe House of…… Continue Reading
Evictions in Castleisland
Material relating to nineteenth century eviction in Kerry forms a large part of the O’Donohoe archive. Much of it relates to the period of the Irish National Land League, gathered during Michael’s study of the Kerry Sentinel newspaper. One document, entitled simply Evictions, reads like a roll call of the period 1878 to 1887,…… Continue Reading
Streets and roads in the town of Castleisland
Street names are wonderful caretakers of history, as shown in Michael O’Donohoe’s essay on Creamery Lane, published in a separate post.1 Barrack Street was of particular interest to Michael as number 11 was his family home. The area takes its name from the military history of Castleisland. Michael published an essay on the…… Continue Reading