The Two Mothers by Castleisland author, T M Donovan, was published in 1933. The book, described as ‘a realistic story of rural life in Ireland, of typical Irish homes and families, of honest work and earnest striving,’ is rare. The story is set in ‘Inishciar’ (Castleisland) in the period before and during the…… Continue Reading
The Kilfallinga Outrage
In January 1885, a correspondent of the Kerry Sentinel brought to the attention of the public the actions of the RIC in Kilfallinga, near Currans. A public meeting had been called for the purpose of establishing a branch of the Irish National League. However, on the evening before the proposed meeting, the Lord Lieutenant proclaimed…… Continue Reading
Charles Patrick O’Conor: The Irish Peasant Poet
A curious poem entitled ‘God Save The Queen’ by ‘The Irish Peasant Poet’ appears among the O’Donohoe papers.1 It was published in 1886 and inscribed to William John Evelyn, MP for Deptford, London: Here’s the Queen, boys, God bless her! Ah! Long may she reign O’er hearts that for England Must conquer again! Aye…… Continue Reading
Bob Finn: Captain of the Castleisland Moonlighters
Every fool can be a patriot … every blackguard can sing a national hymn and wave a flag. But it takes a man to live a life of devotion and sacrifice for his country.1 Robert – ‘Bob’ – Finn was born in Castlegregory in 1860, son of William Finn and Sara Casey. The family moved…… Continue Reading
Thomas Moore: A Discourse on his Paternal Ancestry
Kerry historian Jeremiah King described how, after the subjugation of Leix by the English, Sir Arthur Chichester transplanted some of the O’Moore family into Kerry in 1608, ‘lest the White Moors should be extirpated.’1 In the following century in the county Kerry, one John Moore was born, father of Thomas, Ireland’s nineteenth century bard.…… Continue Reading
The Lost Castles of the McElligotts
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
A tribute to Robert Adolphus Lynch, Collector of Kerry Folklore
In September 1840, the Castleisland correspondent of a newspaper recorded the accidental death in Canada, by a fall from his horse, of Lieutenant Robert Adolphus Lynch: His premature death, for he was yet unvisited with the hoar of age, will be a source of great and lasting regret to the circle of friends whom…… Continue Reading
Castleisland: Last Resting Place of Matchmaker, Dan Paddy Andy
In the days before Tinder or match.com, legendary matchmaker Dan Paddy Andy of Renagown had perfected the job of bringing people together in rural areas. The late and great Listowel writer, John B Keane, whose book, Man of the Triple Name is a tribute to Dan Paddy Andy, suggested that Dan did more for his…… Continue Reading
Manufactured in Kerry: From Handbags to Fluid Flow Gauges
Castleisland, with its array of clothes shops, has long been dubbed the fashion capital of Kerry. And so it is appropriate that the O’Donohoe Collection, Castleisland, contains a selection of images of ‘Nish Ireland’ handbags, a leather goods designer label manufactured at one time in Kerry.1 It was also in Castleisland that the company was…… Continue Reading
Stop Press: Michael O’Donohoe and the Kerry Newspapers
Michael O’Donohoe made great use of the local Kerry newspapers in his historical researches of Castleisland, most notably Tim Harrington’s Kerry Sentinel, printed in Tralee. In 1902, twelve newspapers were published every week in Tralee. These included the Kerry Weekly Reporter, founded in 1882 as an advertising medium for merchants and traders, the Kerry…… Continue Reading