Church history forms part of the O’Donohoe archive and includes Michael’s impressive 39-pg study of the Church of Ireland in Castleisland. It commences with the division of land following the death of Gerald, 16th Earl of Desmond, in 1583:1 From 1587c onwards, the seigniory of Castleisland was owned by the Herbert family, apart from…… Continue Reading
Castleisland Railway
As Michael O’Donohoe understood well, railways hold a wealth of history. His research papers include notes plotting the history of the Castleisland line from the incorporation of the Castleisland Railway Company in 1872 to the opening of the line in 1875, its suspension in 1947 and absolute closure in 1975. Another document records the…… Continue Reading
The Titanic
Michael O’Donohoe’s interest in the history of Castleisland was all-encompassing. The collection contains material relating to the sinking of the Titanic on 15 April 1912 with particular focus on survivors from the Castleisland district. The disaster was reported in the contemporary press as follows: The mammoth White Star Liner, Titanic, acknowledged as the…… Continue Reading
Castleisland streets, lanes and houses
Castleisland was central to Michael O’Donohoe’s historical research. He studied the buildings in the town and vicinity and compiled notes about businesses and proprietors from Griffith’s Valuation and other sources. Michael’s study included Barrack Street/Lane, Limerick New Road, Spout Lane, Main Street, Church Lane, Tralee Road, Chapel Lane/Street/Quarter, New Line and Pound Lane. …… Continue Reading
Romantic Hidden Kerry
Michael O’Donohoe studied T F O’Sullivan’s Romantic Hidden Kerry (1931), a rare find on the second-hand bookshelves today, and wrote his own useful index to its content. In this document are entries such as Ginkle besieging Limerick in 1691, and Capt John Zouche at Dun an Oir in 1580. The collection also contains a small number…… Continue Reading
Con Houlihan and The Taxpayers’ News
A folder entitled ‘Sources’ forms part of the Michael O’Donohoe Collection. It contains an assortment of useful references, including guides to local history research (IE MOD-72-72.1), an index to the register of electors in Castleisland (IE MOD-72-72.7), a record of schools in Castleisland (IE MOD-72-72.2) and a 1996 Development Plan of the town (IE MOD-72-72.8).…… Continue Reading
Kerry Historian: T M Donovan
Michael’s collection contains many references to A Popular History of East Kerry (1931) by T M Donovan and includes Michael’s own handwritten index thereto (IE MOD-74-74.2), notes on the content of the book, genealogical notes on Donovan and a copy of an article by Donovan (IE MOD-74-74.5) published in the Westminster Review in 1902. It is clear Michael…… 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
Kerry Auctions 1879-1897
Auctions of land, property and livestock in the Castleisland district over an eighteen year period, 1879-1897, were noted down by Michael O’Donohoe during the many hours he spent researching local newspapers in the County Library Tralee. His neat, concise notes (IE MOD-2-2.1) cover less than one page yet open up volumes in Irish history. …… Continue Reading
Ballyseedy 2 am March 7 1923
A cluster of historic bridges in the locality of Knocknagoshel hold a supply of tales of times past. Headley’s Bridge, which stands almost adjacent to Talbot’s Bridge, recalls the days of Lord Headley, who in 1824, ‘assisted by Mr Griffith, the Government Engineer,’ laid the first stone of the bridge ‘on the new line of…… Continue Reading