Tuesday, September 14, 2009

Public Lecture Series at KCM - The Medieval Treasures of County Kerry

All lectures are free to members of the public and commence at 8.00pm sharp - all welcome!

Thursday 1st October 2009

‘Plunder or Funerary Offerings: The Viking Artefacts from Cloghermore Cave’

Dr Michael Connolly – County Archaeologist

Wednesday 28th October 2009

‘Recent Medieval Finds from Tralee and Dingle’

Mr Lar Dunne – Laurence Dunne Archaeology

Wednesday 25th November 2009

‘Irish Sheila-na-gigs: the Kerry connection’

Mr Eamonn Kelly – Keeper of Irish Antiquities, National Museum of Ireland

Wednesday 16th December 2009

‘The Aghadoe and Inishfallen croziers: two church treasures from Kerry’

Dr Griffin Murray – Kerry County Museum

Wednesday 27th January 2010

‘Viking finds from County Kerry’

Mr John Sheehan – Department of Archaeology, University College Cork

Wednesday 24th February 2010

‘The siting, context and function of ogham stones in Kerry’

Mr Fionnbarr Moore – Department of the Environment

Monday 15th March 2010

‘The Lislaughtin Cross – a medieval masterpiece in context’

Mr Raghnall Ó Floinn – Head of Collections, National Museum of Ireland

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Recent Donation 'Eye-opener'

Day-book from Pawn Shop

KCM2009:17

A recent addition to the Museum’s historical collection is a day-book from Patrick Connolly’s Pawn Shop, 29 Upper Castle Street, Tralee, which was donated by his grandchildren. The pawn shop operated from circa 1900 to 1950 and this ledger covers a period of around one year, from 1942 to 1943. The relatively recent date of the item could quite easily lead to its importance being overlooked. However, detailed examination of its contents gives a moving insight into life in an Irish town during the Emergency.

Though chronologically not too far removed from us today, the pawn-book is nonetheless representative of a significantly different society, at a time when poverty appeared to have been the norm for many people and day-to-day survival was not without its struggles. It is interesting and perhaps surprising to note that contrary to the commonly-held belief that pawn brokers dealt primarily with valuable items such as jewellery, these are totally absent from this record. Although wrist-watches were occasionally pawned, it is clear that the people of Tralee in the 1940s generally did not have expensive items of personal adornment at their disposal. In desperate times, they were forced to pawn such things as we would consider being of little significance today. The overwhelming majority of the pawn-book entries describe ordinary items of clothing: trousers, jumpers and, quite commonly, underwear. Bed linen, mattresses and even straw ticks were pawned also, as well as the occasional miscellaneous item, such as sewing machines and bicycles.

This is an important social document that gives a new perspective on our privileged position in today’s society, and it is humbling to realise that even in more difficult economic times we remain worlds apart from our predecessors of the first half of the last century. With thanks to Gerald and Michael Doyle and May Fisher.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Museum of the Year!

Kerry County Museum has been named 2009 Museum of the Year at the Museum Awards on Monday 18th May. The Awards were hosted by the Heritage Council, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Museums Council to coincide with International Museums Day. We were also Highly Commended in the Education Category for our What’s in the Box? Project.

Speaking at the Awards, Michael Starrett Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, said: “Congratulations to Kerry County Museum, which has been awarded the highest accolade of, 2009 Museum of the Year. This local authority museum is a vibrant cultural resource for the Kerry community, and the island as a whole. Its in-depth, and engaging exhibitions programme, together with its education and community programme, are testaments to the hard work and commitment of the staff at this museum”.

Chris Bailey, Director of the Northern Ireland Museums Council commented, “The Museum Awards are a fantastic cross border initiative that reward and acknowledge the excellence and growing professionalism within the sector. Over 70 entries were received from museums across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It is fitting that on International Museums Day, the contribution of these museums is being recognised through this award scheme”.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Making Our Own Museum

Making Our Own Museum is a new, exciting multi-cultural project, communicating and emphasizing the richness of diverse cultures in the local community.
Who owns Kerry County Museum? The fourth class pupils of CBS, Tralee which are the artists and designers of our forthcoming exhibition ‘Making Our Own Museum’ discovered the answer quickly: ‘All of us!’
The 30 participating children are building their own exhibition using objects which are relevant and important to them. The objects are chosen from the Museum’s collection but also from their own lives and hence they intertwine past and present stories and experiences.
‘Making Our Own Museum’ gives children the opportunity to unleash their creativity through story telling and creating objects with a personal and wider meaning. The exhibition and an accompanying catalogue will be launched in April/May 2009 and the artwork will be displayed throughout the Museum.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Recent Acquisition 06/02/2009
James II coin (1690)
Halfcrown, brass
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This coin was discovered by a father while feeding ducks with his children! The coin, which is dated June 1690, was found on the shore of Lough Leane near Ross Castle, Killarney. It comes from a turbulent period in Irish and British history, when the Catholic James II and the Protestant William of Orange fought a war in Ireland over the British throne. This coin is an example of the emergency money that James issued in order to pay his soldiers, which was to be exchanged for sterling silver coins after the conflict. However, as James lost the war this never happened and so the coins became worthless. The coinage was made of brass from old cannon, bells and other scrap metal and is often called ‘Gunmoney’. It is the only Irish coinage in existence that has the month as well as the year marked on it. What makes this find particularly interesting is the fact that James’s troops successfully defended Ross Castle against William’s forces in January 1691. Many thanks to the finder Mr Dirk Pomeranz.

2009 School Tour Brochure now available
Tralee School Tours is pleased to present its 2009 programme with an excellent mix of value, education and fun. Using our central booking line you can plan a great day out in Tralee. Go to www.schooltourstralee.com and see how 1 town + 12 attractions + great value = 1 cool day.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Fun Events at KCM for Heritage Week

As part of Heritage Week 2008 (24th to 31st August), Kerry County Museum are hosting a number of exciting events for the community. In addition to having two free admission days on Sunday 24th and Sunday 31st, there is also going to be an archaeological walking tour of medieval Tralee on the 24th with Lar Dunne, leaving from the museum at 1.00pm, while David Swift will be showing his sword skills at a demonstration of weaponry from seventeenth-century Ireland, which runs continuously from 12.00pm to 5.00pm on Monday the 25th. Other events include a look behind the scenes at the museum on Wednesday 27th at 10.00am, 12.00pm, 2.00pm, and 4.00pm, where adults and children will have an opportunity to find out about what it is like to work in a museum, and on Sunday the 31st Ruth Hayes will entertain people with her Irish harp playing, where people will have an chance to find out about the Irish harp from 12.00 to 4.00pm.

All of the events are free, with the exception of the weaponry demonstration on the 25th of August, which is included in the general museum admission price. It is advisable to book in advance for the Medieval Walking Tour on the 24th August and for Behind the Scenes on the 27th August, as numbers are strictly limited for these events.

Heritage Week has something for everybody and all events at Kerry County Museum are child and family friendly. There are over one thousand events taking place nationally, many of which are free. For full event listings see www.heritageweek.ie or pick up a Heritage Week brochure at your local library or tourist office from mid-August.

Heritage Week is part of European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union. In Ireland, Heritage Week is co-ordinated by the Heritage Council in conjunction with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government with support from the Office of Public Works and Fáilte Ireland.

Timetable of events at Kerry County Museum

Sunday 24th August
All day
Free Admission

Sunday 24th August
1.00pm
Walking tour of Medieval Tralee with Lar Dunne – Free

Monday 25th August
12.00pm – 5.00pm
Demonstration of weaponry from 17th century Ireland with David Swift

Wednesday 27th August
10.00am, 12.00pm, 2.00pm, 4.00pm
Behind the Scenes at Kerry County Museum with Griffin Murray - Free

Sunday 31st August
All day
Free Admission

Sunday 31st August
12.00pm – 4.00pm
Irish harp playing with Ruth Hayes - Free

Monday, April 7, 2008

Museum appoints new officers

Kerry County Museum is delighted to announce the recent appointment of both an Education Officer and a Collections Officer. The Education Officer will develop and implement an education, community and outreach programme for the Museum. This will involve developing short and long-term multi-disciplinary projects with schools and community groups, as well as creating a programme of events for a variety of audiences. The Education Officer will operate the Museum’s loan box service for schools, and support access to the Museum and its collections through this service. The duties will also include developing educational support materials for the Museum’s collections and exhibitions. The Collections Officer will be responsible for the care and documentation of the Museum’s collection of objects. This will involve monitoring and recording environmental conditions, preparing condition reports on objects on display and in storage, and developing a disaster plan for collection. The Collections Officer will create and maintain orderly systems for the management of the collection, including a documentation system, and will supervise, number, catalogue, and store the Museum’s collection, as well as co-ordinating all aspects of borrowing and lending objects. The duties will also include conducting general and object-specific research and providing the results of research in a form that is accessible to staff, visitors, and other users of the Museum.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Night of the big wind

The recent storms were felt at the Ashe Hall when the two Museum banners were badly damaged. The wind ripped one of the banners to shreds and tore a strip off the other one. Both banners are in the process of being replaced and we hope to have the new ones up by the middle of May.

One of our battle-scarred banners

NEWS