Kerry County Library HQ

Kerry County Council through its Library Service operates 9 Branch Libraries throughout the County - Ballybunion, Caherciveen, Castleisland, An Daingean, Kenmare, Killarney, Killorglin, Listowel and Tralee.

The Local History and Archives Department, located at Library Headquarters, in Tralee is dedicated to collecting, preserving and making available for reference, material relating to the printed history of county Kerry.

The resources available for reference include:

Books All available books relating to Kerry and those written by Kerry authors

Newspapers The Kerry Library collection comprises 2,500 reels of microfilm and hundreds of bound volumes including: • The Kerryman (1904 - to date) • Kerry’s Eye (1974 - to date) • Kerry Sentinel (1878 - 1917) • The Kerry Champion (1928 - 1958) • The Kerry Evening Post (1829 - 1917) • The Irish Times (1859 - to date) • The Irish Press (1931 - 1995) • The Kingdom (1981 - 2011)

Archives The archival holdings are many and include many, business, family & estate papers. Records include: • Board of Guardian minute books (1840 - 1922) • Rural District Council minutes (1899 - 1925) • Kerry Field Club minutes (1939 - 1957) • Kerry County Council minutes (1901 - 1999) • Kerry Board of Health minutes (1923 - 1942) • Kerry Committee of Agriculture minutes (1920 - 1988)

Genealogy Available records include: • 1901 and 1911 census records (online) • www.irishgenealogy.ie • Griffith’s Land Valuation (1847 - 1864) (online) • Index to Irish Wills (CD Rom) • Board of Guardian Minute Books (1840 - 1922) • 19th & 20th century Commercial Directories • M.A. Hickson’s ‘ Old Kerry Records (CD Rom) • Origins.net online

The Map Collection • 1st edition ordnance survey maps of Kerry (1841 - 1842) • Maritime Maps of Kerry (1861 - 1914) • Historic Maps Archive • County Development Plan Maps • Geological Survey Maps • Taylor & Skinner Road Maps (CD ROM) • Godfrey Estate Survey Maps (1750 - 1825)

Other Resources • The Tithe Applotment Books (1823 - 1837) • Dr. Albert Casey’s O’Kief, Coshe, Mang volumes • Index of obituaries from Kerry newspapers • Schools Folklore Collection 1937 - 38 (microfilm) • Kerry Place Name Archive • House of Commons Parliamentary Papers (online)

Further details of Archives holdings and the Kerry Library guide to Genealogy sources are available from the Kerry Library website 

Local History & Archives Department

Opening Hours: Monday -  Friday (10:00am  -  5:00pm)   

Please Note: Kerry Library staff will be glad to offer advice on queries concerning Kerry local studies. However, staff are not available to undertake research on behalf of members of the public. 

Visiting Killarney?

An extensive range of Local Studies is now available at Killarney Branch Library including local newspapers, the 1901 Census of Population and Griffith's Valuation of Tenements.

Folklore and local history from Co. Kerry is now available to read on www.duchas.ie