County and Local Histories
Allman, J. Causeway, location, lore and legend, NAAS 1983
Ballyseede Massacre Commemoration Committee, 90th Anniversary Commemoration of Ballyseede Massacre 1923-2013. Tralee 2013.
Barrington, T.J. Discovering Kerry, Dublin 1976,
Beatty, Bertha, Kerry Memories, North Kerry Literary Trust Listowel 2nd edition with notes of Maurice G. McElligott.
Bonane Community Council, A Guide to the Sheen Valley Heritage Area, Bonane 2013.
Breathnach, Ciara, The Congested District Boards of Ireland, 1891-1923, Four Courts Press, Dublin 2005
Caball, Kay Moloney, The Kerry Girls: Emigration and the Earl Grey Scheme, The History Press Ireland 2014
Caball, Kay, Finding Your Ancestors in Kerry, Flyleaf Press Dublin 2015
Caball Marc, Poets and Politics: Reaction and Continuity in Irish Poetry 1558, Cork University Press 1998.
Caball, Marc, Kerry, 1600-1730 the emergence of a British Atlantic county, Fourt Courts Press Dublin 2017.
Carmody, Dick, In the Shadow of the School, Memories of Growing up in the Rural North Kerry of the 1950s. DC Publications, Tralee 2012
Carmody, Vincent, Listowel: Snapshots of an Irish Market Town, 1850-1950, Author 2013.
Carmody, Vincent, North Kerry Camera, Listowel & its surroundings (1860-1960), Author 1989
Carney, Michéal, From the Great Blasket to America, the last memoir by an Islander, Collins Press, Cork, 2013.
Casey, A.E. O’Kief, Coshe Mang, Slieve Lougher and Upper Blackwater in Ireland, 15 volumes plus collated source volume, Birmingham (USA), 1952-1971. One of the most valuable references for ancestry searching.
Cogan, Mary, Listowel Through a Lens, Crannsilini Publishing, 2009.
Coleman, James, Bibliographia Kerriensis: A list of topographical works relating to the county of Kerry. KHAS magazine No. 1908
Crowe, Fiona, , Coiscéim, Baile Atha Cliath, 2013.
Cusack, M.F. History of the Kingdom of Kerry, London 1871
Dalton, Ciarán, Ardfert by the Sea, Caherard Publications Ardfert 2
Dillon, Thomas, Family and the First World War: A County Kerry perspective, to be published Autumn 2015
Donovan, T.M., A Popular History of East Kerry, Dublin 1931
Dromid Heritage Group, Barr na hAoine: Stories & facts [Vol.1], Oidhreacht na Dromoda, Dromid, Co. Kerry
Drumm, Alan, Kerry and the Royal Munster Fusiliers, The History Press Ireland, 2010.
Dwyer, T. Ryle, Tans, Terror & Troubles, Kerry’s Real Fighting Story 1913 – 23m Mercier Press, 2001.
Dwyer, Ryle T., The Rose of Tralee, Fifty Years a Blooming, O’Brien Press, Dublin 2009.
Feiritéar, Babs, Ó Bhéal an Bháb, Cló Iar-Chonnachta, Gaillimh 2002.
Finuge Heritage Society A Span Across Time:Finuge. A Folk History Finuge 1986.
Galvin, John, Remembering Crotta, A Social History of Rural Ireland in the 1950′s, Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2017.
Gaughan, J. Anthony, Listowel and its vicinity, Mercier Press Cork 1974
Gaughan, J. Anthony, Listowel and its vicinity since 1973, Mercier Press 2004.
Geoghegan, Patrick M., Liberator: the life and death of Daniel O’Connell, 1830-1847, Gill & MacMillan 2010.
Giles, T. Giles: History and memories – Castlemaine, Tralee 1900/2011, author, 2012.
Griffin, Eithne, Barefoot Scholars: A history of rural Ireland as experienced by the children of Castlegregory N.S. 1880-1990. Castlegregory, 2005
Hayward, R. In the Kingdom of Kerry, Dundalk 1950 & 1976.
Healy, Maurice, Waiting for Houlihan, the life and times of Con Houlihan, North Kerry Literary Trust, Listowel 2012.
Hennessy, D.C., The Lays of North Kerry & Other Poems & Sketches, North Kerry Literary Trust, 2001.
Hickson M., Selections of Old Kerry Records, Historical and Genealogical, 2 vols, Watson & Hazell, London 1872-1874
Hickson M., Places and Surnames in Kerry, Royal Soc. Of Antiquaries, Ireland Journal, vol xxi and xxiv.
Horgan, Tim, Dying for the Cause, Mercier Press Cork, 2015.
Horgan, Tim, The Men Will Talk To Me: Kerry Interviews by Ernie O’Malley, Mercier Press Cork, 2015.
Houlihan, Danny, Ballybunion in History & Legend, Kerry 2004.
Joy, Breda, Hidden Kerry: The Keys to the Kingdom, Mercier Press, Cork 2014.
Keane Fergal, (BBC), Wounds, Collins London 2017
Keane L., Knocknagoshel: Then and Now, Kerry County Library
Keane, Michael Christopher, From Laois to Kerry
Kelly, Liam, Lucid Geraldine, & O’Sullivan,Maria, Blennerville, Gateway to Tralee’s Past, Tralee 1989.
Kennelly, Pádraig, Eyewitness, Padraig & Joan Kennelly’s images of Ireland 1953-1973, Collins Press, Cork, 2009.
Lehane, Shane, The Great Famine In Kerry, Dingle & Killarney poor law untions, Tralee 2015
Lynch, Pat, Around Kells Bay, A History of the People, Author 2013.
Lynch, Patrick J., Tarbert: an unfinished biography, Lynch Tarbert, 2009.
Lysaght, Paddy, The River Feale, Limerick 1987.
King, J.S. County Kerry Past and Present: Handbook to Local and Family History, Hodges Figgis & Co., Dublin 1931. The A to Z encylopedia of all things about Co . Kerry. Reprinted by Mercier Press, Cork, 1984
King, J.S., History of Kerry, vols 1 to 6. Printed serially in The Kerry People, 1909, 1910, 1912m-1914.
Lavelle, D., Skellig: Island outpost of Europe, Dublin 1976.
Leslie, J.B., Ardfert and Aghadoe clergy and parishes, Dublin 1940.
Lucey, Donnacha Sean, Land, Popular Politics and Agrarian Violence in Ireland, The Case of County Kerry 1872-86, UCD Press 2011.
Lyne, Gerard J., The Landsdowne Estate in Kerry under W.S. Trench 1849-72, Geography Publications, Dublin 2001.
MacConghaíl, Muiris, The Blaskets: People and literature, a Kerry Island Library. (Town House, Dublin, 2006.
MacMahon, Bryan, Ascend or Die: Richard Crosbie, Pioneer of balloon flight, The History Press Ireland, 2010.
MacMahon, Bryan, The Great Famine in Tralee & North Kerry, Mercier Press 2017.
McAuliffe, Bridget, Uncovering Kerry: The comprehensive guide to the best of Kerry. Duagh, Red Hen Publishing, 2006.
McCarthy, Brendan, Fr. Ferris’s Parish Histories: BallymacElligott, Ballyseedy, O’Brennan and Nohoval ( Cló Staire Chiarraí), 2018
Martin, Thomas F., Kingdom in the Empire: Kerry in World War One. Nonsuch Publishing, UK, 2006.
Mauritzen, Jeff, The story of Milltown: a nest of memories/ DVD 2009.
Moraghan, Sean (ed), Ancient and Present State of the County of Kerry: A new reader’s edition, Bona Books, 2010.
Mórdha, Mícheál de, Ceiliúradh an Bhlascaoid 12: Na Lochlannaigh, Coiscéim / Baile Átha Cliath, 2009.
Mordha, Michéal de,& Mordha, Daithi de, The Great Blasket: An Blascaod Mór, A Photographic Portrait, Collins Press, Cork, 2012.
Mould, D.C., Pochin, Valentia: Portrait of an Island, Dublin 1978.
Murphy, J., Richard John Mahony of Dromore, A Nineteenth Century Gentleman, Author, 2011.
Murphy, J. The Herberts of Currans and Cahernane; includes sketch of the Leahys of South Hill, Author, 2011.
Neligan, Pat, The Knave of Trumps, The Life & Times of Count James Louis Rice of Dingle 1730-1801, 2017 Author.
O’Ciobháin, B., Barony of Dunkerron North, Co. Kerry, Dublin 1978
O’Carroll, Gerald, The history of Tralee: Its charter and governance, Tralee, 2009.
O’Carroll, Gerald, The Earls of Desmond, Sprint Publishing, 2013.
O’Conchuir, D., Corca Dhuibhne, its People and their Buildings, Ballyferriter, 1977
O’Concubhair, Pádraig , A Remote Outpost, The Story of the Methodist Society in Tarbert, County Kerry. The Author, 2005.
O’Concubhie, Pádraig, The Fenians were dreadful men: The 1867 Rising in Kerry and Limerick, Mercier Press, Cork, 2011.
O’Connor, Joseph, Hostage to Fortune, The Kerryman Ltd., Tralee, 1983.
O’Connor, Kevin, The Descendants of the O’Connors of Carrigafoyle stemming from the Datheenachs line, Kent, UK, O’Connor History Ltd., 2006.
O’Connor, P., North Co. Kerry: Territorial Organisation and Settlement before c.1600 A.D. unpublished PhD thesis, UCD Dublin 1979, History
O’Connor, Tommy. Ardfert in Time Past, Ardfert 1990.
O’Connell B., Bibliography of Co Kerry, 1599-1917. From the Kerry Evening Post of 1870-1917 in OCM vol.15.
Ó Donnchadha, Gearóid , St.Brendan of Kerry the Navigator: His Life & Voyages, 2004
O’Donovan, J. Antiquities of the County of Kerry, Royal Carbery Books, Cork,1983.
O’Hare, Patricia, Kerry People and Places 1860-1960, Muckross House Trustees Killarney, 2013.
Oidhreacht Leac Snamha, The Fitzmaurices, Lords of Kerry & Barons of Lixnaw, Lixnaw, 1993
O’Keeffe, Jane O’Hea, Voices from the Great Houses, Cork and Kerry, Mercier Press, Cork, 2013.
O’Leary, Eileen, Bridging Memories… Sneem, County Kerry, (Sneem Social History Group, 2010.
O’Neill, Mick, Tralee Old Stock Reminisce: An oral history of Tralee and its surroundings, (Author) five editions between 2001 – 2010.
O’Shea, Kieran Fr., The Diocese of Kerry, formerly Ardfert, Working in the Fields of God, Kerry2005. (Available in all parishes)
O’Sullivan, Thomas F., Romantic Hidden Kerry: a description of Corkaguiny, Tralee 1931 (Goegraphy)
Quinlan, Seán The Great Book of Kerry, Vols 1,2, 3 Cló na Ríochta / Ballyduff, 2009.
Pierse, John D., Teampall Bán, Aspects of the Famine in North Kerry 1845-1852, Listowel Tidy Towns, 2014.
Ryle, Maurice P., Kingdom of Kerry, 2nd edn. 1903
Robinson, D., Valentia Lifeboats: a history, The History Press Dublin 2011.
Sleeman, Mary. The Kerry Way, an ancient highway: an archaelogical survey of the Kerry Way & Iveragh Peninsula. The Heritage Council, 2009.
Smith, C., The Ancient and Present State of the County of Kerry, Dublin 1756 and reprinted in OCM vol.10.
Smith, Michael, Tom Crean: an illustrated life: Unsung hero of the Scott and Shackleton Expeditions. Collins Press, Cork 2006.
Stafford, T., Pacata Hibernia, Dublin 1810.
Stoakley, T.E., Sneem, The Knot in the Ring, Leinster Leader, Naas, Kildare 1986.
Tangney, Robert, The History of Ballymullen Barracks, Tralee, 2014. Author
Tyers, Pádraig, West Kerry Camera, Ceamara Chorcha Dhuibhne Collins Press, 2006.
The Kerryman, Kerry’s Fighting Story 1916-1921, Told by the Men Who Made It., Gives descriptions of local units. The Kerryman Tralee 1947 and reprinted by Mercier Press, Cork, 2009.
Local History: A bibliography, Printed by the Kerry County Library in 1956.
The Kerry Anthology, Edited by Gabriel Fitzmaurice, Mercier Press, 2000.
Tarbert Historical & Heritage Society, St. Brendan’s Church of Ireland, Tarbert 1814-2014 200 Years of Change, Tarbert 2014. (Includes all Kilnaughtin Church Baptisms 1793-1914.)
new book on north kerry hurling has loads of names
North Kerry – a hurling history [2015] was written by Tommy O’Connor – he is the same man that wrote the books on ardfert
Yes I msut add Tommy’s book to my list of reommended books. Tommy as County Librarian, was good enough to preside at the launch of my book Finding Your Ancestors in Kerry last year, just before the launch of his own book North Kerry: A Hurling History 1925-2015
Would researching church records help? I have traced back to the 1840’s but I have reached a dead end.
James, Depending which Parish your ancestor came from, start dates on Church records in Kerry vary from 1772 (Tralee) through Cahirciveen (1846) to Brosna (1868). If you have gone back as far as your parish will go, you next option is land records starting with Tithe Applotments. You have no guarantee of course of finding your ancestor in the Tithe Applotments – his father may be in or none of them if they did not occupy more than one acre.
Hello, I am really trying to get hold of a copy of ‘the descendants of the O’Connors of Carrigafoyle stemming from the Datheenachs line’ by Kevin O’connor but no luck. Its mentioned in your list. Do you know where i could get a copy please? I’m in England.
Wayne, I would love to get a look at a copy of this myself but I thinks it is out print ^ not readily available.
Hello,
Merchant Princes by Vincent O’Mahoney and
Forging a Kingdom , The Kerry GAA from 1884 to 1934 by Richard McElligott are two books maybe worth including in County and Local histories
Michael thank you for these suggestions. I would heartily recommend both books which I have read. Both Vincent & Richard are experts on their subjects & have written well researched enjoyable books. I know that Merchant Princes is out of print now but could be accessed through the library
I am trying to get some copies of this book –
Lynch, Pat, Around Kells Bay, A History of the People, Author 2013.
would you be able to help me? Thanks
Miriam, I don’t know myself where you might get a copy, but hopefully one of my readers will see this and be able to advise you. Kay