About our Society
The Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society is a volunteer-run organisation, founded in 1967 by a group of visionaries who saw the need to raise awareness of the County’s past.
The aims of the Society were identified as ‘the collection, recording, study and preservation of the history and antiquities of Kerry, including the preservation of historical and antiquarian remains, the promotion of scientific excavation and the publication of a journal’.
In the intervening years those aspirations have expanded to include the nurturing, fostering and promotion of an interest in the wider culture and heritage of County Kerry.
Today, we have over 600 members internationally. Our society hosts a series of autumn, winter, and spring lectures. During the summer months, we organise outings to a variety of sites of historical or archaeological interest, sometimes even venturing abroad.
We are unique amongst historical/archaeological societies in that we publish both a journal and a magazine annually. The Journal of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society is highly regarded amongst academics worldwide. This been published since 1968 and contains detailed articles pertaining to our county’s archaeology and history. It was joined in 1989 by The Kerry Magazine. Both of these publications are supplied free of charge to our members.
In 1986, the Society instituted the Kerry Heritage Award, which is presented each year in recognition of the recipient’s contributions to preserving Kerry’s history and/or archaelogy.
In 2020, the Society initiated its Kerry Young Historian of the Year Award competition, open to all Kerry secondary school students, and the Heritage Hunters competion, open to Kerry primary schools.
We liaise closely with Kerry County Council (www.kerrycoco.ie) through Kerry Library Service (www.kerrylibrary.ie), Kerry County Museum (www.kerrymuseum.ie) and directly with its Arts Officer, County Archaeologist, Conservation Officer, and Heritage Officer.
Through our Outreach Programme, we have liaised closely with Muckross House (www.muckross-house.ie), Muckross Traditional Farms, Killarney, Kerry Writers’ Museum (www.kerrywritersmuseum.com), Kerry Education Centre, Tralee (www.edcentretralee.ie), Músaem Chorca Dhuibhne (www.westkerrymuseum.com), and Munster Technological University, Tralee (www.mtu.ie).
Our society is all about keeping our past alive for future generations. New members are always WELCOME. So why not join us!
