Remembering the fairs on Iveragh
THE Ring of Kerry Hotel was the venue last Thursday night for the launch of ‘Iveragh Remembered’, as some 40 people, including a few interviewees, attended to launch an exciting new series of podcasts focussing on the fair days in south Kerry.
It followed a 10-week training course on recording oral history at the O’Connell Centre led by Connie Broderick and Radio Kerry’s Joe McGill. Hosted by Iveragh Information Technology Ltd in partnership with Kerry ETB (KETB), the initiative was aimed at local community groups and took participants through the digital work, techniques, and legal and ethical considerations at play when collecting oral history.
The result was ‘Iveragh Remembered’, and Mr McGill was understandably excited at delving into the subject eventually chosen.
“This was a subject matter where it was felt that memories were fading of this time and that the current generation of young people would not have experience the height of the fairs in south Kerry,” he said. “This project would also capture the economic, cultural, and social fabric of Iveragh at this time.”
The series is now available on SoundCloud, and each interview is accompanied with a description of the interviewer and interviewee. They are also feature notes on what is contained in the interview.
Among the many topics covered are making deals, the types of livestock on sale, as well as the atmosphere, characters, and locations that added to the magic. In total, more than six hours of material with 20 Iveragh people is available. And, it’s hoped that the skills learned through the course could lead to similar projects in the future.
“The legacy of this project is endless,” Mr McGill said. “Not only is there now a comprehensive archive of material on the fair days in Iverage; the participants now have the skills, confidence, and capability to capture more oral history from the area.”
The projects are also available on memory stick for local heritage groups, libraries, and schools, and a link is also available for those who wish to share online. The series is available through searching ‘Iveragh Remembered’ at SoundCloud or visiting soundcloud. com/search?q=iveragh%20remembered.