New website takeslegwork out of KAHS research
MARIE O’Sullivan, former president of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society, has just been in touch with the news that, as of Tuesday last, the society has a brand-new website.
The former Farranfore publican has had an ongoing ‘ love story’ with the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society for 30 years, has been working on the project for the past 12 months.
In this time not only has she been responsible for the new look website but she has also had all of the society’s publications digitised and made available electronically on the site.
The Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society, which was founded in 1967, has published 48 editions of the Journal of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society, the first of which was published in 1968.
This publication was joined in 1989 by The Kerry Magazine which, has long been edited by Marie. The digitisation of these publications and their availability online is a major coup for the society. Marie, reported that in order to build up a full set for the digitisation project, she stopped short of stealing, but certainly begged and borrowed copies.
For their help in the process Marie has expressed her gratitude to: Tommy O’Connor, Kerry County Librarian along with Isabel Bennett and Jerry Flynn for donating to this worthy cause.
She would also like to thank A4 Stationery in Killorglin, for converting the hard copies into PDFs.
The Website was designed by the BranGeeks, Killorglin, together with Catherine Teehan, Graphic Design.
“The Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society, is a voluntary, non-profit making organisation and has received no funding whatsoever towards this project,” said Marie.
“It has funded the digitisation and new website, through annual society membership subscriptions from its members,” she continued.
“Obviously, such a large-scale project has seriously diminished the coffers of the organisation and therefore we are appealing to anybody, who is not already a member, to please join to support the venture,” she appealed.
Four categories of membership are available with an individual at €35 per annum; families €45; students €15 and institutions rated at €65 per annum.
“Membership entitles one to free copies of both publications and access to the society’s yearlong programme of events.
“It is possible to join the society via the website. It is also possible to purchase either digital or hard copies of all publications via the website.
“Being cognisant of the times we are now living in, I’d like to stress that the society is making the publications available as reasonably as possible.
“All historic copies are priced at €5 per volume, with more recent editions - those published in the last five years - at a slightly higher price.
“In conclusion, I’d like to say that the beauty of the new website is that it is possible to search the indices to the society’s two publications, by author/title/keyword and that takes all the legwork out of the research of Kerry’s distant and more recent past.”
Anyone wishing to visit the new website can do so by tapping in the following: www. kerryhistory.ie