Kerry County Museum

07/10/2026

Huge Thanks to the Tralee Education Support Centre for highlighting our free school tour offer this October as part of Samhain Chiarraí: A Kerry Halloween.

We would like to invite primary and post-primary schools across Kerry to visit our Medieval Experience & Archaeology Hall before the exhibitions close this autumn. Booking is essential – please contact Claudia & Aisling at [email protected]

Kerry County Museum: Free School Tour Offer October 2026 – Last chance to see the Medieval Experience & Archaeology Hall

The Kerry County Museum team would like to invite primary and post-primary schools across Kerry to visit our Medieval Experience & Archaeology Hall free of charge this October as part of the Samhain Chiarraí – a Kerry Halloween.

Explore the medieval world, discover the folklore behind familiar Halloween traditions, and learn about some of the customs that have connected Kerry communities with Samhain for generations.

Pupils will learn about life in medieval times and how archaeologists uncover the secrets of the past while discovering the stories, beliefs and traditions associated with Samhain and Halloween.

Alongside our usual tour content, students will hear about:

➡️The Cailleach and her place in Irish folklore

➡️Banshees and stories of the supernatural

➡️The connection between Samhain and the changing seasons

➡️Traditional Halloween customs and beliefs

➡️How people carved turnips and other vegetables before pumpkins became associated with Halloween

➡️Stories and folklore passed down through generations

The tours combine Kerry's history and archaeology with the folklore and traditions surrounding Samhain, providing an engaging introduction to the season for young learners.

This free event is suitable for primary and post-primary schools as the activities can be tailored to suit all ages and abilities.

This is the last chance to visit the two exhibitions before the museum closes to the public as part of the Ashe Memorial Hall restoration project (2026-2028).

We aim to facilitate as many guided tours and workshops as possible; self-guided tours will also be available.

Booking is essential – please contact Claudia & Aisling at [email protected]

05/10/2026

As part of Architecture Kerry, we invite all primary schools who participated in our annual outreach initiative Heritage Hunters and all post-primary schools whose students participated in the Kerry Young Historian Award. Here you can see our Heritage Hunters Award Winner 2026, Caherdaniel NS, who enjoyed a great day out and who were delighted to meet Elaine Kinsella of Radio Kerry, who recorded their project on the historic graveyard at Abbey Island.

05/10/2026

One of our annual flagship events for Architecture Kerry is the ceremony for the Kerry Young Historian Award. It usually takes place at the Museum but, with our upstairs galleries closed for refurbishment, we were delighted to be able to hold the event at Kerry Library, Tralee branch.

05/10/2026

As part of Architecture Kerry, we welcomed 520 pupils and their teachers from nine primary and post-primary schools across Kerry to the museum for a special guided tour of the Medieval Experience, an authentic reconstruction of Tralee in the year 1450AD.

05/10/2026

Architecture Kerry is in full swing - we were delighted to be part of it!

520 pupils and their teachers from nine primary and post-primary schools across Kerry attended The Big Dig by the The School of Irish Archaeology. From excavating the foundations of a replica Viking house to interactive handling sessions, these hands-on workshop in Pearse Park were a huge hit with all our Heritage Hunters & Kerry Young Historian schools.

Many thanks to CreativeIrl for their continuous support.

02/10/2026

Calling all Kerry secondary schools - the Kerry Young Historian Award 2027 is now open. Contact: [email protected]

📚 THE KERRY YOUNG HISTORIAN AWARD 2027 – NOW OPEN!

Calling all young historians across Kerry!

The Kerry Young Historian Award 2027 is open to all Kerry secondary schools and young people aged 12–19, with two categories:

🔹 Junior: 1st–3rd Year
🔹 Senior: 4th–6th Year

Students are invited to research and write about local history, archaeology, architecture or heritage, with a particular focus on some of Kerry’s lesser-told stories.

This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to explore their local area, uncover fascinating stories and develop their research and writing skills.

🏆 Winning essays in both categories will be published in the prestigious Kerry Magazine.

Participating schools will also receive a voucher for a free visit to Kerry County Museum or an outreach visit to their school, while prize-winning schools will be offered a free living-history workshop.

📅 Closing Date: Friday, 23 April 2027
📧 Entries: [email protected]

The award is an initiative of the Kerry Archaeological & Historical Society, Kerry County Museum and Kerry County Council, kindly supported by Tralee Education Support Centre and the History Teachers’ Association of Ireland – Kerry Branch.

We would encourage History teachers across Kerry to share this opportunity with their students and help inspire the next generation of Kerry historians!

02/10/2026

Calling all Kerry primary schools - the Heritage Hunters Award 2027 is now open! Huge thanks to the Tralee Education Support Centre for highlighting our local heritage in the classroom project.

01/10/2026

‘The Story of Us: Census 1926’ exhibition is organised by the National Archives and is currently touring the country.

‘The Story of Us' exhibition explores what life was like in the newly independent Irish Free State using contemporary documents and images, audio-visual displays, and census returns. Visitors can see life in Kerry in 1926, from sport and entertainment to language, culture, religion, gender, and the working lives of ordinary working people.

The director of the National Archives, Orlaith McBride will officially open 'The Story of Us' at Kerry Library Tralee branch this evening (01/10/2026) at half-past-six (6.30pm).

It will remain on public display until Saturday, 17 October.
Kerry County Council Kerry Writers Museum
Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society Radio Kerry Ardfert Historical Society Tralee Tidy Towns Love Tralee Tralee Lions Club