Kerry’s built heritage and the county’s architectural landscape was celebrated during a wide range of engaging events including free guided tours and exhibitions, walking tours and seminars which took place around the county over the past week as part of the popular Architecture Kerry Festival.
On Friday last, the Irish Georgian Society and Kerry County Council presented a seminar on Kerry’s historic landscapes and demesnes at Coláiste Íde, Dingle in association with the Cairde Choláiste Íde Teo.
On Thursday and Saturday, the Trustees of Muckross House hosted Kingdom of Skills, an event to highlight vernacular skills and traditions at Muckross Traditional Farms which included conservation clinics and demonstrations.
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On Sunday, Valentia Slate quarry hosted the Kerry Choral Union for Architecture Kerry which was a memorable musical experience.
Kerry County Museum hosted Hands-on-History workshops all week with primary and secondary school students enjoying archaeology and history at the Museum.
‘Make a Town’ with ‘Makermeet’ presented an exhibition from Tralee’s post-primary school students in Tralee Library and Kerry Local Creative Youth Partnership showcased a project on Killarney’s streetscapes, funded by Creative Ireland.
Kerry County Council’s Architectural Conservation Officer, Victoria McCarthy, said this year’s festival welcomed over a thousand people to various events throughout the county: ‘It’s been a fabulous week of events and engagement and I want to thank all of the tour providers and volunteers, without whom the festival would not have been such a success.’
The aim of the festival was to highlight the wide diversity of the architectural landscape in Kerry and to make some of the best-known sites of architectural significance in the county accessible to all ages. Tours this year focused on high quality contemporary architecture, town centre living and renovation projects.
Architecture Kerry is supported by Kerry County Council, the Heritage Council, Creative Ireland and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in partnership with the OPW, the Irish Georgian Society, the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society, the Trustees of Muckross House, Kerry County Museum, Kerry Library, and Cairde Choláiste Íde Teo.