Cllr Appeals To Public After Historic Discovery In Tralee Building

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The slate found in a building on The Mall recently.

A LOCAL councillor is hoping there are untold stories in relation to the War of Independence/Civil War period waiting to be discovered after the an historic find in the town recently.

Sinn Féin Cllr Deirdre Ferris asking for the public’s assistance after the discovery of a slate in a building on The Mall, containing what appears to be details of Morse Code, which was widely used at the time, particularly in the transmission of confidential information.

The slate is headed up with the words ‘Brigade Commandant’, which she believes indicates that it probably relates to the 1918-23 period.

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This may shed light on a lesser-known aspect of Tralee Volunteers’ contribution to the war against British Crown Forces, a century ago.

Cllr Deirdre Ferris says that there may be other equally interesting stories that remain untold in relation to the history of the Revolutionary period of 1916-1921.

She is asking for the public’s assistance in uncovering further such historical gems that may be lying undiscovered within older buildings in Tralee and across the county.

Local historian, Martin Moore, has said that the inscribed slate could relate to the training of Volunteers in Morse Code.

Another possibility, given the location of the find, is that some IRA member was intercepting coded messages being sent between Crown Forces who then occupied key positions in the town, including the Police Barracks, the Jail at Ballymullen, Denny Street and the Technical School at Moyderwell.

Cllr Ferris is looking for anyone with similar stories from those eventful times, including those passed down from family members, to share them so that a fuller understanding can be gained of what was the most historically significant period of the country’s history.

Cllr Ferris said: “Kerry and Tralee are steeped in Republican history and activities and with the assistance of the public, perhaps even more significant finds are out there, yet to be discovered.”

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