FOLLOWING on from the success of their yearly calendar, the Mitchels/Boherbee Community Regeneration Project has come together once more to produce a chronicle that studies the area through photos and first hand accounts from the period of 1935-1955.
From the very earliest beginnings of the Mitchels/Boherbee Community Regeneration Project, it was felt by all involved that an essential aspect of the regeneration project was to record the social history of the area.
‘The Mitchels Boherbee The Chronicle’, launched on Tuesday night, was created by the Mitchels/Boherbee Historical and Heritage Group.
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With the ‘The Mitchels Boherbee The Chronicle’ were from left: Caroline Toal (Kerry County Council), Johnnie Wall and Angela Walsh Mitchels/Boherbee Community Regeneration. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
“We hope the community, who provided their treasured photographs for this project enjoy the finished product. We have included photographs, newspapers headings and advertisements of the time to illustrate what life was like through the 1930s, 40s and 50s,” said Mayor of Tralee, Cllr Thomas McEllistrim.
The year 1935 saw the beginning of the new Cloonmore houses and the building of homes within the Mitchels / Boherbee area.
Tralee Urban Council approved the Tralee No. 1 Clearance Order (at a cost of £70,000) which resulted in the building of new improved housing for the people of the area. There were huge changes in the area during these two decades.
The Emergency’, as World War Two was known in Ireland, high emigration and high unemployment all impacted on the lives of the people living in the Mitchels area.
However, some things remained constant – the impact of the Mercy and Presentation Nuns through charity and schooling, and St. John’s Parish Church, which is still an integral part of people’s lives from christenings to weddings to funerals.
Sport, particularly the G.A.A., continues to be very important to the area.
The Historical and Heritage Working Group of the Mitchels/Boherbee Community Regeneration Project was spearheaded and guided by Angela Walsh and Johnnie Wall with support from Dolores McElligott of the HSE and Caroline Toal of Kerry County Council.
The group is further supported by Paula O’Sullivan who provides research and administrative back up to the Historical and Heritage working group.
The group would also like to thank Kerry County Library, St. Brigid’s Family Resource Centre and Niall Burman Roy for all their help and support with regard to this project.
Finally, the Historical and Heritage Working Group would like to sincerely thank the local community who contributed pictures, stories and time to create this Chronicle.
