Flyleaf Press has just published a ‘Guide to Finding your Ancestors in Kerry’ by Kay Caball. Kay is a native of the county, and currently conducts research on Kerry ancestors for clients world-wide. She is also author of several articles and books on Kerry local history. The book will be formally launched by Jimmy Deenihan T.D., Minister for Diaspora Affairs, on Monday September 7th at 2.30pm in the Library Headquarters, Tralee.
‘Finding your Ancestors in Kerry’ is a comprehensive guide to all of the records available for tracing families in the county and is filled with information on what the records contain, and how and where they can be accessed. It is well illustrated with maps and with examples of the types of records to be found; and with other relevant background material. It also provides background on the social history of Kerry and how this history has affected the keeping and survival of records. There is also a comprehensive index. This is the latest in a series of county guides published by Flyleaf Press. These include guides for Kildare, Limerick, Sligo, Galway, Dublin, Clare, Westmeath, Cork, Limerick, Roscommon, Mayo and Donegal.
Speaking about the launch, the author Kay Caball noted that “A sense of pride in their origins and solidarity with each other is to my mind a defining characteristic of Kerry people. Whether a locally based Kerry person or a descendant of the one of the hundreds of thousands of Kerry emigrants, there is a hunger to find where we came from, and who went before us. My book is packed with hints and sources to help the budding genealogist right through to the local historian researcher.”
Kay Caball is a genealogist specialising in Kerry ancestors, and runs the website www.MyKerryAncestors.com as well as publishing a weekly blog on local sources and issues. She has written several works on local history and families, including most recently The Kerry Girls: Emigration & the Earl Grey Scheme (Published by History Press, Ireland 2014). This is the story of 117 ‘orphans’ sent from Kerry workhouses to New South Wales in 1849/50. Kay is also active in local Kerry organisations and has been a Member of Tralee Urban District Council 1979-1984; a Member of the Governing Body of the Institute of Technology Tralee 1993-1999, and is a Member of Kerry Archaeological & Historical Society.
Flyleaf Press is the publishing arm of Ancestor Network Ltd.
