The descendants of the large landowning Irish and Anglo-Irish families of the great houses have told their stories in an oral history project to be launched tomorrow at the National Library.
The “Great Houses of Ireland,” an oral history collection, comprises interviews with more than 100 members of prominent Irish and Anglo-Irish families conducted over three years by historians Maurice and Jane O’Keeffe of Tralee.
The project was sponsored by the Kerry-based financial services boss Brian McCarthy of Fexco.
Interviews were conducted with representatives of the Knights of Glin and Kerry, of the Denny Estates in Tralee, the Guinnesses, Clontarf Castle and others.
The stories and anecdotes are accompanied by a catalogue.
The O’Keeffes have been compiling oral history since 1990.
