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New book records historic Kerry to Cork Butter Road
New book records historic Kerry to Cork Butter Road
The history of one of East Kerry's most significant historical trade routes has been documented in a new book by local historian and publisher Joe Harrington.

Titled Once Upon A Road: The History and Times of an Irish Butter Road. The 1747 Turnpike from Listowel to Cork, the publication traces the route established in 1747 by Castleisland man John Murphy. Built to connect the dairy lands of North and East Kerry to the Cork Butter Market, the 60-mile turnpike carried commercial and social life across the region for over two centuries.
Drawing on parliamentary records, estate files, and local folklore, Harrington details the events and communities along the route—from Castleisland and Cordal through to Millstreet and Cork. The book covers a broad spectrum of history, including the Penal Laws, Land League agitation, hedge schools, and the War of Independence.
Harrington, a former Mayor of Limerick who edits the Lyreacrompane and District Journal, spent years researching the route prior to publication.
An official launch for the book will take place at the Cork Butter Museum on October 2. The hardback edition is published by Mercier Press.


