Castles? Great. Islands? Great. Castleisland? Wicked awesome.
Before moving to Cambridge, my 3rd great-grandfather Patrick Francis Ready grew up in Castleisland with his siblings: John, Johanna, Ellen, Timothy, and Jeremiah. Their parents were Patrick Reidy and Mary Flynn.
Life in Castleisland
Castleisland is a small town right near Killarney, a common stop on modern day Ring of Kerry tours like the Paddywagon tour that my friends and I did this summer. We explored Killarney, heard a local teen perform at a night club, and retired to our Bed and Breakfast just 25km from Castleisland.
Castleisland gets its name from the original Castle of the Island of Kerry from 1226. While it was under British control, the Irish destroyed it in 1600. The town is known for the wide street in the center of town that is a common passage to the nearby towns. In 1831, just a few years after 4th great-grandpa Patrick Reidy was born, there were 266 houses in Castleisland. It is situated on the River Maine, which is simply so full circle as their descendant, my Great-Grandpa Ready, eventually passed away in Maine, USA. In another interesting connection, the Church has a small sculptured head of Saint Nicholas, probably the patron saint. The Church of paternal my ancestors in Italy is called San Nicola. It appears that the Irish and Italian Churches of my maternal and paternal ancestors respectively are both Churches of Saint Nicholas. (libraryireland.com)