The Courthouse is situated in Ashe Street in Tralee. It was built between 1831-1835 on the site of an old prison, using limestone from a local quarry. It was designed by architect William Vitruvius Morrison and has been in continuous use since it was built.

1. The Courthouse is situated in Ashe Street (which was
once known as Nelson Street). It was built on the site of
an old prison. Work on the building began in 1831 and was
completed in 1835. It was built with limestone which was
taken from a local quarry called castle Green which is
near the present town park. The building was designed
by the architect William Vitruvius Morrison.
Tralee Courthouse has been in continuous use since it
was built but its interior was reconstructed in 1982.
The Court House

2. When a new Courthouse was opened
in Courthouse Lane in 1791 the old
courtroom over the market house
arcade at the square was turned into
an elegant assembly room. It became
a popular meeting place for the
upper classes and army officers.
Balls and other social events were
held there.
By 1818, the Army left Tralee after
the defeat of Napoleon and there
were less wealthy families in the
area The Assembly Rooms fell into
disuse. It was rented from time to
time as a theatre or sales rom
before becoming a coach factory. It
became shabby in appearance and
many people felt that the north side
of the square should be re built.
In 1856 the old coach factory and
market house were demolished and a
new building, divided into shop and
offices, replaced them.
North Square 2006
The Assembly Hall North Square

3. At the end of Denny Street stands the Ashe Memorial Hall. It is built of red sandstone. Called
after the Irish patriot, Thomas Ashe(1885-1917) it was built in 1928 and was the headquarters
of Kerry Council until 1989.
The interior of the Hall is designed such that a theatre forms its centre, with office space
surrounding it. This theatre staged all the major performances in Tralee, of its time. The Hall
now houses a museum and is still used for Council offices.
There is a Preservation Order on this building , which means that Ashe Memorial Hall will stand
at the end of Denny Street for many, many years to come
.
The Ashe Memorial Hall

4. The Kerry Protestant Hall was built in 1863 by the Y.M.C.A.(Young Men’s Christian
Association). The architect was James Franklin Fulles who also designed the war
memorial at the Courthouse across the road. Around this time there was also an
association called the C.Y.M.S.(Catholic Young Men’s Society) which has a hall in the
C.B.S. in Denny Street.
The Y.M.C.A. organised lectures, debates, readings from books and plays. The
K.P.H. (Kerry Protestant Hall) was also used for school parties, concerts, social
evenings, bazaars, sales of work, badminton and various meetings.
The Y.M.C.A. gave the hall to the Protestant Community in the early 1900’s and it
became known from then on as the Kingdom Protestant Hall.
The Kerry Protestant Hall

5. The County Hall in Godfrey Place included a theatre and offices for the County Council,
the Urban Council and the Harbour Board. It opened in May 1910 with a grand concert.
It was designed by the architect J.P. Wrenn from Dublin and was one of the finest
buildings of its kind in Ireland at the time.
The County Hall was burned in 1920 during the Troubles. Soon after the Irish
Government had taken over from the British, local politicians in Tralee began to make
plans for a new hall and theatre. The new hall was not built until 1928. The Theatre Royal
was restored as a cinema a few years later by Patrick Coffey, who had been showing films
in the Picturedrome in Upper Castle St. since 1913. The Picturedrome closed down in the
early 1990’s and is now O’ Mahony’s Bookshop.
The County Hall was once the home of Siamsa Tire. It later became a bowling alley and
fun factory and it now houses Fabric Nite Club.
The County Hall

6. Tralee Railway Station
The first railway in Co. Kerry was built in 1854
when the tourist centre of Killarney was linked
to the Irish Rail Network. The following year
work began on a 22 mile extension to Tralee.
Progress was slow and the line took 3 years to
complete.
The building of Tralee Station began in
February 1859. Thirty stonemasons were
employed to build it. Before the track reached
Tralee, it was taken over by the Great
Southern and Western Railway company. The
track was opened in July 1859 before the
station building was completed.
The Railway was extended to Castleisland in
1875 and to Fenit in 1887. The North Kerry
Railway which linked Tralee and Limerick was
completed in 1880.
Tralee Railway Station

7. The C.W.S.
The C.W.S. (Co-operative Wholesale Society) was built in 1901 in Upper Rock St. as
a bacon factory. It was bounded on the North side by the Railway to North Kerry
and the Port of Fenit.
Large quantities of bacon, hams, sausages and puddings were produced for the home
market and for export. They also bought blackberries from local pickers for the
export market.
The factory closed in 1971. The sandstone building still survives and is divided into
a number of different businesses.
The C.W.S

8. Ballymullen Barracks was built between 1810 and 1815. In 1837 it could accommodate 17
officers, 456 soldiers and 6 horses. It also had a hospital for 30 patients.
Many regiments served in the barracks from its opening in 1815 until the departure of the
British in 1922. The comings and goings at ballymullen barracks gave Tralee links with all parts
of the world from Canada to new Zealand, from the west Indies to South Africa and from
Malta to the Punjab.
Ballymullen is now the headquarters of the 15th Infantry Battalion of the F.C.A.(Fóras Cosanta
Áitiúil which translates into Local Defence Force).
Ballymullen Barracks