EXPLORE
• Special Exhibition Gallery
• Audio Visual Room
• Museum Gallery
• Tom Crean Room
- Knight’s Hall
• Medieval Experience
• Special Exhibition Gallery
• Audio Visual Room
• Museum Gallery
• Tom Crean Room
- Knight’s Hall
• Medieval Experience
Knight's HallThe Knight’s Hall sets the scene for the Medieval Experience by introducing you to the Norman family, the Fitzgeralds or Geraldines, who established the town of Tralee in the 13th century.
The Geraldines were one of the most important Norman families in Ireland. They traced their origin to a man named Gerald of Windsor and so they were called Geraldine or FitzGerald because Fitz was the Norman-French word for son.
There were two main branches of the Geraldine family – Kildare and Desmond, called after the places where they owned land. Throughout the medieval period most of Kerry was controlled by the Desmond Geraldines. They were descended from Maurice FitzGerald, one of the leaders when the Normans landed in Wexford in 1169. The FitzGeralds arrived in Kerry around 1200, attracted by the fertile lands of North Kerry. Maurice’s grandson, John, established the town of Tralee and founded its Dominican Abbey. By marriage, purchase and conquest, the Fitzgeralds acquired huge tracts of land in Kerry and Limerick. In 1329 Maurice FitzGerald was created first Earl of Desmond. He served as chief governor of Ireland and fought in France with King Edward III. Gerald, the third Earl, popularly known as ‘Gearóid Iarla’, was famous for his skill as a poet in Irish.
The Desmond Geraldines adopted native Irish customs and manners to such an extent that they became know as “more Irish than the Irish themselves”. Despite this the Earls continued to serve in office and never seriously wavered in their loyalty to the crown.
In the 1460s, however, Thomas the eighth Earl, was considered too powerful and he was executed on the grounds of treason in 1468. After this the Desmonds remained aloof from the activities of the Dublin and London governments. They became involved in the Yorkist plots at the end of the fifteenth century and maintained strong political contacts with the Continental enemies of the new Tudor monarchy in the 16th century. The crown’s mistrust of the Desmonds continued throughout the century until, by a series of threats and intimidations, Gerald the fifteenth Earl, was forced into rebellion. Munster was devastated and after his capture and beheading in 1583 the medieval earldom came to an end.
The Geraldines were one of the most important Norman families in Ireland. They traced their origin to a man named Gerald of Windsor and so they were called Geraldine or FitzGerald because Fitz was the Norman-French word for son.
There were two main branches of the Geraldine family – Kildare and Desmond, called after the places where they owned land. Throughout the medieval period most of Kerry was controlled by the Desmond Geraldines. They were descended from Maurice FitzGerald, one of the leaders when the Normans landed in Wexford in 1169. The FitzGeralds arrived in Kerry around 1200, attracted by the fertile lands of North Kerry. Maurice’s grandson, John, established the town of Tralee and founded its Dominican Abbey. By marriage, purchase and conquest, the Fitzgeralds acquired huge tracts of land in Kerry and Limerick. In 1329 Maurice FitzGerald was created first Earl of Desmond. He served as chief governor of Ireland and fought in France with King Edward III. Gerald, the third Earl, popularly known as ‘Gearóid Iarla’, was famous for his skill as a poet in Irish.
The Desmond Geraldines adopted native Irish customs and manners to such an extent that they became know as “more Irish than the Irish themselves”. Despite this the Earls continued to serve in office and never seriously wavered in their loyalty to the crown.
In the 1460s, however, Thomas the eighth Earl, was considered too powerful and he was executed on the grounds of treason in 1468. After this the Desmonds remained aloof from the activities of the Dublin and London governments. They became involved in the Yorkist plots at the end of the fifteenth century and maintained strong political contacts with the Continental enemies of the new Tudor monarchy in the 16th century. The crown’s mistrust of the Desmonds continued throughout the century until, by a series of threats and intimidations, Gerald the fifteenth Earl, was forced into rebellion. Munster was devastated and after his capture and beheading in 1583 the medieval earldom came to an end.
