Tom Boyle’s grandfather was an RIC officer in Kerry, before his transfer to Kilkenny. After leaving school at the age of 17, Tom was employed by Kilkenny County Council as a Clerical Officer in 1947, until he retired in 1994. It was a long career, during the course of which he saw many changes. Among the topics discussed in this interview is the development of housing just after the war years. At that time the Council employed 800 people, most of them part-time. While working in the accounts department Tom came across an old diary dating from 1914, which gave an account of the financial transactions of the time. He spoke about the changes in the social welfare system, gave an account of the Famine years, the poorhouses and the Anti-TB campaign.
This part of the interview includes a description of Tom Boyle’s work in administration in the County Council. He also talks about the County Council’s previous building, the Infirmary and the collection of rates over the years, old work practices with the Council, the role of the manager, policy decisions and his position as Acting Manager. A discussion on industrial development and planning brought this interview to an end.
Keywords: County Manager, RIC, Kilkenny city, County Council, clerical officer, post-war housing, the Great famine, poorhouses, tuberculosis, rate collector, infirmary, industrial development
