Upcoming Cork Events

Some news from Cork County Council:

Date/Time: Wednesday 27th January 2021 at 19:30

Event: Illustrated Lecture: The Burning of Cork

Location: Contact Kieran ([email protected] ) if you wish to attend any or all of the talks. A link will then be posted to you the night before each talk. All talks are on Zoom and are free.

Additional Information: Michael Lenihan, “The Burning of Cork” – Michael has written a well-researched and beautifully illustrated book on the burning of Cork. His presentation , with lots of photographs, brings to life that fateful night. Event Organised by Youghal Celebrates History.
———————————-
Cork County Council launches new Publication – The Archaeological Heritage of County Cork

Cork County Council has launched the 8th instalment of its heritage publication series “The Archaeological Heritage of County Cork”. This publication draws from the wealth of knowledge of community groups countywide, whose submissions were assembled and enriched by the expertise of the former Director of the Cork Archaeological Survey, Denis Power.
The publication takes readers on a journey of archaeological sites throughout the County, ranging from stone circles and standing stones, to ringforts, castles, lime kilns and many more, documenting millennia of human life in Cork County.
“The Archaeological Heritage of County Cork” will be available from bookshops and retailers at €10.

For more information visit www.corkcoco.ie/arts-heritage or email [email protected].
—————————–
Following the success of Cork County Council’s original ‘The Colourful Heritage of County Cork’ bilingual colouring book, a second volume has now been launched as part of the Council’s ‘Keep Well’ wellbeing campaign.
Volume Two of the popular series features 30 brand new sites from across the county, from Bandon and Buttevant to Kanturk and Youghal. Supported by The Heritage Council and the Creative Ireland Programme, the publication is bilingual in both Irish and English and covers a wide range of culture and heritage, from craft and archaeology to biodiversity and maritime heritage.
The Colourful Heritage of County Cork – Volume Two is available to download on Cork County Council’s website at www.corkcoco.ie.

A limited number of printed copies are available free of charge. To request a copy of the new release or the original publication, simply email [email protected].

The publication forms part of Cork County Council’s “Keep Well” Campaign, which aims to provide resources, advice and support on maintaining mental and physical health this winter. These resources are available on https://www.corkcoco.ie/en/keeping-well-your-community and are promoted across the Council’s social media channels.
—————————–
Documentaries Remembering the War of Independence in County Cork

Cork County Council has undertaken two documentaries as part of its Decade of Centenaries Commemorative Programme to remember The Kilmichael Ambush and two of Cork’s revolutionaries, Tomás MacCurtáin and Terence McSwiney. The documentary videos, supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, were released on Cork County Council’s YouTube channel on Friday, November 27th.

November 28th, 2020 marked the centenary of the Kilmichael Ambush, a pivotal event in the War of Independence for Cork County and City and for the emerging nation as a whole. The ambush, led by Tom Barry as commander of the West Cork Brigade’s Flying Column, saw 20 fatalities, one of the highest number of casualties at any singular event in Ireland during the War of Independence.

Tomás MacCurtáin and Terence McSwiney both held the office of the Lord Mayor of Cork City. While holding the office, MacCurtáin was assassinated by the Royal Irish Constabulary, and McSwiney, his successor and friend, died in prison on hunger strike in protest at his internment and trial as a civilian by a military court. These events sent shockwaves throughout the world and would influence future revolutionaries such as Mahatma Gandhi. The documentary will explore the ties of these important figures to the County of Cork.

————
Cork’s WWI Ex-Servicemen and Their Memorials 1917 – 1925

This book, by Author Jean Prendergast, tells the history of Cork’s WW1 Veterans and their Memorials from the foundation of the Cork Branch of the Federation of Discharged and Demobilised Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Association in 1917 to the unveiling of the WW1 Memorial on the South Mall in 1925. During this tumultuous time, Cork’s WW1 Veterans navigated the end of the War, the War of Independence and the Civil War and local politics in Cork and also managed to erect permanent memorials to their fallen comrades in Ypres and in Cork. The Munster Memorial in Ypres, in Belgium, was one of their achievements, a fact which remains unknown in Ireland and in Belgium where the memorial is often mistaken for a memorial to the Royal Munster Fusiliers. In Cork, the WW1 War Memorial, or Cenotaph, in the South Mall is very much the ‘hidden in plain sight’ public sculpture in the city. This book reveals the story of both memorials and the story of the men behind them. It is available on AMAZON.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The War of Independence West Cork Trail

Cork County Council’s Michael Collins House has launched an all new heritage guide; ‘The War of Independence West Cork Trail’. The guide, which is available in print and online, details the key West Cork sites associated with the Irish War of Independence.

The trail was researched and compiled by Michael Collins House Museum, Clonakilty as part of its centenary commemorative programme for the Irish War of Independence in West Cork. Taking into account the seven different 1920 IRA battalion areas of Bandon, Clonakilty, Skibbereen, Schull, Bantry, Castletownbere and Dunmanway the trail highlights some of the key events and sites in each area giving participants an overall view and understanding of the war for which the ‘Rebel County’ is well known.
West Cork was one of the most active regions in the Irish War of Independence, with many events of local and national importance taking place here. The “War of Independence Trail” aims to highlight some of the related sites and memorials, while providing a guide for both locals and visitors to the region. Encouraging viewers to engage with the fascinating revolutionary heritage of West Cork, the trail leads participants around some of the lesser known but nonetheless historically important and beautiful sites in the region. A printed leaflet and map are available throughout Cork County Council’s library network and other heritage attractions. An online version with even more information, sites and interactive maps is available on www.michaelcollinshouse.ie or through the Michael Collins House App.