Lectures & Events - Duchas Clonakilty Heritage

Emerging from the Shadow of Tom Crean

Lecture by Aileen Crean O’Brien & Bill Sheppard

The Parish Centre, Clonakilty

Thursday September 28^th 8.30 pm

In May 1916, Kerry man Tom Crean, along with Ernest Shackleton and four other crew members, landed the James Caird lifeboat on the rocky isle of South Georgia. The navigation of that small boat, across 1500 km through icy winds and towering seas, is regarded as the greatest-ever feat of navigation. They then trekked across the forbidding and inhospitable mountains and glaciers of South Georgia to seek help for the rest of their crew, who were left behind on Elephant Island after their ship, the Endurance, was crushed by the Antarctic ice.

One hundred years later, Crean’s grandaughter, Aileen Crean O’Brien, set off with her sons and partner to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps. Join Aileen and Bill to hear of their adventures (and misadventures) on the Southern Ocean and the island of South Georgia.

NATIONAL HERITAGE WEEK 2017
(Aug 19th – Aug 27th)
Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage Events

Event: Children's Historical Treasure Hunt of Clonakilty.
Date and Time: All week
Venue: Collect forms at Michael Collins House and other local venues.
Details: Google-free, outdoor fun learning experience for 5-12 year old children (and their parents) exploring and discovering the history of Clonakilty. Lots of prizes.

Event: Guided Historical Walk of Clonakilty Town
Date and Time: Wed Aug 23 and Sun Aug 27th 7pm
Venue: Michael Collins Statue, Emmet Square, Clonakilty
Details: The town as we know it today was founded by Richard Boyle, Earl of Cork, who received a charter from James I in 1613. This walk will introduce stories of wars, battles, rebellions, famine, smuggling and shipwrecks as well as the commercial life of the town's Linen Hall and Deasy's Brewery, and will trace the footsteps of its famous characters – Mary Jane Irwin (wife of Fenian Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa), Michael Collins and Tadhg an Asna (1798 Leader).

Event: Historical Tour of Seven Heads
Date and Time: Sat Aug 19th 2.30pm
Venue: Meet at Barryroe Church
Details: Local historian, Sean de Barra continues his tour of Seven Heads, visiting Lislee Church and Graveyard, Coolum Cliffs, Broad Strand (site of memorial to Antartic explorer Patrick Keohane) & much more.

Event: Battle of the Big Cross – Shannonvale 1798
Date and Time: Thurs Aug 24th 7pm
Venue: Phairs Pub, Shannonvale
Details: The Battle of the Big Cross took place on 19 June,1798 on the old road between Clonakilty and Balllinascarthy near the picturesque village of Shannonvale. This battle has gone down in history as the only recorded engagement to take place in all of Munster during the Rising between the United Irishmen and government forces. Diarmuid Kingston and Michael O'Mahony will speak on events and circumstances surrounding the Battle of the Big Cross and its aftermath.

NATIONAL HERITAGE WEEK 2017
(Aug 19th – Aug 27th)
Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage Events

U-260: The Glandore Sub

Lecture by
Brendan Cahill
on
Thurs Mar 23rd
at
8pm
in
The Parish Centre, Clonakilty

The U-260 was a World War II Type VIIC German submarine which sank off Glandore in April 1945. A number of its crew made it to shore at the Galley Head and the remainder were rescued the following morning. The reason for its sinking is unclear and has resulted in some speculation as to its cause with several possible explanations. Its present location is approximately 4 nautical miles south of the entrance to Glandore Harbour in 45 metres of water.

This lecture will outline the background and circumstances surrounding its sinking, the rescue of the survivors, the discovery of the wreck and its present condition. Actual footage of diving to the submarine and its condition will be shown.

Brendan Cahill, a native of Dublin, is a Rosscarbery-based Garda. Living in West Cork for the last 16 years, he is a former Garda diver who has a keen interest in wreck diving. He first dived the Glandore sub in the 1990s and has been diving to this and other wrecks for over 20 years. He is also a member of the Toe Head/Glandore Coast Guard Unit with an interest in the coastal history of the area.

A Historical Lecture 'Clonakilty Charter 1613' by Dr Matthew Potter will be held in the Parish Centre, Clonakilty on Wednesday 17th April, 2013 at 8.30 p.m.

Everyone welcome.

Our NOVEMBER lecture will take place next WED 7th at 8.30PM in the Parish Centre

The Lecture by Michael O'Brien

FROM THE SEVEN HEADS TO THE SOUTH POLE - PATRICK KEOHANE ANTARCTIC EXPLORER

will tell the story of Patrick Keohane (1879–1950) born in Courtmacsherry, County Cork, an Irish member of Scott's Antarctic expedition of 1910–1913, the Terra Nova Expedition.
This is for anyone with an interest in local history and its links with this amazing story of courage, misery and heroism and as Apsley Cherry-Garrard's book, among others, lays testament to "The Worst Journey in the World".

The Patrick Keohane Memorial Project announced the unveiling of a statue to commemorate one of Ireland’s true adventurers on Sunday, August 19th last. The sculpture of Keohane stands on the Seven Heads Walk between Broadstrand and Blind Strand, near where Keohane was born in 1879.

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