Lecture on ‘’Boss’’ Croker

Our next lecture is as follows (please note the later time of 8.30pm)

 

‘’Boss’’ Croker of Tammany Hall

Lecture by

Fachtna McCarthy

Thursday March 30th at 8.30pm

Clonakilty GAA Pavilion, Ahamilla

Richard “Boss” Croker was born in Ballyva, Ardfield in 1841 and emigrated to the USA a few years later along with his family to escape the ravages of the Great Famine. This lecture will cover the story of his rise from the depths of poverty to vast wealth, as a result of his involvement in the infamous Tammany Hall organisation. His fall from grace and hasty exit from the USA, firstly to Britain, and thereafter to Ireland, will also be covered. The lecture will go on to recount the story of his involvement in horse racing and breeding, with particular emphasis on his astonishing achievement in winning the Epsom Derby in 1907 with his horse Orby. The excitement created throughout Ireland by that victory will be recounted, as will “Boss” Croker’s subsequent controversial involvement in horse racing and his many disputes with the authorities running the sport. The lecture will deal in detail with Croker’s later life in his splendid mansion in Glencairn and the controversy created by his last Will, leading to a celebrated law case following his death in 1922. The concluding part of the lecture will cover the unusual stories of Croker’s ghost roaming the grounds of Glencairn following the reinterment of his remains in a nearby cemetery, as well as the story of the subsequent history of his magnificent residence, which went on to become the official residence of the British Ambassador to Ireland.

Fachtna McCarthy is a keen local historian who has contributed over the years to various local history journals. He published a detailed history of Clonakilty Agricultural Show Society in 2020.

Clonakilty Journals on sale

Clonakilty Historical & Archaeological Journals are available from Coolim Books HERE

(Please note the Biblio website takes a little bit of time to load)

Dúchas AGM 2023

The AGM of Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage was held recently at O' Donovan's Hotel, Clonakilty.
Tim Feen, Cathaoirleach, welcomed everyone and reflected on a busy year for the organisation when normality returned after the pandemic period and in-person lectures, commemorative events and field trips were held almost monthly. Among the highlights were participation in the Michael Collins Centenary Commemoration Festival events in August and the production of another YouTube video – this time on some of the history of Timoleague for Heritage Week.
Progress was made by a sub-group in tidying up Kilgarriffe Old Cemetery and cutting back vegetation, which was threatening parts of it and the gravestones therein, and local Cork County Council officials were thanked for their support.
Tim also updated members on Templebrien Stone Circle negotiations with statutory bodies.
Fachtna McCarthy, (recording secretary), read out his comprehensive minutes of AGM 2021 which were adopted and Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin, PRO, thanked all the local print, broadcast and internet media organs and community newsletters and their editors, journalists and photographers for publicising Dúchas events before and after, during the last year. The Facebook page, with over 2,500 followers, is becoming more popular as a communication vehicle with the public.
Fachtna McCarthy, (this time wearing his Treasurers hat!), presented the financial report, which was satisfactory, but he cautioned the need for prudence also going forward as many costs are rising. A discussion arose and it was agreed that the organisation should facilitate people to become members online and this will be pursued.
Marian O’ Leary, Lectures and Fieldtrip Co-ordinator, thanked Clonakilty GAA Club Pavilion Manager Padraig O Reilly for facilitating the monthly lectures and it is proving a popular venue.
A discussion arose about holding future talks as “hybrid” or recorded events to facilitate members unable to make lectures.
Clíodhna O'Leary, editor and chair of the journal editorial board reported that there were some copies of Volumes 2 and 3 available still and a discussion was held about promoting these. As she indicated she was stepping back from the position she has held since 2015, she was thanked for her huge input over the years. Clíodhna also reported on a number of issues from the “Preservation Committee”.
Tomás Tuipéar reported that just a few copies of the impressive "History of Clonakilty Town Council" book remain unsold in one of the local bookshops. He and his fellow authors Michael O' Mahony and Dr. Matthew Potter were complimented on such a comprehensive publication which was compiled over a period of several years.
Diarmuid Kingston chaired the election of officers for the coming year which resulted as follows: Cathaoirleach: Tim Feen; Leas Cathaoirleach: Michael O’ Mahony; Rúnaí: Marian O’ Leary; Joint Asst. Secretaries: Barbara McGuirk and Rachael Cronin; Recording Secretary: Fachtna McCarthy; PRO: Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin; Asst. PRO: Marian O’ Leary; Treasurers: Fachtna McCarthy and Michael O’ Sullivan. Committee members: Don Hill and Seán Brennan.
Under AOB, a number of items were raised, including a welcome acknowledgement of the Clonakilty Men's Shed members who in conjunction with curator Michael O’ Connell, open up the West Cork Regional Museum, (Clonakilty Museum), from 10 to 12 noon every Monday.
Also discussed was a series of events in June to mark the 225th anniversary of the 1798 Battle of the Big Cross this June.
 

AGM Duchas Clonakilty Heritage

A chairde,
The Annual General Meeting of Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage will take place on Thursday March 2nd at 8pm in O'Donovan's Hotel. Please see agenda below.
 
If you wish to propose a motion or if you would like to send in nominations for any of the various roles on the committee (Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, PRO and Assistant PRO), please do so by Feb 23rd. We would like to encourage all our members and potential members to attend the AGM, see what our committees are doing and perhaps get involved in one or other of them - we welcome new faces and fresh ideas.
 
Please note that you must be a member in order to vote at the AGM. If you haven't got around to sending in your membership fee yet, see attachment for methods of payment or alternatively you can pay at the AGM. 
 
Le dea-ghuí,
Marian
 
Agenda:
 
  1. Apologies for absences
  2. Chairperson's Address
  3. Minutes of 2021 AGM and matters arising
  4. Treasurer's Report
  5. PRO Report
  6. Reports from Subcommittees
  7. Motions
  8. Election of Officers
  9. AOB
 
 

Lecture by Dr David Edwards

Richard Boyle, Earl of Cork and the Clonakilty community:

some new evidence, c.1613-41

Lecture by 

Dr David Edwards

Thursday Feb 23 at 8pm

Clonakilty GAA Pavilion, Ahamilla

Richard Boyle (1566-1643), a notorious ‘New English’ adventurer, who first came to Ireland in 1588 was reputed to be the wealthiest man in the Kingdom of Britain and Ireland by the time of his death. His land-grabbing activities in Munster and parts of Connacht and Leinster helped to transform the social and economic life of early seventeenth-century Ireland. He re-peopled large parts of southern Ireland with English and Welsh settlers and artisans to create a supposedly model English colony.

The town of Clonakilty was formally founded by him in 1613 when he received a charter for the town from King James I of England. It was just one of a series of towns that he founded or acquired around this time which included Lismore, Youghal, Bandon, Midleton, Castlemartyr, Charleville and Doneraile. He was created first Earl of Cork in 1620.

He was the father of fifteen children, including Robert Boyle considered to be the father of modern chemistry, and was preoccupied in procuring estates for each son and dowries and suitable matches for each daughter.

 Dr David Edwards is a Senior Lecturer in the School of History, University College Cork. He has researched and published on a range of topics dealing with Irish history between 1350 and 1650. His principal area of research is power and society in Ireland, from the Gaelic resurgence of the fourteenth century to the wars of religion in the seventeenth century. His current principal project focuses on the career and estate of Richard Boyle. With Dr Colin Rynne he edited The colonial world of Richard Boyle, first Earl of Cork in 2018, in which Boyle’s reputation is re-assessed.

Recording of Dúchas Tribute to Dick Barrett and Sean Hales

The link to the recording of our Sean Hales and Dick Barrett commemorative event held on November 18:2022 is HERE