Lecture: The Impacts of the Lisbon 1755 Tsunami

THE IMPACTS OF THE LISBON 1755 TSUNAMI EVENT ON IRELAND'S COASTS: FACT, SPECULATION AND FANTASY

Lecture by

Dr Robert Devoy

Thursday September 21 2023

at

8.30pm

in

Clonakilty GAA Club, Ahamilla

During the early hours of 1 November 1755, Lisbon was affected by a very powerful earthquake that violently shook the western and southern parts of Portugal. Some forty minutes after the earthquake, a large tsunami followed consisting of multiple waves which engulfed Lisbon. The tsunami-train reached Brazil to the west, North Africa to the south and Britain and Ireland to the north.

This illustrated lecture will look at the 1755 event, the different sites and evidences (e.g., historical, geomorphological etc.) for the event on Ireland's coasts, together with issues of its past and future significance for coasts (both in Ireland and globally).

Dr Robert Devoy, is Professor in Geography (emeritus), University College Cork (UCC) and Prof. of Physical Geography, UCC. He was formerly Head of the School of Geography, Archaeology and Planning in UCC and is currently a member of the Climate Council of Ireland’s, Climate Change Adaptation Advisory Committee; a research associate at the Geography Department, UCC; a senior scientist, technical advisor and consultant in the Centre for Marine and Energy-based Research Ireland (MaREI), Environmental Research Institute, UCC. He was a lead member of the Nobel Prize awarded Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) AR4 Working Group II and was a Reviewer in IPCC AR5 (2013-2014). His research career has been involved primarily within the fields of coastal science, sea-level changes and coastal management. He retired from UCC in 2011, to continue coastal research studies in MaREI, UCC and to develop The Coastal Atlas of Ireland, published by Cork University Press in Sept. 2021.  

2023 Heritage Week Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage Events

During Heritage Week Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage will host the following events:
 
Tours of Castleview Mills, on Tue Aug 15 and Thurs Aug 17 at 7pm. Joe O'Leary, in whose family the property has been for generations, will give a tour of the mill and outline the painstaking conservation work that is ongoing. Booking is essential as numbers are strictly limited. See HERE for further details.
 
On Wed Aug 16th at 7pm, Con O'Neill, local historian and auctioneer, will present an historical street tour of Clonakilty's McCurtain Hill. The tour will take in the street’s built heritage, waterways, bridges, significant residents and important events including war and famine. See HERE for further details.  
 

June Programme of Historical Events

Clonakilty weeklong programme of historical events organised to remember Munster's only United Irishmen engagement in 1798
 

Monday 19th June marks the 225th anniversary of “The Battle of the Big Cross”, which took place just north of Shannonvale, on what was then the main road from Clonakilty to Bandon when local United Irishmen, led by Tadhg Ó Donnabháin Asna, ambushed a group of Westmeath Militia Crown Forces who were marching to Bandon in 1798. 

To mark this important anniversary, a weeklong programme of historical, non-political events has been organised by a sub-committee of Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage. 

They wish to emphasise that descendants of participants in the battle or relatives of people associated with it (eg blacksmiths who forged pikes), as well as people who were involved or attended the bicentenary events of 25 years ago (1998), are especially welcome at all events (as are members of the general public). 

People are also encouraged to dress up as “Croppies” at the events and bring along (replica!) pikes, and carry the bicentenary flags of 25 years ago, to add to the occasions. 

(In 1998, around 100 of the special flags were made and people flew them in their gardens, out windows, etc. This is encouraged again during this commemorative week – especially at/near sites where events will take place).

A dedicated Facebook page - www.facebook.com/BigCross225, has been set up, and has all details and will be updated daily. The programme is now finalised as follows:

 

Monday 19th June 8pm (actual date of anniversary) - usual wreath laying commemoration at Asna Square by Mayor of Clonakilty, Mr. Chris Hinchy. Followed by wreath laying at nearby Old Town Hall/Markethouse, McCurtain Hill (where United Irishmen bodies were dumped after the battle).

 

Tuesday 20th 8pm - Wreath-laying at Desmond's Ballymacowen Forge site, followed by wreath laying at Tadhg an Asna's homestead, Lackanalooha. Followed by a talk on the battle and related items by Tim Crowley at the Michael Collins Centre. (All locations close to each other).

 

Wednesday 21st 8pm - assemble at Phair’s car park, Shannonvale village; march to nearby Big Cross Monument itself for wreath-laying ceremony. March back to Phair’s of Shannonvale for informal social night

 

Thursday 22nd 8pm - Wreath laying at plaque at The Pike Bar, Lisavaird. (in memory of Santry blacksmiths who made pikes for the battle)

 

Friday 23rd 8pm - Wreath laying at Croppy Quay plaque, Clonakilty, followed at 9pm by Oíche Cheoil at An Teach Beag with emphasis on songs of 1798. Launch of CD and Internet format of the Darrara 1798 Song Contest cassette tape compiled in 1998. Original singers who wrote and performed songs in the contest will be present to sing their original songs again on the night - 25 years later!

 

Saturday 24th - 12 noon and 3pm (subject to interest and pre-booking), historical talk on the battle. Assemble Tadhg an Asna Monument, town centre, for walk and talk of town sites, then going to the out-of-town sites - The Pike, Big Cross itself, Tadhg's homestead, at Lackanalloha and his grave at Ballintemple Cemetery and back to town via minibus. Booking essential: 086-2202029 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Thursday 22nd.

 

Sunday 25th 8pm - Procession/parade from public road at Ballintemple to Tadhg an Asna's grave for wreath laying at Ballintemple Cemetery, followed by informal social event at Kitty Barry's Pub, in nearby Ring.

 

As most of the events are outdoors, the programme may be subject to changes in the event of unsuitable weather or other circumstances beyond the organisers control. Check the Facebook page www.facebook.com/BigCross225 for regular updates and confirmation of events.

 

The organisers also intend to re-publish the 1998 bicentenary journal in advance of Christmas and as well as all the original text and photos, there will also be a couple of new chapters with any new information about the battle, participants in it, etc. as well as some previously unpublished information about Eleanor – Tadhg an Asna’s fiancé, which has come to light in recent years that will be included. An account, including photos of the June 2023 commemorative events will also be included in the updated journal.

If any of you know relatives of people who fought in the battle, the blacksmiths who forged pikes, or anyone who would be interested in some or all of the events of the week, etc. please let them know about the week as I believe they should have pride of place at the events and be given honour of laying wreaths, etc. 

Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin,
PRO,
Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage
086-2202029
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 

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.
 

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