Clon historical lecture on West Cork people in US Civil War
The Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage zoom May lecture on "Recovering the Voices of West Cork in the American Civil War" by historian, archaeologist and a former curator in the National Museum of Ireland Dr. Damian Shiels was another great success and enjoyed by the large crowd who “tuned in”.
In his wide-ranging talk, Damian said that it is estimated that around 250,000 Irish Americans fought for the Union during the American Civil War and the records left behind offer some of the most detailed insights into the ordinary lives of Irish emigrants in 19th century America.
Utilising new research, he explored what these records tell about emigrants and emigration from West Cork to the United States, and what they reveal about how those from the area were impacted by the war. The words of the men and women themselves, left behind in their letters and statements from more than 150 years ago were quoted throughout the talk.
Dr. Damian Shiels runs the www.irishamericancivilwar.com website and has written a number of books on this topic. The lecture was recorded and the recording is available to look at for members of Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage who have been emailed out the log in details.
Membership of Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage is free for 2021 and all details are on our Facebook page and website.
Dúchas AGM 2021
The AGM of Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage was held on zoom recently with 20 members attending. Cathaoirleach Tim Feen extended a welcome to all and reviewed the strange year gone by. The group’s last physical lecture was in February 2020 and as the COVID pandemic took hold, all activities were postponed.
As the weeks dragged in to long months, Dúchas decided in December 2020 to try out its first online lecture.
It was for many a trip into the unknown as Colum Cronin delivered a fascinating and faultless lecture on “The Kilmichael Ambush”. In January, “The Castles of West Cork” lecture by Finola Finlay was attended by over 300 people with huge positive reaction. Tim thanked and congratulated everyone in the organisation who organised these successful events, in particular, Marian O’ Leary and predicted that this is how the group will work for most of 2021 at least.
He also reported on a few other activities and plans for the coming year. Fachtna McCarthy, Cisteoir reported that despite not having physical lectures with paying attendees, the finances were relatively healthy for the coming year. It was also said that membership is free until December 2021. Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin, PRO thanked all the local media for advertising the Dúchas activities and mentioned recently retired Editor of “The Southern Star”, Con Downing, for his support over the years. He also reported that there has been a growing interest in the Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage Facebook page and website, the latter which will be upgraded in the coming weeks.
Clíodhna O’ Leary and Michael O’ Mahony reported on the progress being made on the upcoming third journal and History of the Clonakilty Council respectively. Both publications will hopefully be completed and on the bookshelves by the end of the year. Representatives of other sub-committees also delivered reports, which were all positive. The outgoing officers as follows were all re-elected to their positions for the coming year.
Cathaoirleach: Tim Feen; Leas Cathaoirleach: Carmel Flahavan; Cisteoir: Fachtna McCarthy; PRO: Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin; Asst. PRO: Marian O’ Leary.
With membership expanding weekly, there was an open invitation to all members not attending the AGM to consider joining the committee or one of the sub-committees. Contact can be made by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage Facebook page or website.
Membership 2021
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Duchas Clonakilty Heritage Journals
In the current environment many individuals, clubs and organisations locally are currently putting measures in place to keep the morale up and keep people occupied (in the safety of their own homes), and so Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage have decided to make available for free the two volumes of the Duchas Clonakilty Heritage journal as PDFs on our website here
It is possible to read / download the entire journals or just individual articles.
Feel free to share link http://www.duchasclonakiltyheritage.com/index.php/journals to family, friends or anyone who you think might enjoy these articles!
Clonakilty Historical Journal
Second Clonakilty Historical Journal launched
PHOTO: Seen at the launch of the Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage “Clonakilty Historical and Archaeological Journal Volume 2" at the Parish Centre before Christmas were:
Back: Tim Feen, (Cathaoirleach Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage); Tony McCarthy, (contributor); Mayor John Loughnan; Tomás Tuipéar, Michael O’ Mahony and Dr. Bernadette McCarthy, (all contributors).
Front: Sam Kingston, Diarmuid Kingston and Áine Ní Chonnaill (all contributors); Michael Galvin, (who launched the journal); Clíodhna O’ Leary, (Editor) and Marian O’ Leary, (contributor). (Photo: Anthony Brennan).
Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage “Clonakilty Historical and Archaeological Journal Volume 2" was launched at the Clonakilty Parish Centre before Christmas and sales are going well in local bookshops and other outlets.
With over 300 pages and 15 articles on diverse local historical and archaeological topics – including two by authors in the United States, this journal is a must for all locals and a great companion to Volume 1 published two years ago.
Kilmurry local historian and author Michael Galvin launched the journal on the night.
Tim Feen, Cathaoirleach Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage welcomed the crowd of around 60 people in attendance, complimenting the journals editor Clíodhna O’ Leary and her editorial board who’ve been working on the project since the publication of the inaugural journal of 2015. It is a very busy and efficient sub-committee of Dúchas.
Mayor John Loughnan, (founding chair of Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage), paid tribute to all involved in bringing the book to publication before Christmas, and referred to many of the articles contained in it. He encouraged everyone to purchase and promote it.
Clíodhna Ó Leary, editor thanked all her fellow authors who have contributed excellently written and well-researched articles as well as the editorial board and the outlets that are selling the journal.
Michael O’ Mahony, on behalf of the Editorial Board (and an author himself), outlined the process from writing an article to it’s eventual appearance in the journal, referencing, etc.
Special guest Michael Galvin officially launched the publication referring in detail to many of the 15 articles contained in the journal. He praised the quality of the writing and the excellent research – backed up by referencing, in all of them. It was quite clear that all contributors have a real passion for history and research and in many cases their articles were the culmination of years of research and investigation. He commended the journal to all who are interested in history both local and with a local slant.
The formalities concluded with Tim Feen thanking everyone and encouraging people to purchase the book, which at €10 in most local bookshops, newsagents, etc. is great value.
The following local outlets currently has it in stock- Coughlan’s Bookshop; Kerr's Bookshop; Clonakilty Bookshop; Meade’s Newsagent; Scally's Supervalu; The Golden Pheasant, Courtmacsherry and Barryroe Co-Op. It will be available in bookshops in the wider West Cork area over the coming couple of weeks.
Dúchas Members Trip to the Beara Peninsula
Dúchas Members Trip to the Beara Peninsula
Twenty-five members of Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage had a very interesting weekend trip to the Beara Peninsula on Sept 30/Oct 1 2017. The trip started with a visit to Thornhill Cilleenach, a large children’s graveyard, unusual in that it had one inscribed grave marker. Moving closer to Castletownbere, we visited the humble cottage in which William Martin Murphy was born, the politician and businessman who is now infamously remembered for the 1913 Lockout of the Dublin trade unionists, led by James Larkin. While having lunch in MacCarthy’s bar we gained an insight into the incredible story of Dr Aidan MacCarthy and the Japanese sword. Dunboy Castle, the seat of Donal Cam O’Sullivan Bere, and Puxley Mansion followed, then on to Dzogchen Beara, Dursey Sound and Allihies Mountain Mine. 
On Sunday morning, a guided town walk of Castletownbere was followed by a visit to Dereenattagart stone circle, then on to the ruins of the old rectory where Canon James Goodman compiled his vast musical collection while a curate in the 1860s, a visit to the imposing Ballycrovane Ogham stone, the tallest known Ogham stone, Kilcatherine Church with its medieval cross and curious stone head, and not forgetting the Hag of Beara on our travels before stopping at the peaceful Kilmackillogue Harbour for a welcome meal in Harringtons. Our journey home was through the beautiful Healy Pass, with views down over Glenlough Lake as the sun was setting.
Our thanks to Fachtna O’Donovan, of Castletownbere, our guide for the weekend, who gave us a truly wonderful history of this beautiful and historic peninsula and to William Casey for his informative and sensitive talk on the cilleen. Also thanks to Rachael Cronin for organising a superb weekend and to our intrepid bus driver, Teddy Lowney, for braving the many narrow and windy roads of the remoter parts of the peninsula.
View photographs of the day courtesy of Anthony Brennan & William Casey GALLERY