The Hurleys of Strand House

A Clonakilty Family: the Hurleys of Strand House

Lecture by

Deirdre Clenet (née Hurley)

The Parish Centre, Clonakilty

8 pm Thursday Nov 28^th 2019

This is the story of three generations of the Hurley family of Clonakilty: Charles Anthony Hurley, who introduced the pasteurisation of milk to Co. Cork in the early1950s and was the founder of the Clona Milk company; his father, Jerome Hurley, a pig breeder and pig buyer, whose specialised pig feed was so successful that it attracted the attention of the newly established Dept. of Agriculture and who later owned the majority shares of Deasy & Company, the historic brewery of Clonakilty; his grandfather, Tom Hurley, who ran a bakery, grocery shop and flour and seed depot in the town in 1850, who played an active part in the United Irish League of Clonakilty and was a brother of Tim Hurley, who gallantly resisted the eviction of his family from Castleview Mills in 1886.

Deirdre Clenet (néeHurley), the daughter of Charles Anthony Hurley grew up in Strand House, the Hurley family home purchased by her grandfather in1906. She attended the Sacred Heart Secondary School in Clonakilty and after graduating from UCC, began her career in biochemical research in the US. Moving to London with her family in the 1970s, she campaigned actively for the conservation of natural habitats and joined Civic Trust London which promotes the conservation of historic buildings. She published ‘Handbook of Community Initiatives: Amenity in Action’ and co-authored ‘Nature Conservation in the London Borough of Croydon’.

Deirdre will use her family archive of photographs, documents and press cuttings to explore the lives of her father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

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

Winners of the Heritage Week Treasure Hunt

List of winners of the Heritage Week Treasure Hunt:

Cian O'Sullivan, Ovens

Daire Murray, Waterford

Stella McKane, Carmarthen, Wales

Rohan Neat, Cambridge, UK

Yasemin Yikilmaz, Ballincollig

Michael Collins, Woodfield

Caolan O'Driscoll, Dunmanway

Nuria Gomez Cardoso, Midleton

Annie McCarthy, Clonakilty

Niamh O'Gorman, Kinsale

Louis Barrett-Slater, UK

 With thanks to all our sponsors:

Geraldine Cullinane, Clonakilty Bookshop

Trish Kerr, Kerr's Bookshop

Laurence Coughlan, Coughlan's Bookshop

West Cork Model Railway Village

Michael Collins House

Good positive feedback from many participators, with both children and accompanying adults enjoying the opportunity to discover the history of Clonakilty.