Flax - Threads of Time

Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage

Flax - Threads of Time

Saturday 19 October 24

Parochial Hall Clonakilty P85 XC64/ 10-5pm

Lecture by Michael Smith

Tom Crean – Creating a New Irish Icon

Lecture by

Michael Smith

Thursday October 10 2024

at

8.30pm

in

Clonakilty GAA Club, Ahamilla

Michael Smith, author of the best-selling An Unsung Hero – Tom Crean, recalls the challenge of rescuing Kerry's Antarctic explorer from obscurity and creating an iconic Irish hero. An Unsung Hero is among Ireland's most successful non-fiction books of all time with worldwide sales of over 150,000 copies and has been translated into Chinese, German and Spanish. Tom Crean's story is now included on the curriculum in Irish schools and has inspired other spin-offs including a successful stage play and the Tom Crean Brewery.  

Tom Crean was the unsung hero of Antarctic exploration whose incredible exploits exploring with Captain Scott and Ernest Shackleton were overlooked for 80 years. Crean, who ran away from home as a teenager, served on three expeditions to the Antarctic, spent longer in the ice than either Scott or Shackleton and outlived both men. He was among the last to see Scott alive near the South Pole in 1912 and returned to the ice to bury his frozen body. Crean was also a major figure on Shackleton's Endurance expedition to the Antarctic exactly 100 years ago. But Tom Crean could never speak about his exploits and took his remarkable story to the grave.

Michael Smith

Michael Smith is a best-selling author-historian who wrote An Unsung Hero, the biography of Kerryman Tom Crean. Michael's books have sold over 300,000 copies worldwide and have assisted with the development of films and documentaries. He has appeared on TV and radio and lectured extensively at prestigious venues such as the National Library of Ireland, Royal Society of Irish Antiquarians, National Maritime Museum, Royal Geographical Society, Scott Polar Research Institute, the Princess Grace Memorial Library, Monaco. He has appeared at many Irish literary festivals, including Dublin Festival of History, Dublin Book Festival, Cuirt, West Cork Literary Festival, Writers' Week, Ennis Books, Immrama, Words by the Sea and Mountains to Sea Festival. Michael was an award-winning journalist with The Guardian and The Observer.

Dúchas events for your October diary

Heritage Week 2024 - Clonakilty

Outdoor Talk at the ‘Big Bridge’ in Clonakilty

Adjacent to

 Clonakilty Fire Station, Kent Street, Clonakilty, P85 PW13

An outdoor talk by Con O’Neill of Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage at the ‘Big Bridge’. Utilising place names, local lore and archaeological investigations, we will reimagine the landscape through which the River Feagle flowed in the early medieval period and explore the reasons why a settlement developed here. We will then utilise the built heritage in the immediate vicinity of the ‘Big Bridge’ to tell the story of the town from the 1730s through to the 1850s.

Numbers limited. Please text 087 7642465 to register for the event.

 https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings/outdoor-talk-at-the-big-bridge-in-clonakilty

Guided Historical Walk of Clonakilty Town

Wed August 21; 7pm – 8pm

Meeting at

Michael Collins Statue, Emmett Square, Clonakilty

There has been a settlement in or near the present town of Clonakilty since 1292; the town as we know it today was founded by Richard Boyle, Earl of Cork. Each century since has left its mark. 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 (poet, activist and wife of Fenian Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa), Michael Collins and Tadhg an Asna (1798 Leader).

 https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings/guided-historical-walk-of-clonakilty-town

Please note that if you miss out on the guided town walk during Heritage Week you will have further opportunities to avail of it as, weather permitting, it will go ahead each Wednesday evening in August at 7pm.

Clonakilty Historic Walks 2024

Due to enquires and demand, Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage is delighted to organise the weekly guided historical town walks starting this Wednesday 10th July. 

Walks will commence at 7pm sharp from the Michael Collins statue and are free to attend. 

They last about an hour and are led by volunteer guides from Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage, and will only proceed if weather is suitable on Wednesday evenings in July and August. 

Fáilte roimh chách and no charge to participate.

See the Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage Facebook page HERE for updates.

Duchas AGM 2024

The AGM of Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage was held recently at O’ Donovan’s Hotel with a large crowd in attendance! 

Cathaoirleach Tim Feen welcomed all and gave an overview of another busy year for the organisation, which organised activities practically every month. He thanked everyone for their support and paid tribute to the various sub-committees who all work diligently and effectively throughout the year. 

The establishment a few months ago of the West Cork History Societies Association – an umbrella group for all the local history and heritage groups in West Cork was welcomed and William Casey spoke about this initiative during the meeting. Pádraig O’ Reilly, Pavilion Manager and the Clonakilty GAA Club were thanked for facilitating the monthly lectures so efficiently.

Fachtna McCarthy, AGM Minutes Recording Secretary, read the detailed account of last years AGM. 

Reps from the various sub-committees - Lectures and Field Trips (Marian O’ Leary); Journal (Con O’ Neill); Preservation (Clíodhna O’ Leary); Big Cross 125^th Commemoration (Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin); Website and Mayoral Council delivered their reports. 

Rúnaí Marian O’ Leary reported there were eight well attended lectures, two films, a number of fieldtrips, heritage week events and a three-day trip away to Newgrange and Knowth with stops on the way to and back at other points of historical interest in September which was enjoyed by 24 members. 

Fachtna McCarthy outlined the Treasurers Report and PRO Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin thanked the local print, broadcast and website media organs and journalists for publicising events during the year, and spoke about the growing popularity of the Facebook page. 

Looking forward, the AGM noted that 2024 marks the centenary of the re-location of the Clonakilty Post Office to the former Presbyterian Church and is also the 200^th anniversary of the founding of the RNLI and Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage will mark these occasions. May will see the screening of “Rebel Wife” the film on the life of Mary Jane Irwin at Clonakilty Cinema.

On June 8th, the unique Clonakilty Mayoral Election (held every five years) will again take place and Tomás Tuipéar and Jerome JC O’ Sullivan outlined the plans for same and that sub-committee was re-activated to oversee, plan and organise the upcoming election and count and installation of the newly-elected Mayor for 2024-2025. 

The committee elected for the coming year included: Tim Feen, (Cathaoirleach); Michael O’ Mahony, (Leas Cathaoirleach); Marian O’ Leary, (Rúnaí); Barbara McGuirk, (Leas Rúnaí); Fachtna McCarthy, (Cisteoir); Michael O’ Sullivan, (Leas Chisteoir); Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin, (PRO); Con O’ Neill, (Asst. PRO); AGM Recording Secretary: Fachtna McCarthy. Committee members: Don Hill, Seán Brennan. 

See "Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage" on Facebook for regular updates of activities and historical, archeological and heritage articles of local interest.