The Manchester Martyrs

Manchester Martyrs lecture
American Bob Bateman, who gave a talk a few years ago in Clonakilty on his great-granduncle, Capt Timothy Deasy, a Fenian who was born near Ring, is returning to Clonakilty next week to speak on “The Manchester Martyrs – West Cork connections”.
The public lecture, organised by Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage will be held at The Parish Centre on Thursday July 4th at 8.30pm.
On 18th September 1867 about 50 Irish Fenians attacked a prison van guarded by a large number of unarmed police in Manchester, England. Their aim was to release two important Fenian prisoners, Thomas J. Kelly and Timothy Deasy, who was born near Ring, Clonakilty.
In the course of freeing the men, an unarmed police sergeant, Charles Brett, was shot dead. 26 men were eventually tried for their part in the attack and William Allen from Bandon, Michael O’Brien from Ballymacoda and Michael Larkin from Banagher, who subsequently became known as the ‘Manchester Martyrs’, were hanged in front of an estimated 10,000 people on 23rd November 1867 for their part in the raid. The events surrounding the attack became part of Irish nationalist folklore.
Bob Bateman is a great -grandnephew of Timothy Deasy, one of the prisoners in the prison van, and is the author of many national and international articles on Irish history and is an internationally recognised authority on the Fenian movement. He is a retired colonel in the New York Guard serving on the General Staff, Army Division Headquarters as the Deputy Chief of staff for Intelligence and is the Past Deputy Commander of the 88th Brigade, (Headquarters, New York City).
He has 15 years Federal Service with the United States Department of the Treasury and has also served as a Front Line Law Enforcement Officer for the Hampton, New Hampshire Police Department for 9 years. A former Director of the Irish National Caucus and a fourth generation member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America, Bob and his family was a close friend of General Tom Barry, a cousin of Liam and Patrick Deasy, and a distant relative of the Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa.
He has extensively researched his Fenian ancestry and its connection with Clonakilty and West Cork. On 18 June 2019, Bob was awarded the ‘Irish American Peace Prize’ from the Irish National Caucus, Washington, D.C.
The lecture is open to the public and takes place at 8.30pm on Thursday 4th July at the Parish Centre.
Further information on Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage Facebook page   https://www.facebook.com/DuchasClon

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.