50 Gems of West Cork

The History & Heritage of the Most Iconic Places

Kieran McCarthy

• Publisher: Amberley Publishing
• Year: 2019
• eBook ISBN: 9781445692401
• Edition: 0
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: World History
• Index: History

Situated in the south-western corner of Ireland, the region of West Cork attracts millions of visitors each year to discover its spectacular coastline and dramatic landscapes. It is known for many aspects: its scenery, its serenity, its culture and its people. 50 Gems of West Cork takes the reader from Bandon to Castletownbere, through the changing and unspoilt landscapes and seascapes, and provides an insight into the uniqueness of the region. The necklace of towns and villages are all linked together through a striking section of Ireland's coastline, encompassing a raw coastal wilderness with expansive inlets. Together with the exquisite coastal scenery are undulating inland landscapes criss-crossed by mountains, hills, streams and rivers, imposing old-world villages and wonderful discoveries at every bend in the road. In this book, local author Kieran McCarthy seeks out the essence and the character of the area to show how special it is.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Map
• 1. The Capture of the Past – Bandon and its Bridge
• 2. The Lure of the Past – Timoleague Franciscan Abbey
• 3. A Guardian of the Seas – Courtmacsherry Lifeboat Station
• 4. An Industrial Inheritance – Ballinascarty’s Model T Ford Sculpture
• 5. Ashlin’s Delight – Clonakilty and Its Church Heritage
• 6. The Landscapes of a Statesman – Remembering Michael Collins
• 7. A Causeway to a Virgin Gaze – Inchidoney Island
• 8. An Estate and Its Countryfile – Castlefreke Estate
• 9. Protecting the Coast – Galley Head Lighthouse
• 10. A Compass in the Landscape – Drombeg Stone Circle
• 11. Etched in Legend – Leap and Its Myths
• 12. The Harbour of the Oaks – Glandore Pier
• 13. The Hook of a Story – Union Hall
• 14. The Roots of the Past – Castletownsend and Its Curiosities
• 15. The Mournful Countryside – Skibbereen and the Great Famine
• 16. The Biology of Place – Lough Hyne and a European Marine Reserve
• 17. A Bejewelled Knapsack – Baltimore Castle
• 18. A Coastal Pillar – Baltimore Beacon
• 19. Etching a Narrative – Carbery’s Hundred Isles
• 20. An International Hub – Sherkin Island Friary
• 21. Snippets in Time – Cape Clear Museum
• 22. The Teardrop of Ireland – Fastnet Rock
• 23. The Roar of History – The Fastnet Trails
• 24. Engineering a Future – Ballydehob Viaduct
• 25. Benchmarks of Maritime Heritage – Schull Pier
• 26. The Habitats of Landscape – Barley Cove
• 27. A Cul-de-Sac Speaks – Crookhaven and Its Connections
• 28. Upon the Ramparts of Ruins – Three Castle Head
• 29. Ireland’s Southern Point – Mizen Head
• 30. A Chequered Past – Bantry House
• 31. An Expedition into the Past – Stories from Bantry Bay
• 32. A Rugged Walking Trail – The Sheep’s Head
• 33. The Rugged Glen – Glengarriff and the Caha Pass
• 34. An Island of Curiosities – Garinish Island
• 35. The Border of Counties – The Healy Pass
• 36. The Manouevres of Time – Castletownbere and Berehaven
• 37. A Monument of Initiative – Bere Island Heritage Centre
• 38. A Memory of Irish History – Dunboy Castle
• 39. A Ruin of a Ruin – Puxley’s Mansion
• 40. The Shaper of the Land – The Hag of Beara
• 41. Beneath the Landscape – Allihies Copper Mine Museum
• 42. Crossing a Sound – Dursey Island and Its Cable Car
• 43. A Crossroads in the Landscape – Tales from Drimoleague
• 44. A Silver Cup of Gratitude – Dunmanway and Sam Maguire
• 45. A Personalised Past – Ballinacarriga Castle
• 46. Of Saints and Scholars – Kinneigh Round Tower
• 47. The Legacy of the O’Sullivan Beares – Carriganass Castle
• 48. In the Shadow of the Pass – Pass of Keimaneigh
• 49. Finbarre’s Rocky Place – Gougane Barra
• 50. Ireland’s First National Park – Gougane Barra
• About the Author