Drimoleague Old Graveyard is in the heart of West Cork. (Watch a short film on this graveyard for a tour of the monuments and hear some of the stories of those buried here.) The gable end of a medieval church is still standing on this site, and this ruin is surrounded by numerous graves, tombs […]

With the killing of 32 people, ‘Bloody Sunday’, 21 November 1920, was one of the most far-reaching and crucial days of the War of Independence in Ireland. The summer of 1920 had seen a resurgence of the British authorities in Dublin and Michael Collins believed that the British threat to the IRA’s position in the […]

The West Cork Graveyard Project’s aim is to raise awareness and foster pride in the historic graveyards of West Cork; to encourage people to visit them (even virtually) and promote genealogy tourism. It also seeks to record local heritage knowledge that might otherwise be lost to posterity and to share this information online. It also […]

West Cork is known for its eclectic mix of people who sometimes decide to take matters into their own hands to do something outside the norm. Such an event happened on one island in Roaringwater Bay in 1973 when residents there decided to issue their own Long Island postage stamps. Long Island, historically called Inishfada, […]

A letter written in late 1846, which had a profound effect on the outcome of the Great Famine, is now returned to Skibbereen, the epicentre of that crisis, thanks to the family of the late Hollywood actress Rita Hayworth. “At Skibbereen, the Dispensary Doctor found seven wretches lying unable to move under the same cloak. […]

Skibbereen Heritage Centre is housed in the historic and beautiful Old Gasworks Building, on the banks of the River Ilen, and we are truly blessed to work in this special building.       The genesis of the building dates back to December 1866 when a group of local businessmen set up the the Skibbereen […]

There is always a great sense of nostalgia about railways and the part they played in providing an economic and social lifeline, in particular to rural parts of the country. Visitors to Skibbereen Heritage Centre often ask for information about the railway line in this part of the world. It is almost sixty years since […]

Three of the most imposing buildings on Ilen Street are the Steam Mill, the West Cork Hotel and the offices of the Southern Star newspaper, all very important to the story and history of Skibbereen. Also on Ilen Street we have two bridges that span the Ilen River, the Kennedy Bridge and the old Railway […]

We are delighted to say that Skibbereen Heritage Centre will reopen to the public on Tuesday the 30th of June. Due to the necessary social distancing restrictions, however, there will be limited capacity in our exhibitions so we are asking that visits be pre-booked by giving us a ring on 028 40900. Full details are […]

As part of our ongoing series of video tours of local historic graveyards, click here to see a short film on Augahdown Graveyard. Aughadown Graveyard is one of the most beautiful medieval graveyards in West Cork. Located on the banks of the River Ilen, west of Skibbereen town, it contains burials from the Roman Catholic, […]

One of the most beautiful places in Skibbereen town is what is known locally as the Church Meadow. The site of Abbeystrewry Church and Parochial Hall is not a meadow at all of course but it is an oasis of tranquility right in the centre of town. There has been a church on this site […]