Ten time’s a charm

A 10th instalment of a heritage publication about Cork county has been launched.

The series, called ‘Heritage Towns and Villages of County Cork’, was launched by Cork County Council recently and gives an overview of what can be found in towns and villages throughout the county.

Speaking at the launch, Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Danny Collins said: “Earlier this year, members of the public, community groups and historians from throughout the county were invited to submit details of their hometown or village for inclusion in the publication. The wonderful response to this call, coupled with the expertise of author Denis Power has produced an outstanding insight into the place we call home. Cork is a county that we are all very proud of and this book gives a great overview and understanding of so much of the wonderful heritage that the county has to offer. I congratulate all those who contributed.”

The county contains over 300 identifiable settlements. Some of these are recent, while some can trace their origins back over many hundreds of years.

Close to 200 settlements were already well established by the time of the first Ordnance Survey mapping of the county, almost 200 years ago, in the first half of the nineteenth century.

Towns and villages in Cork county are full of places of wonder, combined with characters spanning the centuries. Many heritage buildings survive within these settlements as do many of the customs, for example, weekly markets, fairs and much more.

Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey also spoke of the importance of recording the history and heritage of the county’s towns and villages: “Since 2013, and with the support of the Heritage Council, Cork County Council’s Heritage Unit has been undertaking a range of books under ‘The Heritage of County Cork Publication Series’. This most recent addition, which features over 230 settlements from throughout the county of Cork, gives a superb overview of what can be found in towns and villages throughout the county.

“These heritage features and attributes define our locality and underpin each community.”

‘Heritage Towns and Villages of County Cork’ is by author Denis Power (€10) and available from local bookshops.