Cork’s 1916 heritage to be enshrined in fascinating new book

MUCH has been written over the past few months about the people and events that shaped the 1916 Rising and the subsequent struggle for Irish freedom.

While individual communities, often with support from Cork County Council, have marked many locations of relevance to the period, others have not been formally recognised or even forgotten over the mists of time.

With this in mind the council’s Heritage Unit is in the process of compiling a new publication detailing sites across the county with significant historical links to arguably the most pivotal period in modern Irish history.

The authority’s heritage officer, Conor Nelligan, has appealed for members of the public to send in their submissions for inclusion in the new book.

“Cork has a wealth of historically important sites – places with associated events and people – that have collectively shaped the county’s heritage as a whole. Particularly with regard to the defining years of the Irish nation,” said Conor.

He said ‘Centenary Sites of County Cork’ would be the latest instalment of an award-winning series of publications compiled by the Heritage Unit.

“While many sites have been commemorated with monuments, plaques, crosses and memorials others, people may not even be aware of others in their own areas. Our aim is to document all of these sites, recalling Cork’s role in the formative years of the Irish Republic before and after Easter 1916 and beyond to the War of Independence and the Civil War,” said Conor.

“In order to add to the overall scope and content of the publication, we are asking both individuals and groups to submit details of sites and their links to people and events to us for possible inclusion,” he added.

Stories and photographs must be emailed to cork.heritage@corkcoco.ie by next Monday. More information about the initiative can be obtained by contacting the Heritage Unit on 021 428 5905.

“All submissions will be given due consideration and depending on the volumes of information we receive it is anticipated that a significant number will feature in the finished publication,” said Conor.