Launch of a stunning book about the Blackwater
A new beautifully written and photographed book about the Blackwater River was lauded in Mitchelstown last week when it was launched by Owen O’Keefe of Fermoy, one of Ireland’s most recognised swimmers.
“This is a book for dipping in and out of,” he said as he complimented its author, Bill Power, for writing a book that was not populist but also not academic. “I mean that as a compliment,” he said, as he spoke about the “absolutely outstanding and inspiring photography” in ‘The Blackwater, History and Images from the Irish Rhine’.
Owen said that the book was full of stories from the history and heritage of the river. Noting that the book was thirteen years in the making, he said that it was all the better because of the time he had put into its research, writing and the photography in ‘The Blackwater’. Owen said that Bill had captured not just a snapshot in time, but also the trends that we see in the challenges faced by the natural world because of human activity. “A lot of those trends are not for the better,” commented Owen.
“This is something I’ve seen in my work as a professional ecologist,” he continued. “We can’t ignore the changes caused by pollution, loss of habitats and the arrival of invasive species.”
He told the large attendance that the special population of whiteclawed crayfish on the Awbeg River, a major tributary of the Blackwater, has reached extinction. It was the only population of that species on the Blackwater, and also the most southerly population of white-clawed crayfish in Ireland.
Cllr Noel McCarthy, chairman of the Fermoy Municipal District, said that this was Bill’s sixteenth book and by no means his first book launch, of which he had attended several.
“The launch of the Blackwater is special,” he said. “It is the work of a great historian, photographer and author, and the large attendance tonight is testament of Bill’s popularity.”
The chairman added that it was also a family affair for the Powers, who he acknowledged as playing an important role in Bill’s success as an author.
A REASON TO EXPLORE
Anne Morrison, chairperson of Mitchelstown Heritage Society, said it was very heartening to see so many people at the launch of the book and that it was indicative of the interest people have in their heritage.
“I couldn’t get over the quality of the images in the book,” she said. “The time put into the book, not just in doing the research, finding old photographs and capturing recent images was extraordinary,” she said. “If ever there was a prompt to get out and explore the Blackwater this could be the book. This is a good lump of a book and a nudge to go out and explore the Irish Rhine.”
Bill Power said that many familiar with the history of the Blackwater might think it amusing that it is referred to as ‘the Irish Rhine,’ but he said in the 19th and early 20th century that is the nickname it was given because of is beauty and variety of big houses.
Thanking the previous speakers, he said that in many respects he was glad the book had taken so long to reach fruition, because it had gone through many changes and his own knowledge of history from and around the river had increased considerably over the years. Making decisions on what to include in the book and what to leave out were difficult ones, he said.
“In the process of writing the book, I chose the topics and subjects that interested me, and also avoided referencing any of the four previous books on the river because I wanted mine to be something completely different,” he said.
He explained that having begun his career as a journalist with newspapers, he learned that history should be written as a story and people like stories. That was why being able to write about some of the lost houses of the Blackwater, as well as houses and gardens that have been lovingly cared for and restored.
“There are some really beautiful gardens to visit on the Blackwater such as Dromana, Annes Grove and Tourin, as well as ruins of castles and churches, but most people don’t know the river beyond their immediate environs.”
He said that towns like Millstreet, Mallow, Fermoy, Lismore and Youghal have extraordinary stories to tell. But so also do the villages that spread across the landscape. He spoke of his fascination with some of the people associated with the Blackwater such as Sophie (Raffalovich) O’Brien of Mallow and Lady Mount Cashell of Kilworth, which are some of the 65 historical stories told in the book. “These are people rich in stories who are forgotten along the Blackwater, but are an integral part of their story,” he said.
Bill said that most people might not associate him with nature and the environment, but he has had an interest in these subjects since a teenager. “The Blackwater and nature in general are in crisis,” he added. “I’ve been shocked by some of the devastation I’ve seen over the past couple of decades and, as Owen has said, most of them are not for the better.”
In thanking everyone for their support and patience, Bill said he hoped the book would inspire people to appreciate the river and its history.
Andrew Dineen, who was MC for the launch, acknowledged the grant support for the book from Cork County Council and the Heritage Council, and then proceeded to surprise the author with a birthday cake, the launch being held on his birthday.
Paperback copies of ‘The Blackwater, History and Images from the Irish Rhine’ are available in local bookshops or can be ordered by calling 087-8113611 or emailing blackwaterbook@gmail.com. The limited edition hardback of the book is only available from the above number and e-mail.