Category: Books

Book Launch – Land War to Civil War 1900-1924: Donoughmore to Cork and Beyond

Book Launch by The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Kieran McCarthy

Land War to Civil War 1900-1924:

Donoughmore to Cork and Beyond

By Gerard O’ Rourke

Friday 24th May at 8 p.m.

Community Centre, Stuake, Donoughmore (Eircode P32 FP49)

Everyone Welcome to a night of reminiscence, music, and conversation.

Book will be available in local and surrounding outlets and online at www.donoughmore.ie

For every copy sold €15 will be donated to Cancer Care Services in Cork.

 This new publication paints a compelling picture of Ireland during the period 1900-1924 in the context of the parish of Donoughmore, Co Cork. It explores, examines, and explains how in a remarkable display of perseverance a road to self-government was achieved. Building on the well-received Ancient Sweet Donoughmore: Life in an Irish Rural Parish to 1900 (2015) it broadens its scope, encompassing events in Cork City, Manchester and beyond giving a more expanded study of the period.

Land War to Civil War: Donoughmore to Cork and Beyond chronicles this development of a new invigorated nationalism which saw a reawakening of social, cultural, and political aspects of national identity. The visits of renowned Irish politicians Michael Davitt and William O’Brien to Donoughmore facilitated that resurgence. The area became one of the centres of attention along the road to independence in Cork and incidents such as the executions of Mrs. Lindsay and Geoffrey Compton- Smith propelled it to the forefront of international news.

The heroism displayed by ordinary men and women in putting their lives in danger in an era of intense vigilance and intimidation is captured in an incisive manner. This is aptly portrayed in the story of the Wallace sisters in Cork and by the previously unrecognised work of Mary Healy in Manchester.

Civil war brought out the worst in human nature and hunger strikes, executions and emigration created intense rancour and left a residual memory difficult to eradicate. On a lighter note, readers will be enthralled to hear of stories such as the IRA soldier who became a monk, the story of the ‘Moon Car’ which threatened to upsurge the treaty between Ireland and Britain and the ‘Titanic’ connection with Donoughmore.

 

 

Storygate in Millstreet Library

Join puppeteer Michael Phelan & Simone Schuemmelfeder from Storygate in Millstreet Library for a great show the whole family can enjoy.  Gentle & funny stories about family & friendship will be told in combination with fantastic puppetery.

Show takes place Tuesday 19th July at 10 30 am & the duration will be 30 – 40 minutes.

Booking is essential. Please phone the library at 029 21920 for further details.

The Duhallow Historical Journal

Volume I of Dúchas: The Duhallow Historical Journal will be launched at 8pm on Saturday, 23 July. The launch will take place in the recently refurbished Cultúrlann Mhic Amhlaoibh, Newmarket, the beautiful new venue located in the old Protestant church in the town. The journal contains fifteen contributions, twelve of which are in English and three in Irish. Among the contributors are a mixture of local authors and university academics. The history and folklore of Duhallow and its hinterland are the focus. Places touched upon include, but are not confined to, Ballydaly, Ballydesmond, Banteer, Castlemagner, Clara, Clonmeen, Cullen, Donaghmore, Drishane, Dromagh, Dromtarriff, Kanturk, Knocknagree, Liscahane, Millstreet, Nadd, Rathcoole and Tullylease. Contributions are currently being sought for volume II, which it is hoped will appear in 2023.
 
All will be welcome at the launch. Copies of the journal may be purchased there, in local bookshops, or by contacting the editor at the following email address: <email>.

Millstreet Library

Hello,

My name is Gillian and I am going to be the Library Branch Manager in Millstreet from July 2022.  I am delighted to be given this opportunity to work in the library in my hometown.   I have worked almost fifteen years in the library service where I was predominantly based in Macroom but I also did a lot of relief work in many other libraries across the county over the years.

I look forward to meeting and working with you all.

The Library is a wonderful service.

You can use some library services without becoming a member, you can read books/newspapers, consult reference material, print & photocopy documents in the library without being a member. However, you will need to join the library if you want to borrow books or other items, access online services & much more.

[read more …] “Millstreet Library”

Book to mark the Clonbanin Ambush

The Centenary of the Clonbanin Ambush is on the 5th March 2021 and the Clonbanin Ambush Commemoration committee has launched a book  to mark the event. It tells the story of the Ambush and events surrounding it. The book is for sale at local outlets throughout Duhallow and is priced at €10. We would like to thank all the businesses who facilitated us in the sale of the book.

Sam and Sue learn about Cybersafety

The very best of luck to Ann Linehan, Educational Psychologist on the launch of her first book “Sam and Sue learn about Cybersafety”. The launch will take place this Friday 8th November from 3pm in Philip’s Book Shop, Mallow. [fb]

The book can be purchased from the website samandsue.com

[read more …] “Sam and Sue learn about Cybersafety”

By the Way 2 – Officially Launched

Congratulations to Ann Lane of Ballinatona whose new photographic book on public art in Ireland By the Way 2 was launched yesterday by John Sheehan of the Dubliners, at the Royal Irish Academy, Dawson Street, Dublin. Also in attendance were the President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins, his wife Sabina, and a host of well known faces from politics, friends from her 28 years as personal secretary of past President Mary Robinson. An excellent gift for all!

By the Way 2 is available to purchase from Wordwell Books.

[read more …] “By the Way 2 – Officially Launched”

Exiles: A journey through Ireland from Beara to Ballycastle

In August 2018, after walking the gruelling 700 mile Ireland Way, Dermot Breen finally arrived at his late wife’s graveside in Ballycastle, honouring a solemn promise to complete the walk in her memory and also to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.

The journey took Omagh born and Belfast based writer, Dermot, over nine weeks to complete – six weeks walking and over three weeks recovering from injury, and included a night in Millstreet along the way. He has now told his fascinating story in his latest book, ‘Exiles: A journey through Ireland from Beara to Ballycastle’….

“… standing in the River Blackwater at the Bowing crossing, cooling my feet after a long day’s walk. I stayed with the wonderful Eileen O’Riordan while in Millstreet”

[read more …] “Exiles: A journey through Ireland from Beara to Ballycastle”

Fr Ferris’s Parish Histories

Fr. William Ferris was a curate in Millstreet Parish from 1934-1935, whose lifelong mission was to restore Ireland’s linguistic and cultural purity and to counteract what he saw as the Anglicisation of Irish society.  As he said of recording oral history and folklore which was in danger of going to the grave: “Each time the east wind blows, it takes an old seanachaí with it”.

Last week, the Bishop of Kerry Ray Browne will officially launched “History of the Parishes of BallymacElligott, Ballyseedy, O’Brennan and Nohoval” by Fr. Ferris which had been banned by his predecessor Dr Michael O’Brien, Bishop of Kerry 85 years ago, having taken exception to a claim by Fr. Ferris that St. Brendan was born in BallymacElligott and not in Fenit, as was accepted diocesan tradition.

In 1937 he published the book “Sráid an ṁuilinn, A History of its people by its people for its people” (under the pseudonym of Timothy Broker, to avoid the book being blocked), which recorded local history and more from the Millstreet Parish, which had been gathered at local station masses. See details of that book here.

[read more …] “Fr Ferris’s Parish Histories”

Bernard is nominated for the T.S. Eliot Prize

The very best of luck to Bernard O’Donoghue who has been nominated for the 2016 T.S. Eliot poetry prize for his new collection of poems The Seasons of Cullen Church. “This collection of expert lyric poems movingly animates the characters of his childhood in County Cork; it confirm O’Donoghue’s place as one of the most approachable and agile voices in contemporary Irish and British poetry.”

Among the theses in the book are: “a schoolboy beaten so hard by his teacher that his bare feet jiggle on the floorboards, a wife disinherited when her husband dies suddenly, and medieval tales which echo to how we live now.”

It is Bernard’s second time nominated for the T.S. Eliot prize. In 2011 he was nominated for Farmers Cross. The winner will be announced on January 16th. Here is one poem from the book called The Will:

When they discovered that my grandfather
was going, unexpectedly, to die young
of meningitis, they naturally set about
ensuring that his wife would not inherit
the farm. They assembled a group of solid men –
as they might have for the threshing: his brother
who lived south on the mountain;
a shrewd solicitor; and a man from Doon
with a good hand who often testified to wills.

[read more …] “Bernard is nominated for the T.S. Eliot Prize”

Reprinted: Ready Willing Waiting: Keale, Millstreet, Mushera, Rathduane, Irish Volunteers 1916

2016-03-12 Book Cover - Ready, Willing, Waiting - Keale, Millstreet, Mushera, Rathduane Irish Volunteers 1916 - for saleMillstreet Monument Committee.

‘Ready Willing Waiting,

Keale, Millstreet, Mushera, Rathduane

Irish Volunteers 1916’

By

Millstreet Monument Committee & Noreen Meaney

We were delighted with the response to our book and all copies were sold out before Easter. Due to continued demand the book had been reprinted and will be available locally from Friday 8th April at the following outlets:

  • Wordsworth, The Square, Millstreet,
  • Coleman’s Petrol Station ,
  • Guerin’s Shop Ballydaly.
  • Angland’s Petrol Station, Dromagh,
  • Boherbue Post Office,
  • Kanturk Bookshop,
  • Macroom Bookshop.

The cost of the book is €12.00

Where you can get your copy of “Ready, Willing, Waiting”

2016-03-12 Book Cover - Ready, Willing, Waiting - Keale, Millstreet, Mushera, Rathduane Irish Volunteers 1916 - for saleReady Willing Waiting
Keale, Millstreet, Mushera, Rathduane
Irish Volunteers 1916

Follllowing numerous enquiries on where to buy the book, here is a list of the shops where the book is available for sale:

  • Wordsworth, the Square Millstreet,
  • Centra, The West End,
  • Guerin’s Shop Ballydaly,
  • Angland’s Petrol Station, Dromagh,
  • Banteer Post Office,
  • Kanturk Bookshop, and
  • Macroom Bookshop.

Price: €12

The Healy-Raes

A new book by Gneeveguilla native and former Irish Examiner journalist Donal Hickey on the Healy-Rae family has been launched. ”The Healy-Raes – a 24/7 Political Legacy” is a fascinating account of Ireland’s famous political dynasty.
The 200 page book is on sale at Wordsworth in The Square, Millstreet, priced at €14.99.

Lost more information on the book and author can be read on the MaineValleyPost.com

Derinagree NS at Roddy Doyle’s FIGHTING WORDS Workshop

2015-09-25 Derinagree NS at Fighting Words Bookshop in Dublin for a creative writing workshop__rszSenior classes in Derinagree NS were invited to a creative writing workshop at Fighting Words in Dublin last Friday Sept 25th. They had a wonderful experience & returned home eager to put pen to paper!
Fighting Words was established by Roddy Doyle & Sean Love. Roddy wasn’t there on the day of our visit, but the organisers kindly agreed to ask him (nicely) to sign the books we hauled to Dublin!!
The rest of the glorioius day was spent walking the streets of our capital city, feeling proud of the Radley family’s majestic Spire, soaking up the history surrounding us as we passed the Half-Penny bridge, climbed the steps to the Papal Cross, admired The Aras & The American Ambassador’s residence & stopped for a [read more …] “Derinagree NS at Roddy Doyle’s FIGHTING WORDS Workshop”

New Irish Writing » Ann Lane

route66-beginIn the last few months Ann Lane has begun to publish articles on her travels and journeys around the world. She has writel travel articles in the past and has always had her camera at the ready.

Over the weekend she wrote of the start of her trip across Route 66, and she also has articles on trips to Nepal and Everest, Tromso and the Northern Lights, the Trail of Tears, and more.

They are all very interesting articles, and they can be seen at http://www.newirishwriting.com/category/ann-lane/.

Ann’s latest book titled “The Moment and the Day: Archives and Anecdotes” was released in May 2014, and is a photographic collection of photos of people from her travels from the last 50 years who, at one time or another, were prominently involved in the history of that era or event.

[read more …] “New Irish Writing » Ann Lane”

Dr. Barry Cotter – First Doctor in Melbourne

Hello to the Millstreet community,

I wanted to let you know that I have finished researching and writing the biography of Dr Barry Cotter, first doctor in Melbourne, Australia, who was born in Millstreet in 1807. The biography is available here, drbarrycotter.com.  I received news this week that The National Library of Australia is going to archive the website into its online collection, so I’m pretty excited about that. Thanks again to the Aubane Historical Society, especially Jack Lane and Alan Brick who were so generous in supplying information.

I look forward to any comments from members of the Millstreet community about the website. cheers, from Moira McAlister <email>

Brother Vincent at St.Michaels and his Autobiography

2015-03-23 Brother Vincent Corkery
Pictured in the middle is Brother Vincent Corkery (Liscahane) at a recent welcoming ceremony for the new principal of St.Michael’s Institution Ipoh where he gave a short speech.

It only came to our attention today that back in April 2014, Brother Vincent released his autobiography called “Life Ever Dawning”. Below are videos of Brother Vincent speaking at the launch, a comedian testifies for Brother Vincent, extracts from the book, and other photos:  [read more …] “Brother Vincent at St.Michaels and his Autobiography”

Presentation of Certs in Library Following Very Successful Summer 2014 Reading Challenge

On Saturday, 27th Sept. 2014 Michelle O'Keeffe presented splendid certificates to the many young people who participated in the 2014 Millstreet Library Summer Reading Challenge. Librarian, Breda had a special Book Token for Claire Lyons having won this award. Then followed a Sweet Treat Party in celebration. The enjoyable event was held under the auspices of the Cork Co. Library & Arts Service. Click on the images to enlarge. (S.R.)
On Saturday, 27th Sept. 2014 Michelle O’Keeffe presented splendid certificates to the many young people who participated in the 2014 Millstreet Library Summer Reading Challenge. Librarian, Breda had a special Book Token for Claire Lyons who won this award. Then followed a Sweet Treat Party in celebration. The enjoyable event was held under the auspices of the Cork Co. Library & Arts Service. Click on the images to enlarge.  (S.R.)

2014 09 27 070-8002014 09 27 041-8002014 09 27 078-800

Monument to the Bard

2012-06-21 Aubane Historical Society - The Bard, Seán Riobaird O Súilleabháin - book coverSean Riobaird O Suilleabhain was the acknowledged leader of the struggle for the land in this part of the country in the late 19th century. He was known far and wide as ‘The Bard.’ For his efforts he was sentenced to 24 years hard labour but he survived it and became a national hero during his lifetime and afterwards.

He was born in Glenleigh and is buried in Old Kilcorney. It is very appropriate therefore the Kilcorney Historical Society are planning to erect a monument to him and his wife Ellen Mullane at their former home in Knocknakilla near the Millstreet Country park.

A meeting to initiate the project will be held at 7.30pm in the Social Centre Kilcorney on Saturday 23rd August. All are welcome.

Karen’s “Tubrid” Celebrated at Trócaire Poetry Ireland Poetry Competition 2014….And a Reminder Also Regarding Mass in Tubrid Tonight at 8.

P5280036: Karen and Trish Groves, Campaigns Officer with Trócaire Ireland, at the awards ceremony in the National Library of Ireland, Dublin on Wednesday 28th May 2014. Click on the images to enlarge. (S.R.)
Poet  Karen O’Connor (on right – originally from Station Road, Millstreet) and Trish Groves, Campaigns Officer with Trócaire Ireland, at the awards ceremony in the National Library of Ireland, Dublin on Wednesday 28th May 2014. Click on the image to enlarge.  (S.R.)

We thank our good Friend, Karen for the following Press Release and we extend sincere congratulations on such a prestigious Award and especially on placing such national and international focus on beautiful Tubrid Holy Well, Millstreet.   Incidentally there is Mass in Tubrid tonight at 8 (3rd June 2014) celebrated by Fr. Kevin Mulcahy in advance of tomorrow’s Examinations Commencement. The Press Release now [read more …] “Karen’s “Tubrid” Celebrated at Trócaire Poetry Ireland Poetry Competition 2014….And a Reminder Also Regarding Mass in Tubrid Tonight at 8.”

A Millstreet Miscellany (10)

2014-05-23 A Millstreet Miscellany (10)The latest from the Aubane Historical Society is ‘Millstreet Miscellany (10)’ with articles on:

  • Father Mathew’s visit to Millstreet in 1846
  • an eye witness report on  ‘Black ’47’ in Millstreet,
  • Bishop Milner’s comments on passing through in 1808,
  • the coming of the railway in 1852,
  • “The Lime-Kiln Fusiliers” by Bill Cody,
  • the Easter Sunday Commemoration in Millstreet 2014  by Jack Lane,
  • Lord Inchiquin’s talk on the unveiling of the Monument to King Mahon,
  • correspondence from inside Frongoch Internment Camp  by Domhnall Ua Buachalla, the last Governor General,
  • an  Internment order for some Millstreet Volunteers to be sent to Spike Island in 1921 by General Strickland, and
  • election literature from the 1957 general election.

It is available from Wordsworth in the Square, Millstreet at 10 Euro.

See much more at the Aubane Historical Society website: aubanehistoricalsociety.org