John T Collins was a Cork Historian, he was associated with Paddy O’Keeffe in Bantry, Bernard O’Regan in Aughadown/Skibbereen and Father Walsh in Cork. Extracts of is correspondence with the Paddy O’Keeffe papers in the Cork Archives show a remarkable grasp of Cork History he was a regular newspaper contributor in the 1950s and 1960s.

This is from Richard Hayward Book on Cork and Munster 1964 with illustration by Raymond Piper:

John T Collins 18th century Cork Newspaper Extracts:

https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/cork-newspaper-extracts-1753-1771-1782-4-collected-by-john-t-collins/

https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/2014/05/01/public-renunciations-against-popery-and-conversions-in-clonakilty-inniscarra-kilnagross-and-caherconlish-co-cork-1769-70-from-john-t-collins-newspaper-abstracts/

Partial transcript of trial of Tim Cadogan for murder of W.S. Bird, Bantry, West Cork. 1900 and botched Execution. Page 8 is missing.

The murder and later trial caused a sensation. Bird was a land agent and one of the estates he managed the White estate of Glengariff, Cadogan was evicted for non payment of rent, despite three requests Bird refused to re instate him. The Brooks mentioned working in Warners was also a Methodist.

Bird was a popular figure in Bantry the family was long in the area appearing in the Bantry estate records from around 1750 and was well respected.

There were two trials on the first the jury filed to reach a verdict but he was convicted on the second trial.

DNA evidence would suggest a link between the Cadogan family and the O’Sullivan (Ceohanach/Johnny Owens). They in turn are reputed to be the family from whom Margaret Thatcher’s ancestor a Sullivan washerwoman from Kenmare came from.  I have not been able to substantial this.

Courtesy Dan Sullivan, Kealkil.

Apart from the legal issues the transcript gives an idea of a busy fair day then held on a Saturday.

Other people and businesses mentioned are Warners, this closed around the 1980s and was incorporated into the present Super Valu group controlled by the O’Keeffe family. The Warners were Methodist and one of the family appears in probate records then in Kilcrohane from around 1620 perhaps they were involved in the fishing industry.

The public house of Tom Hurst is where the present Bank of Ireland is. The Hursts descend from a North of England coastguard based in Bantry now an insurance company. Tom Hurst’s son Eddy was a model farmer living at Beach House which had been the Bird house and was involved in the Bantry and Durrus Agricultural Show.

Execution:

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TS19010309.2.39

‘Feate of Gardening’, first account of horticultural techniques in English by Irish Master Jon Gardner 1300, listing potherbs, salads and sweet herbs.

Courtesy Terence Reeves-Smyth

Lost demesne and historic gardens of Ballintubber near Ballinhassig, Co. Cork built by Lt-Colonel William Meade c 1650 and home of Samuel Thomas Heard creator of Rossdohan Gardens.

Courtesy Early Irish Gardens by Brian Kingston.

https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/samuel-thomas-heard-1835-1921-of-ballintubber-late-17th-century-formal-gardens-kinsale-co-cork-east-indian-army-surgeon-major-inspired-by-madras-horticultural-gardens-he-created-rossdohan-g/

Patriotic verse by John Philpot Curran, (1750-1817), Lawyer, Wit, MP. Master of the Rolls and Privy Councillor, father of Sarah Curran, Newmarket, Co Cork, ‘Let us be Merry before we go’, ‘The Monks of the Screw’, ‘Cushla Ma Chree’

http://www.ricorso.net/rx/az-data/authors/c/Curran_JP/life.htm

Commercial applications of nettles

Berehaven:

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Castletown-Bearhaven,+Co.+Cork/@51.6514949,-9.9103302,11z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x48457e4fcf1360df:0x15e0b4d55c1c38fd

Dorset:

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Stalbridge+Park,+Sturminster+Newton,+Dorset+DT10,+UK/@50.9596983,-2.3889487,10z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x487249bbb56149a3:0xceae17b5bbaed297

Present by Daniel Sullivan, Berehaven, West Cork, to Richard Boyle, The Great Earl of Cork, c 1636 of Harvey Apples, Bon Chretien and Bergamotte pears, Arbutus for his new garden at Stalbridge Park, Dorset and Ireland’s first horticultural export, The Strawberry Tree’ (Arbutus unedo) from 1580s.

Around this time Boyle’s reach extended into the Schull area where he acquired property by mortgage from the O’Mahonys

Richard Boyle:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Boyle,_1st_Earl_of_Cork

In his Lismore Estate he had apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, and cherries and wherever possible acquired Irish stock.

His gardens at Stalbridge Park, Dorset were laid out by Isaac de Caus.

The strawberry tree was very much in demand in England during the 17th century.

Courtesy Terence Reeves-Smyth ‘Irish Gardens and Gardening before Cromwell’, quoting Townsend on ‘The Great Earl of Cork’ p. 296

Samuel Thomas Heard (1835-1921), of Ballintubber, (late 17th century formal gardens), Kinsale, Co. Cork, East Indian Army Surgeon Major, inspired by Madras Horticultural Gardens he created Rossdohan gardens in Kenmare, Co. Kerry in 1873 utilising Furze as sea shelter emulating Lord Carbery at Castle Freke and son’s plant collecting in Abbyssinia.

Heard Family:

http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/estate-show.jsp?id=2106

Ballintober Gardens:

http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/estate-show.jsp?id=2106

West Cork Military Service:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AqhnQGE3ANjzdEY1U09tUm4zUWNvcFBmTllEdVZMaEE#gid=0

Son’s visit to Abbyssinia:

http://plants.jstor.org/visual/KADC5933

Rossdohan gardens: