Taken from a dark microfilm quality poor. Skibbereen Eagle, National Library, Dublin.

March 1862, Meeting Flax Society, Colonel Bernard (Bandon), Colonel Beamish, Captain Sealy RN, JF Maguire, Mayor of Cork, Messrs W Thurley, D Cunningham, W Sheehy (Skibbereen), Edward Smyth (Knox Mills), W Dowman, Offer by Peter Riordan, Keilgane, Castleisland to buy Scutching Machine, Discussion of Rowen of Belfast new Scutching machine hint of past failures. proposed meeting with Sir Robert Peel ‘The Organ of the Irish Government’.

Colonel Bernard after he retired from the British Army was involved in managing part of the family estates that of the Earl of Bandon including Durrus.  His competence was questionable and he was fired and replaced by the Wheeler Dohertys of Bandon Solicitors and Land Agents.  Their papers are in the Cork Archives including those of the Bandon

Sheehy was a prominent business and political figure in Skibbereen.

Maguire was probably the founded of the Cork Examiner shortly to pass into the hands of the Crosby family.

At time due to the America Civil War there was no cotton and a brief boom in flax growing ensued.  Some of the previous efforts to promote flax growing had ended n tears.

In the 19th century the world centre of Linen and all associated machinery was Belfast.  Rowans of Belfast:

http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Flax_and_Its_Products_in_Ireland_1000692192/81https://durrushistory.com/2014/09/20/flax-growing-durrus-west-cork/

The Buachallán Bawn, Spinning Duet, probably pre 1800 sung by girls spinning flax or wool

Linen Weaving Convent of Mercy, Skibbereen, West Cork, 1889, with the assistance of Sir William Ewart, Belfast.

https://durrushistory.com/2012/09/18/flax-growing-in-west-cork/

Taken from a dark microfilm quality poor. Skibbereen Eagle, National Library, Dublin.

Denial March 1862 by John P Hayes, that he compiled ‘Skellig List’, circulating in Skibbereen accompanied by Statutory Declaration.

The Skellig Lists

Skellig Lists, Bandon 1843, Dunmanway 1846, Ballydehob 1912, Celebration of Skellig Night, South Mall, Cork 1845.

Taken from a dark microfilm quality poor. Skibbereen Eagle, National Library, Dublin.

Sale at Blue Hill, Bantry, March 1862 of Wreck of ‘Frederic Brunning’ of Rostock, Sails, Rigging, Etc apply Thomas H Love, Receiver of Wrecks, Skibbereen.

Taken from a dark microfilm quality poor. Skibbereen Eagle, National Library, Dublin.

West Cork Agricultural Society in place since 1830 Poorly supported by Gentry and Farmers, Ploughing Prizes, Prizewinners Ploughmen for Estates and Boy’s Class, comments on Leases and Prizes for August 1862.  Poor Agricultural Productivity feature of Land Tenure.

Some of the same families in the article are still winning prizes.

The last paragraph touches on a widespread local problem. In the forced sales before the Landed Estates Court of the 1850s of local Estates there are frequent references to lands being capable of drainage consolidation and improvement.  Unlike Ulster of England in many parts of Ireland the local customs and land tenure militated against improvements.  The Bantry Estate and a the Kenmare Estate had frequent covenants to drain lime apply loads of sea sand.  It is unclear if these covenants were enforced.  In the Skibbereen are it s probable that there was little in the line of improvement until later in the 19th century and in some cases only now with removal of milk quotas is the full potential of the land about to be realised.

Agricultural Prizes June 1862.

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Skibbereen,+Co.+Cork/@51.5559239,-9.2621303,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x4845a5b8ee671cad:0x28dab316351c3ffb

Taken from a dark microfilm quality poor. Skibbereen Eagle, National Library, Dublin.

Re Bantry:  None of the inmate registers survived for Bantry workhouse during the famine, or  later on.

Listing of Paupers, Skibbereen Workhouse,  1862.

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Bantry,+Co.+Cork/@51.6801374,-9.459397,19z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x48450a56fb9974b9:0x0a00c7a99731a220

William Young, Bantry Mills selling Indian Meal, Corn, Flour, ex Barque, ‘Parsee’ February 1862.

The Youngs were a prominent business family evidence suggests they were trading with Spain as far back as the 1630s.  They also feature as middle men on the Bantry estate records.

It is not clear if the Mill was on the site of the Maritime Hotel or the present Library.

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Ardogeena,+Co.+Cork/@51.6122037,-9.5242018,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x48459fb8f9c0f5c7:0x7554b4a819007bca

February 1862, owing to widespread distress among his Tenantry Richard Tonson Evanson Esq of Ardgoina, Durrus distributing Indian Meal and Flour at First Cost and James Hutchinson Swanton doing likewise to Relief Committee in Skibbereen for Coal.  Swanton’s grandmother was Margaret O’Sullivan likely sister of Eugene O’Sullivan, middleman from Ballaghadown, Caheragh vestryman of Drimoleague Church of Ireland c1795

The piece refers to Evanson of Bantry most likely Durrus.  The main Estate had been surrendered to the Earl of Bandon at his stage so most likely the Estate around Dunbeacon at Ardoena/Friendly Cove.

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Skibbereen,+Co.+Cork/@51.5559239,-9.2621303,12z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x4845a5b8ee671cad:0x28dab316351c3ffb

Meeting of the Board of Workhouse Skibbereen, West Cork, November 1861, with admissions by Electoral District.

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Skibbereen,+Co.+Cork/@51.5559239,-9.2621303,12z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x4845a5b8ee671cad:0x28dab316351c3ffb

Taken from a dark microfilm quality poor. Skibbereen Eagle, National Library

Meeting of Directors of West Cork Railway (Henry Winthrop O’Donovan (The O’Donovan), JP Chairman, James Hutchinson Swanton, JP, DL. McCarthy Downing, Solicitor) with Robert Peel re bringing Railway to Skibbereen, November 1861, Guarantees sought from major Landowners.

O’Donovan is ‘The O’Donovan’ the head of the Clan.  He is from the Protestant branch of the family and not all members accepted that line’s entitlement to the title.

Swanton is the miller and businessman from Rineen.  The extended Swantons family emanating from Ballydehob was a  major business family and mainly Methodist.

McCarthy Downing was from Kerry, he became the most prominent Lawyer in the area and MP, at one point it was mooted that he would go to the House of Lords in London, England.  A major purchaser of Estates before the Landed Estates Court owning over 7,000 acres.  Major figure in Famine Relief.  Son succeeded in legal practice.

On the railway guarantee the Bandon Estate rent books from 1885 in the Durrus area make a provision on the rents for railway guarantee.

https://durrushistory.com/2012/01/29/map-cork-bandon-and-south-coast-railway-c1900/https://durrushistory.com/2014/08/24/railways-pre-1961-schull-ballydehob-creagh-skibbereen-west-cork/

Successful action in compelling the Fiat of the Attorney General in action to injunct the closure of West Cork Railway System March 1961 untimately unsuccessful as it was permitted under Transport Act of 1956.