https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cIHWTDEyCcAQflBU3mQVSzRTm61xuYY3E7kPQZ-QrnA/edit

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17mNOsOVegkNNM6uo-9M1It8AU_-RM4kIHQQGfwNCPsc/edit

Rural electrification did not come to the more isolated areas of West Cork until about 1961, supplemented by a further drive about 1972.

This advertisement highlighted the importance of bottled gas for cooking and lighting by a silk mantle. In Cork City bottled gas was used right up to the mid 1970s for Superser heaters. Probably a time bomb.

I can just about recall as a child the yellow gas bottles on horses and carts going back to the shop.

The Kosan-gas bottles were a distinctive yellow. Calor Gas was also used but probably not to the same extent.

Rita Shannon, who died in the last few years, who is referred to never got recognition as an entrepreneur. She had her own travelling shop, a Volkswagon van. In a way a legacy of her Shannon ancestry. Her branch was Catholic. The main family probably came down from the northern counties c 1740 in connection with flax/linen/weaving. By 1790 in the general Durrus/Bantry area the Shannons were heavy hitters lending money to the local landlords. Contractors to the Grand Jury working with the Flynn family in house building in Bantry.

Rita married Gerald McCarthy, his father Dr. McCarthy was praised for helping the RIC men in the IRA raid on the Durrus RIC barracks. What was not known at the time war that he had prepared the explosives possibly a result of his experiences as a doctor on the front in WW1.

Rita’s branch of the Shannon were active in the War of Independence in Brahalish in Durrus in conducting Dáil Courts. They also descend from the influential ‘King’ Tobin’ family of Kilcrohane.

Some Memorial Cards, Durrus, Kilcrohane and Bantry from early 20th century to 1958.

Some Memorial Cards, Durrus, Kilcrohane and Bantry from early 20th century to 1958.

Memorial Cards, Durrus, Kilcrohane and Bantry from early 20th century to 1958.

Memorial Cards, Durrus, Kilcrohane and Bantry from early 20th century to 1958.

These Record deaths in Durrus, Kilcrohane, Bantry from the early 20th century to 1958.  I have put in  back up info and in a number of cases newspaper obits.  The last is Master Hurley, Kilcrohane, died aged 79 in 1958.  James O’Mahony, KIlcrohane mentioned to me that he had done a lot to encourage the planting of pines on the peninsula.  An English Lady had a house in Ahakista maybe the one Graham Norton has now and propagated 3 varieties of pine trees.  Oral tradition may be wrong here. The lady who in the 1930s propagated the pines was probably Kitty Hayes who ran the Ahakista Hotel from about 1931 to the early 1950s when she set up what Sid now known as the time hut. Earlier to about 1903 Caroline Isabella Rice who. was born in Kerry ran the hotel. She would leave them outside her gate.  The combined efforts are still evident all over the peninsula.  If anyone else has memorial cards I will happily include.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JbsgobnzKD1yCdfo82RxViai98VJL8OVJQqgdwVdz88/edit

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14s1dNaXcvquDdBLJCKyDtgne-DT2rhaW3_AdzOBF2zU/edit

Robert Swanton, (1764-1840) Ballydehob, West Cork, member United Irishmen Directory arrest, imprisonment escape to New York where he was active in US Politics and became Judge of Maritime Court.

https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/17391

1830s Shenanigans in the Marine Court of New York, Judge Robert Swanton (United Irishman) Ballydehob and his Tipstaff Casey.

https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/35920

Robert Swanton, Ballydehob, (1764-1840), West Cork, United Irishman, Emigre to New York, Businessmen, Lawyer, US Political Activist, Judge, Home to Die With His Own People, Grave Early Example of Inscription in Irish Old Gaelic Script and Graveyard Inscription in old Irish, Gaelic Script, Port Fairy, Victoria, Australia for native of Co. Clare, Ireland, Aindriás Landrach (Andrew Landers), Fíor Gael, 1828-1912, with Photograph of Grave

https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/15486

Nephew:\

7 July 1844 Circular letter from Thomas Swanton, ‘Ballidahob’ (Ballydehob), Near Skibbereen regarding formation of society, the Cork and Kerry Irish Poetry and Music.

https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/28831

This is an update much of the additional information is from deeds, church records, newspaper reports. Disregard pagination.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u0vIz1nxG34pJua7qC7jtTCKWLjwVY81jSl0usPdojk/edit

8th August 1829 Census Inchigeela p. 9

Pigot’s Directory 1824, Bantry,

Bandon Weavers p. 31

Clonakilty, Kinsale, Skibbereen, p.26

Lewis 1837, Bantry, Dunmanway, Skibbereen, p. 28

Slater’s Directory 1836, Bantry, p. 31

Census Extracts, p.38

Bandon Clothiers, p.40

Thomas Adderly, Innishannon, p.42

Textile Businesses, p. Bandon Business p, 44

Bantry, p.61

Clonakilty, p. 78

Drimoleague, p.64

Dunmanway, p.70

Skibbereen p. 75

Probates p. 45

Flax Growers 1796 p. 

Fishing Nets. p. 

Exports of Cloth from Cork, p.124

Flax Acreage Co.Cork, 1939-1945

Richard S. Harrison on Flax in West Cork, p. 220

Bibliography, p. 133

1938 Funeral of Edwin Swanton, Skibbereen.\

]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c4zye2ryZ8jV4NPR0juRn3SDlc4SiKsGaeWcv5XoQp8/edit

The illustrious West Cork of Swanton family originally centered in Ballydehob (Swanton Town) n the 1901 census appears as those in Ireland born in Co. Cork:

1901 Census.

Swantons in Ireland born Co. Cork

320

Church of Ireland,  63%,   200.

Catholic, 33%, 104

Methodist, 4%, 15

I was surprised as I woud have assumed a far larger Methodist presence.

The census figures completely underestimate the family influence as through the maternal line they are connected all over West Cork and the Diaspora in places as far apart as Casper, Wyoming. Probably more so through Catholic intermarriage

The late West Cork Historian, Father Coombes published items suggesting that Hilaire Belloc, (Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc), was of the West Cork Swanton line, apparently erroneous.

Where did they come from?

The general accepted place of origin is Norfolk in Eastern England.

However

Someone I know who is on the ball re West Cork Genealogy suggests that a small Scots plantation c 1695 in Castlehaven. This might explain local names Anderson, Hamilton (although this might be a corruption of the old Irish), Ross, He produces as evidence a comment by a Church of Ireland Minister c 1740 re the Swantons describing them as coming from Scotland. Interestingly here the deceased is Edwin Angus Swanton.

1938 Funeral of Edwin Angus Swanton Skibbereen, updated.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c4zye2ryZ8jV4NPR0juRn3SDlc4SiKsGaeWcv5XoQp8/edit

`

Business

1891 Death James (‘The Governor’) Hutchinson Swanton (1815-1891), Grandmother Possibly Margaret O’Sullivan, Ballaghadown, Caheragh, Rineen, Skibbereen, Carrisbrook House, Ballsbridge, currently Israeli Embassy, Dublin (Mentioned in James Joyce Ulysses), Memoir of William Feckman and West Cork Methodist References.

https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/37677

1830s Shenanigans in the Marine Court of New York, Judge Robert Swanton (United Irishman) Ballydehob and his Tipstaff Casey (possibly from Aughadown).

Thomas Swanton, Ballydehob

https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/36051

1911 Kinsale 3rd Agricultural Show, Entrants, Classes, Prizewinners, Sponsors.

1911 Kinsale 3rd Agricultural Show, Entrants, Classes, Prizewinners, Sponsors.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YBjksN7f98U0VKyh-ZoCLF0ocmtj2QL_sqBVDoTHd5k/edit

1843-1947 West Cork Agricultural Societies and Shows.

\

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yoNjmDNQKT_pk3nvlCsT72YWYoDENcs–uaJxh2ber8/edit

Disregard page numbering

1843, Skibbereen Union Farming Society and  Show, p.4

1845, Bandon Union Agricultural Society Dinner including improver T. J. Biggs, Garryhandkerdmore, p.20

1845, Kinsale Horticultural Society Show., p. 34

1847, Bandon Union Agricultural Society Dinner, p.39

1845-7. Members Ballineen Agricultural Society, p. 31

Minutes of Ballineen, Co. Cork, Agricultural Society 1845-7, ordered that pamphlet on turnips be translated into Irish for some of the Protestant farmers. 

1849, Bandon Union Agricultural Society Dinner, p.50

1856 Skibbereen Agricultural Show reference, p. 61

1860. Munster Flax Society Visit to Bantry Farms 

1863, Agricultural Prizes, Prizewinners, 1896 and 1897 Carbery Agricultural Show, Skibbereen, p. 64

1898, Timoleague, West Cork Horticultural Society

1900 August Durrus Butter Show, p. 70

1909.  Agricultural Improvement, County Premium Boars, Premium Bulls, Extra Premium Bulls, Stallion Asses, Barony of Bantry and Bere, Carbery, p.71

1893 West Carbery Agricultural Show

1894 West Cork Horticultural Society Summer Show at Lissard, Skibbereen,  Seat of The O’Donovan, including Honey, Butter for parcel post.

1898 West Cork Horticultural Society, Timoleague

1906 Durrus Races and Athletic Sports, Preliminary Meeting  Carbery Ploughing Match,  Oldcourt (Skibbereen) Horse Races Postponed from Stephen’s Day, p. 196

1908 August, Carbery Show, Unqualified Success, Splendid Spectacle, Enormous number of entrants, p. 163

1911 Kinsale Agricultural Show, p. 229

1915, Carbery Agricultural Show, p.175

1929, Carbery Show, p.74

1930, Lisivard, p. 94

1934, Carbery Show, Skibbereen, p.187

1934, Clonakilty Show, (11th since 1924),  p.190

1937 Durrus Show, p.101

1942, Bandon Show, p. 106

1944, carbery Agricultural Show (partial)

1946, Carbery  Bantry, and Clonakilty Shows, p. 107

1947, Bantry Agricultural Show, p, 138, 145

1947 Skibbereen Shorthorn Breeders Show, 114

There are many stories still circulating in the abea about the Canon. A man of extraordinary energy with a genius fro organisation, a native of Castlerea, Co. Roscommon.:

The Canon was in the habit of going north from time to time.  His brother was the Bishop of Clogher. would get the train from Bantry to Cork and  then to Belfast via Dublin taking his bicycle with him.  Up north he would cycle around; perhaps he had been a curate in some of the parishes.

In the 1930s the roads in the North were far superior to those in the South. It was not until the late 1940s that the secondary roads were tarred and the minor road in the mid 1960s.

In the North it became the practice to put studs into horse shoes.

Studs are small metal projections that screw into the horse’s shoes. They’re used to give him better grip on various types of footing, from firm and slippery to soft and boggy. They’re great if the  horse loses his focus in less-than-ideal footing or to give him extra traction when doing road work. 

For some reason studs were illegal in the Free State.

The  Canon wished to bring some down from one of his northern trips.  He took the saddle off his bike and  filled the hollow of the frame with studs and replaced the  saddle.  The bike passed over the border no problem and the Canon and his bike with studs arrived safely in Durrus.

..

1Canon McManaway. M.A., (1883-1954)

This give an idea of his extraordinary energy and dedication to local development. It will be updated:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/198wrEKM259o2b2iZgqvuTi4Yn8WnYOh5kDLSt9Ojvf4/edit

A True Patriot Canon, John James. (Johnny) McManaway, M.A., (1887-1954), Durrus, Dunmanway

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https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/38720

1941, Drinagh Co-Op, A Real West Cork Success Story Report 1942 Effects of ‘Emergency’, Attempting to Convert Trucks Driven by Gas from Irish Anthracite, Brutal State of Roads, Visit by Committee Members R. Ellis T. Sweetnam to Pig Farm of Sandy McGuigan, Cloughmills, Co. Antrim was reputed to be the world’s largest pig farmer at that time. Carbery Milk Products.

https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/39290

Opening of Drinagh Co-Op Creamery, 1933, Durrus by Father Crowley, Drinagh assisted by Canon McManaway.

https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/15749

1936 and 1937 Durrus Agricultural Shows, 700 Entries.

https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/38161

Obituary 1756, Faulkner’s Dublin Journal., Last week died aged 65 years at Aherly near Ross in this County Owen Mccarthy, otherwise Owen a Vereen, (An Mhéirín (of the little finger) an eminent Poet, Historian and Herald, in which his Superior Knowledge and Singular Talents had rendered him very agreeable to such as had the Happiness of his Company, and his Death is very Much Lamented by his Acquaintances.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GpW_lvdEHxN1LPFZYefek8V6goHYfWRrGLT9c_yQ54I/edit