Arthur Wellesley 1769-1852 journeyed from Bandon to Bantry to inspect defences.  He is credited with the phrase  re nationality  ‘that because a man is born in a stable that does not make him a horse’, in fact this was probably said by Daniel O’Connell.  His paternal grandfather was Richard Colley of an old English or Gaelic family of origin who had conformed to the Established Church.  The grandfather had taken the name of a childless relative Wellesley.

This extract if from the grand Tour of Cork, Cornelius Kelly. Cailleach Books, 2003.

28th (Summer) 1806 set off at half past six and arrived at Bantry and half past four – and very bad road and miserable country after you pass Dunmanna (Dunmanway) – got a boat and went to look at Whiddy Island and the fortification construction there – the island is of greater extent then I had imagined and the formation…

Schools in Bantry/Skibbereen/Schull area West Cork 19th century School Boycott, Dromore (Bantry) 1880s Remarkable as a consequence of the Catholic Church dispute with the British Government that for 30 years (c1845-75)children were taught by untrained teachers

In the early 19th century there was an extensive network of informal or hedge schools in the area.  A Parliamentary enquiry of 1823 lists these.

An idea of what informal schools might be like is described in the Diary of Humprey O”Sullivan (Amhlaóibh Ó Suilleabáin) published in 1820. In the 1790, he and his father left the Killarney area to set up a hedge school in South Kilkenny. The locals built a sod house in three days for the school. He later left teaching and became a prosperous merchant.

The Church of Ireland schools had funding from the Church Education Society.  Their records are in the Representative Church Body Library in Rathgar in Dublin…

January 1756, Lisbon Earthquake, Losses by Cork Merchants of Beef, Pork, Beef in the amount of £4,300 (c€2 million) and the formation of the Barley Cove Sand Dunes, West Cork.

It is believed that the sand dunes at Barley Cove adn other areas on the West Cork and Kerry Coast were caused by a Tsunami caused by the earthquake.

The entire city of Lisbon was destroyed by the earthquake and it was rebuilt in the grid pattern.

Courtesy JCHAS, John T. Collins.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1755_Lisbon_earthquake

http://safalra.com/other/historical-uk-inflation-price-conversion/

Rebuilt Lisbon:

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/

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Church+View,+Radharc+Alainn,+Co.+Cork/@51.5812581,-9.70351,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x484582d4581477bd:0x696f510b9d461537

Building of Star of the Sea Church, Kilcrohane, West Cork, 1897, for £1,750, Builder Patrick Sullivan of Seskin, Bantry, Architect, Samuel F Hynes FRIBA, 41, South Mall, Cork, the Contractor was Father Kearney who is to supply local stone, gravel and sand and carriage from Durrus Road station or the landing Place, Dunmanus Bay.

Memorial Stone, Photo, Townlands and 1899 Subscribers for new Catholic Church, Muintir Bhaire (Durrus), West Cork including, California, New York, Staten Island, Boston, Malden Mass., Francis O’Neill Chief of Police Chicago and Compiler of Irish Music, Queensland, Western Australia, London and neighbouring Parishes, site given free by Lord Bandon, Architect Hennessy Cork, Builder D. Donovan Bantry, Sculptor High Altar Davis Cork, Lead Lights Messrs Watson Youghal, Iron Work Messrs McGloghlin Dublin, Pulpit by Richard Power Bantry, Dedication and Durrus Churches, Catholic, Church of Ireland and Methodist

Stained glass including Tower of Glass (An Túr Gloinne) 1908…

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BnjAwZ6eFk_0sTMsjxYBo3YFQLNqJ4J2utWIftpJXqs/edit