Seagulls World War 2
A few km. east of the bottom of the Goats Path in Kilcrohane there are a few fields abutting cliffs. In this area, during the ‘Emergency’ one of the locals used to bait hooks and throw them down the cliffs and catch seagulls. He would then pluck them and sell their feathers. They were used in British Bombers in WW2 near the cockpit at the nose to provide insulation and protection.
Around Gouladoo, Kilcrohane, seagull eggs were collected.
Whitakers of Cork used to come around with their driver Paddy Hegarty collecting poultry, eggs, hares, badgers, and seagull eggs. Also Lanes of Cork who had depots in Bantry and Skibbereen.
There was a big trade in rabbits which were caught in snares, with ferrets or dazzled. The price of rabbits went from a half crown (2s 6d) to 3s 6d and were bought by Jackie Cronin, Tom Dukelow, Sea View, the Creamery and O’Sullivan, a dealer from Dunmanway. There were newspaper ads letting lands for trapping as that of the Cronins at O’Donovan’s Cove and other ads preserving lands and complaining of the damage caused by ferrets, dazzling and general trespass.
It appears that until the early 1960s rabbits around Kilcrohane were snared as Myxomatosis had not yet reached the area. THE RABBIT INDUSTRY IN IRELAND: 20TH CENTURY SNAPSHOTS. By Michael J. Conry.
In THE RABBIT INDUSTRY IN IRELAND: 20TH CENTURY SNAPSHOTS. By Michael J. Conry. He suggests that the disease was introduced to Ireland from Australia by Paddy O’Keeffe a major figure in Irish farming adna founder of FBD Insurance. On balance he thought it correct due to the devastation caused by rabbits. However farm labourers were badly affected as rabbits were a valuable source of food and money from snaring.
The Kearney family collection of 18th century Cork newspapers was used by the late John T. Collins historians to compile biographical notices.Some additional Cork Newspaper Extracts from 1754 of a Genealogical and Historical interest extracted by John T. Collins.
The Kearney family of Landlords kept rabbit warrens in their estate at Garresttown. Some 18th century travellers commented on this. A later family member a Magistrate
Thomas Cuthbert Kearney, Garretstown, Sovereign, Town of Kinsale, sitting Ballinspittle 1835, listed 1835, 1838, 1843. Attending Protestant Conservative Society meeting 1832. Held half of tithes KInsale 1833. Complaint about violence and molestation in the running of the 1835 election. Held rent charge £50 over Corballymore 1835 given to Thomas Cuthbert entitling him to vote. Family had the nomination of the Vicar of Dunderrow. On his death the nomination passes to his heir Thomas Rochford, a Catholic this resulted in three parishes having their nomination taken up by the British Crown. Sale of property 1832 including Cork city property at North Gate Bridge, Mallow Lane contact Mr. Stuerman, Cork. Supporting Alexander O’Driscoll, J.P. suspended, Bandon 1841. Came into possession 1842 of Silver Collar given by Queen Elizabeth 1 of England to Maurice Roche of Cork to Maurice Roche Mayor of Cork for his service against the Earl of Desmond in 1910 in possession of H. H. Franks of Mountrath, Co. Laois. 1842 Grand Council Dinner of the Royal Agricultural Improvement Society of Ireland. Chairman Lord Viscount Bernard, Daniel Connor, Manch, John I. Heard, Kinsale, Horace Townsend, Woodside, Arthur P. Alymer, Castlefreke, Thomas Hungerford, The Island, Jonas Travers, Butlerstown, Cuthbert Kearney, Richard H. H. Beecher, Hollybrook, Thomas J. Hungerford, John Wheeler Junior, Robert Belcher, Bandon, Henry Newman, Betsborough, Alexander O’Driscoll, Skibbereen.
Kinsale alias St. Multose William Jones Rev. James Thomas Brown, as Vicar, Thomas Cuthbert Kearney, Esq., Lay impropriator, Garretstown House, Magistrate, Sovereign, Kinsale £33 2 shillings 6 pence divided between Rev. Browne and Thoms Cuthbert Kearney 1833 Average price of wheat for seven years prior to 1830 £1. 12 shillings half pence a barrel
This was interrupted in 1815 when a relation Thomas Rochford became a ‘Papist’ and his Majesty had to exercise the nomination, Maziere Brady.
Rochford papers National Library NLI Ms 2182
Windle History of Cork.
Cork Constitution, 23rd July 1842.
The Kearney family collection of 18th century Cork newspapers was used by the late John T. Collins historians to compile biographical notices. Some additional Cork Newspaper Extracts from 1754 of a Genealogical and Historical interest extracted by John T. Collins.
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West Cork History 