History & Folklore - West Cork People

Genetic framework for the O’NEILL story in West Cork is now established

WCP Staff April, 2026

The DNA of West Cork People by Mark Grace Thanks to four DNA testers, who have West Cork O’NEILL connections, we have now confirmed (or genetically proven prefer) the outline story for the origins of some of the O’NEILLs in West Cork. The latest piece of the puzzle landed the […]

History’s place in fiction

Kieran Doyle April, 2026

Jessie Buckley has recently entered the hallowed pantheon of great Irish actors. Victory in the 2026 Oscars, in one of the blue ribbon events that is best leading actress, was achieved by her empathetic performance as Shakespeare’s wife, in the movie ‘Hamnet’. She is now occupying that rarefied place, up […]

Ski pole belonging to explorer Keohane uncovered in Antartica

WCP Staff April, 2026

An archaeological survey at Cape Evans, Antartica, has uncovered a ski pole belonging to explorer and Courtmacsherry native Patrick Keohane. As reported in The Explorer Newsletter, the remarkable discovery was made by archaeologist Emma St Pierre. The ski pole has Keohane’s hand-carved initials on them. Born at Barry’s Point just […]

Marriage customs of old

Eugene Daly March, 2026

Our history and folklore columnist Eugene Daly share some of the lesser know past traditions around matrimony in Ireland. In the past the marriage banns were read from the altar by the priest on three consecutive Sundays. These called on the faithful to come forward and declare if they knew […]

Seán Ó Coileáin (1754-1817) – Part 2 of a series

Eugene Daly March, 2026

Seán Ó Coileáin had definitely settled here by 1977 because he states in a manuscript that he was “in Castle Ire House” in that year when he was writing the genealogy of the O’Donovan Clan. It is almost certain that he spent most of the rest of his life in […]

A wild west success story

WCP Staff March, 2026

Pauline Murphy shares the story of West Cork man Patrick Joseph Sullivan who, from modest beginnings on the Sheep’s Head peninsula, went on to emigrate to the United States where he became a successful sheep rancher and later a US senator. It’s also claimed that he was friends with wild […]

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