History & Folklore - West Cork People

Oppenheimer movie hit of the summer but what about Ireland’s atomic man?

Kieran Doyle September, 2023

I have a love-hate relationship with historical movies. If you’re into historical material, of course you’ll be enticed to go see one. But so many historical movies have led to misleading facts and wrongful portrayals, like the much-loved Micheal Collins movie; with its 1970s-style IRA car bombs going off in 1920s […]

Local stories and song celebrated in new Fionn Folklore database

WCP Staff July, 2023

Pádraig Fhia Ó Mathúna (Patrick Mahony) is a researcher on the Fionn Folklore Project. He was a columnist with the West Cork People for several years. We have probably all heard the story of Fionn mac Cumhaill’s pursuit of Diarmaid and Gráinne. It is one of the most well-known episodes […]

Midsummer herbs

Eugene Daly July, 2023

At midsummer, the summer solstice, the countryside is bejewelled by our native wild flowers and herbs. Along the roadsides, brightening the hedgerows, flowers are everywhere – a blend of yellow, white, red, blue, green, pink and many shades in between. Today many of these plants are considered weeds but somebody […]

Our education system is no longer fit for purpose

Kieran Doyle July, 2023

Anyone reading this who had a child doing Leaving Cert 2023 – send all complaints to the editor of the West Cork People for what I am about to say – I don’t believe there was anything wrong with the much-maligned maths paper 1, the hot topic on the airwaves […]

History & Folklore

The battle of the armoured cars

WCP Staff June, 2023

On May 24, 1923, IRA Chief-of-Staff Frank Aiken issued an order to all fighters to cease fire. As we mark the centenary of the end of the Irish Civil War, Pauline Murphy looks at how those fighting on the anti-Treaty side of the bitter conflict did not have quite the […]

History & Folklore

Council launches guide map on archaeology of West Cork

WCP Staff June, 2023

The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Danny Collins has officially launched a new guide map highlighting the rich and unique archaeological heritage of the West Cork countryside. The ‘101 Archaeological Sites to Visit in West Cork’ guide map features well-known monuments such as Drombeg Stone Circle, Timoleague Friary, […]

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