Clonmult & Dungourney (Co. Cork / East)
Clonmult and Dungourney are rural villages nowadays mainly known for their annual Point to Point Races, held by the local United Hunt every autumn.
Point-to-point marquee 2005 (Photo by bigeoino)
Clonmult was the scene of a notorious incident during the War of Independence. On Sunday 20th February 1921 the IRA‘s East Cork Flying Column, occupying a cottage to prepare an ambush, found the premises surrounded by British soldiers, soon reinforced during the ensuing gun battle by a group of Black & Tans, who set fire to the thatched roof and mowed down seven volunteers as they emerged with their hands up. 12 IRA men were killed on the spot; nine were captured and subsequently court-martialled and sentenced to death, of whom two were actually executed.
Leahy’s Open Farm has llamas, alpacas, reindeer, bulls, goats, pigs, horses and ponies, sheep, snakes, chipmunks, rheas, hens, an interesting museum area and a café that serves delicious homemade scones!
Mount Uniacke & Killeagh (Co. Cork / East)
Mount Uniacke is named for the Uniacke family, from St Uniac in Brittany, who arrived with the Normans c.1170 and held land locally for many centuries. Mount Uniake House is in ruins.
Parkmountain & Monaloo Wood is all that is left of the former Uniacke Estate. The grounds command extensive views of the Vale of Imokilly and the sea.
Killeagh (“the Grey church” / “church of Aedh, aka Abban” / Cill Fhiach – “church of Saint Fiach)” (pop. 500) is a pleasant village and district with several interesting landmarks.
This area, once the ancient stronghold of the Ui Glaisin (Gleeson) clan, became known for the Nunnery established here in the early C7th by Saint Abban, son of king Cormac of Leinster.
The Old Thatch bar has been owned and run by the same family for over 300 years. The ceiling is made of willow twig, creating a cosy atmosphere. The pub has a lovely riverside beer garden and an extensive menu. (Photo – www.discoverireland.ie)
The Aghadoe / Ahadoe estate, aka the de Capell Brooke / Supple estate, was granted in 1172 to Philip de Capell, and remained in the hands of the same family for over 600 years. Aghadoe House, a castellated mansion, was constructed by Sir Arthur de Cappell Brooke in 1836, and still stands in reduced form. The remnants of Aghadoe Castle’s columbarium has an unusual Sheela-na-Gig.
Killeagh House was built in 1767 by John Davis, an English-born agent / intermediary landlord for the Capell Brooke estate. His family retained ownership until 1937, when they moved to South Africa. The grounds feature a splendid orchard.
Dromdiah House, now in ruins, was erected in 1833 by Roger Green Davis, who evicted several tenants to construct the magnificent Italianate pile. The beautiful walled garden and impressive stables can still be admired, The formerly wooded grounds were converted for use as a dairy farm.
The nearby Ponsonby Estate at Park House was the scene of major Land League agitation in the late 1880s when it became known that a syndicate of landlords led by the then Secretary for Ireland, Arthur Balfour, had bought the land and was behind moves to have tenants evicted.
Castletown House, built as a Uniacke family residence with the stones of the former FitzGerald stronghold of Glenane Castle, is undergoing restoration.
Glenbower Forest Park
Glenbower Forest Park (“Gleann-Bodhar” – “Deafening Valley”, from the noise of the River Dissour in full spate), aka the Maiden Estate, is a Coillte plantation on the site of a remnant of ancient woodland, long known for its beautiful lake and waterfall (both sadly missed) and still famous for – an echo!
Sir Arthur de Cappell Brooke built the present road and bridges through the wood in the 1830s, since when there has been a tradition of holding a communal party in the woods on the last Sunday in May.
Wild garlic in Glenbower. (Photo – ionracas)
The Metal Bridge in Glenbower Valley bears a plaque erected in 1988 by the Charitable Irish Society of Halifax, Nova Scotia, founded in 1786 to provide relief for “those of the Irish Nation reduced by sickness, old age, shipwreck and other misfortunes“, to honour their first President, Richard John Uniake, born in Castletown House in 1753, died iin 1830 in Uniake House, Mount Uniake, Halifax, now a major Canadian tourist attraction. His son, Richard John Uniake Jr (1790 – 1834), acquitted of murder after killing William Bowie in a duel in 1819, became the parliamentary representative for Cape Breton and the first native-born judge of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia.
(More photos – Glenbower Wood)
Killeagh was the site of a Royal Navy aerodrome constructed towards the end of WWI as a base for airships to patrol the waters off the south coast, but never actually used.
Killeagh is within easy reach of Youghal Bridge on ByRoute 1.
Ightermurragh Castle (Photo by JohnFinn)
Ightermurragh Castle, built c.1641 in a part-medieval / part-Renaissance style by Edmund Supple (a “New English” Protestant) and his wife Margaret (née Fitzgerald) (an “Old English” Catholic), is the subject of an interesting comparative study by Sinéad Quirke. The site was previously occupied by a deCapell castle erected in 1172.
Lakeview B&B, an atttractive premises run by Mary Budds, has fine views of the castle and of Ballyhonock Lake, stocked with carp, bream and rudd.