Kilcrohane

Kilcrohane
Cill Chrócháin
Village
Village and Church
Kilcrohane
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 51°34′52″N 09°42′12″W / 51.58111°N 9.70333°W / 51.58111; -9.70333Coordinates: 51°34′52″N 09°42′12″W / 51.58111°N 9.70333°W / 51.58111; -9.70333
Country Ireland
Province Munster
County County Cork
Population (2016)[1] 127
Time zone UTC+0 (WET)
  Summer (DST) UTC-1 (IST (WEST))

Kilcrohane (Irish: Cill Chrócháin)[2] is a village in County Cork, Ireland. The last coastal village on the Sheep's Head Peninsula after Durrus and Ahakista, it lies under the 'Shadow of Seefin' - the area's highest hill and overlooking Dunmanus Bay and not far from Caher Mountain.

Cill Crochain

Cill Crochain is Gaeilge (Irish) for 'Church of Crochan'. Little is known about Crochan except that he is believed to have lived about the time of St. Patrick (mid 5th century). Some believe he was from Kerry near Caherdaniel where there are two ruined churches named after him and a village called Kilcrohane. Near Helston, Cornwall there are small church ruins believed to be founded by a St. Crochan but there is nothing to confirm that it is the same person.

There is a ruined church in the grounds of the cemetery in Kilcrohane, thought to be where Crohan built his cell.

Tourism

The seaside village of Kilcrohane swells in population in the summer months. It has two pubs, an all year round Cafe Gallery,[3] three restaurants and a coffee shop (open in July and August). The local shop is a post office and filling station. There is also a local co-operative shop selling local produce, arts and crafts. There are three Bed and Breakfasts, several self-catering holiday accommodations, and a garage/repair shop that also rents bicycles. There is a café at the very end of the Peninsula - open from March through October.

The Kilcrohane pier is used for swimming and there are a number of private coves along the coast. There is pollock and mackerel in Dunmanus Bay.

Kilcrohane has a primary school and a church. There is daily transportation to secondary schools in Bantry and public transportation to Bantry twice a week. There is also a community field and hall and a children's playground with tennis court.

Sheep's Head Way

Kilcrohane is base for the hill walking route, the Sheep's Head Way. The Sheep's Head Way features over 60 miles of marked maintained hill and road walking routes with views of Bantry and Dunmanus Bays. The area also has marked road cycling route.

The Alice West Centre, a museum focusing on the life and art of the late Alice West, is open during the summer months and is run by the Muintir Bhaire Community Council. Alice West bequeathed her estate to the community. The museum displays local artifacts, crafts, and artwork.

The WhiteHouse Gallery and coffee shop is a gallery space that retains a few fixtures of the White House Bar. Situated one mile west of Kilcrohane, it lays at a crossroads where people would travel across the water from Beara and the Mizen to meet, play music, sing and dance.

Festivals

Kilcrohane has a number of festivals throughout the year that attracts visitors to the area. The 'Craic on the Coast' traditional music festival takes place annually on Easter weekend. And the 'Kilcrohane Carnival' is held every year on the third week of July (depending on the weather). This carnival features duck races, wheel-barrow races, a 'lovely girls' competition, chair of doom, spider baby, and fancy dress tractor parade. There is also a track and field event day and a fishing competition.

Notable people

  • Kilcrohane (townland Cora) is the birthplace of Bardic poet Aongus O'Daly (1570-1617).
  • U.S. Senator for Wyoming Patrick Joseph Sullivan (1885-1935) was born in Kilcrohane.
  • Writer J.G. Farrell (1935-1979) lived here.
  • Denis O'Donovan, a member of the Seanad was born here.
  • Actor Ralph Fiennes briefly lived here in the 1970s and attended Kilcrohane National School
  • Actor and comedian Tommy O'Donovan resides near the village
  • World record holder for most sheep sheared in one hour with 27 Ian Daly was born in Kilcrohane

See also

References

  1. "Census 2016 Sapmap Area - Settlements - Kilcrohane". CSO. 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  2. Placenames Database of Ireland. Cill Chrócháin Verified 2011-06-05.
  3. http://www.thewhitehouse-gallery.com/coffee.html
  4. "Fianna Fáil suspends Ivor Callely". Irish Times. 2010-08-04. Retrieved 2010-08-04.

Further reading

  • Ann McCarthy, Under the Shadow of Seefin 2001
  • Frank O'Mahony, The Story of Kilcrohane 2000
  • Archaeological Inventory of County Cork, Vol 1 West Cork, Office of Public Works, 1992 ISBN 0-7076-0175-4
  • BHAS Journal vol 2 p.106-119, Townlands Donal Fitzgerald ISSN 0791-6612
  • Donald Grant (lived in Dooneen), White Goats and Black Bees. Editions: New York: Doubleday, 1974 ISBN 0-385-06522-1; London: Joseph, 1975 ISBN 0-7181-1294-6; Schull: Mizen Books,
  • O'Mahony, T., 2006, History of Kilcrohane Village, P.P.R. Publishing
  • Sean Sheehan, Jack's World 2007 [Cork University Press]
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