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The  Rise and Fall of Linen in Clonakilty c.1730 – 1826

Lecture by

Con O’Neill

on

Thursday March 26 2026

at

8pm

in

Clonakilty GAA Pavilion, Ahamilla, P85 WN84

The year 2026 marks the bicentennial of a pivotal moment in Clonakilty’s history. In the late 18th century, the linen industry transformed a stagnating settlement into a thriving market town. Conversely, its collapse in 1826 was felt almost overnight, leaving behind starving weavers, sponsored emigration, and an economic slump that impacted generations.

While focusing on Clonakilty, the talk explores the influence of Sir Richard Cox in Dunmanway and the wider ‘linen belt’ which stretched along the coast to Skibbereen.

Con O'Neill is an estate agent with Sherry FitzGerald O'Neill and has a keen interest in local history. As well as giving the occasional walking and cycling tour of the area, Con has published articles in the Clonakilty Historical and Archaeological Journal on 'the long eighteenth century' and is editor of the forthcoming journal.

Cover charge: €5

Documentary: Historic Coastal Village of Timoleague

As part of Heritage Week 2022, Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage visited the historic coastal village of Timoleague which is situated at the mouth of the Argideen river estuary.  To take us back over the centuries our guides are Diarmuid Kingston and Michael O’Mahony.

Documentary: Three Local Stories

Produced as part of Heritage Week 2021, this documentary tells three stories. The first part is the history of Lisselane Estate and in particular two of its owners – the infamous landlord William Bence Jones and in more modern times, C. O. Stanley. The second section concentrates on Kilgarriffe old cemetery and some of the many important individuals and families interred there over the last three hundred years or so. The final section of the video highlights Ring Village and the nearby Ballintemple Graveyard, detailing the importance of Ring as a port and the 800-year history of the cemetery wherein lay the remains of Tadhg an Asna among other notable names.