History of People and Places
Guided walk on Skibbereen's Railway History - Heritage week event. The railway first came to Skibbereen in 1877 and the last train ran on 31 March 1961. There is always a great sense of nostalgia about railways and the part
Our October Lecture is: ‘Skellig Michael: Stairway to Heaven’ by John Sheehan. This talk will explore some aspects of the extraordinary monastery of Skellig Michael, one of Ireland’s World Heritage Sites. It will focus on its dramatic siting, on its
Our November lecture is: 'The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)' by Conor Kelleher. Conor Kelleher has served in Lebanon with the UN peacekeepers on six occasions as well as the Golan Heights. He holds a Masters in Strategic
Our January Lecture is: ‘From Skibbereen to the Moon: Agnes Clerke and 19th Century Astronomy’ by Finola Finlay. Agnes Mary Clerke (1842-1907) was born and brought up in Skibbereen and lived through the Famine. Educated at home and in libraries
The AGM of Skibbereen and District Historical Society will be held at 8.00pm on Monday 16th February 2026 at the O’Donovan Rossa GAA Pavilion, Skibbereen. The agenda for the AGM is as follows: Adoption of minutes of 2025 AGM held on 26th February
Our March Lecture is: ‘A Life in Four Acts’ by Lord David Puttnam For many years the Oscar-winning film producer David Puttnam has resided close to Skibbereen. In this talk he will reflect on his remarkable journey through film, politics, and
Our April Lecture is: ‘Sailing into History: the epic voyage of Saoirse, the first boat to carry the Tricolour around the world, 100 years ago’ by Flor MacCarthy. On the afternoon June 20th 1925, Limerickman Conor O'Brien emerged onto deck
Drombeg Stone Circle Outing - Tuesday, 16 June 2026. Assemble at Glandore church carpark at 6:30pm. (Eircode P81 FW90) Our first outing of the summer will be a visit to the iconic Drombeg Stone Circle, near Glandore, where our guide will
The formal launch of the 2026 Skibbereen Historical Journal will take place at the Abbeystrewery Hall, Skibbereen (P81 XT53) on Friday 10th July at 7.30 pm. The launch will be performed by Finola Finlay of the Roaringwater Journal blog. Copies
The Society's Summer Tour this year will take place on Friday 17th July 2026. The tour will be to Ardnacrusha Power Station on the Shannon, outside Limerick City and to Adare Village. This is the 100th anniversary of the Ardnacrusha Power Station, that was
The formal unveiling of Historical Railway Information Boards at Ilen Street, Skibbereen and online launch of “Traces of the Baltimore Extension Railway”, a photographic study of the remnants of the Baltimore to Skibbereen Railway, by Skibbereen & District Historical Society.
In April 2026, Skibbereen & District Historical Society were gifted three old paintings that once belonged to the Lawton family of Aughadown parish. The first of the paintings is a portrait of Hugh Lawton (1778-1859). A colourful and sometimes controversial