Members of Skibbereen De La Salle Past Pupils’ Union is looking for your help to compile information on what will be essentially a memory map of Skibbereen town.
Following on the superb books, And Time Stood Still, Volumes 1 and 2, published in 2002 and 2008 respectively, Skibbereen De La Salle is preparing a third volume in the series, but with a slight difference this time around.
Volumes 1 and 2 of And Time Stood Still were predominantly photographic records of Skibbereen and the surrounding areas and are a wonderful record of a bygone era. For Volume 3, the members of the PPU are aiming to record the stories of the businesses, shopkeepers and tradespeople of the town.
Every premises in the town has a unique story to tell – the many trades that were conducted in the shop and the families who lived overhead. The past pupils’ union would like to record the stories before they are lost forever and, with the public’s collaboration, would like to create a dynamic, inclusive and multi-faceted story for the town and its tradespeople.
For instance, in 1932 there were 60 public houses in Skibbereen town. It is fairly easy to count how many pubs are in the town now and that represents an extraordinary social change in less than 100 years. Just where were all these pubs in Skibbereen?
Some properties have changed ownership and use very regularly. Others, like the Eldon Hotel, while the ownership has changed many times, the use has remained the same for generations. The Eldon Hotel opened in May 1885 by Frederick Peel Eldon Potter, a prominent businessman who is probably best remembered for being proprietor of the Skibbereen Eagle newspaper. The name ‘Eldon’ of course came from the fact that Eldon was a Potter family name.
Not so long ago there were five forges in Norrie Blue’s Boreen. Jack McCarthy and Mikey O’Mahony the last of blacksmiths operating in that porch that leads from Mardyke Street to Townshend Street and ’98 Street.
Members of St Fachtna’s De La Salle PPU who are involved in the project include Gerald O’Brien, president PPU, Jerome Geaney, Adrian Healy, Gerard Connolly, Denis O’Driscoll, Ann Bell, John Bell, John O’Driscoll, Reddy O’Regan, Eugene Daly, Caragh Bell, Donie Davis and Philip O’Regan.
If anyone has any information such as photographs, advertisements, bill heads, stories or notable events, they are encouraged to contact a member of the research team or email stfachtnasppu@gmail.com.
