50 Gems of West Cork The History & Heritage of the Most Iconic Places

Situated in the south-western corner of Ireland, the region of West Cork attracts millions of visitors each year to discover its spectacular coastline and dramatic landscapes. It is known for its scenery, its serenity, its culture, and its people. In this book, local author Kieran McCarthy seeks out the essence and the character of the area as he highlights some of its treasures and special places. 50 Gems of West Cork takes the reader from Bandon to Castletownbere, through the changing and the unspoiled landscapes and seascapes, and provides an insight into the uniqueness of the region. The necklace of towns and villages are all linked together through a striking section of Ireland’s coastline, over 320 kilometers in length, encompassing a raw coastal wilderness with expansive inlets continuously being eroded away by the Atlantic Ocean. Together with the exquisite coastal scenery are undulating inland landscapes crisscrossed by mountains, hills, streams, and rivers, imposing old-world villages and wonderful discoveries at every bend in the road. Researching West Cork, the visitor finds that each parish has its own local historian, historical society, village/town council, tidy towns group, community group, and business community who have inspired the creation of heritage trails and information panels, each asserting why its area has a strong sense of place and identity, and why it should be visited. Relics from the past also haunt the landscape with prominent landmarks ranging from Bronze Age standing stones to ivy-clad ruined houses and castles, churches and big houses, to beacons, cable cars, and lighthouses. All add to the spectacle that is West Cork.

Kieran McCarthy has actively promoted Cork’s heritage for more than 20 years. He has led and continues to lead successful heritage initiatives through his community talks, City and County school heritage programs, walking tours, newspaper articles, books, and his work through his heritage consultancy business. For the past 16 years, Kieran has written a local heritage column in the Cork Independent on the history, geography, and its intersection of modern day life in communities in Cork City and County. He is the author of 14 books local history books.