Cork County Council Library and Arts Service has acquired a rare and historically significant Ordnance Survey of Ireland map of the Lower Harbour of Cork. The map, which is based on the Ordnance Survey of 1897, was generously donated by Diarmuid Kilcullen the grandson of Cobh barrister Francis J Healy.  It showcases Cobh town, the...Read More

The exhibition tells the stories of a number of Corkonians who served in the war, featuring their photographs, diaries, letters, medals, and keepsakes. These include Michael O’Leary from Macroom, who was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1915, for single-handedly charging and destroying two enemy barricades defended by machine gun positions on the Western Front. The...Read More

Placenames are of great importance in Ireland, helping to shape and define both place and people. This podcast explores some of the resources available in Local Studies for the study of this fascinating subject. The Local Studies Library has a comprehensive collection of books and resources for the study of placenames – Lewis: A Topographical...Read More

We are delighted to display the Royal Irish Academy’s Exhibition titled Mapping Urban Ireland: an exhibition of historical maps of Irish cities and towns as part of the Local Studies Library exhibition for Heritage Week 2024. This exhibition also explores the history of Cork’s unique cultural landscape through a series of historical maps. To complement...Read More

Many foreign travellers wrote an account of their travels in Ireland in the late eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Travel in the 18th century was largely by horseback and with the improvement of roads, the hiring of a chaise or coach for travel across the county became a more popular mode of travel.  Some...Read More

As part of the 125th anniversary of Cork County Council, you can visit the Local Studies Library and view the original entries for the design of the Cork County Council seal which were submitted back in 1899. The Local Studies Library also has some very interesting books and files that explore this fascinating history of...Read More

Historian and author, Joseph EA Connell Jnr, will be give a talk on various aspects of post Treaty Ireland in the Local Studies Library at 3pm on Thursday 15th February. He has written extensively on this period in Irish history – Michael Collins Dublin 1916-1922, The Terror War and The Shadow War. Booking is essential....Read More

Participation in street games has been a timeless pursuit for children throughout Cork. This podcast explores some of the more familiar games that are recognisable to all generations, though names may have changed along the way. The narrative will bring back childhood memories to all listeners whilst paying homage to an era that is now...Read More

The town of Youghal is steeped in history and heritage. The Local Studies Library has put together an exhibition which explores some of this history and this will be on display in the LHQ Gallery in the County Library Building from 14th to 25th of August.The exhibition includes 8mm film recorded by William Matthes of...Read More

Digital copies of our collection of Irish Tourist Association files from the 1940s are now available to view at https://corklocalstudies.ie/irish-tourist-association-topographical-and-general-survey/. These surveys offer a unique insight into life in Cork, as well as descriptions of ancient archaeological sites, curiosities and local folklore and traditions. This digitisation project was supported by the Heritage Council under the...Read More