Page Title

From

"Lewis's Topographical Atlas" (1837)

A village, in the parish of Skull, Western Division of the Barony of West Carbery county of Cork, and province of Munster, 8 miles (w.s.w.) from Skibbereen; containing 601 inhabitants. The village is situated on a new line of road formed by the Board of Works from Skibbereen to Rock Island; and derives its name from its position at the

confluence of three streams, whose united waters are crossed by a handsome stone bridge, below which they expand into a small but secure haven, near the termination of Roaring Water Bay. It consists of a long and irregular street containing about 100 houses, some of which are large and well built; and is rapidly increasing in size and importance, particularly since the formation of the new road, which has made it a considerable

thoroughfare, aided by its propinquity to the

copper mines of Cappach and the slate

quarries of Audley's Cove and Filemuck,

which renders it well adapted for business.

Ballydehob

Beal Ath an Da Chab

(ford mouth of the two openings)

Ballydehob is a microcosm of Irish local history and legends and folklore abound in the locality. At the dawn of the Bronze age (2200-600 B.C.) , copper and some say gold were mined on Mount Gabriel, and just outside the village. At the same time Stone circles, Wedge and boulder tombs were constructed in the area .

The Celts arrived around this time and the various clans fought for dominance,

until the eventual emergence of the McCarthy's and O'Mahonys as the

rulers of the area surrounding the present village. A string of castles along the

coastline bear testament to their strength, and to the importance of the area.

Kilcoe Castle was the McCarthy's most westerly stronghold and is probably

West Cork's best preserved castle,( the actor Jeremy Irons is at present extensively

restoring it).

In 1602 soldiers led by Sir George Carew, Lord President of Munster descended

On the area in a successful bid to break the power of the Gaelic chieftains. Their

Passage through West Cork was described in "Pacata Hibernia" by Thomas Stafford,

told of course from the invaders point of view, but interestingly, and probably

uniquely for the time, a contempary Irish account can also be found in " Historicae

Catolicae Iberniae Compenium" by Don Philip O'Sullivan.

The arrival of the 17th century saw an influx of settlers mainly from England, but

A significant number were protestants fleeing persecution in Catholic France.

The Swanton's from Norfolk emerged as the most prominent family in the area, and by the late 18th century they had succeeded in changing the name of Ballydehob to

Swanton's town.( the last known use of the name Swanton's town was in the census of 1821)

In the 1820's copper mining took off in the area, Lord Audley opened the Cappagh

Mine whose 20 metre chimney still dominates the location about 3km from the

Village, an interesting fact of this time was the introduction to Ballydehob of a

Police constabulary and barracks, this was some 6 years before the first London

Police force.

By the 1840's the population had swelled to nearly 20,000 , then disaster struck,

The potato crop failed and famine stalked the land This most traumatic event in

Irish history affected Ballydehob and the whole of West Cork in a most devastating

Way . Thousands died and thousands more emigrated in those horrific years, between

1841 and 1851 the population of the area fell by 42% which was a good deal higher

than the national average.

1n the 1880's amid growing agitation over land reform, the Ballydehob branch of

The land league hosted a visit by Anna Parnell sister of Charles Stewart Parnell, to

Address a public meeting on the subject, which was held in the field where

St. Brigit's school now stands.

1886 saw the opening of the Skibbereen to Schull railway with a huge sports

Event held in Ballydehob to mark the occasion, at the time there was a 15m.p.h.

Speed limit on the railway. The magnificent 12 arch bridge which dominates the

Estuary of Ballydehob, was the major engineering achievement of the line. Mounting

losses and the arrival of buses and motor cars eventually brought the closure of the

Line. The final train ran on January 27 1947.