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A Century in Ballingeary and Inchigeela.
The following is just a sample of the events which have shaped Ballingeary and Inchigeela in the 20th Century. Donal Cronin, with help from many people compiled up to 1968 and Anna-Marie O'Sullivan gives us a selection from the 1970s on.

  1. Population of the parish = 4370.
  2. Gougane Church completed.
  3. Charles Walsh returns from the Bore War on a pension of 11 pence a week. Irish Classes held in Inchigeela.
  4. Irish summer School held in Gougane.
  5. Coláiste Na Mumhan opens.  62 students attend.
  6. Boys school built in Inchigeela.
  7. Attempted eviction of Jerry Mahoney in Dromanallig, Ballingeary fails. First telephone in Ballingeary.
  8. M
  9. Farmers in the Parish continue the process of purchasing their farms from the landlords under The Land Acts.
  10. Early attenders at Coláiste Na Mumhan include Tomás Mac Donncadha (1916 leader); Tomás McCurtain; Traolach MacSuibhne and Risteárd Mulcahy who succeded Michael Collins as commander-in-chief of the Free State Army in 1922.
  11. 200 students attend Coláiste Na Mumhan.; Phone Service in Inchigeela
  12. John Shorten, Ballingeary wins senior All-Ireland football medal with Cork.
  13. Emigration continues. Population falls by 1127 in past 20 years.
  14. Fr. James O'Leary is parish priest.
  15. Rev. Toames, last Church of Ireland resident curate is moved out of the Parish.  Irish Volunteer Companys formed. New Keimaneigh School built on Dick Phadie Cronins land.
  16. Michae O'Leary, Kilbarry wins a Victoria Cross in France.
  17. Local Volunteers march to Kealkil as part of Easter Rising.
  18. Fr. O Callaghan leaves the Parish. He is shot in Douglas in 1921 by the Black and Tans. Fr O' Donnochú collects local history.
  19. Butler and Bennett, RIC, attacked at the Mouth Of The Glen in the first armed engagement of the War Of Independence. 80 British soldiers in Glebe House. Spanish Flu claims many lives.
  20. Jack Sean Rua buys first car in Uibh Laoire. Glebe House burnet by IRA. Butler and Bennett get £800 and £500 compensation for injuries. Ballingeary GAA club formed.
  21. IRA attack Inchigeela Barracks. Dan Sullivan and  Tadgh Callaghan, Keimaneigh, imprisoned. Sergeant Maunsell shot in Inchigeela. Christy Lucey shot in Keimaneigh
  22. Height of War of Independence. Flying Columns
  23. De Valera hiding in Gortafluddig. Slieve Na mBan armoured car hidden in Doireanlunnig. Free State troops arrive in parish under Sean Hales.
  24. Free State troops leave camp in Gurteenakilla. Ballingeary Tug-Of-War team win Kilmurry Cup (Munster title) for 3-in-a-row. First Gardaí in Ballingeary,
  25. 37 children in Toreennalour.
  26. New graveyard in Inchigeela.
  27. Ballingeary win Mid-Cork in football.
  28. Inchigeela and Teergay Creameries open.
  29. Ballingeary Pipe Band Formed.  Inchigeela and Ballingeary GAA clubs amalgamate. They win Mid Cork in 1929, 1932, 1935, and 1941.
  30. Grotto in Gurteennakilla
  31. Ballingeary water scheme begins.
  32. Fr. Robert Burts PP 1921-1939. Fr O' Donnchú's bokk on Maire Bhuí is published.
  33. Daily bus service to Cork.
  34. Travelling shows and circuses are a regular feature in the parish in the 20s and 30s.
  35. Timothy Manning of Dromanallig, ordained. He became Cardinal Of Los Angles in 1973.
  36. Ballingeary Creamery opens. 19 suppliers first day. Bealoideas Beal Athan Ghaorthaidh published.
  37. Creamery end local butter making.
  38. Schools manuscript Collection by Folklore Commission.
  39. Cum Rua Forest planted in Gougane. Michael O'Riordan, whose parents were from Ballingeary goes to Spain to fight against Franco as part of the International Brigade.
  40. Ceard Scoil opens in Ballingeary.
  41. LDF formed. Locals join.
  42. W
  43. The Tailor And Ansty by Eric Cross is published and banned.
  44. Calvary   erected at Gougane Cross. Potatoes selling for 13/= (65p) a sack; eggs, 2/6 (12½p) a doz; ducks1 /4 (7p)  a lb. And the cover of a bastabile would set you back 4/= (20p).
  45. Grotto in Rossmore. Water scheme in Inchigeela.
  46. Paddy Cronin, Keimaneigh wins senior All-Ireland medal with Cork. He played club football with Fermoy..
  47. Lovely is the Lee, by Robert Gibbings is published.
  48. Very heavy and prolonged snow.
  49. Population Of Parish 2291.
  50. The Patterns, open air danced on concrete platforms had died out.
  51. Holy Year Crosses erected.
  52. Ostán purchased by Coláiste Na Mumhan.
  53. Jim Galvin, Inchigeela, wins national league medal with Cork.
  54. Ballingeary-Inchigeela road tarred. Farmer avail of Marshall Aid to improve land.
  55. 50th year of Colaiste na Mumhan. 10000 pupils had attended in that time. 50 childre confirmed by Bishop Lucey.
  56. Holiday Centre in Inchigeela.
  57. Ballingeary GAA Club re-established
  58. Ballingeary Pitch  purchased.
  59. Inchigeela Mid Cork Champions.
  60. Méan Scoil Mhuire founded. 19 pupils.
  61. Local farmers reclaim shooting rights from former landlords.
  62. First Ballingeary Show. Browns Bridge Harrier Club founded.
  63. New sewage scheme in Inchigeela.. Mary Twomey , Dooneens ,All-Ireland shearing win.
  64. Holiday Island and slipway in Inchigeela.
  65. All-Ireland Shearing in Ballingeary. Street lights.
  66. Ballingeary Mid Cork Champions.
  67. Denis Moynihan Quintet formed.
  68. Inchigeela Mid Cork B Cmpns. Coolmountain School closes.
  69. Inchigeela Races revived after 5 years.



1971- Population of the parish is1982 people.
1973- Paddy Quill wins All Ireland fiddle contest. Minor parish team win Mid Cork.
1976- Tooreenalour School Closed.  It had been opened in 1919, and Master Lyons was the first teacher in the New School. Tim Dineen was the last registered Pupil in the School in '76.
  1. Garda Gerard Lovett, Dromanallig, wins Scott Medal for bravery. Scoil Mhuire established.
1976- Inchigeela Pitch bought and developed.
1977- Dan Horgan of Lyrenagaoithe reached his 100th Birthday on 3-2-77.

1978- Under the title of "Seanchas an Tailliura ", stories from Tim Buckley ( The Tailor ) were published. The information had been collected in 1947 by Sean O Cronin of Macroom . Stories from the tailor in this book included stories from his own home in Kilgarvan, and the teachers and pupils of Keimaneigh School.
Denis Walsh, Keimaneigh  wins a  Minor All Ireland hurling medal. He adds another minor, a junior and a Senior (1984) in later years.
1985- Jeremiah Twomey wins All Ireland Shearing title. Inchigeela Mid Cork Champions.
1986- Mrs Juila Quill reached her 100th birthday .

1986- was also the year that John O'Driscoll had a very successful tour of Australia with Ireland. He had an outstanding record in football while playing for Cork .He  won three All Ireland Medals (2 senior and 1 under 21) in those years.

1989- Cardinal Manning of Los Angeles and Ballingeary passed away. He was born in Ballingeary 15th of Nov. 1909. He was ordained in 1934, became Bishop in 1946 and finally a Cardinal in 1973
1989- was also the year that Scoil Mhuire won the Under 14 "C Vocational Championship Final. It was the first county successs for the school but what made the win histortic is that 6 girls played with the boys with 2 other girls the only subs. 


1990/91 - John Cronin of Gouganne Barra won All-Ireland titles in the Apprentice Carpenter of the year awards. Gene O'Callaghan Derryvane achieved the same in mid-1980s.. Ballingeary Soccer Club formed. Leeside Soccer Club in Inchigeela. was formed a number of years before.
1992- Ballingeary win Mid Cork and repeat the feat in 1994.

1995- Sean O Crodain , Inchanossig retired in this year . He was runai at Colaiste Na Mumhan for over 50 years and taught in Rathpeacon near Blarney. He sadly passed away in 1998. Deirdre Harrington, Keimaneigh wins a Junior All Ireland Medal to add to her U-16 and  Minor medals.

1996- Neilius Leary reached his 100th Birthday. Ballingeary win Mid Cork Junior B Championship.

1998- Aux. Bishop John Buckley of Gruaige, Inchigeela, becomes Roman Catholic Bishop of Cork and Ross. Bishop Buckley was born in 1939 and was ordained a priest in 1965. He was also President of Farran Ferris College in 1976, went on the be parish priest in Turners Cross in '84 and then was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Cork in 1984

1998- The first World title came to Ballingeary when Paudie Cronin of Gougane Barra won the World Intermediate Sheep Shearing title. He was the first Irish person the win this competition. He was also All Ireland Lamb Shearing Champion in 97/98.


1999- Population of Uibh Laoire  estimated at 1800.