Information Crosshaven Ireland
The Owenboy or Owenbee river passes Crosshaven through an area called Drake’s Pool into Cork Harbour. According to an apocryphal story, Sir Francis Drake sailed up the same river as he hid from the Spanish Armada in the year 1588. The point where he put down anchor is the same Drake’s Pool. A pier at Drake’s Pool was used to transport lime to be used as fertiliser or whitewash in earlier times. Old kilns of lime are found on the road near Crosshaven. These would have been used in the past for clay pottery manufacture and grain processing. A military fort was once run by the British nearby until its closure with the Anglo Irish treaty of 1938. Crosshaven dates back to Viking times. In the middle of the nineteenth century the village of Crosshaven comprised about one hundred houses. Crosshaven is also cited in the literature of modernist genius writer James Joyce: Joyce’s aunt founded a local school in Crosshaven. With five beaches within two miles of the town, tourism is now an important sector to Crosshaven. Its scenery is also of some importance to the tourism sector, with its woody environment. Indeed, the south of Ireland was very popular with Victorian holiday makers from both Britain and Ireland. However, tourism is becoming less significant today. With development in recent decades in the large urban centres of Ireland, Crosshaven is slowly becoming a satellite or commuter town of Cork City.
Attractions Crosshaven Ireland
Argideen Heritage - Clonakilty
Located on a 135 acre Dairy Farm, which is located just off of the R600 between Clonakilty and Timoleague in South West Cork. The Arigideen River Valley is unique as well as being beautiful in that it has a very high concentration of Historical sites and is a great source of folklore. The Valley has connections with Michael Collins, Henry Ford, John F Kennedy, Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa, Donal Cam O' Sullivan Bere and William Penn to mention just a few
Ballincollig Gunpowder Mills - Ballincollig
Ballincollig Gunpowder Mills Heritage Centre is a unique industrial complex which meanders along the bank of the River Lee. The Mills were established in 1794 by Charles Henry Leslie. Eleven years later when Napoleon's control of France posed a grave threat to the British, the British Board of Ordnance bought the Mills from Leslie. Along with this the Army Barracks was built in the town to protect the supply of gunpowder. By the mid 1800s the Mills were one of the largest industrial establishments in the Cork area.
Barryscourt Castle - Carrigtwohill
Barryscourt Castle was the seat of the Barry family from the 12th to the 17th centuries. The present castle is a fine example of a 15th century tower house with 16th century additions and alterations. The bawn wall with three corner towers is largely intact. The ground floor of the keep houses an exhibition on the history of the Barrys and Barryscourt Castle.
Blarney Castle - Home of the Blarney Stone - Blarney
Blarney Castle is one of Ireland's oldest and most historic castles. It was built around 1446. An ancient stronghold of the MacCarthys, Lords of Muskerry and one of the strongest fortresses in Munster, its walls are eighteen feet thick in places. Located on the parapet of the castle is the famous "Blarney Stone". According to local legend, after kissing this stone, you will have the gift of eternal eloquence, or "the gift of the gab". To kiss the stone, you must first lie on your back, then leaning your head backwards and downwards, you kiss the underside of the stone. The last admission to the castle and grounds is 30 minutes before closing.
Blarney Woolen Mills - Blarney
The presence of the Woolen Mills during the Famine shielded Blarney from the worst effects of the famine, due to its employment of local workers. The success story at the mills continued until a disastrous fire in 1869. By August 1871, the mill was once again operational with a labour force of 222. In 1976 Chris Kelleher, himself a mill worker, bought the old mill property. Within a short period of time Chris and his family transformed the mill into what is perhaps the largest quality craft shop in Ireland.
