Bantry Historical Society

17/06/2026

We’ve just printed a new flyer for the Bantry Museum! 🏛️ You might start spotting these popping up around the town and area over the next few weeks.

If you’d like to help spread the word in your own neighborhood or business, feel free to pop into the Museum and pick up a few copies to hand out. We’d love your help in letting people know we’re here!

Open Mon-Fri, 10:30–4:30. See you soon! 👋

11/06/2026

Archaeology on our doorstep.
And just in time for European Archaeology Days, 12–14 June 2026.

10/06/2026

Bantry Museum is open to visitors for the summer!

Come and see us and discover the story of Bantry through a fascinating collection of artefacts, photographs, newspapers and local treasures gathered by the Bantry Historical Society.

From historic tools and clothing to folklore and everyday life, explore the people, stories and events that shaped Bantry through the centuries.

24/04/2026

On Monday next 27th April at 8pm in the Christian Fellowship, historian, and author, Ted O Sullivan will address Bantry Historical and Archaeological Society on the life and work of Leslie Price de Barra.

Leslie qualified as a national teacher. In 1916 she was based in the GPO during the rising. She became Director of organisation of Cumann na mBan, a position she retained during the War of Independence and the Civil War. This brought her into contact with the Irish White Cross movement and led to her involvement in bringing the Red Cross to Ireland.

In 1921, during the truce, she married Tom Barry.
She went on to be chairman and President of the Irish Red Cross, but there was so much more to this modest woman who dedicated her life from 1915 to 1984 to improving Ireland and the world. Her life and work deserves to be remembered and commemorated.

All welcome

Members free entry, Non-members; 5€

22/03/2026

On Monday next the 23rd March at 8pm in the Christian Fellowship Church, local historian Margaret Murphy will address Bantry Historical and Archaeological Society on “Exploring Irish Census Records Before 1926”

With the 1926 Irish census due out in April, this talk gives an easy introduction to earlier census records (1766–1911) and explains why they matter for anyone interested in history, family research, or local heritage.

There will also be an opportunity to renew / take out membership for the year. Cost of membership for the year remains €15 single or €20 for a couple. All are welcome. Members free entry, non-members €5

N.B. We are commencing our public talks a bit later than usual this year due to other activities taking place on Monday nights in the Christian Fellowship Church until recently.
Looking forward to seeing you all for our first public talk of 2026,

22/12/2025

True to its ethos, of the community for the community, Bantry Credit Union has generously shared some of its window space to local voluntary organizations from the town to showcase their activities. One of these groups is the Bantry Historical and Archaeological Society which has just decorated one of the windows with its history.

One part includes some examples of artefacts from Bantry Museum. It also displays the Society’s journals which contain a diverse range of articles on local people and places. Journals 4 and 5 are now available to purchase for 12 Euro from the following locations
Bantry Bookstore
Supervalu
Tourist Office
Post Office.

The society is particularly grateful to the Credit Union for all their help with this display.

Amongst the papers in Journal 5 are studies on the Mealagh Valley and Bantry, the Workhouse that stood over the town, William O’Sullivan and Carriganass Castle, St. Brendan's Church in the Square, Margaret Connolly’s diary, the shooting of William Bird, Edith Newman Devlin and what makes a great Irish Street.

21/11/2025

On Monday the 24th November at 8pm in the Christian Fellowship Church, Bantry Historical and Archaeological Society, in collaboration with Bantry Bookstore will host a presentation by Anthony Barrett, author of 'West Cork at War - The Forgotten Guerrilla Campaign, 1922', a new history of the Civil War in West Cork.
Entitled 'Swept by Fire! - The Civil War in Bantry', Anthony will discuss the dramatic events that took place in Bantry during the Irish Civil War. Because of its port which provided a safe link by sea to Cork city, Bantry was strategically critical to the Free State Army in their campaign to take and hold West Cork during the autumn of 1922. They captured it on 18 August, but Republican guerrillas remained active in the surrounding countryside and for months subjected it to violent attacks, the largest of which resulted in the deaths of five men and widespread damage throughout the town.
There will also be an opportunity to acquire signed copies of the book on the night.
We look forward to seeing you out in force for this the final talk of 2025.

17/09/2025

18/07/2025

The latest issue of the Journal of The Bantry Historical & Archaeological Society will be officially launched in
THE BANTRY TOURIST OFFICE, THE SQUARE, ON WEDNESDAY JULY 23rd AT 5 P.M.
The Journal will be launched by Ms Eileen O'Shea, Chairperson of Bantry Development and Tourist Association.
For those attending the launch, copies of the Journal can be bought for €10 each.
To really make your day, you can buy Journals IV and V together for €20.
These prices will be available only to those present at the launch
Only cash will be accepted if you wish to buy at these outstanding prices.
All are welcome to attend