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In Memory of Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin

 

23 February 1967 – 13 July 2025

 

 

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin, following a long and courageous battle with cancer.

 

Cionnaith was the PRO of Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage since its foundation in 2011 and every event we were involved in was promoted widely by him both in social and print media. He gave a massive commitment in time and energy to us over the years.

 

Amongst the many Dúchas events he was involved in, he organised the 1798 commemoration to commemorate the Battle of the Big Cross every June, including this year even though he wasn't able to attend himself, and just two years ago he single handedly organised a whole week of events to commemorate the 225th anniversary, ensuring that it would be handed on and remembered by future generations

 

As part of the book “Clonakilty Town Council: A History 1613 – 2014" which Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage published, Michael O’Mahony and Tomás Tuipéar wrote a profile of Cionnaith which highlights the true extent of his public service. There are many more groups like ours mourning his loss.

 

"Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin was born in Clonakilty on 23 February 1967 and was educated at Clonakilty Boys’ National School, Clonakilty Community College, Kildalton Horticultural College and University College Cork. Ó Súilleabháin has worked in horticulture, nursing-home management, hotel receptionist/customer service and as a rúnaí scoile (school secretary). A member of Sinn Féin, Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin sat on Clonakilty Town Council from 1994 to 2014. Ó Súilleabháin served as Town Council Mayor 2012/13 and directly-elected community Mayor of Clonakilty 2015/16. He has stood unsuccessfully for Cork County Council and Dáil Éireann. Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin has been very active in many of the town’s organisations: Sustainable Clonakilty, Special Olympics Club, Fairtrade, Access Group, Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage, Tidy Towns, Community Bike Scheme, Mayoral Council, Youth Centre, West Cork Model Railway Village and committees for O’Donovan Rossa, Hunger Strike and Easter Commemorations."

 

 

We have lost a dear friend and valued colleague and we will miss him dearly. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Documentary: Historic Coastal Village of Timoleague

As part of Heritage Week 2022, Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage visited the historic coastal village of Timoleague which is situated at the mouth of the Argideen river estuary.  To take us back over the centuries our guides are Diarmuid Kingston and Michael O’Mahony.

Documentary: Three Local Stories

Produced as part of Heritage Week 2021, this documentary tells three stories. The first part is the history of Lisselane Estate and in particular two of its owners – the infamous landlord William Bence Jones and in more modern times, C. O. Stanley. The second section concentrates on Kilgarriffe old cemetery and some of the many important individuals and families interred there over the last three hundred years or so. The final section of the video highlights Ring Village and the nearby Ballintemple Graveyard, detailing the importance of Ring as a port and the 800-year history of the cemetery wherein lay the remains of Tadhg an Asna among other notable names.