Union Hall, County Cork

Union Hall (Irish: Bréantrá) is a small fishing village located in County Cork, Ireland, located on the west side of Glandore Harbour. Its nearest neighbour to the west is Castletownshend; to the east, Glandore Village. It is approximately 10 kilometers east of Skibbereen. As of the 2016 census, 270 people were living in Union Hall.[1]

Union Hall

Bréantrá
Town
Union Hall Main Street
Union Hall
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 51°33′29″N 9°08′19″W
CountryIreland
ProvinceMunster
CountyCork
Elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2016)[1]
270
Time zoneUTC+0 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-1 (IST (WEST))
Irish Grid ReferenceW206345
Union Hall as seen from the neighbouring settlement of Glandore

A key source of employment in the area is fishing,[2] and the pier has its own ice plant and fish processing factory run by Glenmar Shellfish Ltd.[3] Tourism is also an economic driver, and among the area's attractions are boat trips to view whales, dolphins and seals.[4]

Location and access
Poulgorm Bridge

The coastal village lies on a hill, and has a small harbour for small fishing boats and other small craft.

By road it is accessible over the narrow Poulgorm Bridge on the R597 regional road to Glandore, Rosscarbery and Leap. The bridge is only one lane wide, so traffic must wait for the bridge to be clear before crossing. The bridge was built c.1890, and featured in David Puttnam's 1994 film "War of the Buttons".[5][6]

History
See also: Ímar Ua Donnubáin

Archaeological sites in the immediate area include evidence of a number of ringforts, a souterrain and a lime kiln in Ballincolla townland.[7] Also nearby are the remains of 13th century and 16th century O'Donovan castles at Castle Eyre (Listarkin townland) and Raheen Castle (Raheen townland).[8][9]

In July/August 1922, as part of the Irish Free State offensive of the Civil War, national army troops landed at the quay in Union Hall in order to out-flank the local Republican forces.[10]

In January 2012, the Tit Bonhomme Fishing Vessel sank near Glandore Harbour, and the people of Union Hall spent several weeks searching for the Irish and Egyptian sailors who died. They were presented with a People of the Year Award in September 2012.[11]

Amenities and tourism

There is a supermarket and a fish shop in the village. There is also a post office and a number of bed and breakfasts.

Union Hall has a Roman Catholic church (built c.1832 and dedicated to St. Bridget) to the south of the village, and a Church of Ireland church close to the village centre (built c.1840).[12][13]

The area around Union Hall is known for its hills, woodlands, rivers and islands. There are a number of small inlets, bays and beaches.

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See also

References
  1. "Sapmap Area: Settlement - Unionhall". Census 2016. Central Statistics Office. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  2. "Fisheries - Union Hall". discoverireland.ie. Fáilte Ireland. Retrieved 19 November 2018. Union Hall has a proud connection with the sea and fishing is major local industry
  3. "Lisavaird Co-op shells out €10m in Glenmar Shellfish seafood business takeover". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. 5 December 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  4. "Whale & Dolphin Watching". unionhall.ie. Union Hall. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  5. "W2135 : Poulgorm Bridge Unionhall". geograph.ie. Geograph. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  6. "Poulgorm Bridge, County Cork". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  7. Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 1: West Cork. Dublin: Irish Government Stationery Office. 1992. Sites in Ballincolla townland: Ringfort (CO142-060001-): "Circular, slightly raised area / enclosed by earthen bank / stone-faced inparts / souterrain in interior". Souterrain (CO142-060002-) "NE quadrant ringfort". Ringfort (CO142-062----) "Roughly circular area / defined by low arc of collapsed wall". Lime kiln (CO142-061----): Built against N-facing slope overlookin Glandore Harbour and adjacent to high sea cliffs"
  8. "Local History". unionhall.ie. Union Hall. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018.
  9. "Raheen Tower House". megalithicireland.com. Megalithic Ireland. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  10. Peter Cottrell (2014). The Irish Civil War 1922–23. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781472810335. 180 men on the [SS] Alexandra landed at Union Hall, Glandore, in the face of small-arms fire from Republicans in fishing boats. By the time they had managed to unload their armoured car and three armoured personnel carriers, the IRA had melted away and the town was secured
  11. "Heroes at national and community levels honoured in emotional ceremony". 17 September 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  12. "St. Bridget's Roman Catholic Church, Unionhall, County Cork". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  13. "Myross Parish Church, County Cork". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
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