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Welcome to the Deep Maps: West Cork Coastal Cultures website

Explore the rich maritime environment that is found along the arc of Cork’s Roaring Water Bay, from Timoleague to Bantry Bay, as it is shaped by sea and land and imagined in literature and art.

Organised according to contemporary environmental priorities, Deep Maps: West Cork Coastal Cultures invites users to explore the cultural history of the coastline between 1700 and 1920 while considering the future of this unique area.

The website also features the voices and views of people who live and work on the West Cork coast, as we consider the ways in which a deeper sense of the cultural identity of the coastline might affect our understanding of current environmental challenges.

This project is funded by an Irish Research Council New Horizons Award, with additional support from University College Cork.  It is led by Professor Claire Connolly (School of English) and Dr. Rob McAllen (School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences).

Community Perspectives

The coastal marine environment is one of the most biologically diverse and resource-rich environments on the planet. Throughout history, humans have been drawn to the coast, relying on it for their continued survival.

In recent decades, however, the  marine environment has been placed under new and increasing pressures, many of which relate, directly or indirectly, to human activity.

We have identified five environmental priorities for the West Cork coast. We discussed these with members of the local community through interviews, workshops and surveys. Find out more about some community perspectives by following the links below.

Seal
 Biodiversity & Conservation Climate Change
Fishing Boat, Cape Clear Policy and Legislation
Fisheries & Aquaculture Policy & Legislation
Pollution

 

Deep Map of West Cork

What does the West Cork coast mean to you? Our research shows that people value this rich maritime environment for a wide range of reasons – cultural, environmental and historical.

Using digital technologies, we have created visualisations of this rich and multi-faceted marine environment.

 

Explore the Deep Map of West Cork

 

 

Lough Hyne: Deep Map
Interactive Map of
Lough Hyne		 Scientific Timeline
Lough Hyne Story Map
StoryMap of
Lough Hyne		 West Cork Travellers
1700 to Present