Past to Present

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The Coastal Environment of West Cork – From Past to Present

We have created a series of online exhibitions that consider how our environmental priorities as they relate to the past.

How have these issues affected the local communities of West Cork during the past, as well as the present day? Can we learn from this about how the coast is valued, and which approaches do and don’t work?

The West Cork Coast in Art, Literature and Poetry

We reflect on the West Cork coast as a source for art and literature.

Pollution and West Cork From 1700

Pollution is often considered a modern phenomenon, but was there pollution in earlier times? And if so, how did it differ from what we experience today? Find out more about the history of pollution, and its effect on West Cork from 1700 to the present day.

Fishing Boat, Cape ClearWest Cork’s fisheries 1700-1920

West Cork has a rich tradition of fishing, and we discovered that many of the issues we face now existed in the past too – just in a different order of magnitude.  Find out more in our online exhibition: West Cork’s Fisheries: 1700-1920Coming soon!

West Cork’s Weather, 1700-1920

From the Great Frost of 1740 through to Hurricane Ophelia in 2017, the West Cork Coast has experienced extreme climatic conditions both now and in the past. Learn about some of the weather phenomena that West Cork communities have experienced through history.

SealTourism in West Cork from 1700

One aspect of conservation is to be more conscious about our role in the ecosystem. We consider the impact of tourism in West Cork from 1700 to the present day, and what can be done to mitigate the impact of tourism on this region. Coming soon!