Baltimore Dún na Séad | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Baltimore in 2005 | |
  Baltimore Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates:51°29′N9°22′W / 51.483°N 9.367°W /51.483; -9.367 | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Munster |
| County | Cork |
| Barony | Carbery West |
| Civil parish | Tullagh |
| Founded | 1607 |
| Elevation | 26 m (85 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 414 |
| Eircode (Routing Key) | P81 |
| Area code | 028 |
| Irish Grid Reference | W051264 |
Baltimore (/ˈbæltɪmɔːr/;Irish:Dún na Séad,[2] translated as "fort of the jewels") is a village in westernCounty Cork,Ireland. It is the main village in the parish of Rathmore and the Islands, the southernmost parish in Ireland. It is the main ferry port toSherkin Island,Cape Clear Island and the eastern side of Roaring Water Bay (Loch Trasna) andCarbery's Hundred Isles.
Although the nameBaltimore is an anglicisation of the IrishBaile an Tí Mhóir meaning "town of the big house", the Irish-language name for Baltimore is that of theO'Driscoll castle,Dún na Séad orDunashad ("fort of the jewels"). The restored castle is open to the public and overlooks the town.
In antiquity,Dunashad was considered a sanctuary fordruids and the place name is associated inIrish mythology with the feast ofBealtaine.[3]
Baltimore was a seat of one of Ireland's most ancient dynasties, theCorcu Loígde, formerKings of Tara andKings of Munster. Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number ofring fort,fulacht fiadh,souterrain,lime kiln andholy well sites in Baltimoretownland.[4]Dunasead Castle, also known as Baltimore Castle, was the site of a fortification from at least the early 13th century.[5]
Baltimore is mentioned in an entry inThe Genealogy of Corca Laidhe (translated byJohn O'Donovan in 1876) which refers to events in December 1413. According to the account, the "Mayor of the City of Waterford", Simon Wicken, together with his bailiffs and armed men, sailed to "Balintimore" on Christmas Eve.[6] While he was invited, by the O'Driscolls of Dunasead, to join in the Christmas festivities,[6] Wicken subsequently captured and took the O'Driscoll family back to Waterford as prisoners.[5] Another early mention is in a pardon dated 13 December 1551 to the O'Driscolls ofBallitimore, No. 905 in theFiants of King Edward VI.[7]
An EnglishPuritan colony was founded at Baltimore about 1605 bySir Thomas Crooke, 1st Baronet, with the blessing ofKing James I of England; Crooke agreed to rent the land from SirFineen O'Driscoll,Chief of the Name ofclanO'Driscoll.[8] It was a lucrative centre of thepilchard schools and therefore ofcommercial fishing, and in the early 1600s apirate base, where not only all the justices including thevice-admiral ofMunster, but the entire population, were involved; all the women of Baltimore were reputed to be either the wives or mistresses of pirates.[9] These activities were unaffected by official discouragement under King James, but English piracy generally declined shortly thereafter, partly due to competition fromBarbary pirates. In 1607 Baltimore became amarket town, with the right to hold a weeklymarket and two annual fairs. After Crooke's death, political control of the town passed toSir Walter Coppinger.
The town was depopulated in1631 in theSack of Baltimore, a raid byBarbary pirates from eitherOttoman Algeria orSalé (Morocco).[8] Between 100[10] and 237 English settlers and local Irish people were abducted and sold into theBarbary slave trade,[11] of whom only two or three ever saw Ireland again.[8] Reminders of the incident still exist in the form of townpub names, such as "The Algiers". The survivors fled toSkibbereen, and the ruins of Baltimore were left almost deserted for generations. A slow recovery began in the 18th-century, and by the early 1800s the village was starting to prosper again, only to suffer further losses in theGreat Famine.[8]
Baltimore was grantedborough status in 1612 with a town government consisting of a "sovereign" (Sir Thomas Crooke) and twelveburgesses. Itreturned two members to theIrish House of Commons from 1613 to 1801.[12] It was disenfranchised by theActs of Union 1800.
One of the most notable landmarks in the area is theBaltimore Beacon, also known asLot's wife. Towards the end of July 1847, Commander James Wolfe, R.N., informed the Ballast Board that he had recently completed a survey of Baltimore Harbour and noticed the destruction of the beacon on the eastern point of the southern entrance to the harbour.
George Halpin, the Board's inspector was ordered to report the matter which he did the following month, stating that the original, locally built beacon was too small, poorly built, and had been vandalised. He recommended a large and properly constructed beacon with which the Board concurred.
Almost a year passed, 6 July 1848, before the Board requested the secretary to seek permission from Lord Carbery for a piece of ground ten yards in diameter, on which to build the beacon. By the end of July, a reply had been received from Mr Arthur Perry-Aylmer informing the Board that Lady Carbery of Castle Freke near Rosscarbery had given her full permission to either rebuild or re-construct the existing beacon and granted free access as the beacon was a matter of such vast importance to fishermen and others.
By February 1849 inspector George Halpin reported that the masonry work of the beacon was complete but the iron staff and vane still had to be placed on top.
The conspicuous conical white-painted Baltimore Beacon, sometimes called the 'pillar of salt' or 'Lot's wife' is approximately 50 feet (15.2m) high and 5 yards (4.6m) in diameter at the base. The vane, mentioned by Halpin in 1849 was obviously vulnerable and at a later date was replaced by a sphere.
Baltimore attracts visitors and the resident population increases in the summer months due to the summer homes that have been built in the area. Baltimore is used by visitors interested in sailing, fishing and exploring the countryside. Baltimore is a base from which tourists explore Cape Clear, Sherkin andLough Hyne. Lough Hyne, Ireland's first marine nature reserve is approximately 5 km from the town. Baltimore also has become a venue for scuba diving, due largely to the number and variety of shipwrecks in the bay. These include aSecond World War submarine (U-260), the bulk carrierKowloon Bridge and theAlondra from 1916.
One local restaurant has twoMichelin stars (Dede), as didMews (2018–20).[13][14]
The local GAA club isIlen Rovers, which was formed in 1973 and consists of the surrounding parish and that of Lisheen and Kilcoe. They compete in the Cork County Senior Football Championship and appeared in the Senior final in 2007 losing toNemo Rangers. The local soccer team Baltimore FC also known as the Crabs were established in 2006. They won division 2 in 2010 and again in 2025 and are currently a division 1 side in theWest Cork League. Sailing is also a popular activity in Baltimore. Courses are held in the summer months for both adults and children.
Ferries sail from Baltimore toSchull further along the coast, toSherkin Island, and to the more remoteCape Clear Island.
Baltimore is located on theR595 road, leading to theN71 road forCork, roughly 100 kilometres from the village. The closest town to Baltimore isSkibbereen, 13.4 kilometres northeast of the village. Bus services to Skibbereen and Cork are provided byBus Éireann. The nearest airport isCork Airport
Baltimore railway station on theWest Cork Railway opened on 2 May 1893, but finally closed on 1 April 1961.[15]
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