Union Hall Bréantrá (Irish) | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Main Street | |
  Union Hall Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates:51°33′29″N9°08′19″W / 51.55801°N 9.13850°W /51.55801; -9.13850 | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Munster |
| County | County Cork |
| District | Skibbereen |
| Elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population | 270 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Irish Grid Reference | W206345 |
Union Hall (Irish:Bréantrá),[2] alsoUnionhall, is a smallfishing village located inCounty Cork,Ireland, located on the west side ofGlandore Harbour. Its nearest neighbour to the west isCastletownshend; to the east, Glandore village. It is approximately 10 kilometres south-east ofSkibbereen. As of the2016 census, 270 people were living in Union Hall.[1]
A key source of employment in the area is fishing,[3] and the pier has its own ice plant and fish processing factory run by Glenmar Shellfish Ltd.[4] Tourism is also an economic driver, and among the area's attractions are boat trips to viewwhales,dolphins andseals.[5]
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 theR597 regional road toGlandore,Rosscarbery andLeap. 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 inDavid Puttnam's 1994 film "War of the Buttons".[6][7]
Archaeological sites in the immediate area include evidence of a number ofringforts, asouterrain and alime kiln in Ballincollatownland.[8] Also nearby are the remains of 13th century and 16th centuryO'Donovan castles at Castle Eyre (Listarkin townland) and Raheen Castle (Raheen townland).[9][10]
The Irish nameBréantrá means "rotten strand".[11] An alternative isTráanBhróin "strand of sorrow".[11] One tradition says the name originates from the blood split at a battle fought there in the early 16th century between O'Donovansepts ofClancahill andSliocht Íomhair.[11] The adjoiningtownland name Clontaff is likewise explained asCluain a Catha "battle meadow",[11] although the official name isCluain Cathail.[12]
The English name "Union Hall" was originally that of abig house built and named after theAct of Union 1800 by William Somerville Limrick (or Limerick), alieutenant colonel in theMadras Army of theEast India Company.[11][13][14] The house, later named Unionhall House, wasburnt out by theIrish Republican Army in theIrish War of Independence.[15] In July–August 1922, as part of theIrish Free State offensive of theCivil War, national army troops landed at the quay in Union Hall in order to outflank the local Republican forces.[16]
In January 2012, theTit Bonhomme fishing vessel sank nearGlandore Harbour, and the people of Union Hall spent several weeks searching for the Irish and Egyptian sailors who died. They were presented with aPeople of the Year Award in September 2012.[17]
The village served as the setting for the titular fictional location ofBodkin in the 2024 Netflix TV series of the same name.[18]
There is a supermarket and a fish shop in the village. There is also a post office and a number ofbed 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).[19][20]
The area around Union Hall is known for its hills, woodlands, rivers and islands. There are a number of small inlets, bays and beaches.[citation needed]
Union Hall has a proud connection with the sea and fishing is major local industry
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"
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
