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Ballydehob () is a coastal village in the southwest of County Cork, Ireland, located on the N71 national secondary road. ==History== Ballydehob is a microcosm of Irish local history, and legends and folklore abound in the locality. At the dawn of the Bronze Age (2200-600 B.C.), copper was mined on Mount Gabriel, just west of the village. About the same time stone circles, wedge and boulder tombs were constructed in the area. The Celts arrived at some later time and in the early historic period various clans fought for dominance, until the eventual emergence of the McCarthys and O'Mahonys as the rulers of the region. A string of castles along the coastline bear testament to their strength, and to the strategic importance of this area. Kilcoe Castle was the McCarthy's most westerly stronghold and their only coastal foothold; it was probably West Cork's best preserved castle, which has in recent years been extensively Disneyfied by the actor Jeremy Irons). In 1602 soldiers led by Sir George Carew, Lord President of Munster, descended on the area in a successful bid to break the power of the Gaelic chieftains. Their passage through West Cork was described in "Pacata Hibernia" by Thomas Stafford, told of course from the invaders point of view, but interestingly, and probably uniquely for the time, a contemporary Irish account can also be found in ''Historicae Catolicae Iberniae Compenium'' by Don Philip O'Sullivan. The 17th century saw an influx of settlers mainly from England, but a significant number were Protestants (Huguenots) fleeing persecution in Catholic France. The Swantons from Norfolk emerged as the most prominent family in the locality, and by the late 18th century they had succeeded in changing the name of Ballydehob to Swanton's Town. (The last known use of the name Swanton's Town was in the census of 1821). In the 1820s copper mining developed again in the region. The Cappagh mine, the most productive of several, was financed by Lord Audley; its 20-metre chimney survived until February 2002, when it was destroyed by a lightning strike. An interesting feature of this mining era was the introduction to Ballydehob of a police constabulary and barracks, some 6 years before the first London police force. By the 1840s the population of the area had swelled to nearly 20,000. Then disaster struck when the potato crop failed and the Great Irish Famine resulted. This affected Ballydehob and the whole of West Cork in a most devastating way; thousands died and thousands more emigrated. Between 1841 and 1851 the population of the area fell by 42%, a decline which was much higher than the national average. At present Ballydehob has a resident population of about 300. In the 1880s amid growing agitation over land reform, the Ballydehob branch of the Irish National Land League hosted a visit by Anna Parnell, sister of Charles Stewart Parnell, to address a public meeting on the subject; this was held in the field where St. Brigit's school now stands, and is commemorated by a plaque. In the 1960s Ballydehob saw an influx of artists, writers and craftspeople, attracted by the village's peaceful coastal setting. Also for a brief period a number of "Hippy" communes were established in the area. One house was decorated with painted flowers, becoming well known as the "Flower House". In common with the rest of West Cork, Ballydehob is a popular holiday venue, and the area contains a number of guest-houses, as well as private holiday homes. The traditional village shops have largely been replaced by a range of eating-places. Near Ballydehob at Cooragurteen there is a Chapel of the Antiochan Orthodox Church, where Saturday evening vespers and Sunday morning readings are regularly held. Divine Liturgy is also celebrated at the Chapel at various times throughout the year. This chapel is reputed to be the most westerly Othodox chapel in Western Europe. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ballydehob」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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