A very cool project.

Cork County Council has announced a major project that will see Mac Conmara Heritage Consultants audit memorials across Cork in order to better understand the events of the period between 1912 and 1923.

The initiative is part of the Decade of the Centenaries exploring the Irish War of Independence and Civil War. A statement issued by the council this morning says that: “The project will document memorials commemorating the War of Independence and the Civil War but also lesser-known sites and socially relevant events, such as the vote for women in 1918, which will build and add to the excellent research already undertaken in the area of commemoration across County Cork.”

The project will be working with various groups, including historical societies, community groups, Churches, political parties, An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces and organisations such as the National Graves Association. The public are also invited to submit details of memorial sites they believe could be of value to the study.

Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey said: “We want to capture as much information as possible about monuments, both significant and the lesser known.”

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Gillian Coughlan welcomed the project, saying, “It is a wonderful initiative that will enhance our understanding of the revolutionary period in Cork. The years from 1912 to 1923 were a defining period of our history, informing who we are as a nation today.

“The audit sets out to be inclusive, while also recognising that we cannot ignore differences and divisions that existed within our county during that time. There are monuments and memorials to key people and events from a century ago in almost every village, town and parish in County Cork.

“This project plays an important role in ensuring that these monuments and the events of 100 years ago will not be forgotten.”