Truly West Cork - A Cultural & Educational Event - Skibbereen

Immerse Yourself in a Day of Culture in Beautiful West Cork

Programme:

• Prof Paul Finucane FRACP FRCPI, Professor Emeritus UL - Making Things Happen in West Cork
• Dr Rosari Kingston,Medical Herbalist & UCC Lecturer -Stability
• George Salter Townsehend, Castltownshend in conversation with Siobhán Cronin, The Southern Star - The Shocking Truth of Climate Change
• Mary Mc Carthy, Journalist & Poet - Alive. Creativity Lights Up The World.
• Steve Park, West Cork Film Studios - Future of Film & Economic Growth in West Cork
• Conor Ó Buachalla, Gormú - Whispers of the Past: Hidden Folklore of West Cork

9am -10am Making Things Happen in West Cork with Prof Paul Finucane Professor FRACP FRCPI Emeritus UL

The Presenter:

Prof Paul Finucane is a retired academic and medical doctor. Over the years, he has held professorial appointments at four Australian universities and is Professor Emeritus at the University of Limerick. Since returning to West Cork from overseas in 2021, he has focused on promoting the arts and on stimulating interest in the Irish language in the region.

The Topic:

Paul will tell the story of how the University of Limerick came into being in the early 1970s and achieved the almost impossible in establishing itself as a major academic institution. He will describe the vision and energy that guaranteed the project’s success. He will argue that similar vision and energy can re-establish the West Cork Gaeltacht and could foster other important initiatives in the region.

10am - 11am Stability with Dr Rosari Kingston Medical Herbalist and UCC Lecturer

The Presenter:

Dr. Rosari Kingston is a practising medical herbalist with a particular interest in Irish traditional medicine, ethnobotany, and indigenous healing practices. The intersection of different worldviews and healing traditions and their impact on patient care informs her research.

The Topic:

The Irish cyclical year of holidays reinforces health-giving stability by aligning with natural seasonal rhythms, fostering community bonds, and maintaining cultural continuity. These celebrations provide regular opportunities for mindfulness practices, physical activities, and social interactions that contribute to both mental and physical well-being. By offering a consistent framework of traditions throughout the year, this holiday cycle creates a stable rhythm that provides a sense of predictability and continuity while also allowing for renewal and growth with each passing season.

11 am - 11.30 am Tea Break

11.30am - 12.30pm The Shocking Truth of Climate Change with George Salter Townshend in conversation with Siobhán Cronin, Editor of The Southern Star.

The Presenters:

• George Salter Townshend is from Castletownshend.
• Siobhán Cronin, Editor of The Southern Star.

Topic:

The 'real' shocking truth of climate change and how it will affect people.

12.30pm to 1.30pm Lunchtime

Please note lunch is not included in the ticket price.

Advanced booking of lunch is advisable with The West Cork Hotel www.westcokhotel.com

Contact Details: Tel (028) 21277 or email info@westcorkhotel.com

1.30pm -2.30pm Alive. Creativity Lights Up the World with Mary Mc Carthy

The Presenter:

Mary Mc Carthy is a UCC student on the PG Dip Innovation through Design Thinking. She has designed Truly West Cork for her Action Design Research project. She regularly contributes as a freelance journalist to The Southern Star. Shortlisted for the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award 2022, her poetry has been widely published. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from UL, where she graduated with First Class Honours.

The Topic:

Ideas are what we trade when we meet people. Innovation and imagination are key to our resourcefulness. Creativity is the energy that brings novel ideas alive. An idea can change everything. Storytelling matters.

Mary will talk about how creativity allows us to see the good, and that stories can reveal insights, humour and bring us great joy. Adding her own magic, she will blend her talk with a sprinkling of her poetry, capturing an interpretation of beauty, light and hope that's inspired by nature.

" Those who do not believe in magic will never find it." - Roald Dahl

2.30pm - 3.30pm The Future of Film & Economic Growth in West Cork with Steve Park West Cork Film Studios in Skibbereen.

The Presenter:

Steve Park, Co -Director, West Cork Film Studios

West Cork Film Studios is an independently locally owned film and TV studio. Started by local film makers who believe it can it can become one of West Corks biggest industries employing and training local people and putting millions of euro back into the community and local businesses.

The Topic:
Steve will raise these subjects and talk about opportunities for all of the community.

3.30pm to 4pm Tea Break

4pm - 5pm Whispers of the Past: Hidden Folklore of West Cork with Conor Ó Buachalla, Gormú.

The Presenter:

Conor Ó Buachalla runs Gormú, an eco-adventure company based just outside An Sciobairín that blends storytelling with the landscape. He has a deep interest in Irish folklore, placenames, and local history. His tours and talks explore the rich oral traditions that still echo through the region.

The Topic:

West Cork is steeped in hidden folklore, from stories collected in the Schools’ & Folklore Collections to local tales of the ollphéist and bean sí. This talk uncovers local legends, lost traditions, and forgotten beliefs. Expect intriguing, eerie, and entertaining insights into the folklore that still shapes West Cork.