Publications

For years, the Dunmanway Historical Association has been dedicated to researching, preserving, and sharing the rich heritage of Dunmanway. Our extensive catalogue of books and journals offers a fascinating window into the people, places, and events that have shaped our community over the generations.

To help you explore our archive, our publications are categorised into three distinct collections:

  • The Pictorial Past of Dunmanway: A treasured series of photo books capturing the everyday life, milestones, and changing landscapes of our town through photographs.

  • Dunmanway Doings Journals: Our official historical journals, packed with original research, captivating local folklore, and in-depth stories contributed by local historians and passionate community members.

  • Special Editions: A selection of unique, special-focus releases and standalone historical works that celebrate specific aspects of West Cork history.

Whether you are researching your local roots, looking for the perfect nostalgic gift, or simply have a deep appreciation for the past, we invite you to browse our collections below.

A smiling woman with glasses sits in an armchair by a window, reading the green book "Pictorial Past of Dunmanway, Volume II". A wooden bookshelf filled with various books is behind her.

Books & Research Material

We have an extensive library of books – ranging from Irish history to local history, genealogy, archeaology and folklore. Come along and browse through any of these.

Click below for downloadable lists. (Requires Adobe Acrobat or equivalent. Also opens in web browsers.)

Pictorial Past of Dunmanway

Book cover for "PICTORIAL PAST OF DUNMANWAY VOL X". The background is dark green. Below the title and Dunmanway Historical Association logo, there are four framed colour photographs showing a lake, the Sam Maguire statue in the square in Dunmanway, a vintage car, and a rural landscape.

Pictorial Past Volume 10 (2025)

Volume 10 is a collection of photographs that preserves the history, culture, and memory of Dunmanway festivals, family occasions, school days, and sporting events.Bridging the gap between generations, it offers a fascinating glimpse into Dunmanway's pre-digital past.
Book cover for "Pictorial Past of DUNMANWAY VOL IX". The background is orange. Below the title and Dunmanway Historical Association logo, there is a montage of four sepia photographs showing a street scene, a coastal view, a building, and a crowd.

Pictorial Past Volume 9 (2019)

Experience Dunmanway as it once was. This volume features a collection of community-shared photographs, bringing the everyday life and history of our town back to life.
Book cover for "DUNMANWAY WEDDING PICTORIAL VOL VIII - OUR WEDDING DAY". The background is dark red with a faint clock face design and a bouquet of cream roses and lily of the valley in the corner. The Dunmanway Historical Association logo is at the top right.

Pictorial Past Volume 8: Weddings (2018)

A beautiful tribute to West Cork's brides and grooms. Journey through decades of Dunmanway’s wedding traditions, preserving the timeless fashion, cherished family memories, and joy of our community's most special days.
Book cover for "Dunmanway Wedding Pictorial VOL VII - OUR WEDDING DAY". The background is green with a floral pattern and a green ribbon. A vintage camera is on the left, gold wedding rings on the right, and a collage of vintage wedding photographs in the centre. The Dunmanway Historical Association logo is at the top.

Pictorial Past Volume 7:Weddings (2015)

Celebrate the history of local romance. This special Wedding Pictorial edition captures generations of couples from Dunmanway, featuring beautifully preserved matrimonial photographs in bygone years.
Book cover for "DUNMANWAY Pictorial Past VOLUME VI". The background is a green textured paper with the Dunmanway Historical Association logo at the top. Below the title is a montage of six black and white photographs showing various scenes, including men with guns, a truck, a man holding a baby, a laughing woman, and young men in suits.

Pictorial Past Volume 6 (2013)

Open a window to Dunmanway's heritage. Dive into a captivating photographic journey featuring school classes, historic local landmarks, and the changing face of our beloved town.
Book cover for "Dunmanway Pictorial History Vol V". The background is green. A large sepia photograph shows a group of boys watching as one boy throws a metal bowl on a rural dirt road. The Dunmanway Historical Association logo is at the bottom centre, above the text "Vol V".

Pictorial Past Volume 5 (2011)

Experience Dunmanway as it once was. This volume features a carefully curated collection of community-shared photographs, bringing the everyday life and history of our town back to life.
Book cover for "Pictorial Past of Dunmanway VOLUME IV". The background is blue with dark silhouette branches at the top. A sepia photograph shows a wide street with a large white building on the left, several horse-drawn carts, and trees. The Dunmanway Historical Association logo is at the bottom centre.

Pictorial Past Volume 4 (2009)

A perfect gift for anyone with West Cork roots. Uncover a visual treasure trove of everyday life in Dunmanway, offering an invaluable window into your family's heritage.
Book cover for "PICTORIAL PAST OF DUNMANWAY VOLUME III" set against a green background with a blurred grass texture. Yellow text on the right reads "DUNMANWAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY CUMANN SEANCHAIS DÚNMAONMHUÍ". At the bottom is a sepia photograph of a large stone building with gables and a few figures on the pavement outside.

Pictorial Past Volume 3 (2007)

Relive the milestones that brought us together. This edition is packed with nostalgic snapshots of local festivals, agricultural shows, and unforgettable community events.
Book cover for "Pictorial Past of Dunmanway VOLUME II". The top half is dark green with gold text. Below is a large sepia photograph of an old street scene in Dunmanway with horse-drawn carts, people in period clothing, and stone buildings along a dirt road. At the bottom, in white text, are "Dunmanway Historical Association" and "Cumann Seanchais Dúnmaonmhuí" against a green background.

Pictorial Past Volume 2 (2005)

Step into Dunmanway’s vibrant past. This volume highlights the faces, families, and sporting heroes that shaped our community, captured through local photography.
Cover of Volume 1 of the Pictorial Past of Dunmanway series

Pictorial Past Volume 1 (2003)

A captivating visual journey through Dunmanway’s history. Volume 1 features a curated collection of photographs, showcasing the people, places, and everyday life of Dunmanway.

Dunmanway Doings

Cover of 'Dunmanway Doings, Volume VI - 2014'. The olive-green cover features the Dunmanway Historical Association logo and the title. Below the title is a horizontal collage designed to look like a filmstrip, showcasing various historical black-and-white photographs, including portraits, a graveyard, an old building, a Time magazine cover, and an old document.

Dunmanway Doings Volume 6 (2014)

Dunmanway Historical Society's sixth journal contains articles on diverse topics, including the Lettergorman Stone Circle, Dunmanway and the Great War, freedom fighter Jim Crowley and much more.
Cover of 'Dunmanway Doings, Journal V 2012'. The dark cover is divided by a stylised, sweeping 'S' shape that separates two colour photographs of ruined stone castles set within green landscapes. The right edge features a subtle black floral pattern and the Dunmanway Historical Association logo.

Dunmanway Doings Volume 5 (2012)

Dunmanway Historical Society's fifth journal contains articles on diverse topics, including the stories of members the Duffy Circus family, the archaeology of Shehy Mountain, Secondary Education and much more.
Cover of 'Dunmanway Doings, Journal IV 2010' by the Dunmanway Historical Society. The dark red cover features the society's logo and title above a colour photograph of a large, flat, ancient-looking stone resting at an angle in a grassy, wooded area.

Dunmanway Doings Volume 4 (2010)

Dunmanway Historical Society's fourth journal contains articles on diverse topics, including the Earl Grey emigration scheme, servicemen of the Great War, Ballinacarriga Co-operative Society and much more.
Cover of 'Dunmanway Doings, Journal III 2008' by the Dunmanway Historical Society. The yellow cover displays the society's circular logo and title above a black-and-white sketch of a multi-arched stone bridge crossing a river, framed by a twisted, leafless tree on the left bank and a building on the right.

Dunmanway Doings Volume 3 (2008)

Dunmanway Historical Society's third journal contains articles on diverse topics, such as sport, famous personalities, places and events Includes a fold-out map of Dunmanway town.
Cover of the book 'Dunmanway Doings, Journal II 2006' by the Dunmanway Historical Society. The green cover features the society's circular logo at the top, with the title displayed in yellow text over a faint background map pattern. The lower half showcases a vintage black-and-white photograph of a large, multi-storey building with several gabled windows and a cross on the roof.

Dunmanway Doings Volume 2 (2006)

Dunmanway Historical Society's second journal contains some thirty-two articles on diverse topics including sport, Togher Castle, the War of Independence and much more.
Cover of the book 'Dunmanway Doings, Journal One 2004' by the Dunmanway Historical Society. The green cover features the title in yellow text alongside three photographs: a black-and-white portrait of a man wearing glasses in the top left, a vintage black-and-white street scene with a horse-drawn cart in the top right, and a large sepia-toned image on the bottom half showing a crowd gathered around the Sam Maguire (1879–1927) statue in a town square."

Dunmanway Doings Volume 1 (2004)

Dunmanway Historical Society's first journal contains twenty-four articles on diverse topics including the Cox family, T.P. O'Sullivan, Methodism in Dunmanway and much more.

Special Editions

Cover of the book 'Troubled Times in Behagh: Stories of a Local IRA Company' by Seamus Coakley. The cover features the main title in large, bold red letters at the top. The background is a colour photograph of a vibrant, lush green landscape featuring a large, leafy tree in a grassy field, with traditional stone farm buildings nestled in the background beneath a partly cloudy blue sky.

Troubled Times in Behagh: Stories of a Local IRA Company

Seamus Coakley has compiled an important historical account of the Behagh Company’s role during the War of Independence and Civil War periods and delves into "the story behind the story".
Cover of the book 'The Murder of Canon Magner and Tadhg O'Crowley' by Fr. Donal O'Donovan. The dark cover features a central, sepia-toned collage with a portrait of a priest on the left, a man in a suit and tie in the centre, and a tall stone Celtic cross monument on the right. Fading into the background behind them is a vintage photograph of a large gathered crowd

The Murder of Canon Magner

First published in 2005, this work, by Fr Donal O'Donovan, examines the events around the killing of Canon Thomas J. Magner and Tadhg O'Crowley in Dunmanway by a member of the RIC Auxiliaries, Cadet Sergeant Vernon Hart, on 15 December 1920.
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