Skibbereen Heritage Centre

About

Skibbereen Heritage Centre's Great Famine Exhibition tells the poignant story of this pivotal period in Irish history. Skibbereen became notorious as one of the worst affected areas in all of Ireland and this tragic era is now brought to life via the latest multimedia technology. Walk or take a virtual tour of sites associated with the Great Famine that still exist today including the mass graves where almost 10,000 people are buried. At Skibbereen Heritage Centre you can also discover the unique nature of Lough Hyne, a salt-water lake just 5km from Skibbereen which is Europe's first Marine Nature Reserve. Find out about the history, folklore and formation of this renowned natural phenomenon with a multi-lingual audio-visual display and follow with a trip to the lake and follow the Knockomagh Wood Nature Trail which overlooks the lake. Skibbereen Heritage Centre also offers a genealogy service for the greater West Cork area, an archaeology trail, a gift shop, reference library and a great welcome!