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Coastguard houses Inch Bay Co Cork
highseas1
Any members have any information on the station at Inch Bay in East County Cork?
 
Liam1960
I have just joined this forum today and I'm amazed to find a query relating to my own research. My great grandfather William Kennedy served in the navy from 1854 to 1866 and then transferred to the coastguard. Family 'oral history' had told me he was from aghada or whitegate. after many attempts to find other details about his parents, siblings, early life etc I recently discovered that he was born in Poorhead in east Cork. In recent months I have taken up residence in the parish of Aghada ( my wife is from here ) and Poorhead is about 2-3 miles from my house. If you are not familiar with the area, Poorhead is a headland/promontory to the east of the entrance to Cork Harbour. The coastguard houses still stand but they are not lived in. On the same property is a private dwelling and three rather fearsome dogs discourage all strollers from approaching the perimeter of the site. As my great grandfather was, according to the records of seamen's services in the UK archives, born in Poorhead I'm left to assume that his father was also in the coastguard service. William Kennedy was born on August 15th 1835 and it was his sister Margaret Lary and her husband Francis who consented to his enlistment on Jan 11th 1854. I am in possession of his Crimea medal and his entire naval service record. He served on Gorgon, Dauntless, Melville, Calcutta, Impregnable, Topaze, Hawke and Achilles. I also know that part of his coastguard service was in Downderry st Germans in Cornwall around 1871. I have all the details of his wife and children but it's about his Cork roots that I have very little information. When someone shows me how to post a photograph online I will take one of Poorhead (if no photograph appears within a reasonable timeframe you can conclude that the aforementioned canines have feasted on me!) If any other reader has relevant information to my research I would be very grateful if it could be shared. with regard to Poorhead/Inch Bay I am arranging to meet with a local historian shortly to see if he can expand on what I know. Again if any reader knows how the names of the people who served in the various stations can be discovered please let me know.
Many thanks,
Liam
 
bpa
The following is what I found through googling.

Original coastguard station setup called Power Head and there in 1840's. It was renovated around 1860-1870's as part of the general scheme to improve/replace coastguard buildings.

If you look at osi.map. Click on RHS panel - Historic 6 is 1840's , Historic 25 is 1860s and Ortho 2005 is satellite (better in google maps) which shows the building still intact.
http://maps.osi.i...560473,7,9
The change in outline of the station between 1840 and 1860 is clear where the station was extended and also Cliff House.

In some google Book references there is mention of a rocket. I think if there was a rocket (for Breeches buoy rescues) then perhaps the "Cliff House" is the rocket shed as a it looks like "Board of Customs" either owned or leased it according to Griffith Valuation.

The 2 stage station upgrade is mentioned in the 1869-1870 Report From commissioner of Public Works - page 9
http://books.goog...mp;f=false

There are 5 documents in the National Archive dated 1860-1875 OPW5HC/4/ Item 854 - I supposed associated with upgrade. http://www.nation...sults=true . It seems no specific architect was associated with improvements

The 1911 Census provides a rough idea of the accommodation in the Coastguard cottages. The cottages were in Ballintra East http://www.census...001989493/- Class 2 which means 2,3 or 4 room. Could be a bit tight as in one case 7 people in a cottage.
Edited by bpa on 25/08/2011 12:43
 
highseas1
Thank you to the two respondands to my query. Yes the buildings I referred to were in Ballintray.
 
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