Cullen brings together architectural history, religious tradition and musical history, with practical points of reference for planning your trip. The old church dedicated to St James, the graveyard at Mullaghroe, St. Laitiaran’s Well and the Cullen Pipe Band reveal different sides of the place. Sports facilities and Cullen’s location just off the N72 add to this picture. You can tailor your stay to your interests in history, local tradition or regional culture.
Church Architecture and Graveyard History
The old church dedicated to St James in Cullen was built by Fr Fitzpatrick in 1847. It replaced a thatched church in the graveyard, which had been burned down by Cromwell’s soldiers long before. Cullen’s local church history also includes the Gothic church built by Canon O’Sullivan in 1907. These two building histories lead to different periods in the history of the place, each providing its own historical point of reference.
Old Cullen Graveyard is in the townland of Mullaghroe. Its older section contains graves, while the later section has more modern headstones. This makes it possible to distinguish two different periods of burial history in the same graveyard. St. Laitiaran’s Well is in the village, near the old graveyard, and adds another religious point of reference to this part of the area’s history.
Laterian Rounds are recorded as having been held at Old Cullen Graveyard on 25 July. So-called “Rounds” at St. Laitiaran’s Well are also recorded for this date. If this tradition is important to your travel plans, check in advance whether the Rounds are currently held.
Music, Legends and Local Sporting History
The Cullen Pipe Band was founded in 1941; its history includes performances at Feis Laitiaran. Cullen lies on the edge of the Sliabh Luachra region, known for its rich musical tradition. Cullen thus offers both the history of a local band and a cultural connection to a music-rich region.
A story passed down in Cullen links St Laterian with a blacksmith: the saint is said to have cursed the blacksmith, and ever since, there has reportedly been no forge there. As a legend, this story adds a local motif associated with a trade to the church and graveyard traditions.
Sports facilities are also local points of interest. The ball games hall in Cullen is on the site of the former St. James R.C. Church. A handball court in Cullen is described as measuring 60 × 30 and is considered the only one of its kind in County Cork. The location of the ball games hall and the dimensions given for the handball court offer two concrete insights into the area’s sporting history; the latter’s distinction is specific to County Cork.
Cullen in Its Regional Context
Cullen lies just off the N72 and is described as being equidistant from Mallow and Killarney. These details help place the village in its regional context. Cullen offers several different points of interest to help you decide what aspects of a stay appeal to you most: church architecture, graveyard history, religious tradition, music and sport.
Elsewhere in the wider Cork destination, other places offer different historical points of interest. Barryscourt Castle was built between 1392 and 1420 as an Irish tower house. Charles Fort in Kinsale was built between 1677 and 1682 to protect the town and harbour; Timoleague Abbey was built in the 13th century on a monastic settlement. The 11-hectare Fota Arboretum is home to rare, delicate trees and shrubs that grow outdoors. These examples showcase different themes across Cork, while Cullen provides the point of reference for the local history described here.
Discover more destinations: Upper Aghada, Glengarriff, Killeagh, Ballycotton, Goleen, Dernagree, Tracarta, Riverstick
For the wider travel overview: Cork.
