Two aspects of local history take centre stage in Glantane: the Catholic church, with its datable details, and a local craft tradition. In the 1880s, carrying baskets with Sugán handles were made here. Dates, architectural features and activities provide concrete points of reference for the history.
Church and Building History
The present Catholic church in Glantane opened in 1878 and is dedicated to John the Baptist. The inscription on its bell reads “SANCTE JOANNES BAPTISTA ORO PRO NOBIS 1877”. The dates refer to different things: 1877 appears in the bell inscription, while 1878 is the year the present building opened. The church is situated in a gorge at the southern end of the village, making its construction date and location identifiable through concrete features.
Before the present church, Glantane had an earlier Catholic church: a small, thatched building in the shape of a cross, which opened in 1821. Until the new church was built in Drommahane, Glantane’s church was the parish’s main church. The dates 1821, 1877 and 1878 help distinguish the earlier building, the bell inscription and the present church.
The fittings also offer individual details with precise locations. Behind the sanctuary are three stained-glass windows, made and installed in Munich in 1905. The original Stations of the Cross were funded through weekly collections among the workers at the dairy in Lombardstown. Together, the building history, windows and Stations of the Cross belong to different chapters in the history of Glantane’s church.
Crafts and Traditions in the Wider Area
Basket-making dates to the 1880s: carrying baskets with Sugán handles were made in Glantane at that time. Families in the village were also engaged in weaving and spinning. Basket-making, weaving and spinning offer a glimpse of different activities in local history, without reducing it to a single craft.
In the wider Glantane area, the school works with Laharn Cross each year during Seachtain na Gaeilge to keep the tradition of crossroads dancing alive among the children. This is a different aspect from the historical church and craft themes: a tradition maintained annually through the school and explicitly involving children.
Cork as a Wider Destination
The wider destination of Cork encompasses other distinct cultural and landscape themes. Barryscourt Castle in Carrigtwohill 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 its harbour; from the fort’s walls and ramparts, you can look out over Kinsale Harbour. Timoleague Abbey was built in the 13th century on a monastic settlement. The examples differ in period and purpose: the tower house, fort and abbey each make their own historical mark.
The gardens and plant collections in the wider destination of Cork offer other points of interest. Fota Arboretum covers 11 hectares and is home to rare, delicate trees and shrubs that grow outdoors. Fota’s gardens include an ornamental lake, formal pleasure gardens, an orangery and a sun temple. Ilnacullin is a small island garden in the sheltered coastal harbour of Glengarriff in Bantry Bay, with horticultural and architectural features. Thus, at Cork’s wider destination level, historic buildings and gardens offer distinct interests, while Glantane’s local history remains defined by its church and crafts.
Discover more destinations: Glenville, Charleville, Coomhola Bridge, Innishannon, Lamanagh, Farnanes, Castletownroche, Youghal
For the wider travel guide: Cork.
