About us

Share This:

Youghal Celebrates History

We are a voluntary group dedicated to preserving and promoting our unique heritage in this wonderful walled port town. Youghal was an important administrative and commercial centre in the late Medieval period and up to the 19th century. In earlier times the area was associated with significant monastic settlements such as Molana Abbey which had an international reputation for scholarship. There were other monastic groups in Youghal after the arrival of the Normans – there were Franciscans, Benedictines and Dominicans, and just up the river … the Augustinians and overlooking the town at Rhincrew – the Knights Templars!, ( although some dispute that the Knights Templars were in Youghal)! Such is the stuff of academic dispute.

2022 – Our conference this year is in-person and in October ( on the 22nd and 23rd)

The theme of the conference is St. Mary’s Collegiate church, one of Ireland’s oldest churches with its original roof still intact! You can see traces of an older early Christian church inside and a Viking grave. It is truly an amazing church and our speakers will share with you some of that wonderful history.

 St Mary’s Collegiate Church  

Celebrating 800 Years of Service 

For details of the conference click here .

It became a “collegiate” church in 1464 when the Fitzgeralds added a College to prepare men for the service of the church. Many of the most  famous names in Irish history have visited the church – Sir Walter Raleigh,  the Duke of Wellington, Dean Swift, Oliver Cromwell, Eamonn de Valera….  we will remember some of them at the conference.

If you would like help getting accommodation, visit the  Youghal Chamber of Tourism and Commerce office – right in the centre of town, on the water’s edge side of the Clock Gate, which, by the way, you can visit and it is worth a visit!!!!!

There is a  free Youghal App ( available for iPhones and Androids) giving details of places to stay, eat, useful numbers, walks, trails, shopping, what’s on etc.

There is also a website – www.Youghal.ie  The website will help you locate a variety of options – Hotels, Bed and Breakfast, Farmhouse, apartments etc.

Abstracts of papers  will be found on the Conference page, as they arrive they are posted.

As every year – it is an action packed Celebration of History ! Come and join us this year. Contact us if you wish to be included in mail shots.

For all advanced bookings we do accept an email or letter or telephone call from you to reserve your place(s). You can then settle on the day.

There are many options – Conference only, Conference Dinner,  the ‘full package”, individual sessions of the Conference  (there are three sessions).

We use electronic booking with a reputable company, we take credit card payments on the day,  and cash  or  simply send a cheque to Youghal Celebrates History c/o The College, Youghal. 

Have you an E Mail address ? Please let us know so that we can add you to our list of contacts, you will get an occasional newsletter, an invitation to this year’s conference and put us in touch with you. Don’t forget you can also visit us on Facebook. We will not give your email address to anyone else. That’s a promise!

Check the Archive page to see the various papers offered in the past.

Mobile Phone Number 087 9666554

We wish to acknowledge the support of the Irish Heritage Council and Cork County Council in our work.