Pre-Historic Inhabitants of West Cork

Mr Con Murphy of Castletownbere gave a most interesting, illustrated talk to the Bantry Historical Society on our ancestors.
The landscape was the only source of information.
10,000 BC was the ice age.
7000 BC Menolitic period, where there were the signs of the first inhabitants.
4000 BC Neolithic period.  At this time Ireladn was joined to Europe, signs of a nomadic people of hunters and gatherers  had arrived, probably from Spain and France.  Farmers began to settle along the coast, growing wheat and barley and raising cattle.
In the Bronze Age of 2,400 BC they began to make tools aswell as plough and began to fish.  Also, the landscape was wooded again and axes were needed.
In 700 – 500 BC the climate became wetter and colder.
By this time they had a great knowledge of  metal and would trade in axes and spears.
Communities grewe and evidence of settlements, sites, stone circles, boulder burials, standing stones can be seen today.  The sun played a big part in the positioning of these monuments.
The audience was fascinated by Con’s well-researched observations from the landscape and went away with a greater understanding of the hard life of our ancestors.