We had not one but two West Cork History Festival events in the summer of 2025.

On Monday 9 June, we were in Dublin at the Royal Irish Academy discussing Ireland and Neutrality, Historian and broadcaster Misha Glenny spoke about Irish neutrality and how it appears in a wider European context. He was joined by Professor Eunan O'Halpin, who introduced the history of neutrality as a pillar of Irish foreign policy. They were joined on a panel to discuss the subject with Vice Admiral Mark Mellett and Professor Patrick Keatinge. For reasons beyond her control, Catherine Connolly TD had to withdraw from the panel and we were very grateful to Stephen Kelly, Chair of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance, for stepping in at such short notice. A film of the event can be found on our home page.

On Saturday 9 August, we held an event at the Liss Ard Estate near Skibbereen. Myles Dungan, well known to many for his History Show on RTE Radio 1 and also a writer and historian, spoke about his forthcoming book looking at spooks, agents provocateurs, dynamite and the 1887 'Jubilee plot', examining covert attempts by the new Conservative government of 1886/87 to undermine constitutional Irish nationalism and relegate Home Rule to perdition.

Myles was joined by Dr Sara Lodge speaking about her book The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective, published in paperback this summer. It uncovers the forgotten lives of women working for the police and private agencies and their fictional counterparts. Myles and Sara then discussed her book, a conversation which will be broadcast on Myles' RTE Radio History Show later in the autumn.

A huge thanks to the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport for their funding for our 2025 events through the Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools Scheme.