Location Map for Overscapa

 

Location Map for Corkaquina

Corkaquina History

 

An interesting old tradition survives about this cottage. An old woman owned a cottage and a small patch of land in a field at the other side of the valley. As this rendered the field difficult to cultivate the factor promised the old lady a new holding if she was willing to flit. She agreed, and Corkaquina was built for her. However it is known locally as “Sticklers” after the surname of the last resident, who lived here up until 1906.

 

 

Whilst the cottage lay unoccupied during the early part of last century it served an important but secret role in the community. With no road along the front, the remote location was ideal for holding meetings of a secret society that existed in many rural areas in bygone years known as the “Horsemen”. Here the young men of the district were inducted into, and learned the secret wisdom of training and working horses from their elders. The cottage continued to be used for this purpose until horses were gradually replaced with tractors to work the land in the 1940’s.
In 1975 the property, by then in a ruinous state, was acquired by the present owners who began a careful restoration to bring the cottage up to its current condition.