The stories of Mallow’s past, from historic conflict to local folklore, will be brought to life in an unusual early-morning radio broadcast recorded in Mallow Castle Town Park.
Captured from first light, the programme gathers local voices to reflect on centuries of history tied to the town and its surroundings, all set against the backdrop of the dawn chorus along the Blackwater.
Among those contributing are historian Kevin Myers, Teagasc forestry adviser John Casey, Blackwater fisherman Kevin Healy and councillor Ronan Sheehan, each offering their own perspective on Mallow’s past.
The broadcast revisits key moments in the town’s history, including its origins as a strategic site following the construction of a castle by King John in 1185, and the events of 1689, when more than 500 people were killed during conflict in the area.
It also explores how the landscape itself has changed over time, with Mallow Castle Town Park now home to tens of thousands of trees planted in recent years, transforming it into a significant amenity that many still pass without realising.
More recent history is not forgotten, with accounts of severe flooding in Bridge Street before relief works, as well as the environmental damage caused by a major fish kill in the River Blackwater last year, and early signs of recovery since.
Local folklore also features prominently, including the story of Lovers’ Leap, where two young people are said to have died after jumping into the river below.
The programme will be broadcast on Radio Kerry on Saturday, April 25 from 9am to 11am, with streaming available online and a podcast release to follow.
And among the many stories shared, one stands out for very different reasons, a pub customer who, having discovered a mouse in his pint, still refused to drink it, even after it had been removed.