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Michael O'Leary, a Cork local historian and an amateur photographer, presented the photographs in this section — among many other images — to Cork City Libraries.  With the exception of some historical photographs from his private collection, most of these photographs were taken by Mr O'Leary from 1950 until his death in December 2011.  His particularly interested was in period buildings around Cork, which he photographed across six decades, capturing historical buildings and streetscapes, many of which are no longer with us.

 Arbutus Lodge  Alfred Street  Anderson's Quay  Anti-bodysnatching grill  Attiwell Hayes
 Bachelor's Quay  Bandon Road Area : Cottages  Barrack Street Area  Beamish & Crawford Stables  Blackamoor Lane Friary
 Blackrock Castle  Bonded Warehouses  Broad Lane Church  Camden Quay  Caroline Street
 Christ Church Lane  Cook Street  Cork Butter Market  Crosse's Green  Custom House
 Dean Street  Desmond Square  Doll's House  Douglas Street: Street Name Plaque  Elizabeth Fort
 Exchange (Castle Street)  Gaol Bridge  George's Quay  Grand Parade  Grattan Street/Henry Street
 Hanover Shoe Company  Innisfallen  Keyser's Hill  Langford Row  Lee Rowing Club
 Little Cross Street  MacCarthy Monument, Blackroad Road  Masonic Hall  Murphy's Brewery Chimney  Ninety Eight Street
 North Abbey Square  North Gate Bridge  North Gate Bridge: Cast-iron bridge  Old Deanery, Dean Street  Old lane / 'red light' district, Barrack Street
 Opera House  Queen Anne House, Emmet Place  Queen's Place  Rutland Street  Skiddy's Castle
 Sober Lane  South Gate Bridge  St. Colmans Cathedral  St. Finbarr's (South) Church  St. Finbarr's Market Wall
 Vicar Street        

In 1941-3, during World War II, Michael O'Leary served with the local security force for the Minister for Defence before joining Britain's Royal Air Force.  With the RAF's Unit 901 Wing, he campaigned in Burma until the end of the war, under the command of Air Vice-Marshal, the Earl of Bandon, before returning to civilian life in Cork in 1946.  He also pursues his interest in General Daniel Florence O'Leary, aide-de-camp to Simón Bolívar, who played a notable role in the liberation of South America from Spanish rule.  Michael's great-grandfather was a first cousin of General Daniel Florence O'Leary. In 2005 Michael was a guest of the Venezuelan government when he laid a wreath on the tomb of General O'Leary. 

  Michael O'Leary, historian