It is difficult to define the boundary of North Cork exactly but it would include the area from Curraglass in the east to Ballydesmond in the west, and from Watergrasshill in the south to Charleville in the north. This area includes Cork’s greatest river, the Blackwater, and the towns of Fermoy, Mallow, Mitchelstown and Kanturk. It is a storied area with numerous important archaeological, historical and architectural sites. Colonel James Grove White’s notes (see panel on left) provide one of the richest resources of information about the north Cork area.