Youghal received its charter of incorporation in 1209, but the history of settlement on the site is longer, with
Viking settlements dating back to the 11th century, the Church of Coran in the town's western suburbs dating from the 5th century, and evidence of
Neolithic habitation at nearby Newport. Older buildings in the town include
Sir Walter Raleigh's home "
Myrtle Grove" and the
St Mary's Collegiate Church, thought to have been founded by
St Declán around 450. The church was rebuilt in Irish
Romanesque style in about 750, and a great
Norman nave was erected in about 1220. It is one of the few remaining medieval churches in Ireland to have remained in continuous use as a place of worship. The
Vikings used Youghal as a base for their raids on monastic sites along the south coast of Ireland, and a stone in St Mary's Collegiate Church bears the ancient etched outline of a
longboat. Since the 16th-century
Plantation of Munster it has been the place of worship of the
Church of Ireland congregation of Youghal and its surrounding areas. The
Sack of Youghal took place on 13 November 1579. As the centre of English power in south Munster the town was badly damaged during the
Second Desmond Rebellion when it was sacked by the forces of
Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond, who massacred the garrison, hanged the English officials, and looted the homes of Youghal's townspeople. The revenge killings that followed this included that of a priest, Daniel O'Neilan, OSF, on 28 March 1580. He was fastened round the waist with a rope and thrown with weights tied to his feet from one of the town-gates at Youghal, finally fastened to a mill-wheel and torn to pieces. ' martyrdom Taken prisoner following the
Siege of Dunboy 1602, the
Jesuit lay brother Dominic Collins was brought to his native Youghal in chains. And, after telling a Youghal crowd (in English, Irish and Spanish) that he was happy to die for the Catholic faith, he was hanged on 31 October 1602. He was
beatified in 1992, as one of the 24
Irish Catholic Martyrs. The first record of the walls is a charter of 1275, granted by
King Edward I, for their repair and extension.
Clock Gate Tower – In 1777, the town's Clock Gate Tower was built on the site of Trinity Castle, part of the town's fortifications.
Alms Houses – the 17th-century almshouses were constructed by
Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork in 1602 for widows. Each tenant received two shillings a week, enough to sustain her. Around the same time (1612), Sir Richard Boyle built a hospital and a free school. For his efforts in colonising Munster, Sir Richard Boyle was granted the title and dignity Lord Boyle in 1616. When a poll tax of two shillings was introduced in 1697, those living by alms were exempt. Boyle's tomb is in
St Mary's Collegiate Church.
Water Gate – The town's Water Gate was built in the 13th century to provide access through the town walls to the docks. Also known as Cromwell's Arch, it was from here that
Oliver Cromwell left Ireland in 1650, having overwintered in the town after his
campaign in Ireland. In the gardens are four yew trees said to have been planted by Raleigh. Raleigh made his final trip from Cork to the West Indies in 1617.
Red House – The Red House is an early 18th-century brick townhouse which was built for the Uniacke family, a merchant family in Youghal. It was completed in 1703. 1,010 people were lost by a fierce storm when the sea broke its banks. Soon afterwards in 853 a detachment from the Viking invasion built a fortress in Youghal and laid the foundation of a commercial seaport. In 1130, St Bernard writes of
Lismore as the capital city of Munster and describes Youghal as the port of Lismore. Youghal was incorporated in 1209 by
King John and the town was colonised with men-at-arms, traffickers and other adventurers from Bristol. By 1223 Youghal had gained such importance as a commercial port that it merited a 'road highway'. In 1291 several Flemish merchants were recorded as trading to Youghal. For their encouragement
King Edward I granted special privileges to continue until All Saints Day (1 November). Large quantities of silver coinage of the Youghal region from the 14th century have been found indicating the high levels of traffic in the region. On 14 February 1301
King Edward I, when going into battle with Scotland, required two boats from all Irish and English ports. But three boats were required from Youghal, further indicating its size and importance. In 1353, the freeman of Youghal were allowed freedom in trade in different staples throughout England and Wales for wool, leather, woolfels and lead. In 1360 Writs signed by Almaricus de St Åland, Justiciary of Ireland, were directed to Sovereign and Bailiffs of Youghal, ordering them to prevent persons from going to foreign parts. In 1373
King Edward III commanded the Keeper of the port to press and detain ships in the port for the purposes of conveying James Le Botiller, Earl of Ormond, whenever the Earl may come to the port on the King's services. In 1376 the same King granted the Mayor of Youghal privileges for services against rebels in Cork. In the same year the merchants and commons of Youghal complained to Edward about the dangers of having to go to Cork to pay customs, and succeeded in arranging a new customs system for paying in Youghal. The Dublin Parliament passed an Act concerning the imports, customs and mines in 1585 which made Youghal one of the privileged ports. Wine could then be discharged at Youghal,
Cork,
Waterford, Dublin,
Limerick,
Drogheda and
Galway. Discharge at any other location, unless occasioned by stress of weather, meant forfeiting half to
Queen Elizabeth I and half to the seizer. In early 1600 Youghal was elevated to the rank of 'staple town', receiving the exclusive rights to carry on the wool trade with
Bristol, Liverpool,
Chester and
Milford. During the 17th century Youghal was one of Ireland's main ports, far more important than
Cork Harbour which was described as 'a port near Youghal.' In 1603
King James I made a visit and was proclaimed on the quay in Youghal. In 1631 pirates of all nations swarmed the seas entering Youghal on several occasions. The most notorious of them was Nutt, who had three ships under his command. In 1727, the Irish were permitted to trade in the town as scarcity and famine swept the country. There were riots in Youghal as people sought to prevent the export of corn to England and other parts of Ireland. Great sickness and mortality continued through 1734. In 1736 and 1745 the town walls were extensively repaired and in 1745 the Sally-port was remade. Trade in Youghal varied greatly. In 1753 no corn, meal salt or flour was imported into Youghal from March to November of that year. In 1754 exports were 65 quarters of beans. 1755 saw exports of 214 quarters of barley, and 70 quarters of beans. Exports in 1756 were 450 quarters of Barley, 45 barrels of Oatmeal and imports were 6 barrels of beer. In 1757 exports were 495 quarters of Oats, 20 barrels of Oatmeal and imports were 11.25 barrels of beer. Works had commenced at this time on improving navigation of the Blackwater (1755) and a petition had been sent to Parliament to open roads from Lismore,
Cappoquin and
Clogheen to Youghal. In 1762 a French privateer took six ships near the harbour. The commander landed 24 passengers on the Island of
Ballycotton and took the remainder with him as recruits for Colonel Owen's regiment. The cutter
Expedition was sent in pursuit but did not come up with them. By 1780 wool combining business was carried on with great spirit in Youghal, where the Annals tell us "great fortunes were realised". Exports from Youghal were extensive in 1781, with more oats being exported than from any other port in Ireland. Nealson's Quay was built and commenced the following year. Grattan Street was opened along the quay that had been embanked. In 1833, nine ships and 440 colliers entered the harbour. In 1834, there were 250 fishing boats in the harbour employing 2,500 men. Salmon was plentiful and was sold for 1d per pound weight. After many years of discussion and feasibility testing, the steamer
The Star commenced plying on the Blackwater in June 1843. It was hoped that opening the Blackwater would reduce trade costs with
Lismore,
Fermoy,
Mitchelstown and
Mallow. On an objection from the
Duke of Devonshire – who owned the weir at Lismore – and some other gentlemen, the river was not opened beyond Lismore, and so the steamer service ceased in 1850. The following year the Youghal Fisheries District had over 500 registered vessels employing over 2,700 men. From the 18th century onwards, and as with nearby
Ardmore, some larger ships were unable to get into Youghal Harbour, because of a shallow sandbar at its mouth. A cross-river passenger ferry continued from Youghal to the opposite side of the harbour. The ferry capsized on 30 September 1876 and 14 people died. In 1882 a decision of the House of Lords established the claim of the Duke of Devonshire to exclusive fishery rights to the river Blackwater and Youghal Bay out to Capel Island. The duke's claim was founded on a grant given to Sir Walter Raleigh by
Elizabeth I, which he sold shortly afterward to the Boyle family. In the 1950s, most exterior shots of "New Bedford" in John Huston's movie adaptation of
Moby Dick were filmed in Youghal, as New Bedford itself had changed too much in the intervening century to be usable for this purpose.
Youghal International College, a private international (Spanish) school, was opened in Youghal in 1992. Youghal was formerly a strong manufacturing town, but Ireland's economic success since the mid-1990s to a large extent bypassed the town, and the infrastructural deficit is a major constraint to its growth. In April 2011 it was reported that all the town's large factories had closed over the past decade, leaving at least 2,000 people jobless, and with unemployment approaching 20%, young people were leaving in search of work and workers commuting from Youghal to Cork and Waterford. ==Government and politics==