The area surrounding Durrus village and civil parish has been inhabited since Neolithic times. The current layout of Durrus village, in West Cork in the south of Ireland, has its basis in developments during the 19th century.
Neolithic — BC monuments at Coolcoulaghta and at Dunmanus provide evidence of pre- Celtic population in the area. Later on, around BC, the Celts started arriving in a process that lasted for quite some time slowly overlaying the local population who adopted their language and culture.
The Annals of Innisfallen state that St. Finbarr 's disciples were living in Muintir Bhaire. By the eighth century they were well settled in Muintir Bhaire. The McCarthys arrived in the twelfth century, and by they had secured the lands of the O'Mahonys. Tadhg Rua McCarthy built a castle at Scart , now demolished. He was called Tadhg Rua na Scairte and the family later built Cul na Long , the fortified castle some 1 mile 1.
The O'Donovans also arrived in the twelfth century and secured some of the O'Mahony lands. By , the Normans had reached as far west as Durrus, but were repulsed by the Desmumu people of South Munster. From onwards, the herring fishery was established in the area, and tribute was paid by the French and Iberian fleets to the O'Mahony, O'Driscoll and McCarthy families. For example, the O'Mahonys built twelve fortifications, including examples at Rossmore , Dunbeacon and Ballydevlin. This was the property of Philip O'Sullivan in Here were the townlands of Coolcoulaghta, formerly Coorcoulaghta, Dromreagh, and Ballycommane.
From around the seventeenth century, the main focus of the area had shifted from Scart on the present Cork-Bantry Road and the Dunmanus Bay area, to the head of Dunmanus Bay. Canon Cahalane, parish priest —, of Bantry, believed that there may have been a 'lost parish', 'Inis Cuinge' between the present parishes of Durrus and Bantry and that Whiddy Island may have been part of it. An inquisition was held in which said that Aengus O'Daly of Ballyroon, Donnell O'Daly of Rossnacaigreagh and Teigh O'Daly of Mulanaskish Ahakista originally held their lands from the Carews, and from the escheat of the Carew lands, they became tenants of the crown.
