Skibbereen (Irish: An Sciobairín) in Ireland is known as the capital of West Cork. The name "Skibbereen" means "little boat harbour". Prior to 1600 most of the land belonged to the native McCarthy tribe - today McCarthy remains the town's most common surname.

At the height of the famine in 1847 the body of an unnamed boy, taken for lifeless, was placed in a coffin in the Town Square and conveyed for burial to the Abbey Cemetry. As he was lowered into the pit, the youth regained consciousness and walked unaided from the grave. It is probable that some 8,000-10,000 Famine victims are buried in the Famine Burial Pits of Abbeystrewery Cemetry.

General Michael Collins had his last meal in the Eldon Hotel in Skibbereen before he was shot in an ambush later that evening in 1922.

The Skibbereen Eagle, a newspaper founded in 1857, became famous by declaring it was "keeping an eye on the Czar of Russia" over his expansionist designs on China. This newspaper was superseded by the Southern Star, founded in 1889, which included amongst its shareholders one General Michael Collins.