The ruins of a 14th-century or 15th-century church lie in the grounds of Corkbeg churchyard close to Whitegate village.[4] The current Church of Ireland parish church was built within the same churchyard in 1881.[5][6]
Once a fishing port and known for lace-making, during the 20th-century Whitegate became the location for Ireland's only oil refinery. This facility, Whitegate refinery, was built on Corkbeg Island on one side of Whitegate Bay and has been owned by Irving Oil since 2016.[7]Aghada Power Generating plant lies on the other side of the bay.
The Hiberno-NormanFitzGerald family (a sub-branch of the Desmond Geraldines that owned Corkbeg and Lisquinlan), were landowners in the area.[11] Following a marriage between the FitzGerald and Uniacke families, ownership of lands at Corkbeg and Whitegate transferred to Col Robert Uniacke. After marrying Helena FitzGerald, Robert Uniacke assumed the name and arms of the FitzGeralds. Ultimately Uniacke Fitzgerald's nephew, another Col Robert Uniacke Fitzgerald, built a great house on the estate lands. The Corkbeg and Lisquinlan estates were later willed to Sir Robert Uniacke-Penrose-FitzGerald 1st Bt of Corkbeg and Lisquinlan who died 1919 without issue. Whitegate House, dating from c.1780, still stands at Whitegate.[12][13]
^Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork. Dublin: Government Stationery Office. 1994. CO088-033002-/Church/Corkbeg/Near NE corner of graveyard (CO088-033001-), ivy-clad ruins of rectangular church stone plaque with date 1587 set in S side of doorway. Human head carved in stone Parish church of Corkbeg, in repair 1615 but probably out of use by 1700 Replaced by new church built on site immediately to S of graveyard in 1881
^R. G. FitzGerald-Uniacke (30 June 1912). "The FitzGeralds of Glenane, Co. Cork". The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. 6. 2. Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland: 165. JSTOR25514232.
