Cork City

Cork City is Irelands second largest city with a population of 130,000 people. The City which can be reached from Cobh by train or car in about 20 minutes is a friendly and welcoming place with attractions a plenty for the visitor

Blarney Castle.  Blarney Castle is located just a few miles north of the City of Cork.   Tradition has it that those who kiss the Blarney Stone will have the gift of the gab(never short of a word).  A visit to the village and Castle of Blarney is a popular experience and presents a great shopping experience at the renowned Blarney Woolen Mills.

The Crawford Municipal Art Gallery . The older part of the structure dates from 1724 and was the Custom House for Cork until 1818. Afterwards it housed the Royal Cork Institution and its art classes for two decades, before becoming a school of design in 1850.   Among the important Irish artists in the collection are James Barry, Nathaniel Grogan, Walter Osborne, Paul Henry, Jack B. Yeats, Harry Clarke and Sean Keating.

Cork Public Museum.  Cork Public  Museum is  located at Fitzgerald's Park close to the city centre.  The collection covers the social and municipal history of the city and county, from the Mesolithic period onwards.  Of special significance is the display  of Cork Silver, Cork Glass, Youghal Needlepoint Lace.

Saint Finbarre's Cathedral.  St Finbarre's, recently restored, is one of the architectural highlights of Cork. It is the seat of the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cloyne and Ross. St. Fin Barre's stands on a site where, for over a thousand years, Christian disciples gathered for worship.

Cork City Gaol.  The story of prison life in the 1800's is told in the old city gaol.

Shandon Church.  Shandon Church is best known for its famous bells.  There is more for the visitor here.  The name Shandon comes from the Irish, Sean Dun, and means Old Fort. Shandon was one of 28 settlements in and around ancient Cork. A medieval Church, dedicated to St. Mary, existed on this site and is mentioned in the papers of Pope Innocent 3rd in 1199 as "St. Mary on the Mountain".

The English Market.  The English Market in the city centre provides a smorgasbord of fresh produce from the farms, homes and seas of Ireland and from around the world. 

University College Cork.   The campus of UCC with its magnificent tree lined campus and quadrangle, welcomes all visitors.  The college is one of the two third  level colleges in the city.