DESTINATION - Cork

The County of Cork shares with Kerry the south-western corner of Ireland. Washed by the warm Gulf Stream and the mild moist south winds, palm trees and bamboo flourish. It is the most favoured corner of Ireland.

Cork is the largest of all the Irish counties, and in many ways the most varied. Rich farmlands and river valleys contrast with the wild sandstone hills of the west. Above all there is the magnificent coastline, scooped and fretted by the Atlantic into great bays and secret coves, strewn with rocky headlands and long soft golden strands.

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The main features of County Cork include the long valleys of the River Blackwater, the Lee Valley and the valley of the River Bandon. Roads in general follow the river valleys. The county of Cork covers just less than 3000 sq. miles and the capital of the county is Cork City at the mouth of the River Lee.

The northern part of County Cork has high mountains and is totally different in character to other parts of the county. The western part of the county is a most important tourism area with its many miles of coastline and spectacular scenery. The inhabited islands of Cork are also located off the West Cork coastline.

Eminent Cork writer Daniel Corkery once wrote of Cork:
“leaving us, the summer visitor says in his good humoured way that Cork is quite a busy place…as humdrum a collection of odds and ends as ever went by the name of city – are flung higgledy piggledy together into a narrow double-streamed, many bridged river valley, jostled and jostling, so compacted that the mass throws up a froth and flurry that confuses the stray visitor…for him this is Cork”.

History
Cork City possesses a unique character derived from a combination of its plan, topography, built fabric and its location. Indeed, it is also a city that is unique among other cities; it is the only one that has experienced all phases of Irish urban development, from circa 600 to the present day.

The settlement began as a monastic centre in the seventh century, overlooking a series of marshy islands (which the Irish for the city, “Corcaigh” translated marshes, reflects) on which the present day city centre grew and flourished; it was transformed into a Viking port and the advent of the Anglo-Normans led to the creation of a prosperous walled town; it grew through the influx of English colonists during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and suffered the political problems inherent in Irish society at that time; it was altered significantly again through Georgian and Victorian times when reclamation of its marshes became a priority along with the construction of spacious streets and grand town houses; its docks, warehouses exhibit the impact of the industrial revolution; and in the last one hundred years, Corkonians have witnessed both the growth of extensive suburbs and the rejuvenation of the inner city.

Spliced with the city’s physical development is the story of its people and their contribution in making Cork a city whose history is rich and colourful. The characters are astute, confident, and are often rebellious, a distinctive trait of Corkonians through the ages, and are remembered in Cork songs, statues, street-names and oral tradition. Corkonians make Cork unique. Their characteristics have been noted through the centuries, from visitors to antiquarian writers.

A walk through St. Patrick’s Street, affectionately known as ‘Pana’, will reveal the warmth of its people, the rich accent, the hustle and bustle of a great city. As Robert Gibbings, poet and writer put it in 1944, “Cork is the loveliest city in the world, anyone who doesn’t agree with me either was not born there or is prejudiced. The streets are wide, the quays are clean, the bridges are noble and people that you have never met in your life stop you in the street for a conversation”.

Not only can each person tell you a story about Cork but its streets, buildings and bridges also do. They echo the rich historic and cultural development of the acclaimed 2005 European Capital of Culture, Cork.

Exploring Cork
The Cork Region is steeped in ancient history and folklore. There are over 100 heritage and cultural sites of significance in the Region and these sites cover many diverse aspects of Cork’s heritage and culture. Themes include emigration from Ireland in the 19th century, the story of Irish whiskey, transport, the life of early Christian monks and traditional farming methods. There are also many sites of archaeological and historical importance in the Region.

Cobh : The Queenstown Story
Housed in the restored Victorian Cobh Railway station, this is a dramatic exhibition of the origins, history and legacy of Cobh.

Retrace the steps of the 2.5 million adults and children who emigrated from Ireland via Cobh on coffin ships, early steamers and finally on the great ocean liners. Explore the conditions on board the early emigrant vessels, including the dreaded coffin ship. Experience life on board a convict ship leaving Cobh for Australia in 1801.

Discover Cobh's special connections with the ill fated Titanic which sank on her maiden voyage—Cobh was her last port of call. Relive the horror of World War I and the sinking of the Lusitania off Cork Harbour with the loss of 1,198 lives.

Learn about Annie Moore and her two brothers who left Cobh for a new life in America and how she was the first emigrant ever to be processed in Ellis Island.

Cork Butter Museum
The Cork Butter Museum is located in the historic Shandon area of Cork City, close to the Shandon Bells. Separate galleries describe the culture of dairying in ancient Ireland; the growth of the Cork Butter Exchange, in which was traded tens of millions of pounds of butter annually and a display of the craft of traditional butter making. This part of the Museum includes a brief video presentation showing the making of butter by hand. An attractive video presentation of the development of Ireland’s most famous butter brand, Kerrygold, a brand which has given Irish butter a worldwide presence, is also included.

Crawford Art Gallery
Located in the heart of the city, beside the Opera House, the Crawford Municipal Art Gallery is a critical part of Cork’s cultural and tourism infrastructure, welcoming over 200,000 visitors a year. In line with a policy of providing access to all sections of society, admission to the Gallery and to exhibitions is free.
The Gallery’s permanent collection comprises over 2000 works, ranging from eighteenth century Irish and European painting and sculpture, through to contemporary video installations. At the heart of the collection is a collection of Greek and Roman sculpture casts, brought to Cork in 1818 from the Vatican Museum in Rome. The collection is particularly strong in Irish art of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Fota Wildlife Park
FOTA Wildlife Park is not like an ordinary zoo. Animals that thrive in a free-range environment roam free, while mixed with other species and with human visitors!
These species are also able to adjust to the Irish Climate. The animals themselves make the choice of seeking shelter when necessary. In some cases, for example the giraffes, only a barrier separates visitors from the animals but this is always unobtrusive and does not reduce the animals’ quality of life.

St. FinBar’s Cathedral
Situated close to the heart of Cork, St. Finbar’s Cathedral is
a most beautiful and interesting building. The present Cathedral is the latest in a series of places of worship located on the site where St. Finbar himself is said to have founded his school of learning in the 7th century. It continues to be a place of worship and scholarship to this day.
Built by William Burges at the end of the 19th century, stained glass windows depict scenes from the Old and New Testaments. There are marble mosaics from the Pyrenees, and the sanctuary ceiling portrays Christ in glory surrounded by angels. The building is rich in sculptures, with over 1260 of them built into the fabric of the building.

Old Midleton Distillery
A tour of The Old Midleton Distillery is a journey through the story of Irish whiskey via an audio-visual presentation which is available in six languages. Follow the old distillery trail through mills, maltings, corn stores, stillhouse, warehouses and kilns. View the largest pot in the world prior to sampling the renowned Jameson Whiskey in the bar. On offer too is an opportunity to become a qualified Irish Whiskey taster, with presentation of certificate. An elegant restaurant and craft shop are located on the premises.

University College Cork
Founded in 1845, University College Cork (UCC) is one of Ireland’s oldest institutes of higher learning and was originally established as Queen’s College.
The original site chosen for the University is believed to have a connection with the patron saint of Cork, St Fin Barre who set up a monastery and school of learning in close proximity to the University.

The main buildings are in Tudor gothic style, enclosing a quadrangle, the whole surrounded by extensive grounds. The library, lecture halls, natural history and other collections can be visited on application. The original quadrangle was designed by architect Benjamin Woodward.

The latest addition to the College, the Lewis Glucksman Gallery, was officially opened in October 2004. It is one of the most significant spaces for visual art in Ireland. As well as making a major contribution to the cultural infrastructure of Cork City and the State, the gallery is set to become an integral part of the University campus and will further reinforce the UCC ideal of greater access and even closer ties with the people of the city and the region it serves.

Kieran McCarthy is a postgraduate student in the Department of Geography, University College Cork and is the author of Discover Cork (2003, O’Brien Press); mccarthy_kieran@yahoo.com

Images are courtesy of Crawford Municipal Art Gallery

For vacation information on Cork or anywhere on the island of Ireland contact Tourism Ireland at: www.tourismireland.com

The Ireland Funds have supported the following projects in Cork:

Ballymore Community Association
Bantry Irish Red Cross Society
Bantry Youthreach
Beara Youth Development Project
Boomerang
Cape Clear Heritage Centre
Cape Clear Island International Storytelling Festival
Carraiganass Castle
City of Cork Children's Chorus
Clondrohid Parish Development Group
Cobh Family Resource
Cobh Youth Services
Cork Academy of Music
Cork Cancer Research Centre
Cork Deaf Enterprises
Cork Film Centre
Cork Gay Community Development Co.
Cork Music Works
Cork Opera House
Cork University Hospital Arts Group
Crawford Municipal Gallery
Duhallow Community Food Services
Duhallow Youth and Refugee Group
Family Ministry
Fermoy Boys and Girls Club
Gather
Good Shepard Services
International Famine Centre
Irish Centre for Migration Studies
Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind
Kealkill National School
Mining Heratige Trust of Ireland
Muintir Bhaire Community Council
National Suicide Research Foundation
Opera 2005
School of the Holy Cross
Scoil an Athar Maitiu
Skibbereen Heritage Centre
St. Column's Youth Drama Group
St. Finbarre's Beyond 2000
St. Mark's Boys' National School
University College Cork
We The People Enviormental Group
West Cork Music Festival
West Cork Women Against Violence Project

Cork -The Essentials

Population
Cork has a population of 300,000 people.

Weather (much talked about!)
Cork has a mild, temperate climate. Showers can occur at any time of the year, but usually pass quickly. Average temperatures in summer range from 16-21C / 60-70F and in winter from 0-7C / 32-44F

City Transport
Most places of interest are within walking distance of the city centre. If you are travelling further afield taxis are available to collect at airports and will also collect and drop to order operating 24 hours.

Newspapers
Cork produces 2 daily newspapers, The Irish Examiner and The Evening Echo.

Business Hours
Most business hours are open Monday to Friday 9am–5pm.
Stores are open Monday–Saturday 9am–6pm with late opening on Friday till 9pm. Many city centre stores open on Sunday from 12–6pm.

Banks
Hours are generally Monday–Friday 10am–4pm with some opening
until 5pm on Thursday evenings. Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) dispense cash at hundreds of locations. Bureau de Change are in most bank branches, travel agencies and located on the main streets.

Phone Numbers
The national dialling code for Cork is 021 or 21 is used as a prefix when dialling from outside the republic of Ireland or when making internal calls using mobile phones. All Belfast numbers are composed of seven digits.

Shopping
The biggest names in the fashion world are found on Patrick Street and streets leading off Patrick Street. Irish crafts are widely
available and Cork also hosts The English Market, one of Cork’s
greatest assets, with an array of butchers selling traditional Cork meats, fruit and veggie shops selling at discount prices, fishmongers, Italian and French cheese stalls, fresh bread stands and more.