Cork stretches along the banks of the Lee river, in the center of a marshy area, where, in 650 AD, Saint Finbarr founded an important monastery of Ireland.
One of the peculiarities of Cork is precisely that it is built on water: the center is located on an island between the two branches of the river and many of today’s streets were once canals lined with warehouses and merchants’ houses. After their filling in, the city changed its appearance, but maintained picturesque quays and characteristic bridges. The steep alleys, branching from the central island to the outskirts, offer charming views.
What to see in Cork
Not to be missed, St. Ann’s Shandon, the cathedral, which stands in an elevated position, north of the Lee river; built in 1722, it is characterized by two sides made of sandstone and two of limestone. On the belfry stands a curious weathervane in the shape of a salmon; while the clock is jokingly called “the four-faced liar,” because until 1986, the year it was repaired, the dials on each of the four faces showed a different time. Just a few meters from the cathedral is the Butter Exchange, a building from 1770, which was the seat of the butter price quotation.
The English navy also supplied itself here. Part of it now houses the Shandon Craft Centre, where it is possible to admire a revival of ancient crafts. The city’s main art museum is housed in the eighteenth-century Crawford Art Gallery, a building of bricks and limestone, which contains works by Irish masters of the 1800s and 1900s, including some stained glass windows by Harry Clarke, and a small collection of British and international artists, including Mirò and Rouault.
Other must-see spots in Cork are the St. Finbarr’s Cathedral, dedicated to the founder and patron saint of Cork, a striking neo-Gothic building, with pinnacles and stone tracery.
The Grand Parade and St. Patrick’s Street, lively central arteries where you can find the majestic National Monument, in memory of the fallen of Ireland between 1798 and 1867, the Bishop Lucey Park, which preserves parts of the city walls and the old grain market, the seventeenth-century English Market, a covered fruit and vegetable market.
Also not to be missed is Paul Street, famous for traditional restaurants, elegant cafes, bookstores, and trendy shops. A camper trip or a car trip along the Irish coast, stopping to sleep in a castle in unusual places. We have created, for this purpose, a one-week itinerary in Ireland or a two-week itinerary in the Emerald Isle.
