| Most of the city’s attractions
are located near the centre of town, so the best way to see them
is on foot. An open-bus tour is available, however, for details
visit the Tourist Office on the Grand Parade (T
+353 21 4255100).
Sights
Two of the city’s most notable buildings are churches. Shandon
Church, the nearest Cork has to an Eiffel Tower-like town symbol,
is visible from many parts of the city. You can climb its tower
and ring its famous bells for a fee. The Shandon Crafts Centre is
nearby. St Fin Barre’s Cathedral is a 19th century Church of
Ireland cathedral. Designed in a Gothic style, it features extensive
interior and exterior decorative carvings. It was built on the hilltop
site of the original settlement of St Finbarr, Cork’s patron
saint.
At the western end of town, Fitzgerald’s Park is a spacious
open area within walking distance of the city centre. The Cork
Museum is situated on its grounds. Just across the ‘Shaky
Bridge’ from here is Cork Gaol. Although it’s worth a
visit just to see the castle-like gaol building, the experience
is enhanced by taking the guided tour. The lives of inmates in the
1800s are chillingly reconstructed, with an accompanying audio-visual
presentation.
To get a flavour of everyday Cork life, head to The English Market,
wedged between Patrick St, Princes St and the Grand Parade. This
atmospheric covered food market originally dates from the 17th century,
although it’s undergone extensive rebuilding and refurbishment
since then. If you’re looking for somewhere to relax, Bishop
Lucey Park (Grand Parade) and the cafés around the Paul St
area are popular hangouts, the latter vicinity being popular with
buskers and street entertainers.
Arts and Entertainment
Cork is a noted centre for the arts. The Crawford
Art Gallery at Emmet Place is the most important gallery in the
state outside of Dublin, housing works by such Irish artists as
Jack B. Yeats, Walter Osbourne and James Barry, as well as contempory
art. The original building dates from 1724, but a Renaissance-style
extension was added in the 19th century (the tower marks the join).
The Triskel on Tobin
St focuses mainly on contempory visual art and film, but music and
theatre events are also held. There’s a nice little café
with stained-glass windows to boot.
Theatre, music and film are also well represented elsewhere. Cork’s
ballet company is based at the Firkin Crane Centre in Shandon, while
the Everyman Palace on McCurtain St is the city’s most respected
theatre. The Opera House
at Emmet Place stages a variety of concerts and plays, while the
Kino on Washington St specializes
in arthouse film.
Nightlife and Eating Out
(For details of gay venues, see our Scene
section.)
If you get bored with the gay scene, you might like to sample some
straight venues. The best bars and clubs in the city are all actually
gay-friendly (The Bodega, The Half Moon), but other notable venues
include late-night bar Qube (Oliver Plunkett St), and City Limits
on Coburg St. Washington St is one of the main centres of activity
after dark, but most of the venues here aren’t noted for their
acceptance of gay customers.
Cork’s restaurant scene isn’t particularly diverse, although
Chinese and Mediterranean cuisines are well represented. The Farmgate
Café (upstairs at The English Market; T 4278134) is something
of an institution, and is a good place to sample traditional Irish
cooking. Isaac’s (48 McCurtain St; T 4503805) and Star Anise
(4 Bridge St; T 4551635) are two of the best and most popular restaurants
in the city, so booking is necessary. A variety of mid-priced restaurants
can be found in the Paul St area. Lastly, among Cork’s better
cafés are Café Gusto (3 Washington St; T 425 4446)
and Café B (Paul St).
Outside Cork City
There are many attractions to be found in the rural
areas outside Cork City. West Cork has become the main focus of
tourism in the county, but other areas hold their own individual
charm. Outlying towns of note include Cobh, Youghal, Clonakilty
and Skibbereen, all of which can be easily visited on daytrips or
half-daytrips from Cork City.
Even if you don't have time to go anywhere else out
of town, at least visit the picturesque town of Kinsale.
A maze of narrow streets and squares, it’s chiefly famous for
gourmet restaurants and yachting. The Old Head of Kinsale and Charles
Fort are nearby. A short bus trip from Cork in the opposite direction
will take you to the village of Blarney.
It boasts one of Ireland’s oldest castles, which is home to
the celebrated Blarney Stone. It’s a bit of a tourist trap,
but the shamrock-keyring factor doesn’t reach Killarney-like
proportions. |
