Areas of Interest in Cork

The Bishop Lucey Park guarantees peace and quiet, and is ideal for a picnic.  It opened in 1985 as part of the cities 800th birthday celebrations.  Fitzgerald Park stretches along the river Lee and also offers a pleasant walkthrough.  The Cork Public Museum is also set in its grounds offering free admission Monday to Friday.

There are numerous shopping centres and department stores to try in Cork.  One of the largest can be found on St Patricks Street.  There are plenty of smaller individual shops to discover just by wandering through the streets.  Many of these also sell traditional Irish crafts.  The riverside market at Coal Quay is brash and busy on Saturdays, but definitely worth a visit.

The Crawford Municipal Art Gallery exhibits the most important collection of 18th and 19th century art outside of Dublin.  Collections come from famous Irish painters, glasswork and sculptures.  Since closed the Old Butter Exchange has become a museum that is also worthwhile visiting.  The Lewis Glucksman Gallery is relatively new in the University College grounds and was short listed for the Riba Stirling Prize in 2005.  It has become one of the cities most exciting contemporary buildings hosting a range of permanent and temporary exhibitions.  The free admission is also a plus.

St Anne’s Church offers fantastic views over cork after climbing to the top.  Visitors can even try out ringing the Shandon Bells.

Eating Out in Cork

The Woodford Bourne is ideal for a good value meal.  Alongside an excellent pint, the bar is renowned for its soups and sandwiches.

The English Market is a dream destination for food lovers.  Cork has earned a reputation for the number of artisan producers and this elegant market is the place to find their delicious produce.  The market’s Farmgate Café is an excellent spot to enjoy lunch above the market.  The menu depends entirely on the fresh produce available within the market.

Jacques Restaurant on Phoenix Street offers cuisine with an imaginative flare in Mediterranean accented atmosphere.  Typical dishes include roast marinated quail on crostini with balsamic, and hake with broccoli and hollandaise sauce.

Café Paradiso is the city’s much lauded vegetarian restaurant.  A typical dish served up by chef Denis Cotter is the superb goats cheese gnocchi with pan fried artichokes.

Proby’s is a popular eatery with a warm atmosphere.  The menu mixes and matches flavours in a different way.  For example the chicken, chorizo and black pudding chowder is excellent.  Home made ice cream must also be ordered after any meal.

The Ivory Tower is a legendary restaurant that never fails to impress.  Typical dishes on offer here include swordfish with mango and kumquats in Rioja wine.  The dining room is in Victorian style and has an excellent atmosphere.  It provided the setting for Chef Seamus O’connell’s recent Soul Food television series.

Cork Night Life

Cork has endless pubs on offer and visitors must order one of the two locally brewed stouts, Murphey’s and Beamish.  An Brog is a loved pub which can be found on Oliver Plunkett Street and is home to plenty of emerging local acts, with live music always playing.   The Abbey Tavern although difficult to find is definitely a worthwhile spot for a drink.  The warm and friendly atmosphere makes it difficult to leave.

Kickback hosts a new Thursday club night with live music, exotic visuals and new great tunes from resident DJs.

To experience a true local atmosphere visit the Curraheed Park Greyhound Stadium on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Friday nights.  There is also an excellent restaurant and bar available.

Further Afield from Cork

A visit to Cork would not be complete without checking out the nearby seaside town of Kinsale.  Just 25 kilometres south of Cork the tiny town features pretty Georgian houses along the hill slopes.  It has been named the gastronomic capital of Ireland and therefore not to be missed for lovers of seafood and its numerous lively pubs.

From the Kent Railway Station it is possible to take a short trip to Cobh Harbour.  The harbour has an amazing history from acting as a stop off point for the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars, being the boarding point for more than 2.5 million emigrants who left Ireland for America and becoming the last port of call for the ill fated Titanic and Lusitania.  If time allows the Cobh Heritage Centre is worth a visit featuring ‘Cobh, The Queenstown Story’ which documents the full history including conditions upon the coffin ships and the story of Annie Moore, the first emigrant to be processed arriving in Ellis Island, New York.

From the Airport to Cork

Air Coach journeys from the airport take around 25 minutes stopping at Parnell Place Bus Station in the centre of the city.  Although much pricier there is also a taxi rank outside the main terminal.