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The County of
Cork situated in the South West of Ireland is the largest of all the
Irish counties and in many ways the most varied.
Cork city is the main
city in Cork built on the River Lee. Rich farmlands and river
valleys contrast with the wild sandstone hills of the west, and 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 sands.
 Strange
as it may seem, this is territory which is relatively undiscovered,
and completely unspoilt. Its villages and resorts are mostly
unsophisticated, but lively and friendly in their own special fashion,
and very welcoming to strangers who come to join in the fun.
County Cork has many sights and attractions for
the visitor Blarney Castle which you can climb up and kiss the famous
Blarney Stone and obtain the 'gift of the gab' as most Corkonians have
as you will discover when you visit Cork! The lovely town of
Kinsale, just a short drive from Cork City offers many fine
restaurants and where you can also visit the 17th century star shaped
Charles Fort. Timoleague is where you will find the wonderful 13th
century Franciscan Abbey and travelling onto the great seaside village
of Courtmacsherry. Clonakilty is a lively busy town where you will
find out more information about Michael Collins and his statue.
Drombeg Stone Circle is a short distance from Skibbereen and Glandore,
thought to have been from the Bronze Age. From the seaside village of
Baltimore catch the ferry across to explore both Sherkin Island and
Cape Clear Island. Mizen Head the most westerly point in the area is
where you can take a tour of the Mizen Vision Centre which includes
Mizen Head Signal Station once you have crossed the footbridge across
and its wonderful views. Take in some beautiful scenery driving from
Bantry to Glengarriff. The area of Durrus, and Sheeps Head are known
for their stunning scenery and rugged beauty. Castletownbere and the
Beara Peninsula where you can take in some wonderful walks including
the Beara Way. Cork County is also very popular for its many
watersports, be it wind surfing, kite surfing, sailing or kayaking and
also has a number of Blue Flag Beaches in County Cork such as
Barleycove Beach West Cork, Garretstown Beach, Inchydoney Beach,
Claycastle and Redbarn in Youghal and the Warren Beach at Rosscarbery.
Cork City is steeped in history, where Cork City
was once built on a marsh and consisted of many waterways with two
main Gates the North Gate and South Gate protecting the old Cork City
centre, a section of the old wall can be seen today in Bishop Lucey
Park. Cork City said to have been founded by Saint Fin Barre in the
7th century. The Butter Museum in the Shandon area tells the history
of Irelands most important food export and the largest recognised
Butter Exchange in the world which existed in Cork and where the price
of butter was set. Also in the Shandon area is home to Corks own
Shandon Bells with its well known clock face and its distinctive
weather vane in the form of a gold fish. Cork has a long history with
the Huguenots, French Protestants, which travelled to Ireland due to
prosecution in their own country and hence the area of French Church
street and Carey's Lane is know as the Huguenot Quarter. The English
Market one of the oldest markets which was established in the 18th
century is wonderful to experience by taking a walk through and visit
the many stalls with everything on sale from local cheeses, olives,
locally smoked Salmon, French soaps, Champagne and Wine, to Corks own
stall for Tripe and Drisheen, a local delicacy. St Fin Barre's
Cathedral is very impressive on Cork skyline and where services are
still held today, why not call in and take a tour of this beautiful
cathedral, also very impressive is Corks Holy Trinity Church. Cork
Jazz Festival held in October each year brings some renowned artists
from all around the globe to Cork where there is a wide range of Jazz
to be found from Blues, Dixieland and much more find accommodation in
Cork City for the Cork Jazz Festival
here. Cork is also renowned for it Cork Choral Festival and Cork
Film Festival find out more
here and maybe you can join us in Cork.
Cork County is made up of a large
number of towns and villages. Here are just a sample of town and
villages in West Cork - Bantry and neighbouring Glengarriff,
Durrus & Ahakista. Castletownbere including visits to neighbouring
Allihies and Eyeries, Baltimore, Goleen, Schull and Crookhaven.
Skibbereen, Union Hall, Glandore, Rosscarbery and Clonakilty.
Bandon, Dunmanway, Timoleague and Courtmacsherry. Kinsale,
Ballinhassig and Carrigaline. East Cork towns and villages consist of
Midleton, Castlemartyr, Rostellan, Whitegate, Youghal and Fota and
Cobh, Shanagarry and Ballycotton. |
