Cork, Ireland

St Patrick's Quay, Cork
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Muelle_de_San_Patricio_en_Cork_(Irlanda).jpg
Author: Antonio Leyva
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Cork (Irish: Corcaigh) is the second most populous city in Ireland. Located by the banks of the River Lee, it is the county seat for County Cork, and largest city in the province of Munster, on the southern coast of Ireland. Covering 37.3 sq km (14.4 sq mi), Cork has a population of 120,000 (2011 estimate) within a metropolitan area of 274,000.

The city of Cork began as a monastic settlement established by Saint Finbarr in the 6th century. When the Vikings arrived, they turned the settlement into a trading port for the import and export of material between Ireland and Scandinavia.

Pedestrian zone in Cork
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:City_of_Cork,_Ireland.jpg
Author: Ticketautomat
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As with many other cities in Ireland, Cork went through a period of turbulence during the War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. Now that the country is once again at peace, Cork is developing as a regional retail centre, with a number of shopping malls. The city also has a pharmaceutical and IT industry, with a number of major companies such as Pfizer, Novartis, Apple and Logitech having facilities there.

Cork experiences a maritime temperate climate. The warmest month is July, when the average high temperature reaches 18.5°C (65.3°F). Coldest month is February, when the average low drops to 2.6°C (36.7°F). The city gets a lot of rain, some 1,194 mm (47 in) per year, with January and December getting particularly heavy rainfall and the occasional snow.

Crawford Art Gallery, Cork
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crawford_Art_Gallery_Stairway.jpg
Author: L.W. Yang
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Visiting Cork

Cork Airport (ORK) is the second busiest in Ireland. it gets flights connecting it with major cities in Europe. Major operators include Aer Arann, Aer Lingus, Ryanair and Wizz Air. Arriving at the airport, you can take the Cork Airport Express shuttle bus, the Bus Éireann public bus or taxi to get to downtown Cork.

The Cork Airport Express shuttle bus costs €5. It plies two different routes, so make sure you check the location of your hotel before boarding. Bus Éireann 226 plies the route between the airport and downtown Cork while Bus Éireann 249 stops at the airport between Cork and Kinsale. A trip by taxi to the city centre should cost you around €20.

Larry Tompkins Pub on Lavitt's Quay, Cork
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Larry_Tompkins_Pub_on_Lavitt%27s_Quay,_Cork_-_geograph.org.uk_-_408197.jpg
Author: Ian Paterson
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Places of Interest in Cork

Cork Butter Museum
Museum that explains the history of Ireland's most important export, butter
Cork City Gaol
Historic prison that is now restored and today provides exhibits on its history and the life of inmates in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Crawford Art Gallery
Cork's main art gallery, housed in a red brick and limestone house dating to 1724. It exhibits late 19th and early 20th century Irish art.
Elizabeth Fort
16th century ivy-clad fort that has also served as a prison and as a police station.
English Market
Market in Cork selling mostly fruits and vegetables.
Father Mathew Statue
Memorial to the founder of the Temperance Movement.
National Monument, Cork
Memorial to Irish patriots who died between 1798 and 1867.
Parliament Bridge
Bridge erected in 1806 to commemorate the Act of Union.
Paul Street
A lively street in Cork lined with restaurants, bars, bookshops and boutiques.
Quays
Area along the river where Cork's commercial activities are centered.
Red Abbey
The oldest building in Cock, formerly an Augustinian abbey dating to the 13th century.
Shandon Quarter
Neighbourhood around St Ann's Shandon, where you can get good views of the city.
St Ann's Shandon
Church built in 1722 on the hilly slopes of the city, to the north of River Lee.
St Finbarr's Cathedral
Catheral dedicated to the founder and patron saint of Cork, located on Bishop Street, in quiet part of the city.

Blackrock Castle, Cork
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blackrock_Castle_Observatory,_Cork,_Ireland.jpg
Author: Danielclauzier
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Sights & Attractions near Cork

Barryscourt Castle
Seat of the Barry family from the 12th to the 17th centuries, today it is restored and open to the public from June to September.
Blackrock Castle
Castle located some 1.5 km downstream from Cork on the River Lee. It was built in 1582 by Lord Mountjoy for harbour defence.
Desmond Castle
Built by the ninth Earl of Desmond around 1500, Desmond Castle is about 16 km to the south of Cork.

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