Things to do in Cork
There is a wealth of things to do for visitors to the city of Cork and its surrounding area. County Cork is one of the most attractive places to visit in Ireland and people often spend time discovering the various small, quaint and often beautiful towns and villages which populate the region.
In Cork City itself, however, one of the most popular attractions is St Finbar's Cathedral, a beautiful building said to be built on the ground of the first settlement in this area, when the saint established a monastery here in the seventh century. The current, huge structure was built in the 19th century under the direction of William Burges. Marble mosaics brought from the Pyrenees are some of the delights to be found within the cathedral's walls, while large stained glass windows show scenes from both the Old and New Testaments. Over 1200 sculptures can also be found within the cathedral's walls, not only giving an idea of the huge scale of this place of worship, but also ensuring its place as a fascinating site for thousands of visitors.
Another famous place of worship in the centre of Cork is the Shandon Church. It is renowned for its famous Shandon's Bells and the impressive steeple, which can be seen from many different parts of the city.
Near to the Shandon's Bells is the Cork Butter Museum. Cork became a centre for butter in years gone by and its butter exchange was one of the most important establishments in the city. Tens of millions of pounds of butter were traded in the exchange over the years, with the region prospering from this continuing trade. The museum looks at the history of butter in Cork and the importance of the city in the growth of Ireland's butter trade and it includes a display detailing the traditional craft of making butter.
Cork City Gaol has become a top attraction for visitors since it was transformed into a museum dedicated to the history of the gaol and its inhabitants. One of the finest structures in the city, its appearance is that of a castle and it has been registered as a listed building. Established in the 19th century, it must have given inmates the feeling that they were entering an impregnable fortress. Today, visitors can look at the cells as they would have stood when in use and there is also an audio-visual presentation for visitors to experience.
Away from the city of Cork and out into the country, there are a number of impressive historical buildings littered around the countryside. Among them is Charles Fort, a huge military fortress established under the reign of Charles II and was a hugely important feature during the Williamite War in 1690 and the Irish Civil War of 1922-23. This star-shaped fortress is one of the largest in Ireland and visitors can spend hours discovering the history contained within it.
For those looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets of Cork, a visit to the Gearagh offers the perfect opportunity. The only ancient post glacial alluvial forest left in the whole of Western Europe, it was formed at the end of the last Ice Age and is an area of submerged islands which, during dry periods, can reveal beautiful and rare species of plant. The area is often covered, however, by the water from the Lee hydro-electrical project.
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Things to do
