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Guide to Cork, Ireland
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Cork Cork, the 2^nd largest city (or should we say county borough) in Ireland, is a wonderful destination to see unique sights, and interact with the warm and friendly locals which make up this cozy part of the country. Cork was founded centuries ago, and its people were involved with a struggle for independence early on, which is why when you travel throughout the county, you will see the multitude of castles and forts. Its a wonderful county/city with great history with people who have held the roots of their ancestors closely knit. Book your flight, and you will see why Cork is such a fascinating destination.
When to go:
We recommend visiting in the spring (though Ireland is beautiful all-year-round) because the winds are calm, yet refreshing, and the land is full of color and the people have a revivifying energy about them (most likely because they just came out of a brisk winter). Autumn is a beautiful time of year to visit as well, although it may be a little chillier than in springtime.
Getting there and around:
Cork International Airport is not the busiest flight destination in Ireland, but that is ok, because it is nevertheless fully equipped to make both your arrival and departure as easy and as smooth as possible. There are bus services into Cork, as well as taxis at your service (you may get a better deal if you call and book a taxi ahead of time). And, of course, there is certainly the option of renting a car, which we certainly do not reject as a viable alternative to the aforementioned. If you know youre way around, which youre sure to quite quickly, you might as well rent yourself an automobile and create your own schedule.
Attractions:
We enjoyed seeing St. Anns Church, though we admit, our recommendation is almost solely based on the fact that you get to ring the bells in the steeple. St. Anns Church is beautiful, but you wont be able to resist a few minutes at the bells trying to toll out your favorite childrens songs. You also get a marvelous view of the city at the top of the parapet, although be sure not to stand there when someone is ringing the bells (Were sure you can understand why).
We highly recommend a visit to St. Fin Barres Cathedral. The Cathedral overlooks the River Lee, and is so tall that you can see its location virtually anywhere in Cork. It has amazing architecture, and is built on the site which is said to be where the city emerged from. You may be surprised that it is the eleventh construction since the original monastery. The neo-gothic exterior and interior were both designed by an English architect by the name of William Burges, and other highlights of the Cathedral are the stained-glass windows. Note: There is a fee for touring the Cathedral.
Cork City Gaol, which was originally a jail, is now a museum of sorts. There are tours, but not in the way you would expect. At entry, you are given a cassette player with which you can listen to the prisons history and various noteworthy parts of the establishment. From the outside it looks like a gloomy castle, but the inside looks much more inviting. It is an interesting place to visit, though, and we do recommend it.
While in Cork City, dont forget to take a day and walk through the centre of the city, which is basically a group of little streets where lots of people commiserate, play music, and just enjoy the social atmosphere. There are lots of nice little eateries and shops where you can pick up a souvenir or two. In the city centre youll also find Crawford Gallery -the main gallery of the city- which holds many great exhibitions (both permanent and temporary).
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