Founded as a monastic settlement by St Finbar in the sixth century, Cork is now Ireland’s second largest city with a population of about 300,000.
With its own international airport and major passenger ferry port, Cork is an ideal point of arrival if you wish to explore the Cork and Kerry region.
The city has a rich history and its own unique appearance and culture, so it is definitely worth exploring.
With a compact city centre, Cork is easily manageable on foot. Its main street, Patricks Street, is a good place to start. The city centre was revamped for Cork’s stint as European City of Culture in 2005. This new modern look provides an interesting contrast to the historical buildings dotted around the area.
North of the river is Cork’s most famous building, Shandon Church, and its distinctive tower and salmon weather vane can be seen from all over the city.
Other buildings of note around the city centre are City Hall, St Finbarre’s Cathedral and St Mary’s Cathedral.
Arts and culture are particularly rich in Cork and locals are proud of the many famous writers, artists, actors and musicians who hail from the city and its surrounds. Famous names include writers Frank O’Connor and Sean O’Faolain, actor Cillian Murphy, musician Rory Gallagher and bands such as The Frank and Walters and The Sultans of Ping.
Not surprisingly, there are a host of choices for arts and entertainment lovers. If you want to see a play, check out The Everyman Theater and The Granary Theatre. There are also plays and musical performances held at the Cork Opera House. The Crawford Municipal Art Gallery and the Lewis Gluckman Gallery are among the city’s best arts galleries.
The city is also famous for cultural events such as the Guinness Jazz Festival and the Cork Film Festival.
While the city is a charming and interesting place to stay, many visitors use it primarily as a hub to explore the scenic beauty of Counties Cork and Kerry. When its time to leave, you can find quality car hire at Thrifty Car Rentals which has offices in Cork City centre and at Cork Airport.
