La leyenda cuenta que a quien bese a la famosa piedra 'Blarney Stone' se le concederá el don de la elocuencia.
These tours operate from May to September every year. As Cork is notoriously hilly, these tours are a good idea if you want to avoid all the trekking up and down; just admire the city from an open-topped bus instead. The tour lasts a minimum of seventy minutes and the beauty of it is that you can get off and on as often as you wish. It covers areas such as Cork City Gaol, University College, and Blarney, as well as all the interesting spots in the city centre.
The English Market is one of Cork's greatest assets, with an array of butchers selling traditional Cork meats, fruit and veggie shops selling at discount prices, fishmongers, Italian and French cheese stalls, fresh bread stands and more. Early in the morning, chefs from various restaurants and cafes drop in to buy their supplies. It is also popular with visitors as it is a unique shopping experience that really should not to be missed.
Situated in a quiet part of town, St Fin Barre's Cathedral is dedicated to the founder and patron saint of the city. Designed by Willliam Burges, the building was completed in 1878. It's an exuberant triple-spired edifice built in Gothic Revival style and decorated with stone tracery. Inside, the painted and gilded ceiling depicts Christ surrounded by angels. The stained glass windows below, tell the story of Christ's life. Hours change seasonally, so make sure to call ahead.
Fitzgerald's Park is situated on the picturesque bank of the river Lee and spans eighteen acres. The park has swings and slides for children to play on and is a popular Bank Holiday and sunny Sunday location for young families. It is not only the young, however, who enjoy the park! The landscaped gardens, rich with trees and shrubs, as well as sculptures by Cork's own Seamus Murphy, make it the perfect place for an evening stroll. Also on site is the Cork Public Museum where you can peruse Michael Collin's love letters to Kitty O'Shea among other titbits.
Past seamlessly merges with the present at the Blackrock Castle Observatory. Nestled on the banks of River Lee, the observatory is an erstwhile fortification, and this fact alone is a great attestation to its magnificent, castle-like visage. The building itself, a castle no less, dates back to the 16th Century, but what is inside is up-to-date with engineering mechanisms and technological innovations in the country. Upholding a deep sense of scientific research and the indelible motive of unearthing the secrets of the cosmos, the observatory stages an array of exhibitions, workshops and collaborations for students and teachers to better understand the intricacies of the Universe. Here is where astronomical artifacts and numerous exhibits about science jostle with hands-on activities and an interactive virtual astronaut for the visitor's attention. Topped by turrets and cloaked in a sturdy stone facade, this observatory is a glorious synergy of history and the sciences.
If you love scuba diving, Occeanaddict in Cork, Ireland, is a company worth visiting. Graham and Anne Ferguson, a lovely Irish couple, own and run the company. They are both active divers and certified instructors. Their main scuba diving waters are along the South Western Coast of the country, due to the unique ecosystem living in the Gulf Stream. Visitors can opt for a three-day long dive experience as they learn to swim with the flora and fauna of the Irish waters.
This intimate theatre on the north side of Cork City is the ideal location to enjoy an evening of quality drama. The programme is a quirky mixture of modern and classic drama; a production of Hamlet can be followed by one of the Marat/Sade. Cork Arts Theatre also runs a production company, so for those who fancy themselves as budding Brando's, opportunity knocks! Facilities include a bar upstairs where patrons can enjoy a tipple during the interval.
Giles Norman is a renowned photographer from Ireland. Born in 1961, he inhabited Kinsale almost all his life. The Giles Norman Gallery is a splendid culmination of his works, depicting images of the sublime Irish landscape. Additionally, one can witness a wide array of abstract pieces, which capture the wondrous sights of London, Paris, Rome, New York and many more cities. Visitors can walk in and purchase prints of different sizes, as well as a copy of his book ‘Ireland, Timeless Images’.
Sheelah Maloney, a young sculptor and artist, discovered that her passion for art was shared by many in Ireland. In 2009 she founded the 2020 Art Gallery as a creative hub, but soon realized the demand for a bigger space and a larger dream. Now having expanded her venture into a consultancy with aims to counsel aspiring visual artists, the gallery curator takes special pleasure in curating the many collections of spectacular artworks from around Ireland. As a propagator of the Irish cultural identity, the studio always has an interesting exhibition running which you can admire with your loved ones.
The Wandesford Quay Gallery began as a part of the Crawford College of Art and Design. The gallery serves the purpose of connecting the college with the art and cultural community around it. With creative expression as its prime philosophy, the gallery breaks academic boundaries, both national and international, to inspire a relevant cultural dialog. This gallery is scenically located upon the banks of the River Lee in the Irish city of Cork, in a beautiful building that dates back to 1840.
The Jameson Experience is within a beautifully restored 18th century self-contained industrial complex, unique in Britain and Ireland. There is a still, a fully operational water wheel and a copper pot of 32,000 gallons, the largest in the world. It's also possible to take a 90 minute tour of the center and in the process, discover the secret histories of the whiskey-making tradition. An audio-visual presentation (available in six languages) will take you through the history and processes involved in the making of local whiskeys. At the end of the tour, you are invited to try some of Ireland's finest whiskey, in a traditional Irish pub.