Let's meet at the Monument
by evaanna
If a Corkman says that he has a 'jag with a lasher', that is, a date with a pretty girl, a very likely place for their meeting is by 'THE Monument' or 'THE Statue' in St Patrick's Street in the city centre. This does not mean that Cork has only one monument but for the Corkonians this particular monument to Father Theobald Mathew seems to have a special significance.
So who was Father Mathew? A Capuchin priest ordained in 1814, Father Mathew was an Apostle of Temperance who spent most of his life in Cork and enjoyed enormous popularity with its citizens. His temperance crusade in the late 1830s and 1840s covered not only Ireland but also England and even spread as far as the United States. Father Mathew believed in the role of one's free will in overcoming the addiction and that taking what he called the Pledge could cure a person of it for life. The Pledge was taken by hundreds of thousands of people in many countries and I have heard that it is still being taken by many young people nowadays.
This and his courage and compassion shown first during the cholera epidemic in 1832 and then during the Great Famine won him the everlasting affection and gratitude of the Corkonians. Over 150 years later in the year 2000 a proposal to move his monument to another less prominent place met with so many protests from the public that the project was given up.
If you are ever asked about the qualities that make a hero, think of Father Mathew.
Rain, Rain go away
by twojazztravelers
Recommend packing just enough to do a carry on bag - it's so much easier and you can do laundry in your room sink. Most rooms will have radiators which you can dry your clothes on. Definitely comfortable - waterproof shoes. Streets and sidewalks can be a bit slippery - some are uphil which is bad when really wet. We both took shoes made by Born and they held up wonderfully and were comfortable. Pack a rain coat and/or umbrella. If you go in fall - the wind can be pretty chilly definitely take layers because it's chilly outside and warm inside. Pack light - anything you need to can pick up at Boots the Chemist. Something that doesn't get affected by too much water...
Drag Hunting
by roamingpaddy
This is a sport where hound dogs are raced across country for about 8 to 10 miles.They follow a scent which has been laid down by men who "run" the course with the scent.The hounds are members of various clubs throughout the city and county,like,Fair Hill or Northern Hunt.Drags are held from March to the end of August. To get an idea of a Draghunt click on the link included.
Drinking
by Del. about The Hi - B
If you go to Cork make sure you try a pint of Murphys. Murphys is a stout that is brewed locally in Cork. It is similar looking to Guinness but isn't as commercialised. Every pub in Cork sells it. Pub like the Hi-B, The Old Oak, Reardions are good pubs to go to. If you're still standing at closing time then there are clubs open every night of the week. After clubbing usually the urge of food proves to irrestible. Don't worry you won't have to starve! Take a trip to Lennox's or Hill Billies and you'll be sorted with grub. Enjoy!!!!
Cork to Blarney
by suvanki
Blarney is less than 30 minutes away from Cork.
The Bus Eireann service number 224 runs 7 days a week , every day apart from Christmas Day.
Gillybob, nomad7890 and I decided to catch the 10.30 bus on the Sunday morning. We purchased our tickets from the ticket machine in the bus station (5.60 euros adult return), then walked to Merchants Quay, where the bus was to depart from.
Leave the Bus Station by the exit to the left, if facing the road, and walk about 100 metres to the bus stop
Check the timetable for place of departure, as sometimes it's from the bus station itself or Stuake
There was quite a queue already at the stop in front of the Dunnes Store, but we were lucky enough to get seats together.
Most passengers alight at Blarney Village.
For the return journey, make sure that you're at the bus stop in plenty of time... Gillybob and I had seen the 16.10 bus, but didn't rush for it as it wasn't due to depart for another 10 minutes. So we were quite surprised to see it pulling away from the bus stop!
Apparently it's not unusual for the bus to leave early! Ah well, we headed back to the pub for a while, then looked around the village, making sure that we were at the bus stop in good time for the 17.55 bus.
Bus Eireann also operates bus service 249 to Kinsale, as well as to Dublin, Tralee, Galway, Limerick and Waterford from Parnell Place Bus Station.
There is a coffee stall and newsagents in the bus station. There is also a left luggage office, but it's a bit 'hit and miss' as to when it opens (as Gillybob found out - she was hoping to leave her case there, while we were in Blarney)
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Books, books , books , books ,books, books, books,
St. Anne's
Main Quadrangle University College Cork
The Clocks working parts
