Sign in with FacebookCastletownbere, Beara, Castletownbere, County Cork, Ireland
of people enjoy staying here
3 Opinions
Guinness of course
Almost there
The River Lee
Shandon painted houses St Annes and Katherine
How do I get from Cork to Blarney? Is there a map?
Hi,
try the following, good map and lots of info on this site.
Cheers, Cheryl
OOPS - forgot to add the site ! www.blarneytourism.com Cheers
The easiest way to get from Cork to Blarney is on the 224 bus which leaves Parnell Place bus station almost every hour. For up to date timetables and prices look at www.buseireann.ie
If you are driving take the N20 out of town in the direction of Mallow and Limerick. Blarney is signposted off this road and the journey shouls only take about 20 minutes.
Visit the countryside..it IS the Irish character. Aside from the City of CORK, COUNTY CORK doesnt have much in the way of cities. This picture of Bantry is at the end of Bantry Bay one of a series of fjord-like but, low profile bays on the Irish South Coast. You can see the almost pastoral nature of the town, its 1pm and almost no one is 'about'. Bantry has a sleepy quality about it.
The Bells of Shandon is a poem by Francis Sylvester Mahony (1804 - 1866), who was also known as Father Prout.
Born in Cork, on Camden Quay, Francis was the Grandson of Timothy Mahoney -who was the founder of the Blarney Woollen Mills!
Aged 12, Francis began his first steps to entering the Priesthood, an ambition of his parents! Francis had a preference to join the Jesuits, and was enrolled at The Jesuit College of Clongowes.
Aged 16, he travelled to France, where he studied at the Jesuit College in Amiens, then at the Jesuit Noviciate in Paris.
Three years later he arrived in Rome to study Philosophy.
Despite being a brilliant student, and excelling in languages, he returned to Clongowes in 1825, having failed to be ordained into the priesthood.
He achieved ordination in 1832, which co-incided with a cholera outbreak. He'd returned to Cork, where he'd taken a post as Hospital Chaplain at the North Infirmary.
He devoted his time to helping the Cholera sufferers and their families.
However, having worked hard to become a priest, he decided that the literary world held more of an attraction for him.
In Paris he was the correspondent for The Globe, and in Rome for The Daily News.
He died in Paris.
The Bells of Shandon becoming known worldwide, after being published in 'The Oxford Book of Victorian Verse' It's thought that the words were probably first written during his time in a Rome seminary.
With deep affection and recollection
I oft times think of those Shandon bells,
Whose sound so wild would in the days of childhood,
Fling round my cradle their magic spells,
On this I ponder when'eer I wander and thus grow
fonder sweet Cork of thee,
With thy bells of Shandon that sound so grand on,
The pleasant waters of the river Lee.
I've heard bells chiming, full many a chime in,
Tolling sublime in Cathedral shrine,
While at a glib rate, brass tongues would vibrate,
But all their music spoke naught like thine;
For memory dwelling on each proud swelling,
Of the belfry knelling its bold notes free,
Made the bells of Shandon sound far more grand on,
The pleasant waters of the river Lee.
I've heard bells tolling Old "Adrian's Mole"
in their thunder rolling from the Vatican,
And cymbals glorious, swinging uproarious
In the gorgeus turrets of Notre Dame,
But thy sounds were sweeter than the dome of Peter,
Flings o'er the Tiber, peelingly solemnly,
O, the bells of Shandon sound far more grand on,
The pleasant waters of the river Lee.
There's a bell in Moscow, while on tower and kiosk o!
In Saint Sophia the Turkman gets,
And loud in air calls men to prayer,
From the tapering summit of tall minarets.
Such empty phantom, I freely grant them,
But there is an anthem more dear to me,
'Tis the bells of Shandon that sound so grand on,
The pleasant waters of the river Lee.
Gaelic games (hurling and gaelic football) take place in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Well U2 & Michael Jackson have played there too, but I dont mean sports! To play gaelic games, you would need a helmet, shin pads.
Take a trip by bus to the goumet city Kinsale. The trip takes less than one hour. Kinsale is a beautiful boating place with plenty of restaurants and cafes.
I recommend to take a walk to the ruins of James Fort and its Blockhouse (see photo). From there you have a scenic view to the fishing village Scilly, to Kinsale and to the Charles Fort. For that walk you can pick up a free leaflet at the Tourist Office.
The Scholar is a small pub which features a local traditional band on Monday nights. The atmosphere is very relaxed making it a great spot for sipping a few pints with friends. Dress is casual....I went in my jeans and flip-flops most nights.
Q: Football tickets "Hi Can anyone tell me where I might get a ticket to the Allianz Football Leage game Cork v Armagh tomorrow and how much it will..."
A: "Again, I can't help with tickets sorry. Same links as for Galway for bus and train to Cork. Bus costs 11.70 euro online (10% discount as before). Train costs 66..."
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