Hugenot Quarter, Cork

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The Huguenot Quarter of Cork is the area around French Church Street and Carey's Lane.
The Huguenots were French Protestants who fled from religious prosecution in the 17th and the second half of the 18th centuries. Over 300 of them came to Cork, where they established their own church, now no longer there. Yet, their graveyard apparently still remains somewhere between these two streets. Pity I learnt about it too late.
Update: I have just learnt from another VT-er that there now is a Memorial to the Huguenots, and their graveyard with some original 17th century tombstones has been cordoned off so it must be easier to find. Thank you, heypaulo.
The Huguenots played an important role in the life of the city, serving it as Sheriffs or Mayors of Cork, merchants and textile manufacturers as well as some of the best gold and silversmiths.
The area where they lived is now a charming district of narrow pedestrianised lanes full of little restaurants, cafes, interesting specialized shops and small galleries. Just walking along them window-shopping is pure pleasure. And if you add to it a cup of hot chocolate from O'Conaill's chocolaterie, you will know what bliss is.
P.S. You will get more hot chocolate as a take-out than if you had it on the spot.

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Paul Street in the Hugenot Quarter is another great street to wander along on a Saturday or any day. Nice cafes, lots of buskers and continental vibe.

A new addition to Paul Street is the sculptural monument to the great Rory Gallagher. To many, Rory was the greatest rock and blues guitarist of his generation and if you want to check him out just google and get hold of some of his music. In Cork he is revered and the small square that holds this tribute to him is known as Rory Gallagher Plaza. This is outside the Paul Street Shopping centre and especially on Saturday afternoons is thronged with people just hanging out and enjoying the buskers and whatever else is going on.

Paul Street runs from the Crawford Gallery right up to the Coal Quay where there is an outdoor market on Saturday. Fom here you can access the Patrick Street's Waterstones and browse the bookshelves. Two very charming pedestrianised sidestreets which connect Paul Street to Patrick Street are Carey's Lane and FrenchChurch Street. Loads of cafes with outdoor seating here and trendy shops. A thouroughly enjoyable area for browsing and getting a feel for the city.

this area is noted for its chic bars ,bookshops ,trendy boutiques Paul street the most liveliest area in cork .
in the 18th cent huguenots french protestents settled here and became merchants exporting butter ,shop keepers and setting themselves up as brewers

Lotsa little cafes and restaurants around here. Great selection of food.

Also nice crafy shops, books, homecraft etc in the general area surrounding.

Nice place to people watch for a while. There is a square type area directly in fron of the Paul Street shopping center if you'd like to sit and chill.

There is a car park to the rear of the said shopping centre.

Well, it is very enjoyable to walk at leisure through the little streets between Paul street and Patrick street, the Hugenot centre of Cork. The place is always full of people and very colourful, there are buskers playing music, and the atmosphere is great. There are plenty of nice eating places and shops to satisfy everyone. Just around the corner there is the Crawford Gallery, Cork's main art gallery, very interesting and recently enlarged.
I have seen some great exhibitions there.

Unknown to me beforehand, the last time I was in Cork, I came across lots of signs for "Cork's Hugenot Quarter". There are some interesting plaques on the walls about the history of the Hugenots in Cork but otherwise all you will see there is groovy cafes and vintage clothes stores.