Cork.., Ireland

2 more images

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland. When you are there you can never get really far from the River Lee which divides the city and determines its nature. Crossing the bridges is something that you do really frequently in Cork.
The central part of the city with its regular layout of streets is actually an island formed by two channels. In the north narrow streets go up and down. This part is dominated by St. Anne's church, where visitors can ring the bells of Shandon immortalized in the famous 19th century ballad. Here are some lines:
"I often think
of those Shandon bells
whose sounds so wild would,
in the days of childhood
fling around my cradle
their magic spells"

The highlight of the southern part is St. Finbarre's cathedral, built on the site where St Finbarre, the patron of Cork, founded a monastery in the 7th century. The present neogothic cathedral built of white limestone looks very beautiful. We couldn't get inside, because of the concert being held there on that evening, but I enjoyed walking around.

Another place worth seeing in Cork are the grounds of University College founded in 1845. It started with 23 professors and 181 students and has grown to an impressive number of 15 thousnd students. I loved this site with majestic buildings and thick green lawns, where past and present coexist in harmony.

We were lucky to have Katherine (Ekaterinburg) as our guide. Although very busy, she managed to spend a few hours with us. She took us to places which we probably wouldn't have reached by ourselves. It was a real pleasure to meet her - once again VT turned out to be very helpful.

Cork is the second largest city of ireland and allthough it is situated beautifully between the hills the city itself is a one big construction site.
This is because the city will be European Capital of Culture in 2005.
In the immediate surroundings there is a lot to see like Blarney Castle,Kinsale en Cobh.

To be honest I was not mad about Cork city, although I am glad I am visited and suggest that you do too!

Its a nice enough city, with lots of shops and a pretty riverside.

Cork is a great base for exploring the surrounding county.

The Guiness Jazz Festival.

Ireland's biggest and most prestigious jazz event.

Musicians from all over the world gather in Cork for this annual festival (Oct 22-25th). There are formal and informal jam sessions going on in pubs, theatres and hotels all over town, as the area is saturated with musicians in town for the big event. .

This is a nice city, and it is pleasant to walk around (we also checked the Crawford Art Gallery), but we did not discover any super-attractions. Check the South Quarter (between the two rivers) and then St. Fin Barre's Cathedral to the south and Shandon Bells to the North.

The views of Southeast Ireland are picture perfect. The greenest green you can image with hedge rows creating a patchwork of fields of many different colors. These colors were enhanced by distant purple mountains. The disposable panoramic camera I brought could not capture this beauty. Ireland can only be experienced.

Driving to Cork was a learning experience, but in Cork total confusion set in, I became disoriented due to road construction and their system of unmarked streets. I drove down one street that had barely enough room for two small cars (made for horse and buggies only). I clipped a few parked car's side mirrors with ours. Well, this unnerved Faye as she was riding on the clipping side of the car. After several sources of directions and sheer luck, we ended up where we were headed just as the light left us. We even found a newly refurbished B & B, motel style. The proprietor directed us to a nice little restaurant near the airport, which is where I nearly hit a speeding white car when turning into the restaurant. "What a day".

Cork has a mission, a very honorable one...
The Chernobyl Children's Project wishes to effect real change in the Chernobyl-affected areas harnessing the unique spirit of volunteerism that permeates every level of the organisation. We wish to develop, facilitate and effect long-term sustainable community-based solutions, providing effective principled humanitarian assistance while advocating for the rights of the victims and survivors of the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster.

Wednesday, September 28 - ROSSLARE - CORK

We had breakfast at the B & B with an English chap, something right out of another English novel, the accent and all. He said he had been to the "Plowmen's Competition", the biggest thing to hit these parts and that we could see the real Ireland. Faye and I had visions of Irish linens, quilts, homemade bread and crafts. We decided we would go and got the directions - just a few miles off our itinerary.

We decided to walk (and pull our bags) back to the ferry station to pick up the rental car. It should be all downhill, right? Wrong, it was up and down. The pulled trapezius muscle that I had been suffering with by some miracle mended on that twenty- five minute suitcase haul to the ferry office. We were on time to pickup our rental car, however, they didn't have an automatic, yes, we wanted an automatic. So after a lengthy discussion and a wait for a sweet but slow Irish gentlemen driver, we were driven to the town of Wexford to pick up a new badly damaged Honda Civic automatic. Even the sunroof was smashed (made note of that on the rental agreement).

We were not supposed to travel to the Cork City Jail, but because of some change of plans we found ourselves here.. This was a fascinating if not sobbering look at a part of Ireland history.. the stark living conditions were numbing and humbling to say the least.. there is both a guided tour, or and audio cassette self tour.. This was a inexpensive and educational visit..