Cork Ireland Guide

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IRISH RAIL
Rather than checking out of our hotel and schlepping our bags all around the country, we (fellow travel writers) decided to use Dublin as our home base and make day trips out of the city. Using Irish Rail (Gaelic: Iarnrod Eireann) it’s easy, and having a Eurail pass made it affordable. Our first day trip was to Cork. It’s located in southern Ireland, and takes 2 hours, 40 minutes on the express train (a regular train takes 20 minutes more). Although we had first-class tickets, we still needed to pay a steep supplementary fare (of €30 each way) because we took an express train (there are plenty of regular trains on this route without a supplement). On the express, first class is called "City Gold." They offer comfortable seats, good food (additional cost) and service. Going down we had breakfast; coming back we had dinner. It was easy, but the ride would have been much better if we didn't have to pay a supplementary fee and if there were more than one electrical outlet in the whole car.

CORK CITY
We arrived at Kent Station and were greeted by Tom, our Cork tour guide. Tom was a nice lad who loved to talk (he must’ve kissed the Blarney Stone once too often). We learned so much from him -- for example, this street post is really an upside down cannon. We also learned that Cork is the second oldest and largest city in Ireland (population 150,000). And that the city layout is confusing, with its old one way streets and many bridges connecting the 13 islands. Did you know Cork is on an island, and lies between two limbs of the River Lee? Now you do!

WALKING TOUR OF CORK
The best way to see Cork – an excellent walking city -- is on foot (parking is difficult to find). If you’re interested in public transportation, buses cost €1.10. The city's main street is St. Patrick (locals call it just Patrick Street), and dates back to 1789. Patrick Street is where most people shop or take leisurely strolls. The statue at the entrance isn’t of St. Patrick, but of Father Theobald Matthew, a 19th-century priest who opposed drinking and is called "the apostle of temperance." Cork is so popular because of its terrific cultural and dining scene, featuring many top-rated restaurants. To see what the locals ate I checked out the covered Old English Market -- it dates from a charter of James I in 1610. It was interesting to see the shopkeepers selling all kinds of fresh seafood, meats, vegetables, fruit and pudding (not the pudding you want, unless you fancy dried pigs blood).

FOTA HOUSE
Before returning to Dublin, we made a few stops. One was at the Fota House, an 18th-century hunting lodge on Fota Island. The estate covers the entire island, over 300 hectares. The beautiful grounds contain gardens, stables, glass houses, stone barns and other buildings. The house is now the property of The Fota Trust Company, a charity dedicated to the preservation of the building. Admission: Adults €5.50; Senior citizens/students €4.50; Children €2.20; Families (2 adults and 3 children) €12.50. Fota Island, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork, Ireland; tel.: 353-0-21-4815543.

WEATHER IN IRELAND
At the Fota House I saw something I never imagined in Ireland: a palm tree. Who knew that southern Ireland has palm trees?! There’s a good amount of them too. Though they are not native to the land (they were brought over from the Canary Islands), they survive because Ireland is warmed by the Gulf Stream. That’s something else I learned: The country enjoys a mild climate year ‘round. The average winter temperature is 35 to 45°F; in summer it’s 65° to 75°F. Snow is rare. The weather always changes, so dress in layers. No wonder this place is so green! They call Ireland the "land of perpetual spring."

COBH (QUEENSTOWN)
The last town we visited in this area was Cobh. A waterfront area that used to be called Queenstown, it’s famous for a few reasons. One is that this is where the Titanic made its last stop on April 11, 1912, picking up 123 passengers before sinking four days later. Unfortunately, Queenstown was part of another famous boat tragedy. On May 7, 1915 the Lusitania was en route from New York to Liverpool. Ten miles offshore, she was struck by a torpedo from a German submarine. Nearly 2,000 people were on board, and only 761 people were saved. The survivors were ferried to Queenstown. and accommodated in local hospitals, hotels and private homes. 150 victims are buried in mass graves in the Old Church cemetery, a mile north of Queenstown.

Statues mark both tragedies, as well as happier events. One statue is of Annie Moore and her brothers, the first emigrants to be processed in Ellis Island when it opened officially on January 1, 1892 (A similar statue of Annie can be found on Ellis Island.) Many Irish embarked on that same journey. In fact, from 1848 to 1950 over six million adults and children emigrated from Ireland. More than 3 million departed from Queenstown alone. A great place to learn about these events is the Cobh Heritage Centre for The Queenstown Story. Admission: Adult €5; Children €2.50; Seniors and students €4; Families (2 Adults and up to 4 Children) €15.50. Cobh Heritage Centre, Cobh, Co. Cork, Ireland; tel.: 353021-4 813591.

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Pictures From Dublin

Irish Rail

One of the many Bridges

Father Theobald Matthew

Fota House

Palm Tree

Cobh

Annie Moore