Cork

From Imakoopedia

Cork is a city in the Republic of Ireland.It was orginally built on several islands (the Irish name, Corcaigh, means marsh) and the centre of the city sits between the north and south channels of the river Lee. Many of its biggest streets such as Patrick Street or Grand Parade also used to be river channels. As the second city of the country, (although much smaller than Dublin) it regards itself as a rival and sometimes carries the subtitle of 'the real capital'. It is going to have the chance to live up to this in 2005 as Europe's City of Culture.

Table of contents

1 See 2 Eat 3 Drink 4 Venues 5 Around 6 Internet

See

• Cork Vision Centre. This is in an former church in North Main Street. Ii has a large scale model of the city which should help your understanding. Free admission.
• Elizabeth Fort. Offers a good view over the city. However it is not easily seen from the city. From Southgate Bridge, go up Barrack Street and turn right. There is a police station within the fort.
• St Finbar's Cathedral. This is just a few minutes away from the Elizabeth fort and much easier to find. A fine 19th century Gothic building.
• Shandon Church. The tower and bells are symbols of the city, and overlook it from the north. This church is situated in a conservation area.

Eat

• English Market. This is an old covered market in the centre of the city with an abundance of excellent food to suit all tastes and a pleasant cafe, often with live piano music.

Drink

• Sin E, Coburg St. Dark, small and welcoming. Good for traditional music. One of Cork's more atmospheric pubs.
• Long Valley, Winthrop St. Busy pub with constant turnover of clientele. Sandwiches are not to be missed! Classical and jazz music in the background. A bit expensive, but not overly so given its city center location.
• Gateway, Barrack St. One of several pubs claiming to be the oldest in Cork. Popular with students, loud alt-rock music on the stereo.
• Bodega, Coal Quay (Cornmarket St). Big, bright and ostentatious. A good place for people-watching by day. The back room hosts club nights at the weekend. The food is good although slightly expensive. Can be difficult to locate staff members when this place gets busy.
• Dennehy's, Coal Quay. If the Bodega overwhelms you, head across the road to a much more manageable proposition. Good pints of stout pulled by the attentive proprietor. Pictures of local characters and one Charles J. Haughey (disgraced former Taoiseach / prime minister) line the walls. Eavesdrop on the heated political debates, which tend to get more heated as the evening progresses.

Venues

• Freak Scene, Club One Off Oliver Plunkett Street. Great Student night every Wednesday. Running for 11 years it has outlasted all competitors in a fickle Cork Scene. Casual Dress, in fact wear whatever you want!!!!

Around

• Blarney Castle, This is a famous and probably over-rated Irish attraction. A historical story behind it has given rise to the word 'blarney' meaning the ability to talk your way out of trouble.
• Cobh, Formerly known as Queenstown. This was the port for Cork in the ages of the great lines, and still sees the occasional cruise ship. It can be reached by a suburban train.
• Fota Wildlife Park and Arboretum, set on an island in Cork harbour and reached by road or the Cobh suburban train.

Internet

• The People's Republic of Cork, This website is an online hub for Cork city. As well as an active message board, it hosts a dictionary of cork slang, humourous local articles and a fairly good music event guide. The address is http://www.peoplesrepublicofcork.com