The Wonders of County Cork
County Cork is home not only to the city of Cork but also the historic towns of Kinsale, Cobh and Blarney. From the offices of the Titanic’s White Star Line to Blarney Castle, there was much to see and do in Cork.
In this post:
Where We Stayed
Gabriel House Summerhill North, St. Lukes, T23 X963 Cork We selected Gabriel House because their room rate met our budget. The room was basic but they have a lovely outdoor terrace that overlooks the city & the sunsets were lovely! They are up the hill from the city so you need to take a bus or its about a ten minute walk up the hill from town. We got our steps in with this one!
Cork Sites and Restaurants
Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral is a Gothic Revival cathedral, consecrated in 1870, and it was on our list but in full transparency, we did not get there. The Cathedral is located on Bishop Street in Cork City, Ireland. You can visit from 9am to 5 pm & we hope you get there! Pacing is important and when we are tired, we rest. We chose to enjoy some time at Gabriel House’s outdoor terrace instead.
St Anne’s Shandon Bells Visitors can climb the tower and pull ropes to play tunes over the city. This was another stop that we wanted to get to & could not make work.
Cork Restaurants we recommend:
Market Lane We were happy to find this Award-winning restaurant in Cork city centre, serving a wide range of good food options including fish, salads, meat, game & sandwiches.
5 Points This well known bagel cafe is close to Gabriel House if you are seeking a cost effective breakfast. They make a delicious Eggie Bap!
The Met Bar & Restaurant - For a lovely upscale two course Early Bird dinner (arrive before 6:30pm), you might want to check out the bar and restaurant at the Metropole Hotel!
Blarney Sites
Blarney Castle Built nearly six hundred years ago by one of Ireland’s greatest chieftans, Cormac MacCarthy, Blarney Castle has developed into a world landmark and one of Ireland’s greatest treasures. I wanted to follow in my mother’s footsteps by visiting the castle. She kissed the stone more than 50 years ago and I wanted to see what she saw when she explored the land of our ancestors. I was expecting a historic castle. What I got was an adventure! The climb to the top & kissing the stone is not for the faint of heart…Did we go? Yes we did! The view from the top is glorious as are the surrounding grounds. You can get printed photos of kissing the Blarney Stone & a cup of tea in the courtyard below. In the end, would we recommend a visit? Yes! We would also recommend getting tickets ahead of time especially in the summer months when the line to climb the tower & kiss the stone can be long. Pro Tip: If you catch an early 215 public bus from Cork City, you can arrive before the tour groups.
Cobh Sites and Restaurants
Cobh is a charming, walkable town. Cobh was ranked as one of the most beautiful small towns in Europe by Condé Nast Traveler.
Trip to Cobh from Blarney: You can reach Cobh by taking a commuter train from Kent Station in Cork. You don’t need to purchase tickets ahead of time & you can use your LEAP card for this journey. We took the train to Cobh to see where the Titanic picked up her last passengers before setting sail on her ill fated journey.
Titanic Experience You can visit the restored offices of the White Star Line at 20 Casement Square, Ballyvoloon, Cobh Cork. The Titanic Exhibit is open 9.30 A.M TO 6 P.M It was very moving to see the dock where the last passengers left from, the artifacts that were recovered and we learned so much about the fate of the passengers. It’s worth a visit. This is a popular stop. If you don’t buy your tickets ahead of time, you might not get in especially in the busy summer season. That said, you can inquire about same day tickets. The train ride each way is 41 minutes from Cork City.
Cuppacity Coffee Cobh across from the Titanic Experience is a lovely place for a cuppa, lunch & a sweet treat.
Kinsale Sites and Restaurants
Kinsale is a colourful seaside port that we thought was very beautiful. If you use your LEAP Card, you can take the West Cork Connect 228 bus from St. Patrick’s Quay to Kinsale Town Car Park Bus Sched Cork-Kinsale No adv reservation needed. The bus company also accepts cash or debit/credit card.
Don & Barrys Historic Stroll is a highly recommended walking tour that is 90 min in length. They offer two morning walks. For more information on this, stop at the Tourist Centre near the bus stop when you arrive in Kinsale or you can book on their website. We did not get to this one but it comes highly recommended.
The Scilly Walk is a 1.7 mile stroll around the harbour and through the far side of town to Charles Fort which was built in the late 1600’s & named after King Charles II. Please note there are some hills to traverse on the Scilly Walk but it made for a wonderful half day activity! There are tours of the fort available that last 35 minutes. We joined one & it was just terrific!
Kinsale Restaurants we recommend
Fishy Fishy was a wonderful stop for dinner in Kinsale. They have a lovely outdoor patio. The fish & chips with a side salad was fresh & delicious!
The Bulman Pub on the Scilly Walk is a great place to stop and wet your whistle on the way to or from the fort.
Special Kinsale Transit Advisory
Please note the last West Connect bus back to Cork City is at 6:30 pm from Kinsale Town Car Park, so keep an eye on the Kinsale to Cork City Timetable
Irish Phrases- This is the list of common and useful phrases we assembled and practiced before landing in Ireland. FYI we used very little of it, as few of the people we came in contact with spoke Irish. Please note- We are not language experts!
