Accommodation cork city

Cork city is Ireland’s second largest city and takes its name from the marshy land on the banks of the River Lee on which St. Finbarr founded a monastery around AD 650. The city’s narrow alleys, waterways and Georgian architecture give it a distinctly Continental feel. The north side of the city is dominated by the 18th century St Anne’s church. The church’s salmon-shaped weathervane was chosen by local monks to assert their right to fish for salmon in the river Lee. The church houses a small collection of 17th century Bibles and the letters of poet John Donne. The Cork Public Museum in Fitzgerald Park traces the city’s role in the struggle for Irish independence. The Crawford Municipal Art Gallery on Emmet Place houses an excellent permanent collection of work by Irish artists such as Jack Yeats and Sean Keating as well as works of the British Newlyn and St Ives’ schools. Cork City Jail first became a prison in 1824 and the 35-minute tour of the restored cells is a fascinating and moving experience. Check out the National Radio Museum upstairs where you can see collections of interesting old radios. Since the 19th century, when Cork was a base for the National Fenian movement, the city has had a reputation for political rebelliousness. Today, this mood is reflected in the city’s attitude to the arts and its bohemian spirit, which is very much in evidence at the lively annual jazz festival in October. For a wide choice of different cuisines head for the pedestrian area between St Patrick’s and Paul Sts. If you’re self-catering or planning a picnic head for the English Market – a covered fruit and vegetable market established in 1610. Now selling a wide range of hand-made and exotic foods as well as the original fruit and vegetables, it is a food lover’s paradise. Sample some locally brewed Murphy’s or Beamish stout at one of the city’s many lively pubs.