Here is a list of places that you might like to visit when you are staying in or near Cork City. They are relatively convenient to get to by either foot, bike, car or public transport and they come recommended by many trustworthy travelers.
The phone numbers quoted are all local. If you are phoning from outside of Cork City/County put 021 in front of the number. If you are phoning from outside of Ireland put 00 353 21 in front of the number. The numbers in brackets preceeding some sights indicates that other sights are reasonably near. For example Blarney Castle and Blarney Woolen mills have been given a 1 meaning they are located within a reasonable walking distance of each other.
- (1) Blarney Castle www.blarneycastle.ie
- (Phone 4385252)
- Located at: Blarney, 10 miles from City
- Transport get bus from the Bus Station or drive. There are scheduled bus services to/from Blarney and there is also a tour bus that leaves there twice each day. See www.buseireann.ie
- Open: 7 days per week, 9am to 5pm, last entry 4pm
- No Group reductions.
- (Parking: Yes, lots)
- Entry: €8 Adult, €6 child under 14 or student. (Student must have an ID card)
Worth Visiting: Yes. It’s quirky, it’s kitsch, it’s interesting. - Down Side: Very touristy, some staff are abrupt.
- Visit can last at least 2 Hours (including gardens)
- (1)Blarney Woolen Mills www.blarney.com/blarneyshop.htm
- (Phone 4385280)
- Located at: Blarney, 10 miles from City
- Transport get bus from the Bus Station or drive. There are scheduled bus services to/from Blarney and there is also a tour bus that leaves there twice each day. See www.buseireann.ie
- Open: 7 days per week 9:30am to 6pm (10am on Sunday)
- (Parking: Yes, lots)
- Entry: Free
- Worth visiting: Yes. It has all kinds of Irish goods to suit all budgets.
- Down Side: None really, except that it can be very busy as tour buses stop there.
- Visit can last at least 1 hour. There is a café there, and Christys hotel next door.
- (2) University College Cork (UCC) www.ucc.ie
- (Phone 4903098 -Breffni O’Sullivan - bosullivan@pres.ucc.ie if you want to organise a walking tour, or 4901876
- Located at: Western Road.
- Transport: 15 minutes walk, or get No. 8 bus from city centre
- Open: Grounds open 24x7x365
- Parking: None available to tourists on site
- Entry: Free
- Worth Visiting: Yes for a stroll around the beautiful campus. No feedback yet on the walking tours. Tours on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 2:30pm. There is a charge – I think 5 euro.
- Down Side: None really. Walking tour charge may be a bit expensive. (remains to be seen)
- Visit can last: as long as you wish.
- (2) Glucksman Gallery www.glucksman.org
- (Phone 4901844)
- Located at: Just outside city centre at University College cork. (U.C.C.)
- Transport: 15 minutes walk, or get No. 8 bus from city centre
- Open:. Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm. Sunday 12pm to 5pm. Till 8pm on Thursday. Closed on Monday.
- (Parking: None available to tourists on site)
- Entry: Free
- Worth visiting: Yes.
- Down Side: None really. Not a very big building but the design is interesting
- Visit can last at least 1 hour. There is a café in the basement.
- (2)St Finbarres Cathedral www.cathedral.cork.anglican.org/
- (Phone 4963387)
- Location: Near City Centre at Dean Street
- Transport: About 10 minutes walk from Grand Parade. Very limited parking in the forecourt.
- Open: 7 Days per week 10:00 - 12:45 and14:00 – 17:00
- Parking: Very Limited
- Entry: €3 Adult, €1.50 under 18.
- Worth visiting: Yes, but may be too boring for young children. Try and organise to get on one of their tours which are only available on request.
- Down Side: You will not understand the significance of this site without the help of a decent guidebook or guided tour.
- Visit can last anything from 30 minutes to 90 minutes (on the guided tour)
- (2)Cork Public Museum www.corkcorp.ie/ourservices/ rac/museum/index.shtml
- (Phone 4270679)
- Location: Just outside city centre at Fitzgeralds Park, Mardyke Walk.. 5 Minute walk from main gate of U.C.C.
- Transport: Same as for UCC (see above)
- Open: Monday to Friday 11am-1pm and 2.15pm to 5pm
- Saturday, closes at 4pm, Closed on Sunday.
- (Parking: Yes, limited spaces on street)
- Entry: Free
- Worth Visiting: Yes. Very small museum in a nice location. Café on the ground floor. Fitzgeralds Park is also worth walking around.
- Down Side: Very small. Closed on Sunday, Closed at Lunch time.
- Visit can last up to one hour including the gardens.
- (2)Cork City Gaol www.corkcitygaol.com
- (Phone 4305022)
- Location: Just outside city centre at Convent Avenue, Sundays Well
- Transport: Drive, walk or Hop on Hop off bus.
- Parking: On street parking outside the sight
- Open: 7 Days per week. 10am to 4pm.
- Entry: €6 Adult, €3.50 Child, Student €5, Family 2A + 4C €15 (self guided with tape)
- Worth Visiting: Yes. Feedback is very good. May not be suitable for small children.
- Down side: None known.
- Visit can last up to two hours.
(3)Cobh – The Queenstown Story www.cobhheritage.com/index2.html- (Phone 4813591)
- Location: Cobh, 10 miles from Cork City
- Transport: Train from Kent Train Station or drive. Journey time about 20-25 minutes)
- Open: 7 days per week, 9:30am to 5pm
- (Parking: Limited outside the sight)
- Entry: €6 Adult, €3 Student.
- Worth Visiting: Debatable. Depends on your level of historical interest. May not be suitable for young children.
- Down Side: Not known
- Visit can last up to one hour.
- (3)Cobh (Town) http://www.cork-guide.ie/cobh.htm
- Location: Cobh, 10 miles from Cork City (Pronounced Cove)
- Transport: Train from Kent Train Station or drive. Journey time about 20-25 minutes)
- (Parking: On street parking)
- Worth Visiting: Yes on a nice bright day. The short train trip is very pleasant as it travels for most of the journey along the harbour front.
- Cobh has two main attractions, The Queenstown story heritage centre (already mentioned above) and St.Colemans Cathedral which is well worth the 20 minute to the top of the hill for the harbour views alone. The Cathedral does not have guided tours and entry is free.
- Down side: Depressing on a dull wet day. You can organise a historical walking tour of Cobh called the Titanic Train which gets good reports. See www.titanic-trail.com
- Visit can last up to two hours, more if the Queenstown story is visited.
- (4)Fota Wildlife Park and Fota House www.fotawildlife.ie
- (Phone 4812678)
- Location: Fota, about 7 miles from Cork City and 3 miles from Cobh.
- Transport: Train from Kent Train Station or drive. Journey time about 20 minutes)
- (Parking: Lots of Parking in Car Park – charge 2 euro)
- Open: Monday to Saturday 10am to 4:30pm. Sunday 11am to 4:30pm
- Entry: €11.50 Adult, €7 Student (Group and family discounts)
- Worth visiting: Yes, the kids will love it. Adults too. Entry to Fota Gardens is free, the charges mentioned above are for the wildlife park only. There is a fast food restaurant and sweet kiosks on site. Much nicer to bring a picnic though.
- Downside: Very dependent on weather.
- Visit can last up to 3 hours
- (4B)Fota House (Self guided tour)
- Located adjacent to Fota Wildlife Park.
- Open: All Year Round. Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm. sunday 11am to 5pm. (Closes 4pm in Winter)
- Entry: €5.50 Adult, €13 Family (2 +3 children), €4.50 Group/Student/OAP, €2.20 Child.
- (5)Shandon Bells (Church of St. Anne) www.shandonbells.org
- (Phone 4505906)
- Location: Church Street, off Shandon Street.
- Transport: Must walk. 15 Minutes from City Centre.
- Parking: None easy nearby (due to very narrow streets)
- Open: Monday to Saturday 10am to 3pm
- Entry: €6 Adult,€5 for Students. Group rates could be negotiated.
- Worth Visiting: Yes (for the view at the top). Great for anyone interested in photography.
- Down side: Opening times are erratic (phone first to be sure). Quite expensive for just a trip to the bell tower.
- Visit can last up to one hour.
- (5)English Market
- www. cork-guide.ie/cork_city/english-market. html
- Location: City Centre. Three entrances off Grand Parade, Princes Street, Oliver Plunkett Street.
- Transport: Must Walk
- Parking: None easy nearby (use the city Municipal car parks)
- Open: Monday to Saturday 9:30am to 5:30pm
- Entry: Free
- Worth visiting: Yes if you are a foodie and if you are looking for great fresh and reasonably priced produce. Not really a place for young kids. Café on the first floor called Farmgate. Food fine, staff a bit distant !
- Downside: None
- Visit can last up to one hour.
- (5)Crawford College of Art and Design www.crawfordartgallery.com
- (Phone 4273377)
- Location: Emmet Place (city centre) beside the Opera House
- Transport: Must walk
- Parking: None easy nearby (use the city Municipal car parks)
- Open: Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm
- Entry: Free
- Worth Visiting: Yes, nice small gallery with very nice café on ground floor
- Downside: Too small (government ministers- take note)
- Visit can last up to one hour.
- (6)Curraheen Race Track www.igb.ie/stadia/crk.aspx
- Phone 4543095
- Location: Curraheen. (about 5 miles West of City Centre)
- Transport: Drive or Taxi, no public transport
- Parking: Lots of free parking on site.
- Open: Wednesday, Thursday Saturday. Doors open 7.00pm, first race 8pm, last race 10pm.
- Entry: 10 euro for adult, 50 cent for accompanied child. Student 5 euro. Plus various group packages which must be pre booked.
- Worth Visiting: Yes, see full details on TA Cork Inside Pages – ‘Things to Do’ – ‘ Cork Greyhound Track at Curraheen’
- Downside: None really, except it’s location. Evening entertainment only.
- Visit can last up to 3 hours.
- Cork City Tour – Open Topped bus
No known website - Phone: 4309090 or more details from tourist office at Grand Parade
- Location: Begins at Grand Parade and stops at various points throughout Cork city.
- Transport: Not applicable
- Parking: Not applicable
- Open: 7 Days per week. 9:30am to last tour at 17:00. Tour begins every 45 Minutes.
- Entry: Adult €12, Senior Cit. €10, Student €10, Child U14 €4 and family tickets 2A + 4C is €28. Group rates available on request. Tickets can be bought at the Tourist Info office at Grand Parade or from the driver on the bus.
- Worth Visiting. Don’t know. Try and choose to go on a dry day !
- Downside – Only runs in the summer months. Also for the St.Patricks Weekend in March.
- Visit can last as long as you like. Ticket valid all day.
- Cork City Tour and Blarney www.buseireann.ie
Phone 4508188 (Bus station) or from the Tourist Office - Location: Bus Station at Parnell Place
- Transport: Must walk
- Parking: No, use the municipal or private car parks nearby
- Open: 28th April to 30th September. 2 Trips daily. 10:30am and 2:45pm
- Entry: Adult €10, Child 16 or under €6, Senior Cit./Student €8, Family €24
- Worth Visiting? Yes, and although it is not a hop-on, hop-off you will be allowed get off at Blarney, extend your visit and get a scheduled bus back to the city from Blarney. Downside? Only runs in Summer Months. Maybe 3 hours too long for kids.
- Trip can last: 3 hours.
- Walking Tours of Cork City. www.walkcork.ie
- Phone: + 353 (0)85 100 7300
- e-mail: info@walkcork.ie
- or email mccarthy_kieran@yahoo.com
- The above are two different walking tour providers.
