Settled in the South-West Region of Ireland, Cork is a beautiful gateway to the province of Munster and the rest of Ireland. Founded in the 7th Century, Cork is not only a port on a Princess Cruise through Europe, but also a must-see stop when traveling through this beautiful area. Before you plan your trip, here are a few interesting facts you might want to know.
Pictured above is the Cork County Cricket Club. Photo taken by Keith Salvesen.
1) Hurling (a game including a wooden stick, small ball, and goals), rugby, cricket and soccer are the favorite sports within the city–to play and to watch!
Pictured at left is St. Finbarre’s Cathedral–the more well-known cathedral in Cork. Photo by Charlie Cravero.
2) St. Mary’s Cathedral (Roman Catholic) and St. Finbarre’s Cathedral (Protestant) are the two cathedrals in the city. St. Mary’s was built in 1808, and St. Finbarre’s was built between the years of 1862 and 1879.
3) Cork is the second largest city in the state, with Cork Airport, public bus services, and The Cross River Ferry.
4) Cork is built on River Lee, which diverges at the west end of the city, and converges back together at the eastern end. The banks on the eastern end combine into one of the world’s largest natural harbors.
5) Cork has a deep harbor that grants easy access to varieties of ships. Because of this, many companies have set up European headquarters in this Irish city. Some of these include Apple, Inc., Heineken, Ford, and Amazon.
6) Cork is well known for housing University College Cork, the “Irish University of the Year” from 2003 to 2006.
A peek at the beautiful campus of UCC. Photo by Bjorn Christian Torrissen.
7) Cork was used as a Viking trading port between 915 and 922. Historians believe Cork was an important center for trade in the Scandinavian network.
8) There are many festivals that call Cork home, including the Cork Jazz Festival, the Cork Film Festival. In addition, the Cork Opera House has set Cork apart from many other Irish cities, as well as other centers for art including the Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Everyman Palace Theater, and the Granary Theater.
Pictured above is the River Lee, taken by Michael Rogers.
9) Cork was named the “European Capital of Culture” in 2005, as well as in the top 10 “Best in Travel 2010” by Lonely Planet.
Have you had the chance to stop at Cork, Ireland? Where was your favorite place to go here? Share below!
This article is written by Hannah Watkins – writer, traveler, and grand-scale dreamer – as well as a senior studying communications at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas.
She is an avid golfer and enjoys spending time with her pug named Cookie.
Hannah is currently completing an internship with VentureTime Travel and she hopes to someday work in the Public Relations field.
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