CORK
Cork is the second city of the Republic of Ireland. The
principal city and administrative centre of County Cork
and the largest city of the province of Munster, it is
situated slightly inland from the southern coast proper,
located at 51°54'N 8°28'W.
The River Lee flows through the city, an island in the
river forming the main part of the city centre just
before the Lee flows into Lough Mahon and thence to Cork
Harbour, one of the world's largest natural harbours.
The city is a major Irish seaport — with quays and docks
sited along the broad waterway of the Lee on the city's
East side. The city proper has a population of 123,062;
this increases to 186,239 if the suburbs of the city in
the Cork County Council area are included. The county (excluding
city) has a population of 326,767 (CSO 2002). In the
"Cork Joint Housing Strategy", it states that the 2006
population of Metropolitan Cork stands at approximately
274,000. The city (including suburbs) is the third
largest city on the island of Ireland (after Dublin and
Belfast) and second largest in the Republic of Ireland (after
Dublin).
The city's name is derived from an Irish word corcach
meaning "marshy place", referring to its situation on
the River Lee. Cork has a reputation for independence
dating from 1491, when some townsmen tried to overthrow
the king of England, but more recently referring to its
participation in the Irish War of Independence and the
Irish Civil War. This has given Cork the nickname of "the
Rebel County". It is not unusual for Corkonians to refer
to Cork as the "true capital of Ireland" or to feel they
have a very distinct identity from the rest of Ireland.
There are two cathedrals in the city:
St Mary's Cathedral, commonly called the North Cathedral,
is Roman Catholic
St Finbarre's Cathedral is Church of Ireland.
The modern Cork Opera House is one of the few such
venues in Ireland.
Cork city in general boasts some good quality
architecture, capable of rivalling that of Dublin or
Belfast. The main street, Patrick Street, was remodelled
in the years up to 2004. As the main shopping street, it
boasts striking buildings along its broad avenue (much
of which is given to pedestrian use). Grand Parade,
another part of the route, is a tree-lined avenue, home
to many offices and financial institutions. The old
financial centre, is the South Mall with several banks
whose interior derive from the 19th century, and are
very deserving of a visit, particularly Allied Irish
Banks which was once an exchange. Many of its buildings
are in the Georgian style, although the modern County
Hall tower is the tallest building in the Republic of
Ireland. Across the river is Ireland's longest building,
the Mental Hospital built in Victorian times, which has
now been renovated and converted into a residential
housing complex.
Cork's most famous building, also accessible to the
public, is the church tower of Shandon dominating the
North side of the city, with the North and East sides
faced in red sandstone, and the West and South sides in
the predominant stone of the region, white limestone.
The clock tower on the church is known by locals as The
Four-faced Liar, as from the base of the building, each
clock face appears to show a different time. The bells
of Shandon may be rung by members of the public.
Cork City Hall is illuminated at night, reflecting off
the River Lee, which it frontsThe City Hall, another
splendid building of limestone, replaced the previous
one destroyed by British forces on December 11th 1920
during the War of Independence in an event known as the
"Burning of Cork" . The cost of this new building was
provided by the British Government in the 1930s as a
gesture of reconciliation.
Fitzgerald's Park, to the west of the city, is worth a
visit — as are the grounds of University College Cork,
through which the River Lee flows.
The English Market, accessible from Grand Parade,
Patrick Street, Oliver Plunkett Street and Princes
Street, is a covered market for fish, fruit, meat,
spices and luxury foods. The origins of the market can
be traced back to 1610, but the present building dates
from 1786.
The cross-continent European walking route E8 trail
starts at Cork, ending 4700 km away in Istanbul, Turkey. |