There is a frequent ferry service between the UK (Swansea) and Cork,
and
a weekly ferry between France (Brittany) and Cork.
Cork also has good rail connections to Dublin, Ireland's capital city.
Useful information about Cork, including travel can be found at
http://www.aardvark.ie/cork/
.
The voices of the citizens have a characteristic sing-song cadence which
is in harmony with the hilly up and down topography of the city. Corkonians
are among the most talkative of the Irish and take a special pride
in their
city. The city has a tradition of welcoming visitors due to its rich
maritime
history.
The city was founded by St. Finbarr in the seventh century, and its
history
includes Viking and Anglo Norman influences. Cork has a reputation
for
independence and stubborn resistance, and is known as "Rebel Cork".
The best way to see the city and to sample its way of life is by walking.
The
city centre is quite small and many of the sights are within walking
distance. Among these is St. Finbarr's Cathedral, which is an excellent
example
of Gothic architecture. The university and grounds are very beautiful
with one channel of the river Lee flowing through the grounds. The
Honan
chapel is modelled on Cormac's in Cashel and includes stained glass
windows
by Harry Clarke.
The city is dominated by Shandon Tower and its famous bells. The historical
Butter Market is adjacent to Shandon and St. Mary's Cathedral is nearby.
Also worth visiting is the city hall, the English Market, and the Crawford
Art Gallery. There are two Breweries in Cork namely Murphy's Brewery
and
Beamish and Crawfords. Visitors may wish to sample the local brew of
Murphy
stout and Beamish Stout.
There are many places to visit close to Cork including Blarney Castle
and
the Blarney Stone, the Queenstown Heritage Centre in Cobh (the last
port of
call of the Titanic), Fota Wildlife Park and arboreteum, the Middleton
Distillery and Heritage Centre, the international gourmet town of Kinsale,
etc. All in all, visitors will find a visit to Cork to be quite an
enjoyable
and memorable experience.