Click here for Travel Packages to Ireland
Choose an Autumn Break in Ireland
 CORK
SHOPS, culture, entertainment and the gateway to the west — Cork city is a thriving place to visit.
The city began on an island in the swampy estuary of the River Lee and gradually climbed up the steep banks on either side. Now the river flows through Cork city in two main channels so visitors find themselves constantly crossing bridges.
Some of the main streets have been built over channels where ships nuzzled their anchor-chains a century ago.
Heading along South Mall watch out for large gateways at street level under steps leading to a higher main door. These were once boathouses, when merchants arrived at their warehouses by water.
St. Finbarr is the city’s patron saint after founding a monastery in the seventh century where St. Finn Barre’s Cathedral now stands.
The best way to see the city and sample the flavour of its life is to walk.
Start at St. Finn Barre’s Cathedral — a splendid triple-spired example of French-gothic architecture. It stands where the saint established his monastic school about 650 AD. Among its most striking features are the fine rose window, the mosaic pavements and the elaborate carving throughout.
Walk along the Western Road to Tudor-Gothic University College with its attractive riverside quadrangle and visit the Honan Chapel. It is modelled on Cormac’s Chapel at Cashel and has a superb interior including stained-glass windows by Sarah Purser and Harry Clarke.
Then make your way up the North Main Street where the Cork Vision Centre is located, then over North Gate Bridge and climb up Shandon Church — the tower of which dominates the north side of the city from its lofty hill-top position.
Two sides of the tower are faced with red sandstone, two with white limestone — "Partly coloured like the people, red and white is Shandon Steeple" goes an old doggerel. Its peal of eight bells — cast in Gloucester in 1750 — have become famous. Corkonians depend on Shandon clock for their time, and its fish weather-vane for their weather forecast.
If you still have the legs walk up a bit of Patrick’ s Hill then try Summer Hill or Wellington Road which runs parallel till you come to St. Luke’s Cross and Montenotte, the latter the former residential area of the merchants of Cork.
From here you can look down over the port and harbour, and the river widening away to the south passing Blackrock Castle and on towards the sea. The Cork Heritage Park at Blackrock is also well worth a visit.
But if you prefer to stay away from the high ground a tour of the city centre has plenty to offer. See the modern City Hall or visit the famous English Market — a vast covered market for fish, fruit, meat and vegetables.
For those of a more artistic bent the Crawford Gallery in Emmet Place houses an interesting sculpture collection including some Rodin bronzes and a fine collection of paintings.
In the Grand Parade you will find the Berwick Fountain, The National Monument and Bishop Lucey Park — which you enter through magnificent gates.
Exit the park at the South Main Street for the Beamish & Crawford Brewery where Beamish Stout is brewed and exported all over the world.
And don’t forget the monument to Father Theobald Matthew — 19th century Apostle of Temperance. Unpopular as you might expect his cause to be in a place like Ireland, in fact it became a national crusade. His status at the end of Patrick Street, near Patrick’s Bridge, is Cork’s best known landmark
The Old Gaol in Sunday’s Well is also a must. It tells the story of the everyday life in the Gaol in the 19th and early 20th centuries while some of the original cells have been restored and an audio-visual programme has been provided
KILKENNY
NO visit to Ireland would be complete without a stay in Kilkenny.
The county and city offer an abundance of fascinating festivals, historic sites, abbeys, forest parks, natural wonders and scenic locations
Kilkenny City was once Ireland’s capital and is renowned as the finest mediaeval city in Ireland. The cities origins date back more than 1,500 years and some of the best Tudor buildings in Ireland are in Kilkenny City.
And the city makes a perfect base for exploring the numerous attractions in the surrounding area.
Start at Jerpoint Abbey — an outstanding Cistercian abbey founded in the second half of the 12th century. The church with its Romanesque details dates from this period and in the transept chapels the visitor can see 13th and 16th century tomb sculpture.
The chief delight of the Abbey is the sculptured cloister arcade with unique carvings and the Visitor Centre also houses an interesting exhibition.
If you’re staying in the city itself a visit to Rothe House on Parliament Street is a must. The home was built in 1594 by John Rothe for his wife Rose Archer. It is an example of a typical middle class house from the Tudor period and consists of three stone buildings divided by cobbled courtyards.
The building also contains an interesting collection of pictures and artefacts from Kilkenny’s past.
The reception room has some oak furniture and pictures and there’s also a fine collection of period costumes. The newly restored building contains the great kitchen, the bakery and the brew house and the city and county museum, a period costume collection and a genealogical study centre are housed here. But the highpoint of any visit to Kilkenny has to be the city’s famous castle — where you can easily spend a day taking a visit to the past.
The castle is built on a strategic position overlooking the River Nore and the first building on the site was a wooden tower built in 1172 by the Anglo-Norman conqueror of Ireland Richard de Clare — also known as Strongbow.
Twenty years later his son in law William Marshall erected a stone castle with four towers, three of which are part of the current structure.
The castle was bought by the powerful Butler family in 1391 and their descendents continued to live there until 1935.
But maintaining the castle became such an enormous expense and most of the furnishings were sold at an auction.
The city bought the castle in 1967 for the sum of IR£50 and it is now one of the most visited attractions in Ireland.
Inside the castle many of the rooms are open to the public. The Long Gallery is remarkable because of its vividly painted ceilings and extensive portrait collection of the Butler family members over the centuries. The castle also has art exhibitions in the Butler Gallery. In the basement, the castle kitchen now houses a popular restaurant.
Once you’ve finished wandering its splendid rooms take a leisurely stroll around the magnificent grounds — including a rose garden, fountain, park and a well-kept children’s playground in the courtyard.
While you’re in Kilkenny, you’ll also want to visit St. Canice’s Cathedral, the Black Abbey, and Smithwick Brewery.
And for a spot of relaxation Langton’s pub is a great place to have a drink and eat.
Whatever you’re looking for in Ireland, you’re sure to find it in Kilkenny.
WATERFORD
FOR a taste of Ireland’s history there’s no better place to visit than Waterford.
The city is one of Ireland’s oldest — and has a history of continuous habitation since 914 when the Vikings established a settlement there.
The area has a strong historical tradition and both city and county are home to fascinating sites and artefacts of national importance.
And to ensure there’s something for everyone this deep sense of the past is mingled with a modern outlook in the city centre.
Reginald’s Tower — located on The Quays — is the most historic urban monument in Ireland.
t is likely that the Anglo-Norman lord Strongbow first met Aoife — the daughter of Diarmuid McMurrough, deposed King of Leinster — at the Tower and their marriage, which changed the course of Irish history, took place at Christchurch Cathedral.
Waterford’s bustling central shopping area is located on and around the pedestrianised John Roberts Square — recently renamed after the famous 18th century Waterford architect who designed the city’s Protestant and Catholic cathedral’s, City Hall and magnificent Georgian Chamber of Commerce building.
And if you fancy a break from the shopping and sightseeing then take time to sample the city’s varied culinary delights.
No visit to Waterford is complete without sampling the famous blaa — a bun-like piece of bread unique to the city which is said to have been introduced by Huguenot refugees in the 1690s.
One of the best ways to gain a knowledge of Waterford is to take an interactive walking tour — during which your guide will weave a vibrant and colourful tapestry around the rich history of the city.
Walks are conducted twice daily and start at the Granville Hotel on The Quay.
|
