Cork UCC

University College Cork or UCC as it is known was established in the 1840's under the Queen's Colleges the others being Galway and Belfast.Its history being that the college was built near Cork's own patron Saint, St Finbarr's monastery which was at Gill Abbey Rock. The beautiful campus that makes up UCC is the stunning limestone buildings in the Main Quadrangle area and the beautiful mature grounds, President's Garden and Lower Grounds and its poignant story of the little oak tree, and where you can enjoy some great river side walks beside the River Lee.

UCC was designed by Thomas Deane and Benjamin Woodward who used a style known as Tudor Gothic or Victorian Gothic. The clock in the tower section was installed by Cork's own James Mangan famous in Cork for several of the clocks installed in the city.

University College Cork is a wonderful place to enjoy a walk around from a visit to the Great Hall (Aula Maxima) or the Lewis Glucksman award winning Gallery, to the many sculptures and pieces around the corridors and its unique Ogham Stone collection. The Ogham Stone's in UCC display the earliest written record of our old Irish language. The stones are thought to have been burial stones dating back to the 5th and 7th Centuries.

UCC has seen many students conferred each year from all around the globe since it began in the 1840's. Here at University College Cork. some 5000 students are conferred each year.

The award winning Lewis Glucksman Gallery is located on UCC grounds the main entrance gates in a lovely setting, surrounded by trees and located beside the River Lee. The Gallery was awarded the "Best Public Building in Ireland" by the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland. It was named after the American financier and philanthropist Lewis Glucksman and is where you can enjoy a wander around the art gallery and shop, or view the many exhibitions which are held there and enjoy a visit to the cafe afterwards.

The Honan Chapel also on UCC Campus is an example of Romanesque architecture, the Chapel was dedicated to Cork's patron Saint, St Finbarr but named after the wealthy Cork merchant family, the Honan family. Inside you will see some fine stained glass windows and mosaic floor and you may be lucky to hear a choral or musical recital while you are visiting. The Great Hall also has impressive stained glass windows with one commemorating George Boole the first Professor of Mathematics at UCC and the other commemorating Robert Harkness, former Professor of Geology at UCC in the 1850's.

The Boole Library, is the large student library on UCC campus, named after the above mentioned Professor of Mathematics, George Boole, known for his work on the Boolean algebra. The Library also contains historical documents for Munster as well as an area of study and research for student and visitor alike. Also on UCC Campus, is the Crawford Observatory, displaying the Irish technological achievements of the 19th Century and tours of the Observatory can be arranged. The Observatory had been built with the help of several benefactors one being William Crawford of Beamish and Crawford Brewery in Cork.

University College of Cork's, College motto being "Where Finbarr Taught Let Munster Learn".