COBH  VISITOR ATTRACTIONS

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The visitor to Cobh has a number of Cobh Visitor Attractions to choose from but all should really be visited to gain an understanding of the history behind Cobh town.  Cobh Heritage Centre located in the old Victorian Railway, depicts life around the famine years and the path which immigrants had to take to leave Ireland for a future in America and further. The Titanic history is steeped in the town of Cobh, it being its last port of call before it went down in 1912. Cobh Museum holds more details on Cobh's town culture and its Victorian history. Cobh Cathedral is a magnificent architectural piece both inside and out, with the largest 49 bell carillon in Ireland or Britain, it is visited by many tourists each year. Also in Cobh town centre on Casement Square is the Lusitania memorial to all those people who lost their lives on the Lusitania in 1915 and the bodies which were brought ashore were buried in the Old Church Graveyard in Cobh. You can now take a boat trip out to Spike Island, visible from Cobh's shoreline, and take a tour of the Island and its star shaped fortess. The area around Cobh offers great Bird Watching opportunities in East Cork, due to large mudflat and salt marsh areas such as at the Cuskinny Marsh Reserve and the area around East Ferry. Cuskinny is also popular for Sailing and Windsurfing and there is a Marina in East Ferry close to Marlogue Woods. Barryscourt Castle, Carrigtwohill Barryscourt Castle located in the village of Carrigtwohill is a beautifully 16th restored Castle in East Cork and well worth a visit, where you feel yourself transported back to medieval times in this Irish tower house. Come and enjoy the Summer Medieval Festival in Carrigtwohill, the Carrig Fest, where you can see a little bit of the medieval jousting of the time, archery, and lots more family entertainment, next door to the Barryscourt Castle.  Barryscourt Castle was part of the Barrymore estate as was Fota House. Allow 1 hour for a tour of the castle, which offers free admission, take a stroll in the garden and enjoy a coffee in the coffee shop afterwards. Barryscourt Castle is located off the main N25 Cork Midleton road, with all good access roads from Cork, Cobh and Midleton, all are within just under 20 minutes easy reach.   Cobh Heritage Centre Cobh Heritage Centre, in the maritime town of Cobh, is a Heritage Centre in East Cork where you can explore the history of Cobh, and the path immigration took from Cobh, taking Irish immigrants to new lives in America. Located at Cobh's Victorian Railway Station, it offers an insight into what immigrants had to endure on the journey to America and the conditions on board the ships. The Titanic was one of the ships which called to Cobh taking immigrants to America, it set out initially from Southampton and left on the 11th April 1912 from Cobh, for that fateful journey. Cobh Heritage also offers a Genealogical referral service in person or online, check our website for more details - Cobh Heritage Centre.   Cobh Museum Cobh Museum is located at the entrance to Cobh's maritime town in the old Scots Presbyterian Church. Cobh Museum tells of Cobh's history, from the Victorian era in Cobh, to the US Naval service in Cobh then called Queenstown. Cobh Museum also has some details which you can view on Genealogical research in the area of Cobh. Fota Wildlife Park, House & Gardens Fota Wildlife Park, House & Gardens, located in Fota, East Cork, is East Cork' only Wildlife Park, it has lots for the children and adults to enjoy, with many different animals to see from Giraffe's, Lions, Black Spider Monkeys, Chilean Flamingo's, Black and White Lemur's, Kangaroo's, Penguin's and Seals. Irish Rail has a train service which goes from Cork City to Fota Wild Life Park, just take the Cork to Cobh train as it stops in Fota Wild Life Park. If you are travelling be car it is just off the N25 main road from Cork.  Fota House has been beautifully restored and is a fine example of Neo-Classical architecture. Enjoy an informative tours of the house, previously part of the Smith Barry estate, and take some time out in the cafe and then carry on out to the elegant Fota gardens, with many different species of trees and plants to be enjoyed and its exotic Arboretum, Italian and Rose Gardens. Jameson Midleton Distillery Jameson Midleton Distillery in the town of Midleton is one of East Corks delightful visitor attractions with a chance to sample a little tipple of whiskey at the end! Here at Jameson Midleton Distillery, a restored 18th century Distillery, you will visit the old restored  Grain stores, Brew house and the largest Pot Still in the world and also a 150 year old Waterwheel. You can take an informative tour of the Midleton Distillery and the whole process of Irish whiskey distilling, used in olden days. It is a very informative and enjoyable experience and with restaurant and gift shop available when you have finished the tour, there is lots for everyone to enjoy on a day out in Midleton at the Jameson Distillery. Enjoy a smooth glass of Jameson Irish Whiskey while there. Midleton is only a 20 minute drive if you are travelling from Cork City Centre, or you can also avail of a bus from Cork Parnell Bus Station or there are regular trains to Midleton from Cork Kent Railway Station.   Lusitania Peace Memorial, Cobh The Lusitania Peace Memorial, is located on Casement Square in the town of Cobh. This memorial was erected to all those who lost their lives on board Cunard's liner 'The Lusitania', which sunk after being fired on by a German U-Boat, while off the Old Head of Kinsale on the 7th May 1915. More than 1000 people died when the Lusitania was sunk and of the bodies recovered, they were buried in Cobh's Old Church Cemetery.

St Colman's Cathedral, Cobh St Colman's Cathedral, is one of Cobh's jewels, which towers majestically over the town of Cobh, with its breath taking views over Cork Harbour and Cobh town. Cobh Cathedral is of French Gothic architectural design a pleasure to see both inside and out, started in the 1860's. The carillon in Cobh Cathedral, is the largest in Britain and Ireland, and consists of 49 bells and in the Summer months, Cobh Cathedral holds a number of recitals.  The 47 years the Cathedral took to construct can be seen today in the incredible workmanship. The inside of the Cathedral has a number of beautiful Stained Glass Windows, Rose Window and wonderful Austrian Oak can be seen in the Pulpit. The Nave area displays the Gothic grandeur of the interior and marble pillars and arches.

East Cork visitor attractions close to Cobh include:
Jameson Distillery Midleton where you can get a tour of the whole distilling process and enjoy a little sample of Irish Jameson Whiskey if you are lucky. Fota Wildlife Park, House and Gardens is only 10 minutes from Cobh town and experience the wonderful history associated with Fota House, previously part of the Barrymore estates, and stroll around the beautifully Gardens. Following on the Barry Estate, is Barryscourt Castle in Carrigtwohill, visit this wonderful restored 16th century Castle and you will see Belvelly Castle on the drive out from Cobh, as you cross Belvelly Bridge, just as you approach the entrance for  Fota.