Last Updated: 20th March, 2024
Visitor Attractions in Cork City and Visitor Attractions in Cork County can range from a visit to kiss the Blarney Stone in Blarney Castle and shopping in Blarney Woollen Mills to a visit to ring the Bells of Shannon in the Church of St Annes in Cork City.
Enjoy the many historical castles and cathedrals in the Cork area from Barryscourt Castle in Carrigtwohill and Fota House and Cobh Cathedral to the wonderful Abbey in Timoleague and the Bridgetown Priory and mills in Castletownroche.
East Cork offers a host of Blue Flag Beaches in Youghal and Garryvoe and enjoy shopping for Stephen Pearce pottery in Shannagarry. North Cork where you can visit the Mitchelstown Caves, enjoy a trip to Millstreet Country Park, Glanworth with its many historical interests such as Glanworth Abbey and the Labbacallee wedge tomb.
Gouganne Barra a place best enjoyed for walking or take the motor trail to experience the beauty. West Cork offers Blue Flag Beaches also such as Garretstown, Inchydoney, Owenahina Beach and Warren Beach at Rosscarbery.
Clonakility a great town to stop off and enjoy in the Summer all the flower displays and beautiful shop fronts. and take in the history of Michael Collins. The Michael Collins Centre Clonakility gives a full history of this man's passion to gain an independent Ireland in the 1900's.
Ballydehob a town full of character. Kinsale a beautiful historic town with much to delight the visitor from the historical Charles Fort to the gourmet delights of the town's restaurants, and after enjoy a stroll through the lovely narrow streets. Bantry with its beautiful Bantry Bay home to Bantry House and Gardens and Glengarriff with its many walking paths to enjoy.
For the rugged beauty of the Irish Coastline enjoy the views from the Akakista, Mizen Head, Sheeps Head, and the Beara Peninsula's. The visitor can enjoy a trip to the wonderful islands off Cork County including Bear Island, Garnish Island(Ilnacullin), Cape Clear, Sherkin Island, and Dursey Island.
Blue Flag Beaches in Cork can be enjoyed whatever the season. Blue Flag Beaches of Cork include in West Cork: Barleycove Beach, Garretstown Beach near Kinsale, Garrylucas Beach near Kinsale, Inchydoney Beach (near Clonakilty), Owenahincha Beach(near Clonakilty), The Warren Beach(Rosscarbery), Tragumna Beach (near Skibbereen). East Cork Blue Flag Beaches include Garryvoe Beach, Youghal/Redbarn Beach, Youghal Claycastle Beach..
Art Galleries in Cork offer a lovely way to take time out and slow the pace of taking in Cork sights and attractions. The Lewis Glucksman Gallery in Cork City can be enjoyed after enjoying a walk around the grounds of UCC. The Lee Gallery, Crawford Art Gallery, the Lavit Gallery along with Buckleys Fine Art Gallery are all in Cork City. The Vangard Gallery of Macroom offers national and contemporary art to delight the visitor.
Kinsale Art Gallery located in the ever popular tourist town of Kinsale along with Giles Norman Black and White Photography Gallery. Morris Gallery in Skibbereen and The Hummingbird Gallery in Dunmanway can be visited with a trip to The Barn Gallery and Studio in Drimoleague. Touring the scenic West Cork region of Ireland the tourist can visit The Catherine Hammond Gallery in Glengarriff, Mill Cove Gallery in Castletownbere, and the Heron Gallery in Schull and Ahakista.
Visit the Cork Butter Exchange Museum in Cork City where the international trade of butter took place in years gone by. Allihies Copper Mine Museum preserved the history of mining in this region. Fota House owned by the Smith Barry Family displays beautiful architecture and craftsmanship which was to be found in Ireland in the 18th and 19th, while learning the history of the house and family.
Cork Museums can include a visit to Desmond Castle & Wine Museum, and then on to Kinsale Museum. Bantry House offers an insight into the ancestral home of the Earls of Bantry with its many tapestries, paintings and many important pieces of furniture of European origin. Cobh Museum where the visitor can see examples of pieces of fine lace and details of the Victorian era in Cobh along with maritime pieces on interest.
Cobh Heritage Centre giving history of Cobh's origin and legacy, along with visiting themes from the Famine and Emigration era and The Titantic. Cork Museum is located in the beautiful Fitzgerals Park, gives an insight into life long ago for the Cork people, examples of fine silver objects, fashion from the different era's, including a Huguenot costume and old pieces of Youghal Lace. Collections also include objects from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome.
A sample of Cork City and County Gardens and Parks to visit. Garnish Island (Ilnacullin) is located in Bantry Bay a short distance from Glengarriff Harbour the island is home to an internationally famous collection of plants, shurbs and is renowned for its Italian Gardens, where they enjoy a sub-tropical climate due to the warmed waters of the Gulf Stream.
Fota House and Gardens where you can enjoy the many walled gardens and one of the finest collections of rare and tender trees and shrubs grown outdoors in Ireland and Britain. Millstreet Country Park offers wonderful gardens set in this extensive Park with lakeside walks with local and visiting bands playing in the Summer. It also includes it managed wetlands area and also an area dedicated to rare and threatened species that once grew in Ireland thousands of years ago - towards the Tertiary period. Millstreet Country Park also has many archaeological sites of interest.
Annesgrove Gardens in Castletownroche and Kilvarock Garden in Durrus, West Cork. Doneraile Park is 160 hectares of parklands with mature trees and a number of deer herds home of Doneraile Court a fine Georgian mansion. Lisselan Gardens and Estate laid out in Robinsonian style contains many beautiful azaleas, rose wreathed pergola, water garden, and a rhododendron garden and other shrubs and rockery.
Cork Racecourse located on the banks of the Blackwater in Mallow offers many exciting race meetings throughout the year. Greyhound Racing can be enjoyed at both Curraheen Park Greyhound Race Track in Bishopstown, Co Cork and also at Youghal Greyhound Race track.
Are you thinking of renting a car in Cork? We will compare the car hire companies in Ireland to get you the best prices and overall value.
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