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The best way to
see the city of Cork and sample the flavour of its life, is to walk. There
is a signpost Walking Tour, so get the accompanying booklet and
set off to explore the hilly streets and meet the people.
St.
Finn Barre's Cathedral
 is
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 there. It is modeled on Cormac's Chapel at Cashel, and has
a superb interior including stained-glass windows by Sarah Purser
and Harry Clarke.
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 you will have
noticed dominating 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, and you may play them yourself, from
"music" cards supplied. Your rendering of Danny Boy or
Ave Maria will drift gently down the hill and over the river, to
be heard all over the city. Corkonians depend on Shandon clock for
their time, and its fish weather-vane for their weather forecast.
Visit a few of the churches: St Mary's Cathedral, north of
Shandon, with its notable carvings; the graceful Father
Matthew Memorial Church, St. Mary's Dominican Church
where is preserved the "miraculous" statuette of Our
Lady of Graces.
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