Parks and the outdoors in Cork

Parks and the outdoors in Cork

1. See

   Church of St Anne, Shandon

   Shandon Bells

   Shandon is the neighbourhood climbing the hill along the old road to Mallow. This Church of Ireland (Anglican) church was built in 1722; the famously inaccurate clock on its tower became known as "the four-faced liar". The church is best known for the eight "bells of Shandon that sound so grand on / the pleasant waters of the River Lee" as the 19th century ballad has it. (Who but Francis Mahony aka "Father Prout" would have dared rhyme Moscow with kiosk-o?) St Anne's bells are hung "dead" and rung by an Ellacombe apparatus. The most sonorous peel of bells is from change-ringing, which rotates them through 360°, but this demands skill and is sometimes impractical to build. It also incites scandalous behaviour, according to the Rev Henry Thomas Ellacombe of Gloucestershire, who in 1821 devised a mechanism whereby hammers struck stationary bells as resolutely as they would strike down temptation to sin. St Anne's is one of the two dozen churches in Britain and Ireland that still have functioning apparatus, and visitors can ding the bells from the tower first floor. There are 132 steps to the tower balcony, with a narrow squeeze as you clamber through the belfry, hoping that the group below doesn't choose that moment to start chiming.

   Mar-May Oct: Mon-Sat 10AM-4PM, Sun 11:30AM-4PM; Jun-Sep: Mon-Sat 10AM-5PM, Sun 11:30AM-4:30PM; Nov-Feb: daily 11AM-3PM·Church free, tower adult €5, child €2, conc €4

2. Do

   Cork City FC

   "The Rebel Army" were relegated in 2025 - they're a yo-yo team and now play soccer in League of Ireland First Division, the second tier. The playing season is Feb–Nov and matches are usually on Friday evenings. Turner's Cross Stadium (capacity 7485) is 1.5 km south of city centre. Take a bus to Evergreen Road or walk; you may not walk on South Link Road.

3. See

   Cork City Gaol

   Fascinating jail museum. It was opened in 1924 to hold male and female prisoners of the city, while those whose crime was committed outside the city were held at the county jail across the river, now the UCC campus. In 1878 the prisons were segregated: City Gaol became the women's prison and all the men were marched away to the county jail, while all county women were marched here. In 1919 Countess Markiewicz was held here for making a seditious speech; after Irish independence it held anti-treaty Republicans. In 1923 there was a mass escape, thereafter the gaol closed. In 1927 it became a radio station and part of the museum displays this.

   Mar-Oct: daily 10AM-5PM; Nov-Feb: Fri-Mon 10AM-4PM·Adult €10, conc €8.50, child €6

4. See

   Elizabeth Fort

   The original fort built in 1601 was just timber and earth, and the citizens made short work of it. It was rebuilt from 1624 as a stout "star" fortress. It lost its defensive role in 1719 but was variously used as a barracks, a depot for convicts (mostly female) awaiting transportation to the colonies, and a police station to 2013. It's now simply a tourist area with a gallery and occasional events, and you can walk along the walls.

   Tue-Sat 10AM-5PM, Sun noon-5PM·Free

5. Drink

   Franciscan Well Bar & Brewery

   Fran Well Bar

   Pub with large beer garden on north river bank, serving pizza from Pompeii Pizzeria next door. Brews its own range of beers and has a fine section of foreign bottled beers.

   Mon-Fri 4-11:30PM, Sat 1PM-midnight, Sun 1-11PM

6. See

   Nano Nagle Place

   Honora Nagle (1718-1784) pioneered Catholic education for girls in an era when that was repressed by the Penal Laws. She founded an Ursuline convent and the Presentation Sisters, which inspired Edmund Rice in Waterford to found the Presentation Brothers and later Christian Brothers. The museum depicts Nano's life, times and works, and the garden is an oasis of tranquillity.

   Tue-Sun 10AM-5PM·Adult €7.50, conc €5, child €4.50

7. See Not mapped

   Barryscourt Castle

   Impressive tower house from 14th century, but mostly 15th and 16th; it fell derelict but was restored in the 1990s. The interior is again closed for restoration but you can see the attractive herb and knot gardens, and an orchard with examples of every type of Irish Apple Tree.

   Daily 8AM-6PM·Garden free

8. See Not mapped

   Fota Wildlife Park

   Large park with dozens of animal and bird species, and Arboretum with many rare trees and plants.

   Daily 9:30AM-6PM·Adult €19.90, child €13.70, conc €14.90, cheaper online

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Cork (CC BY-SA 4.0).