Blarney Castle and Stone of Eloquence
Blarney
County Cork
Republic of Ireland

Tel: +353 (0)21 438 5252

Blarney Castle is one of the oldest and most historic castles in Ireland, and the present castle is the third to have been built on the site. Located just to the north of Cork, this ancient stronghold was the seat of the McCarthy family and dates from the 15th century. Perhaps the most famous feature of Blarney Castle, and one of Ireland’s most treasured relics, is the famous Stone of Eloquence - which is traditionally believed to have the power to bestow the gift of eloquence on all those who kiss it. Kissing the Blarney Stone is still popular with visitors to the castle today.

Charles Fort
Summer Cove
Kinsale
County Cork
Republic of Ireland

Tel: +353 (0)21 477 2263

Constructed in the late 17th century on the site of a previous coastal fortification, Charles Fort is a superb example of a star-shaped fort featuring five bastions. The fort played a significant role in the history of Kinsale, having been attacked by the forces of King William III following the Battle of the Boyne. Guided tours are available.

Cork City Gaol
Convent Avenue
Sunday's Well
Cork
County Cork
Republic of Ireland

Tel: +353 (0)21 430 5022

Cork City Gaol is a faithfully preserved 19th century prison which depicts with chilling realism the wretched conditions in which some of Ireland’s most notorious prisoners were kept. The cells contain lifelike figures with special effects recreating the gaol’s grisly past, while special presentations explain the social history and contrasting lifestyles of 19th century Cork, and try to understand why some of its citizens turned to crime.

Crawford Art Gallery
Emmet Place
Cork
County Cork
Republic of Ireland

Tel: +353 (0)21 427 3377

The Crawford Municipal Art Gallery in Cork is one of Ireland’s finest art galleries, and is home to a stunning collection of over 200 works, ranging from 18th century Irish and European artworks to contemporary visual art. The gallery’s centrepiece is a superb collection of Greek and Roman sculpture casts, which were brought to Cork in 1818 from the Vatican Museum in Rome. The Crawford Art Gallery runs a programme of temporary exhibitions and special events throughout the year.

Desmond Castle
Cork Street
Kinsale
County Cork
Republic of Ireland

Tel: +353 (0)21 477 4855

Desmond Castle was originally built as a Custom House by the Earl of Desmond around 1500. Today it is home to the International Museum of Wine, charting the castle's colourful past and the history of Ireland's links to the international wide trade.

Drombeg Stone Circle
Skibbereen
County Cork
Republic of Ireland

Known locally as the Druid’s Altar, Drombeg Stone Circle is an Iron Age stone circle set roughly in line with the winter solstice. Excavations have revealed cremated bones buried in the centre of the circle, making it one of Ireland’s most impressive and intriguing ancient monuments. There are 13 stones left today but there were originally 17 that were each nine metres in diameter.

Fota Wildlife Park
Carrigtwohill
County Cork
Republic of Ireland

Tel: +353 (0)21 4812678

Fota Wildlife Park contains 70 species of exotic animals and lies amid 40 acres of open grassland in County Cork. The park offers visitors the chance to see many species in an environment as close to their natural habitat as possible, with only the Cheetahs fenced in. Fota Wildlife Park opened in 1983 and is part of a joint venture with the University of Cork in an effort to conserve, educate and research.

Royal Gunpowder Mills
Ballincollig
County Cork
Republic of Ireland

Tel: +353 (0)86 087 5755

Established in 1794 and in operation until 1903, the Ballincollig Royal Gunpowder Mills produced black powder for the military, most notably during the Napoleonic Wars. The 130 acre site includes 24 water-powered incorporating mills where the saltpetre, sulphur and charcoal were ground together, as well as refineries and a number of ancillary buildings.

St. Colman's Cathedral
Cobh
County Cork
Republic of Ireland

The elaborately detailed neo-Gothic St. Colman's Cathedral is one of the most impressive buildings in County Cork. Dating from 1868, the cathedral dominates the landscape and offers superb views of the town and Cork harbour. Inside the cathedral there are 47 bells while the setting itself is used for worship and prayer every day.

St. Finbarre’s Cathedral
Bishop Street
Cork
County Cork
Republic of Ireland

St. Finbarre’s Cathedral in Cork is a magnificent French Gothic style cathedral, built between 1865 and 1879. It is the seat of the Bishop of Cloyne and Ross, and is named after Cork’s patron saint, St Finbarr – a Bishop of Cork in the 6th century. The site of the present cathedral has been a place of worship since the 7th Century and there were two previous cathedrals here before William Burges’ masterpiece was erected.