DAY 2- COBH & CORK CITY TOUR
This morning, your driver will take you to visit the lovely port of Cobh (pronounced ‘Cove”), with its imposing Cathedral. The town is steeped in the history of ships and shipping and the saga of emigration, a story captured and explored in the Cobh heritage centre – The Queenstown Story.
The American War of Independence put Cobh on the map. Napoleon kept it there and in the reign of Queen Victoria the town grew and prospered. It was as Queenstown that the port rose to prominence as a vital link in trans-Atlantic liner traffic in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Its name was changed again in 1920 and as Cobh it continues to serve as an important port of call for the majestic liners travelling the north Atlantic route. Emigrants departed from Cobh's quays on board vessels of the great shipping lines, such as Cunard and White Star.
The "Titanic" sailed from Cobh, never to touch land again. The Heritage Centre will tell these stories in a way that is fitting and sympathetic of the endeavour and trauma of the people who were involved.
Return to Cork City for the afternoon, where you may like to do some shopping. Although Cork City is a busy industrial city, it is also an important shopping centre. The principal streets are lined with fashion houses and department stores stocking quality Irish goods.
Return to the Hayfield Manor for overnight.