
Tourist Attractions
The Cork City "Hop On, Hop Off" Tour
There is no better way to see Cork City than the “Hop On, Hop Off” Tour. See all of Cork’s famous sights such as the Cork City Gaol, St. Finbarr’s Cathedral, the Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, City Hall, the English Market, City Library, the Triskel Art Centre, Cork Opera House, St. Anne’s Church, the Shandon Butter Museum, the Custom House, City Library, the Courthouse, Museum & Fitzgerald Park, & Elizabeth Fort. With a ticket that is valid all day, you can get on and off as often as you wish. A complimentary map and discounts off certain admissions is included. For more information on the best way to see the city of Cork, contact the Tourist Office on the Grand parade or Cronin’s Coaches on 021-4309090.
Tour Departures:
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Join The Tour At: |
Time:
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(START) City Library (opp. Tourist Office) |
9.30
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St. Finbarr’s Cathedral |
9.35
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Tourist Office |
9.40
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Lapp’s Quay
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9.45
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St. Patrick’s Quay |
9.48
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St. Anne’s Shandon (Firkin Crane Centre) |
9.52
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North Mall
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9.56
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Cork City Gaol |
10.00
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UCC Western Road |
10.10
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Mardyke (on request) |
10.12
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Shears Street
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10.15
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Patrick’s Street (opposite Roches Stores) |
10.25
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Merchants Quay |
10.30
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City Hall
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10.35
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George’s Quay
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10.40
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(FINISH) City Library |
10.45
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Tour Operates Daily From March, every 45 minutes
July & August: Tour operates every 30 minutes
First Tour commences at 9.30am
Last Tour commences at 17.00pm
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Adult
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€13
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Senior Citizens |
€11
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Students
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€11
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Children Under 14 |
€5
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Under 5s
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Go Free
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Family Ticket (2 adults & up to 4 children) |
€30
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The Driver on the Tour Bus
The Tourist Office, Grand Parade
Guided Day Tours from Cork with EASY TOURS
Cork Day Tours - Easy Tours Cork provide guided Sight seeing DAY TOURS by coach to see spectacular County Cork. These tours will show clients magnificent scenery; mountains, ocean, rolling farmlands and countryside, colourful towns and villages with stops at special sites and visitor attractions, Easy Tours meet clients at or near their city centre accommodation and bring them back at the end of the tour in the late afternoon.
Join Easy Tours to see County Cork, Ireland's largest county.
It has so much to look at, experience and enjoy.
Highlights Of Kenmare & Killarnay--Sunday & Thursday (Duration 8 hours)
Highlights Of Kinsale & Atlantic Coast--Tuesday & Friday (Duration 8 hrs)
Highlights Of West Cork Highlights--Wednesday & Saturday (Duration 8 hrs)
Tours run on days listed at 9am from the Tourist Office
Price List
Adult ..............................................€30
Child ...............................................€15
Student/OAP .................................€28
Note: Coffee/Lunch & Entrance Fees not included
Minimum booking of 8 apply for private arrangements
Major Credit Cards Accepted
You can pay on the coach
For more information, call: +353 (21) 4545328 or send an email to: info@easytourscork.com
Blarney Castle
No trip to Cork is complete without visiting Blarney, where people the world over have stopped at this internationally known tourist centre to kiss the Blarney Stone, which traditionally imparts the ‘gift of eloquence’ on all who kiss it. The famous Stone is located just below the battlement in Blarney Castle, built in 1446. In order to kiss the Stone, it is necessary to hang ones head downwards over the battlements having climbed 110 steep steps by the original spiral staircase to the summit of the castle. To visit Blarney Castle is to step back in time, and feel the enchantment of a long and heroic past. Here is one of the great historical sites of Ireland, renowned throughout the world. The view from the entrance gate sets the scene immediately, with fine vistas of parkland crowned by Blarney castle rising up in its entire ancient splendor, framed by clumps of trees. While in Blarney, visit the nearby Blarney Woolen Mills, one of Ireland's oldest and most authentic Irish woollen mills.
Cobh
A small fishing village situated approximately 16 miles from Cork City, Kinsale is renowned for its pubs and restaurants and is known as the ‘Gourmet Capital’ of Ireland. Every visitor to Kinsale is captivated by its beautiful setting, with the long waterfront, narrow winding streets and Compass Hill rising sharply behind the town. The old fortifications of Charles Fort and James Fort guard the narrow entrance to Kinsale from the sea. The town has poignant memories of the sinking of the liner ‘Lusitania’ in 1915, off the Old Head of Kinsale, and it was in the courthouse the inquest into the incident took place.
While there, visit Charles Fort, constructed in the early 1680’s in honour of King Charles II by William Robinson, architect of the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham in Dublin, Charles Fort is a classic example of a star shaped fort. In use until 1921 the fort, which protected the trading town of Kinsale, gives a unique insight into Irish fortifications. Besieged in 1690 by the Duke of Malborough and destroyed in 1922 during the Civil War, Charles Fort reflects the turbulence of Ireland’s past. It was declared a National Monument in 1973. Across the estuary is James Fort, an earlier structure, which was designed by Paul Ivy in 1602.
Curraheen Park Greyhound Stadium
The Greyhound stadium in Cork offers a dynamic and unique night out to visitors. It operates a ten-race program every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday night from 7.50pm. For those that appreciate fine dining, the Laurels Restaurant can provide seating for up to 180 people overlooking the racetrack below, all in a lavish three-storied glass setting. On the top floor, visitors can drop in to Master McGrath's bar, were they will find the perfect environment to relax and enjoy a drink while observing the racing action below. After the thrill of the racetrack, there is live music played by a different band every night. Definitely a day's entertainment not to be missed!
Fota Wildlife Park
Titanic Trail
www.cork-guide.ie/cork_city/english-market.html
West Cork Model Railway Village
Experience life in West Cork sixty years ago and how life there revolved around the railway system. This model village is a great day out for kids of all ages and adults too. Relax in the unique tea room set on one of the authentic train carriages with a view of Clonakilty bay-You will feel transformed in time. After experiencing life of long ago, you may like to venture into Clonakilty town.
Bantry House and Gardens
Bantry House was bought by the White family in 1730 and was enlarged by Richard White the 2nd Earl of Bantry. The house has a collection of tapestries, furniture and art treasures which were mainly collected by the Earl during his travels through Europe in the 1800's. The Gardens are home to sub tropical plants and shrubs - reflecting the best in European design and style. Features with the 45-acre grounds are the Hundred Steps, the Italian Garden and the largest Wisteria circle in Ireland. The House and Gardens are open to the public along with an exhibition centre in the east Stableyard explaining the history of the attempted French invasion of 1796. Bantry House also offers Bed and Breakfast accommodation in the wings of the main house. Guests have exclusive use of a billiard room and main library in the evenings. We offer 2 helipad-landing sites. Tennis can be played on the northern terraces in the summer. The House is owned by Mr and Mrs Egerton Shelswell-White.
www.millstreetcountrypark.com/
Crawford Art Gallery
Strategically located across from Cork Opera House, the Crawford Art Gallery is home to more than 2000 works of art with a focus on the Irish arts of the 19th & 20th century. As the City Art Museum of Cork, the Crawford Gallery is a great place to see the how the arts play such a major role in life Cork. The more than 200,000 visitors per year may be surprised to learn that at the heart of the exhibit is a collection of Greek and Roman sculpture casts, brought to Cork in 1818 from the Vatican Museum in Rome. With free entrance and such a central location in the city, there is no excuse not to visit.
http://www.crawfordartgallery.com/
Cork Racecourse is located in the heart of Munster and steeped in the traditions of racing in Ireland. The first Steeplechase ever was run locally between Buttevant and Doneraile over 250 years ago. Chasing from steeple to steeple or point-to-point began in 1752 when Mr. Blake challenged his neighbour Mr. O'Callaghan, to race across country from Buttevant church to Doneraile church some four and a half miles distance and so jump stone walls, ditches and hedges as these presented themselves. By keeping the steeple of the church in sight (steeple chasing) both riders could see their finishing point. A racecourse was established in 1924 in Mallow, partly to compensate for the closure of Cork Park Racecourse. A massive upgrade saw the present facilities come into being after 1996. Both Jump and Flat racing is now on offer at Cork Racecourse Mallow. The most prestigious races currently are our two Murphys Hurdles sponsored by the local Heineken Brewery, The Cork Grand National, The Hillyway Chase and The Cork Stayers Novice Hurdle. At early summer fixtures The Kerry Group Ballyogan Stakes, The Blue Wind Stakes and The Platinum Stakes present the best of Flat racing. Famous winners at Cork include, Aintree Grand National Winner Monty’s Pass, Melbourne Cup Winner Media Puzzle as well as National Hunt favourites Timbera, Be My Royal and Kicking King.
www.corkracecourse.ie/Pages/corporate.htm
Doneraile National Park
www.heritageireland.ie/en/ParksandGardens/South/DoneraileWildlifeParkCork
Barryscourt Castle
Barryscourt Castle was the seat of the Barry family from the 12th to the 17th century and was home to the most powerful branch of the family, the Barrymores. It was attacked and captured in 1645, during the Irish Confederate War, but the bawn wall with three-corner tower is largely intact. The ground floor of the keep houses an exhibition on the history of the Berry’s and Barryscourt Castle with the Main Hall and the Great Hall now being open to the public. The ground floor of the Keep houses an exhibition entitled "The Arts in Ireland from the Invasion to the Plantation 1100-1600".
www.heritageireland.ie/en/HistoricSites/South/BarryscourtCastleCork/
The most southerly of the three peninsulas on the southwest coast, the Beara Peninsula is a tourist trail of 195 kilometres. Castletownbere is the main town of the peninsula and home to the Mill Cove Gallery, which exhibits work by contemporary Irish artists, the Beara Gallery which specialises in the work of local artists and the Call of the Sea Visitor Centre, which houses a number of treasures relating to local history. The Beara Peninsula is a perfect destination for the outdoor adventurer to enjoy the trills of hiking, cycling or long walks.The main tourist attractions are the ruins of Puxley Mansion, Dunboy Castle and Derreen Gardens.Weather permitting, enjoy a trip across the water between the Beara Peninsula and Dursey Island, the most westerly point in Cork!
http://www.westcork.ie/zone_4.asp
http://cathedral.cork.anglican.org/
In visiting the Skibbereen Heritage Centre in the town of Skibbereen, you will learn of the history of the town, which was one of the worst affected areas of the Great Hunger Famine of the 1840s. The exhibition depicts life during that time in an area that was notorious for its overly disturbing forms of suffering among the victims and the survivors. The nearby Abbeystrewery graveyard pays homage to the approximately 10,000 victims that suffered at the mercy of the potato crop failure.The stories of the old combined with modern technology of video and voice depictions, is a view into the Great Hunger Famine like no other.
The second theme of the Heritage Centre takes a different view, exploring Lough Hyne, Ireland's first Marine Nature Reserve. Located 5 km south west of Skibbereen, this marine lake is fed from the sea by a narrow tidal channel known as 'The Rapids'. Home to many beautiful and rare species of plants and animals, it is easy to understand why the Lough Hyne is one of the most studied marine sites in Europe. The Skibbereen Heritage Centre shows an audio-visual documentary on the history, formation and folklore of this unique phenomenon. Conveniently, you can listen to the presentation in English, Irish, French and German.
The name Gougane Barra comes from Saint Finbarr, who is said to have built a monastery on an island in the lake nearby during the 6th century. The present ruins date from around 1700 when Fr. Denis O’Mahony retreated to the island. During the times of the Penal Laws, Gougane Barra’s remoteness meant that it became a popular place for the celebration of the Roman Catholic mass. The area around Gougane Barra is now home to a 1.42 square kilometre Forest Park, which is home to a number of mammal and bird species.
Kanturk Castle
Now an unfinished castle, the construction of Kanturk Castle in Duhallow began in 1601 by Dermot MacOwen MacDonagh. The English Council ordered a halt to the progression of the building, after neighbours complained of its size. Some accounts note that Dermot, in a fit of rage, then smashed building materials and had the building stripped.
http://cloghmore.bravepages.com/cork/kanturkcastle.html
Mallow Castle
Built by Sir Thomas Norreys in the late 16th century, Mallow Castle is a ruins fortification, even though it resisted the besiegement by Mountgarrett in 1642, but was later captured by Lord Castlehaven and the Confederates in 1645, only to be abandoned some time after this.
http://www.mallow.ie/tourism/history/mallowcastle.php
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