A Visit to Cork City

A friend of mine wrote to say she would be visiting Cork City with her family (herself, her husband, her two lovely daughters). Yay! I’ve not seen her in years! Of course, I instantly wanted to tell her about all the great things to do and places to eat so I jotted down my favorites if I was to visit Cork for a couple days in Springtime. This is what resulted. Be forewarned, it is mostly related to places to eat. Big surprise, I know.

A great start to the day is a good breakfast. The key is to have one that nourishes you without leaving you in a food coma. Eggs are great for this because of the protein. My two favorite places in City Centre to eat eggs are Fenns Quay and Liberty Grill. Fenns Quay also is one of my favorite places for lunch and dinner.

Fenns Quay on Shears (behind and one block west of the Courthouse on Washington) is one of my favorites for food and they have a la carte breakfasts every day (except Sundays) starting at 8:30am. Nice coffee (so says my Seattle-raised hubby). I love their eggs Florentine with Ardsallagh (a local goat cheese). Their hot chocolate is yummmm! They melt real chocolate buttons in it. For lunch, their specials are always good and I adore their chicken in green salad. Their burger is bun-free and one of the most authentic American in terms of the texture of the meat. The head chef is Kate. They are child friendly without being made for kids. Their Hollandaise is Pasteurized. Off the tourist track. Good wine and beer (including 8 Degrees Brewing, I think) selection. Recently nominated for Best Restaurant, Chef and Customer Service for the upcoming RAI regional restaurant awards.

Fenn’s Quay, Shears Street, Cork City
Telephone: +353 (0)21-4279527
Website: http://www.fennsquay.com/
Twitter: @FennsQuay
Chef Kate on Twitter: @FQChefess
Facebook: Fenns Quay

Liberty Grill has very American fare and their breakfasts include many a delicious item. Portions are ample. Queues are commonplace during peak meal times or weekends. Their Hollandaise is Pasteurized.

Liberty Grill, 32 Washington Street, Cork City
Telephone: +353 (0)21-4271049
Email: dine@libertygrill.ie
Website: http://libertygrill.ie
Twitter: @LibertyGrill
Facebook:  Liberty Grill

If your kids need a little chill time amidst a big day of sightseeing or rushing around, pop into the kid’s room at Cork City Central Public Library on Grand Parade. The kid’s room in the front when you first walk in and you can go in and have a little reading session together before heading back out to the city for your next adventure. Free city wifi is strong here. Just accept terms of service (no access to file sharing sites) and it’s free.

Cork City Library Central Branch, Cork City
Telephone: +353 (0)21-4224900
Email: libraries@corkcity.ie
Website: http://www.corkcitylibraries.ie/
Twitter: @CorkCityLibrary
Facebook:  CorkCityLibrary

For some culture, scenery, and food on the outskirts of the City, check out Fresco Bistro & Eaterie in the Glucksman Gallery on the campus of UCC. Every weekend, there are family/child events (free) at the museum. Fresco Bistro is nice for weekday breakfasts or lunch or for brunch on Saturdays or Sundays. Their flourless chocolate cake is light and sooooo good. The place is run by Brian and Kash. For more about Fresco Bistro, read this blog post I wrote.

Fresco Bistro & Eaterie in the Glucksman Gallery on the campus of UCC, Cork City
Telephone: +353 (0)21-4901848
Website: http://www.glucksman.org/fresco.html
Twitter: @FrescoBistro
Facebook: Fresco Bistro UCC

Need to take a break to rest your feet, refuel your belly between meals, or to make sure you know what you’re doing next? I recommend stopping into Electric‘s downstairs cafe. They have my favorite bottled gingerbeer (aka ginger ale) as well as coffee, cappuccino, hot chocolate, tea, beer, etc… View of River Lee from back seating section. Good natural light. Nice scones and sweets. It is on South Mall near Grand Parade. Free Wifi. Ask at the bar for the password. Of course, if you want a bigger meal, their upstairs has a lovely menu.

Electric, 41, South Mall, Cork City
Telephone: +353 (0)21-4222990
E-mail: info@electriccork.com
Website: http://www.electriccork.com/
Twitter: @ElectricCork
Facebook: Electric

For something more active than sitting and eating, climb the belltower of St. Anne’s of Shandon and ring the Shandon Bells.

If you’re in the mood for a picnic and the weather agrees with that idea, why not pick up a few nice sandwiches, salads, and drinks to-go. Top three sources for tasty and affordable picnic sandwiches (excluding any national chains) are:

• Long Valley, 10 Winthrop St has AMAZING corned beef sandwiches. They also have chicken and beef sandwiches and probably ham, but I only have interest in the corned beef salad sandwich. Trust me, it’s good. And less than a fiver!
• Wild Ways, 21 Princes Street, Cork City, Telephone: +353 (0)21-4272199
  E-mail: feedback form, Website: http://www.wildways.net
• The English Market has all the stalls and options to create your own custom picnic. Pay a visit to On the Pig’s Back some cheeses or pate, then get some fresh apples from one of the produce stands, olives from The Olive Stall, fig preserves and goat cheese from Iago, and a loaf of bread from Alternative Bread Company.

I recommend going for your picnic in Bishop Lucey Park (by the central library between Grand Parade/North Main Street/Tuckey Street) or in the slightly farther away but more sprawling Fitzgerald Park, which is about 15 minutes walk from city centre and a great spot for a picnic on a nice day. There is a little cafe there with Cornettos and soda but not much for real food. A museum there too.

Fota Wildlife Park is great for kids of all ages. Ideal for cloudy days or sunny ones. Check out the cheetah run and stroll among the animals. The staff know so much and are always willing to share facts, tid bits and history. I particularly love hearing about their Bald Eagles.

Fota Wildlife Park, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork
Telephone: +353 (0)21-4812678
E-mail: info@fotawildlife.ie
Website: http://www.fotawildlife.ie
Twitter: @FotaWildlife
Facebook: Fota Wildlife

For science buffs or rainy days, I recommend a visit to Blackrock Castle Observatory. There is even the option for a tasty meal at Castle Cafe which has really nice menu options (not too pricey). Free parking at Blackrock Castle around the corner by the water.

Blackrock Castle Observatory, Cork C2, Co. Cork
Observatory Telephone: +353 (0)21-4357917
Observatory E-mail: info@bco.ie
Observatory Website: http://www.bco.ie/
Observatory on Twitter: @BlackrockCastle
Observatory Facebook: BCO

Castle Cafe, Cork C2, Co. Cork
Cafe Telephone: +353 (0)21-4357911
Cafe E-mail: info@castlecafe.ie
Cafe Website: http://www.castlecafe.ie
Cafe on Twitter: @Castle_Cafe1
Cafe Facebook: Castle Cafe

If you want to do a little shopping, there are all the usual shops plus my favorites for women’s apparel: Amity and Store. Those are the shops to visit if you don’t want to dress like everyone else. Also The Dressing Room but they are pricier than the other two I’ve mentioned and much more suited to a professional wardrobe. Chain stores are easily found on Patrick’s Street and Opera Lane (list of stores and hours here).

But perhaps I’ll do shopping in a separate post since you’ll have plenty to do in a weekend visit to Cork as it is. And if you’re into knitting or sewing, definitely check out some of the city’s wool and knitting shops (there’s a list here) and the Cork Button Factory.

Oh, and if you get sick and need a prescription at an odd hour when you’re in Cork there is a late-night pharmacy on Patrick’s Street and Irwin’s Late-Night Pharmacy is on Shandon near North Gate Bridge.

Photos from 2010 Cheetah Run at Fota

Last evening, there was a rare sight at Fota Wildlife Park – a stampede of 630* humans with some enthusiastic participation from one ostrich, a dazzle of zebra, and lots of cheering from the monkeys. The 2010 Cheetah Run took place at dusk with lovely weather and this one was for people as opposed to the daily cheetah run for the big cats.

We were there cheering on our favorite runners and snapping a few pics (510 to be exact). I’ve posted the best of the race images on Flickr – Fota’s 2010 Cheetah Run Photos. All photos are tagged with visible bib numbers so if you ran in the race, search within my photostream for your number and photos with you in them will show in the results. If that doesn’t work, it just means there wasn’t a clear image of your complete bib number in my photo so try searching for the bib number of a friend who was running with you or someone else who was running at your pace. Video was also captured but not yet posted, including an ostrich running alongside the race competitors.

Arriving in Cork by Plane, Train, Automobile, or Ferry

Arriving into Cork usually means you are either in a plane, train, bus, or car, or ferry.

Plane via Cork (ORK) or Kerry (KIR)

If you are flying, you will be happy to know there are many airlines serving Cork International Airport (ORK). Cork (ORK) is a convenient spot for many flights within the European Union. Ryan Air, Aer Lingus, Aer Arann, Wizz Air, BMI Baby, Air Southwest, and Jet2 all serve ORK. ORK’s Scheduled Flight Destinations List includes the airlines serving each destination and the seasons when these flights are available. Each airline tends to have slightly different baggage and fare rules so be sure to read the fine print. One thing to be aware of when booking your itinerary is that ORK has —but does not use— jetways (the enclosed bridge-like walkway between the airport terminal gate and the plane). To board or exit an aircraft at ORK, passengers go down stairs to the tarmac then up the stairs into the plane. I know a few Americans with mobility issues who choose to fly into Shannon Airport because they cannot safely and comfortably navigate stairs. Evidently, it is a cost issue that keeps the jetways from being used since ORK charges airlines for use of the jetways (based on time used, according to a 2004 article in the Echo).

Once you get into the airport itself, it is easy to navigate to the taxis, buses, or rental car companies.

Taxis are queued up in front and rarely is there a wait to get one. It is handy to have your address written down because the Cork accent is known for its thick charm. Depending on the day/time (surcharges for taxis on Sundays, click here for a post about taxi/hackney fees in Ireland), your trip to Cork City Centre can run you €15 to €20.

Buses include SkyLink and Bus Eireann. SkyLink travels between Cork City Centre and Cork International Airport every day of the year, except Christmas Day and tickets are under €4 each way. There is usually one every 30 minutes and it is only about 15 minutes drive between the two. It has two routes so choose the one that brings you closer to where you want to end up and remember that all SkyLink coaches run on a constant loop from ORK so if you miss one, there will be another. Best part is that you can ask to be let on or off the bus at any City Centre SkyLink stop (noted on the route details online). Bus Eireann serves all of Ireland’s major airports with #226 and #249 between ORK and Cork City, #249 between ORK and Kinsale, #16 and #51 between Shannon Airport and Cork City, #40 between Kerry Airport and Cork City, and numerous buses serving Dublin Airport, Ireland West (Knock), and Kerry Airport.

Rental Car companies include some familiar names as well some regional ones. Keep in mind that there is a €25 charge per rental from the airport. Companies at ORK include:353, Argus, Avis, Budget, Dan Dooley, Dollar, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, Irish Car, National/Alamo, Sixt, and Thrifty. There is only one car rental company in Cork City Centre, Great Island Car Rental on McCurtain Street, even though several places list ‘Cork City’ as locations they are still located outside downtown, like Thrifty and Dollarwhich are located one mile away in Farmer’s Cross or Argus which is in Wilton.

ORK has a rather large duty-free shop for when you depart. If you are flying to another EU destination, duty-free prices do not apply, but if you are flying to the States or outside the EU it is worth picking up some Guinness (half-litre cans of the good stuff), Jameson, or Bailey’s. If you are making more than one transfer on your return trip, liquid restrictions will get in the way of your options, but most European airports have duty-free shops within the security area so you can pick up goodies when transferring flights.

Kerry Airport (KIR) is located about 100 kilometers northwest of Cork International Airport (ORK). If you are flying into Kerry Airport, but want to end up on a Brittany Ferry or wish to visit Fota or Cobh, you will want to take Bus Eireann #40 between Kerry Airport and Cork City. From there, for the ferries take Bus #223 or for the Irish Rail to Fota or Cobh take Bus #205 from Patrick Street to Kent Station.

Train

The Cork City train station is near the heart of the city. Irish Rail serves passengers with routes to/from Dublin, Mallow, Cobh, Fota, Limerick, and beyond. Buses seem to be more popular, because of the cost of ticket prices perhaps. The train is ideal for going to Cobh or Fota. The #205  bus connects Kent Station with Patrick Street and Cork Institute of Technology (CIT). Bus Eireann and Iarnród Eireann team up to offer the Explorer Ticket for those wishing to wander the Republic by rail and road.

Bus

Cork City is served by Bus Eireann, SkyLink, and CityLink. Bus Eireann offers Tourist Travel Passes if you will be traveling the countryside. The main bus hub is at Parnell Street in the centre of Cork City. You are within walking distance of several of the city’s hotels or can easily take a bus to your final destination, such as Killarney, Ennis, Kinsale, and so on. City buses stop across the street next to Merchant’s Quay Shopping Centre so you can hop a more local bus to Blarney or UCC. Timetables are available for all routes and there seems to be a discount for tickets purchased online. Expressway Services are those bringing you around the country, like to Dublin, Tralee, Killarney, Shannon (including #51 to/from Shannon Airport), Waterford, Limerick, Sligo, and more. Local/Rural/Commuter buses serve the suburbs and nearby towns. City/Town routes are those staying within city limits and tend to be the least expensive tickets (they also usually work with a day pass).

SkyLink travels between Cork City Centre and Cork International Airport every day of the year, except Christmas Day and tickets are under €4 each way. There is usually one every 30 minutes and it is only about 15 minutes drive between the two. It has two routes so choose the one that brings you closer to where you want to end up and remember that all SkyLink coaches run on a constant loop from ORK so if you miss one, there will be another. Best part is that you can ask to be let on or off the bus at any City Centre SkyLink stop (noted on the route details online). CityLink offers service between Galway-Dublin-Dublin Airport, Galway-Shannon Airport, Galway-Clifden, Galway-Limerick-Cork, Galway-Limerick,  and Limerick-Cork.

Car

Driving in Cork is not as intimidating as driving in Dublin (I’ve done both). Just remember to keep left, watch traffic patterns because one-way streets are popular, and be respectful in terms of yielding in traffic circles. Maps are readily available online and in the Cork Vision Centre, ORK, and other tourism offices. The city itself is very walkable so whenever possible, park your car and explore on foot.

Parking requires payment on streets except at night and on Sundays so watch for signs. There are several public parking garages in the city. The lowest public garage hourly rate is the garage on North Main, but with its early closing time rely on it only for daytime parking needs. For overnight parking, I’ve found Q-Park on Grand Parade to be the best bargain since it’s €5 for 5:00 p.m. to 9 a.m. (overnight) or €3 for 6:00 p.m. to midnight (evening out). Keep in mind, not all garages are open seven days a week or have exits that are open in the middle of the night so be sure your need to access your vehicle matches with the available hours of the garage you choose.

Ferry

Cork Harbour is one of the four largest natural harbors in the world (along with Sydney, Halifax, and Poole). Brittany Ferries offers transport to/from Cork at the Ringaskiddy Terminal. Bus #223 travels between Cork Bus Station and Ringaskiddy.