Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 - Cork's West Side The west side of Cork is considered the most ecological part of the city. Along the Lee river, you'll find some of the most important landmarks of the city, including the Cork Public Museum, Fitzgerald Park, Cork City Gaol, and University College Cork. It's also a quiet area where you can enjoy a walk. Guide Location: Ireland» Cork # of Attractions: 7 Tour Duration: 2 hour(s) Travel Distance: 2.9 km Please note: This walk is also featured in the ios app "Cork Map and Walks" on itunes App Store and the Android app "Cork Map and Walks" on Google Play. The apps provide GPS navigation to guide you from one tour stop to the next, so you will never be lost. The apps offer additional walking tours in Cork. Check them out! GPSmyCity offers self-guided walking tours in over 1,000 city around the world. Please visit gpsmycity.com for more walking tour offers. List of attractions included in this self-guided walking tour: A) St. Vincent Church B) Cork City Gaol C) Cork Public Museum D) Fitzgerald Park E) University College Cork F) Lewis Glucksman Gallery G) Mardyke Bridge Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 -
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Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 3 - A) St. Vincent Church St Vincent's church is a remarkable essay in early Gothic by Sir John Benson. It stands on a bluff of Sunday's Well, built predominantly of red sandstone which appears particularly impressive when looked at from the Mardyke. The site on which it stands was a gift to the city from Miss Mary MacSwiney, a local resident. Public subscription for the project was organised by the Very Reverend Michael O'Sullivan, Vicar General of Cork. Construction of the church began on 24 October 1851 with the foundation stone laid by the Bishop of Cork William Delaney. Half way to completion, on 4 November 1853, when much of the stonework and part of the roof was done, a natural disaster mighty storm fell upon the structure blowing off the roof and seriously damaging the walls. The event aroused nationwide sympathy and saw many donations for rebuilding of the church coming in from many dioceses and private individuals across Ireland. The completed church was solemnly dedicated on 20 July 1856. Address: 122 Sunday's Well Rd, Cork City, Ireland. Image Courtesy of Flickr and Eamonn B) Cork City Gaol (must see) Transport yourself to the 19th century and get a feel of how the prisoners were detained back then. Located 2 kms from Patrick s street is the Cork City Gaol, one of the main visitor attractions of Cork. This fortress stands as an example of the brilliant architectural and historical heritage of the city. A hit amongst all aged visitors the City Gaol lets you in on the day to day activities and life of those who were kept prisoners in the facility. The City Gaol makes an extra impact with its life sized wax models, sound effects and other image presentations. A self-guided tour with sound aid is available in 12 different languages which include- French, Germany, Italian, English, Irish, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Dutch, Japanese, Swedish and Spanish. With prior notice you can also arrange for a personal guided tour and even a night visit at the City Gaol. Educational programs can also be arranged with the museum authorities with prior intimation. If you are planning on a visit between May to September, check for the open top bus facility that picks and drops visitors from the Gaol. Take home memories and mementos at the souvenir shop and have a fun time with family and friends at the Cork City Goal. Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 3 -
Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 4 - Another fun visit at the same location is the Radio Museum. The Radio museum exhibits a 6 CK Radio Broad casting studio along with many artefacts that is sure to take you on a nostalgic ride. Address: Convent Avenue, Sunday's Well, Cork City, Ireland. Image Courtesy of Flickr and Sitomon C) Cork Public Museum (must see) Standing in Fitzgerald Park is a two storey Georgian house, now known as Cork Public Museum. A Beamish family built this beautiful building as a place for their residence in 1845. In 1902 and 1903, the house was a host to the Cork International Exhibition, where many people visited the Art, Machinery and Agricultural exhibits. Later in 1906, this site became Public Park. In its initial few years, the building served as a Municipal Office as well as an Air Raid Protection Office. It then received grants from Cork Corporation and the County Council and reopened in 1945, after the Emergency and was administered by University College. With Prof. M.J. O Kelly as the Curator, the museum began its work of collecting materials and setting up exhibits. Successive curators and museum staff were successful in obtaining important archaeological finds from this region and exhibiting them. Certain objects in the exhibits date back to the medieval period. It also houses Civic Regalia from the 19th and 20th centuries. Of these, silver and glass works of Cork, along with Youghal needlepoint Lace deserve special mention. Funding from the European Regional Development Fund and City Council enabled the museum to build an extension, which opened in the late 1990s. One can enjoy the view of the River Lee, enjoy a coffee or snack and admire the trip to this museum in the Riverview Café. Operation Hours: Monday - Friday: 11 am - 1 pm and 2.15 pm - 5 pm; Saturday: 11 am - 1 pm and 2.15 pm - 4 pm; Sunday: 3 pm - 5 pm Address: Fitzgerald Park, Mardyke, Cork City, Ireland. Image Courtesy of Flickr and Draxus Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 4 -
Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 - D) Fitzgerald Park (must see) If you enjoy taking long strolls where you are surrounded by nature and get to encounter the works of prominent artists, then Fitzgerald Park is for you. Just about 20 minutes by walk from the City Centre, the Fitzgerald Park offers its visitors a pleasant change from the city. Home to the Cork City Museum, the park is perfect destination for a sunny day or a bank holiday where children can run around, play and you can bask in its scenic beauty. Situated on the banks of the River Lee, the Fitzgerald Park offers a perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. Unwind with its picturesque beauty and relax by taking a long walk along the river. The Fitzgerald Park has long been a popular destination among both locals and visitors, who love to spend their time away from the busy city life. The park was named after Edward Fitzgerald, who served as the Lord Mayor of Cork between 1901 and 1903. Spread over 18 acres of land, you get to see beautifully planned park and also catch a glimpse of the works of some of the finest artists like -Seamus Murphy, Edward Delaney, Marshal Hutson, Joseph Higgins, James Horan and Oisin Kelly. The Park also houses the Cork Public Museum, where you can see some interesting exhibits. The park is just a short distance away from the Cork City Centre and the University College. Address: Mardyke, Cork City, Ireland Image Courtesy of Flickr and benoutram E) University College Cork (must see) Found as a college in 1845, Queen s College Cork, became a university in 1908 and was renamed in 1998 as University College Cork, better known as UCC. With over 17,000 registered students, UCC is well known for its quality of education. What is surprising is that the University also serves as a famous tourist spot for visitors in Cork. The UCC Visitor s Centre also runs guided tours of the University buildings on a daily basis. These tours are a useful insight into the history and culture of the college. Overlooking the valley of Lee, Deane and Woodward built the Tudor Gothic Quadrangle and the university s early buildings. The Stone Corridor of the Quadrangle is a collection of Ogham Stones. Believed to be gravestones of Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 -
Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 - the renowned members of the Celtic tribe, these stones belong to at least the third century, if not earlier. Set up in 1880, The Crawford Observatory has an equatorial telescope along with a siderostatic one. One can visit this site to get answers to some astronomical questions and gaze at some lighter stars in the sky. Later, one can stroll freely in the President s garden, which was out of public limits until the 1960s. Some trees in this garden like the Redwoods, oaks and beeches date back to 1800, when the university was founded. Like the city, the University too has fascinating buildings and stories associated with them. A guided tour on your visit has much more to tell. Address: College Rd, Cork City, Ireland. Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Paul Egan. Sight description based on wikipedia F) Lewis Glucksman Gallery The Lewis Glucksman Gallery (Irish: Áiléar Lewis Glucksman) is an award-winning art gallery in University College, Cork, Ireland. Opened to the public by the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese on 14 October 2004, the Glucksman gallery was named Best Public Building in Ireland by the RIAI in June 2005. The gallery building occupies a landmark site at the main entrance to this campus. The gallery has three floors of display spaces and the temporary exhibitions programme focuses on on thematic shows which have included Through the Looking Glass: Childhood in Contemporary Photography, Cooling Out: on the paradox of feminism and Overtake: the reinterpretation of modern art. The gallery is named for its benefactor, Wall St. financier and chairman of Lehman Brothers, Kuhn, Loeb Inc., Lewis Glucksman. The inaugural director, Fiona Kearney, is a fellow of the Clore Leadership Programme and an alumnus of the Salzburg Global Seminar. Operation Hours: Tuesday - Saturday: 10 am - 5 pm; Sunday: 2 pm - 5 pm Address: UCC Campus, Cork City, Ireland. Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Lewis Glucksman Gallery. Sight description based on wikipedia Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 -
Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 7 - G) Mardyke Bridge The North Mall to Mardyke section of the Lee Walk was dedicated by the Lord Mayor, Cllr. Deirdre Clune, on 1st February 2006. The bridge is a single span construction made of steel, stretching some 57 metres in length and having a 3 metre-wide footpath cantilevered from the bottom chord of the arch. Integral to the design is a circular viewing platform built into cantilever retaining walls, adjoining the north bank seat. The bank seats are of reinforced concrete and have architecturally shaped parapets resting on precast concrete piles, driven 10-15 metres into the ground. The bridge is stiffened by the steel deck top plate which helps control its deflections and dampen its dynamics. The plate prevents the arch member from deflecting too much out of plane. Mardyke bridge was manufactured off site with the finishing touches and assembly done on site, upon which it was lifted into position in a single operation. Address: Mardyke, Cork City, Ireland. Image Courtesy of Flickr and jkissane Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 7 -