Posts filed under 'Cork'
St Patrick’s Day is celebrated all around the world. However, for many it is simply a party, rather than a chance to celebrate Ireland’s patron saint. This is strange, because Saint Patrick had a dramatic life.
As a young lad of sixteen years he was captured by a band of raiders near Bologne in Gaul and taken with many others to slavery in Ireland. He was first brought to Mayo, but later sold to an Antrim farmer and he spent six years in captivity as a shepherd on Slemish Mountain.
One cold winter’s night, while Patrick slept, he heard a voice telling him “it is well that you fast, soon you will go to your own country” and a short time later the voice said to him “Look, your ship is ready”.
The spirit guided Patrick to the south of Ireland near Wicklow where he boarded a ship with a cargo of dogs bound for Gaul.
At this time an invasion of Gaul had left much of it desolate. Patrick and the crew of the boat wandered for 28 days until all food had run out. Patrick said to the crew “turn to God and he will provide” and suddenly a herd of pigs appeared and they had food once more. Patrick had performed his first miracle.
For a number of years Patrick wandered through Gaul. Conscious of his lack of formal training in theology and law he spent his time talking to and learning from the wise deacons and Bishops and soon he was made a Bishop in Rome.
He was lonely in Gaul so he went to visit his relations in Britain. While he was there he had another vision in which a man arrived from Ireland with many letters, including one for himself. The letter said “We ask you boy to come and walk once more among us”. Patrick was delighted and went to Ireland immediately.
The people of Ireland at this time were pagans under the influence of the Druids. Patrick had first to rid the country of these “magicians”. This is symbolised by the banishing of the snakes forever from Ireland.
He now set about converting the people to Christianity. His deep faith and belief in the Blessed Trinity made this doctrine a centre piece of his instruction. To help explain the mystery he used the simple 3 leaf shamrock to illustrate 3 persons in one God.
St Patrick died in 461. By this time he had created an established structured church throughout the country. His converts were across the entire social classes from Princes to slaves and many of his priests and deacons were from the youth of Ireland. He is still to this day the most famous figure in Irish history and is one of the best known figures throughout the Christian world.
February 27th, 2008
The Cork Clarion Hotel in County Cork is a four star hotel. The hotel boasts 191 rooms of pure comfort. The Clarion Hotel is located such that it takes only a two minutes walk to get to the business, entertainment and shopping centre of Cork City. There’s also a breathtaking rooftop penthouse from where one can admire the stunning skyline of the city. A Synergie Restaurant, a Kudos Bar and an Atrium lounge add to the charm of this magnificent hotel. The SanoVitae Health and Spa here offers an 18m pool, a fully equipped gym, sauna and five treatment rooms.
February 19th, 2007
Cork International Youth Hostel is a great place to spend the vacation in Cork. This hostel features over 100 rooms with dormitories ranging from 2 beds to more than 7 beds. The rooms are en-suite with electronically locked doors. Bed linen and breakfast are included in the price. Kinlay House in Cork City is another fine hostel with clean accommodation facilities. The décor of this hostel is smart, the atmosphere is fun yet sensible and there’s a sense of security here that the guests will find to be very comforting. Light breakfast and luggage storage are included in the price. For a small price, guests can have full access to the gym and swimming pool at the Shandon Court Hotel next door. Internet café and in-house laundry service are available for the convenience of the guests.
January 25th, 2007
Jim Edwards is a fine restaurant to dine at if you happen to be in Kinsale. A warm and friendly atmosphere is the hallmark of this establishment. Traditional Irish flavours can be sampled here in all their glory. Food and drinks are served in the lounge bar. An extensive bar menu is offered and lunches are available throughout the day. All the ingredients used in the dishes here are produced locally and freshly delivered every day. A fresh oyster and lobster tank is present from which the guests are free to choose their pick. You will find the evening candlelight dinner to be particularly charming. The White House in Kinsale is another great place to eat out at. Its popularity has raised it to the status of a landmark for generations of locals and visitors. Fine steaks are the specialty of this restaurant and an extensive menu is provided that includes fish dishes. The selection of wines is particularly satisfying.
January 11th, 2007
Bere Island is an extremely beautiful place located near the Beara Peninsula in County Cork. The beauty of the scenery and the unspoilt surroundings make this place quite desirable for walking enthusiasts. Bere Island can be reached by taking a ferry from Castletownbere. There are two walking loops here that can take about eight hours to complete if you decide to try both of them. The west side of the island is home to the West Island Loop. When you reach the pier here, a track extending to ten kilometres will introduce you to the main attractions of this island. Depending on your walking speed, this can take anywhere from four to five hours. You will have to climb a hill that is more than two hundred metres high. Here you will be treated to awe-inspiring views of Bantry Bay and the two peninsulas of Beara and Sheep’s Head. The Ardnakinna Lighthouse here is also a fine sight to behold. Continue downhill and you will arrive back at the pier. The Rerrin Loop is on the east side of the island in the village of Rerrin. This walking route is six kilometres long. There are lots of structures here that have historical and military importance. The Martello Towers were built for the purpose of defence against attacks from Napoleon in 1796. Two of the four towers can be found here. There are also seven gun batteries to be found here, reminding tourists of the British rule in the past. The walk will end back at the village where you can choose to mingle with the friendly locals and enjoy their fine restaurants and pubs.
December 28th, 2006
The Ballyhoura area is famous for its walks. Parts of this area are located in both County Limerick and County Cork. The summer walking festival in this area is very popular with avid walkers. The Seefin climb here is a memorable walk. If you are more inclined to take on long distance tracks, Ballyhoura Way will fit the bill perfectly. This walking route extends to almost 90 kilometres in length. You will come across Seefin Mountain on this trail and marvel at the amazing views of six counties available from this vantage point. Explorers will be delighted to know that they will get a chance to check out castles, churches and abbeys that are abundantly located in this area. The walk starts from Greenwood Forest which you can reach from Glenosheen. The track available here is called the Goat’s Path. You can stop to check out Castle Philip along the way which is said to have been the hiding place for outlaws. It will take a bit of time and effort to reach the peak of Seefin Mountain which is almost 528 metres high. From here, you can take the downhill track to descend back into the quietness of the Greenwood Forest. Other sites that attract tourists here are the Mitchelstown Caves, the Lough Gur Heritage Centre, the Doneraile Court and Wildlife Park and the medieval town of Kilmallock.
December 26th, 2006
One of the least visited places in Ireland is the Sheep’s Head Peninsula in County Cork. It can rightly be considered to be one of Ireland’s most precious treasures that are hidden from the public due to their obscurity. With fascinating loughs, fabulous coastal views and spectacularly beautiful scenery, this is a place that must not be left unexplored at any cost. If you are looking for a peaceful place in Ireland where the only things you can hear are the pure sounds of nature, there is no better place than the Sheep’s Head Peninsula. The walking trail here stretches to almost 88 kilometres and can take as much as four days to complete. If you are short on time, you can choose to explore one of the shorter loops. The route leading to the tip of the headland is much recommended in this case. Along the way, you can look forward to setting your eyes upon Lough Akeen, Kilcrohane Village, Ballyroon Mountain and a 17th century signal tower. Be advised though that this place is pure wilderness. You won’t find any roads here so the only mode of transportation available to you here is your own two feet.
December 21st, 2006
Sheila’s Hostel in County Cork is a family-run budget hostel with excellent facilities. Bedrooms here can have up to 8 people living together. Most of them have showers en-suite.
Other features include:
- Common room with board games and magazines
- Dining room with capacity to seat 50 people
- Cinema room with plasma screen and free DVDs
- Coffee shop
- Wine bar
- Sauna room
- Garden
Instant online booking can be done for Sheila’s Hostel if you plan to visit County Cork.
November 28th, 2006
