Cork City & County

James Barry was born on October 11th 1741 in a cottage in Water Lane (now Seminary Road) one of the many roads that had sprung up on the hills skirting the northern parts of Cork city. He studied under the artist John Butts (1728-1765) who was also tutor to another great Cork artist, Nathaniel Grogan […]

Airgeadoir: – This is the Irish for silver. From April to June in 2005 the Crawford Municipal Gallery hosted the exhibition ‘Airgeadoir’- Four Centuries of Cork Silver and Gold. Under a charter granted to the Dublin Goldsmith Company in 1637, that body became responsible for assaying or verifying that gold and silver wares offered for

Beesborough House and Estate: The estate of Bessborough House stretches from Lakelands to Skehard Road in Blackrock, a suburb of Cork City. Little is known of the early history of the house and estate. A date on the exterior of the house suggests that the original house was built in 1760. It appears that the

Blackrock Castle: Situated on the banks of the River Lee at Castle Road, Blackrock, Cork. This castle is one of Cork’s best known and historic landmarks. Historically its location where the River Lee flows into Lough Mahon provided a perfect defensive position for the medieval city. In 1600 a round tower was constructed by the

Situated on the southern side of the city half ways between the Kinsale Roundabout and Cork Airport on the right hand side. There is a signpost to show the way and a pathway down to the Rock which is situated in a shady glen near a babbling brook. This glen is quite secluded and no

 Situated at 3 Victoria Road. This is a gabled limestone-faced former warehouse, cleverly converted to an architect’s office while retaining its industrial external form and structural features. The building dating from 1870 is matched by a similarly designed and constructed building two doors to the south. The two-storied façade has squared rubble limestone walls with

Munster Literature Centre, 84 Douglas Street, Cork. Now known as “Frank O’Connor House” in honour of the writer who was born here in 1903. This premises now houses the Munster Literature Centre. The house is a rare example of a modest urban vernacular house, dating from the early 18th century. It is unusual because it

A Catholic Church. This church was built in 1776. It was a Dominican priest, Fr. Daniel O’ Brien who was responsible for the building of this chapel. A delicate sculpture of the “Dead Christ” under the high Altar, which is the work of John Hogan (1800-1858), a most distinguished Irish sculptor of the 19th century.

South Presentation Convent:  This convent is located south of the South Channel of the River Lee on sloping ground rising from the river valley. The site forms a triangle bounded by Douglas Street, Evergreen Street Abbey Street and Nicholas Street. It is a place of great historical significance relatively unknown to visitors and the citizens

This is the oldest surviving piece of architecture surviving in the city, namely the square tower of the Medieval Abbey of the Canons of St. Augustine. The Red Abbey is open to the public from Easter 2004 following extensive refurbishment. The €175,000 project involved the restoration of the Abbey itself and the re-surfacing of the