Mike and Sharon along the Wild Atlantic Way / Ireland October 2018

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First full day in Ireland! Did a long, enjoyable walking tour of the city of Cork that ended with a great dinner out.

Started our walk on the University College Cork campus, right next to the neighborhood where we are staying in a B&B. Beautiful and historic place, including the Main Quad, the student chapel, and a museum of ancient stones etched with the first records of the Irish language.

Walked toward the city center and saw St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral, the River Lee that runs through Cork and around the island that’s the old town area, and the famous English Market.

Wonderful place! Especially the fish market part! Heavenly aromas! Many of the good restaurants in Cork source their foods, especially the fish and seafood, from the market.

Browsed a great bookstore for an hour, then headed up a steep hill to the historic Shandon neighborhood north of the river, where we saw St. Anne’s Church and its golden salmon-topped clock tour and the Cork Butter Museum.

Walked back to the city center to do some window shopping for a place to eat tonight. By the time we finished that, it was after 5:30, and since we’d skipped lunch, we decided to eat then rather than walking all the way back to our room to clean up and change clothes. The place at which we decided to eat, Market Lane, had a great Early Bird dinner special, too.

The place was quite empty when we ordered dinner, but within an hour it was totally packed.

Sharon’s tomato chick pea soup and vegetarian moussaka and my seared sea trout were to die for, as was my Irish red ale.

After our lovely luscious dinner, we walked back to our place as daylight dimmed.

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Photos

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Fernroyd House B&B next to the UCC campus.

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Room with a garden view

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University College Cork, main quad

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An ancient Ogham stone, earliest form of Irish language writing

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St. Fin Barre Cathedral

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River Lee running through Cork City

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The English Market

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St. Anne's Church in the historic Shandon neighborhood

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A wonderful Irish red ale brewed locally for the Market Lane Restaurant

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Appetizers at the Market Lane

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St. Fin Barre Cathedral at dusk