February 2018
The below photos weren’t quite the set I was expecting to get with my trip to Cork! My mum is from Cork and every couple of years or so, I make a trip over. I thought I’d have a colourful set of drinks, food and sightseeing and be giving you my favourite coffee shops and things to see, as well as titbits of my fun catch ups with the family. Snow and housebound isn’t what I was expecting to happen when I booked this trip to Cork- what a crisis the UK and Ireland had for a few days there! Well, despite it not being exactly as I thought it might be, I had the best time 🙂
If you had to be snowed in anywhere, you’d want to choose Blackrock, with my cousin Joanne (I’d give you her number, but I don’t think she’d be too pleased) and Cork itself is beautiful, even if you might only get to see a smidge of it as I did this time. People might say you would expect hospitality from family, but I have never been so well fed and watered in all my life, and nothing was too much trouble. Joanne’s husband is an exemplary cook and has perfected the supply of large measures of gin. I am not sure but think my blood might have turned to gin with all the G&T’s I consumed as part of my gallant efforts in keeping warm! During snow days, what choice do you have?!
Cork is such a lovely city, and I would totally recommend if you haven’t been. I booked via Ryan air earlier this year for £45 only for a Tuesday-Friday trip. It’s not far to get to from London, and you will find plenty of cheap enough accommodation and regular buses to take you from the airport into the city.
My little list of recommendations for Cork if you haven’t been would be the following:
- Cork Gaol- formerly a prison, now a museum
- Mary Borough Hotel and Spa (https://www.maryborough.com/spa.html)
- The English Market- a vibrant and long standing indoor market
- The Imperial Hotel- this place is something else. Queen Victoria stayed here during her reign, and it is absolutely glorious. I went here for a few drinks following my cousins wedding last year, and totally recommend for a girls catch up, or a fancy date!
I hope to bring you more detailed recommendations for Cork, of tea and coffee shops, restaurants and sight seeing, when I return!
Pictures of snow snow snow- and Jack the dog!