The Emerald Isle has been on a phenomenal streak over the past decade. With a hot economy and construction boom, the mark of so many cranes over Dublin heralds a new era for Ireland.
The capital city, with attractions on par with major cultural centers across Europe, is compulsory on a tour of the country. This much is clear. However, the town corridor of Cork, Limerick and Galway is of supreme interest as well. The three popular stops comprise the very best of Ireland, with time warps into her past and wonderful visions into her future.
With a greater population of under 400,000 people, Cork precedes only Belfast and Dublin. A former monastic community as far back as the 6th century, the town with a superb natural harbor on the River Lee is now a vibrant hub. From the medieval Red Abbey to St. Finbarre’s Cathedral, a few days in Cork is more than enough to enjoy the beautiful attractions. Although County Hall, whose controversial design was met with much dismay in 1968, is the most prominent feature on the skyline, the Victorian St. Annes Psychiatric Institute, Cork City Hall and venerable Shandon Church Steeple are among the best architectural sites around town.
The Steeple boasts one of the most unusual weather vanes ever seen on a cathedral, in the form of a large salmon. In addition, the church clock tower is a local curiosity. Known affectionately as the Four-Faced Liar, the sides seem to display different times when you gaze up from the base of the structure.
Cork is a convivial city, with a lot great music and drama available. Be sure to visit a local pub for a taste of live music and take in a play or two at the Everyman Palace or Granary Theatre. The Cork Jazz Festival evolves in importance every year and the Cork Opera House, Lewis Glucksman Gallery and Crawford Municipal Art Gallery display to visitors why the city was the European Capital of Culture in 2005.
The town with the lovely name on the River Shannon is one of the most popular for tourism in Ireland. In order to contend with recent waves of new visitors, additional hotels and tour guides have made Limerick even more hospitable than before. The town has some wonderful charm in store, from medieval castles to a radiant nightlife.
Start with the castles and cathedrals. This is Ireland after all and Limerick has some gems that date back a thousand years. King John’s Castle and St. Mary’s Cathedral are the two most notable. The castle construction dates back to around 1200, from a commission by King John himself. The original walls, towers and layout of the complex represent a great tourist spot. With origins several decades before, St. Mary’s Cathedral has seen a good measure of wear and tear. Portions of the church were once part of a palace on the same site and the royal home of the King of Munster. As a historical structure, St. Mary’s is superlative and still holds daily services.
Other than great cathedrals and castles, Limerick has a neat retail district and a handful of cool clubs. Cruises Street and Bedford Row are ground zero for great shops and after dark, the town has a wealth of live music on tap, from jazz and folk, classical to rock.
The only major urban area in the province of Connaught, Galway is typical of many towns in Ireland, with unprecedented growth in recent years. No other city in the country in fact, has had a population spurt quite like Galway. If current forecasts hold, the city will break 100,000 inhabitants within the next two decades. Not quite Tokyo but for Ireland, impressive.
The last outpost in the Corridor that joins it with Cork and Limerick, Galway is a charismatic place. Recent waves of immigration from Africa and Central Europe have lent the town a new air, a development common to the rest of Ireland as well over the past decade. With a reputation as the cultural nexus of the country, Galway has a surfeit of attractions to offer. An inordinate amount of festivals and performance arts associations for one, in addition to great architecture.
The main structural attraction for most is the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas. The practical cathedral of record in Ireland, St. Nicholas was built in 1320, with numerous expansions over the years. Sharp students of architecture will notice that the church boasts many different styles, from Medieval of course, to Romanesque and Renaissance. Other vital points include the National University of Ireland campus, Eyre Square and the Meyrick Hotel.
Although the city has many festivals to choose from – they range in theme from comedy to literature, visual arts to oysters – the principal event of the year is the Galway Arts Festival, held every July.
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Id highly recommend Galway and Cork, you might get very wet at the moment but theres still loads goin on especially in Cork