Cork, long weekend - anyone been? Tips please

[SecondhandRose]

Saw Cork on Rick Stein the other night and we thought we might go there for a few days, get a flight from Stansted etc.

Can anyone recommend a place to stay, if we need car hire, how much is there to see and do. My children and 10 and 6.

Thanks

So no one's been then?

hi

i have been. stayed with friends though so don't know of anywhere to stay. my friend lived there for about 6 yrs before moving back to ni. i'll call her this evening and see if she can give me any ideas. also i'll ask her about car hire.

hi secondhandrose

i have just sapoken to my friend. they lived in ballincolling which is about 10 mins drive west from cork city centre.
places to stay, there are loads of b&bs on the western road in cork but can't recommend any as haven't stayed in them. they have stayed in the courtmacsherry hotel in western cork. they would recommend this. said there is a lovely beach here, horse riding, tennis couts etc.

car hire is best from the airport. i would really recommend a car.

she has four kids and had plenty of visitors with kids to entertain. said that these were what the kids enjoyed the most. blarney castle is located in blarney village(www.blarneycastle.ie) you can kiss the blarney stone here and apparently it gives you 'the gift of the gab'!!
cork city gaol is in cork city centre. her son's especially enjoyed this. she said it was a bit gruesome though. (www.corkcitygaol.com)

the road from clonakilty to skibereen has a wonderful playpark with an open farm and a fort and accient houses. can't remember the name of it but said this was one of the kids favourites.

fota wildlife centre is on the main cobh road. (www.fotawildlife.ie)

also would recommend the beach at inchadowney as it's beautiful and very clean.

cobh is the last place the titanic set sil from on it's maiden vovage and they have a titanic display centre there that you may find interesting (www.titanic-trail.com)

cork is also the european city of culture for 2005 and she says apparently there has been loads done for this.

there is also a brown thomas in cork city, very nice to buy yourself a treat!!

food wise cork is beautiful and really good for seafood, especially west cork bandon, skibereen, clonakilty, etc.

the irish website for here is www.corkkerry.ie

i love cork and waterford. they are both really beautiful. there is lots of driving to do however and the roads in west cork probably aren't the best in the country but the people are really friendly.

hth and you have a wonderful time if you go. if you need any more info give me a shout and i'll see if i can help you.

Hi SHR I would also recommend Inchydoney. They have apartments as well as being a hotel and there are not one but two fab beaches. Also Clonakilty nearby) is a nice wee town for wandering. At Inchydoney there is a spa with a devine saltwater pool.
www.inchydoneyisland.com

If you want a hotel thats central, Isaacs is nice, and they have an award-winning restaurant. In fact, Cork in general, city and county is far superior to Dublin for restaurants. ( Sorry if any Dubs are on this!) Kinsale is lovely also, we stayed in a B + B called "The Lighthouse" I think some rooms had four-poster beds but we didn't get one.

Oh just remembered the Irish version of this site which might be good for local insider mum info
www.rollercoaster.ie

Thanks ever so much, will print this off.

SHR