County Cork is the largest county in Ireland, there is also the city of Cork, but most cruisers to Ireland are introduced first, to the town of Cobh (often confused with the town of Cork) where they dock. Cobh is nestled on a little island called Great Island in an inlet along the jagged Cork coastline which is known for its magnificent scenery.
Map of the County of Cork
Map of Town of Cobh on Great Island
Docking at Cobh
Your cruise ship will dock in Cobh, (pronounced "Cove") and formerly known as Queensland. Cobh is a small, attractive town some 15 miles SE of Cork, the second-largest city in the Republic of Ireland. Walk off the ship and you're right in Cobh. Cruise ships dock in downtown Cobh and run shore excursions to Cork, the Blarney Castle, Waterford, Killarney, or the Irish countryside. However, Cobh is a nice place to spend the day if you want to just relax and enjoy a stroll around this pretty little village on Cork Harbor.
Buses waiting for excursion passengers Cathedral of Saint Colman stands high above the city.
Downtown Cobh Colorful row houses rise on terraces one above another
HISTORY
Maritime history buffs know that Cobh was the last port of call on the Titanic's tragic maiden voyage, and the Lusitania was sunk off Cork Harbor during World War I. The Titanic Memorial and Lusitania Memorial are both just a few blocks from the cruise terminal.
The Lusitania Memorial The Titanic Memorial
The Lusitania was sunk by a torpedo from a German U-boat. It sank in only 18 minutes. Over 100 of those killed in the sinking of the Lusitania ocean liner were Americans, and many think this event helped push the USA into World War I. Many of the dead are buried in Cobh, and the sinking of the Lusitania is often considered the second worst ocean liner maritime tragedy, next to the Titanic.
Hundreds of bodies were washed ashore
for days after the Lusitania sinking.
The corpses, men, women and children,
were placed in coffins and lined up
along the dock. A huge funeral
procession made its way through the
streets of Cobh to the cemetery. Many of
the dead were buried in mass graves,
marked by two crudely hewn stones.
Others victims, likely the more
affluent, were buried in individual
graves with headstones noting their
death on the Lusitania. A walk through
the cemetery is a sad reminder of tragic
event that eventually thrust the United
States into World War I.
Interestingly, Cobh was the Titanic's last port of call on her maiden voyage, and many Irish emigrants were onboard in the steerage class, making it a special tragedy for the country.
Though a visit to the cemetery might not be for everyone, it somehow seems appropriate for those of us who visit to pay our respects to the people who had lost their lives in this terrible, albeit important historical event.
Cobh was also the emigration point for 2.5 million Irish citizens who left Ireland for the United States or Australia. The first immigrants processed at Ellis Island started their journey to a new life in Cobh.
GEOGRAPHY - Cobh lies on the southern shore of Great Island in Cork Harbour. The town forms a half-circle facing the harbor. The land rises steeply from the harbor, and the town eventually developed along both the beach and on the hill.
WEATHER -
The temperature remains relatively moderate throughout the year, never
getting too hot to or too cold. Temperatures typically range between 40 and
50 degrees Fahrenheit (4 to10 Celsius) in the winter months and 60 to 70
degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 21 Celsius) in the summer months.
It rains a lot, and seldom snows. Accumulations are greatest in the West and least in the East and occur most frequently in the summer months. Storms can blow in from the Atlantic without notice. It can be sunny one minute and raining the next. It can be sunny, quickly shower, and once again become sunny. A few moments later, you would never know it rained at all. Often the rain does not last long and comes as soft showers or a fine mist. They often produce absolutely spectacular rainbows. Since the weather is often unpredictable, it is always recommended that you dress in layers that can be adjusted as the weather conditions change. Night temperatures are cool (even cold) and the days can be quite warm. Since Ireland is so far north, in the summer months it doesn’t really get dark until close to 11 PM so you have a full day to explore this beautiful little town.
TIME - Time zone is Western Europe. Use the Europe/Dublin ID
CURRENCY - Unless you feel more comfortable with traveler’s checks they aren't necessary if you have an ATM card. Almost every town has a bank with an ATM machine that will accept most of the standard US credit cards (the ATM limit for most machines is €300), and almost every shop, restaurant, pub, or attraction will accept the Euro (€) which is the currency standard in the Republic of Ireland (Southern Ireland). Ireland changed prices from the old Irish pound or punt (£) to Euro dollars which has made everything more expensive than it was a few years ago. In fact many printed signs at tourist attractions will still say £ but they mean €.
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