Introduction

With a thriving industrial springboard in place and ambitious urban renewal already underway, there's a palpable air of expectation - a strong and compelling feeling that this is the ideal time and Cork City is the perfect place.

In 1991 the world's finest tall ships assembled in the magnificent maritime arena of Cork Harbour. Crowds filled every wharf and vantage point, straining for a view of the gentle giants; and perhaps even sensing an ancient link with the great ports of Europe.

The first recorded resident of Cork was a monk called Saint Finbarr who reputedly established a Christian monastery on the site in AD 650. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the city developed a cosmopolitan character as the new merchant class emerged. Many married into European families, returning with a wealth of cultural ideas that endured long after their fortunes were spent.

Today, the elegant tall ships have given way to mammoth tankers and luxury cruise liners. But the port is still a magnet for industry and influential in the city's commercial and cultural life.

A stroll around the city's much loved English Market - a gourmet paradise - reveals that Cork is a place still proud of its cosmopolitan nature. At this covered market in the heart of the city, huge tubs of gleaming olives vie for attention with a vivid celebration of organic produce. Come the weekend it's here you'll find the city's citizens tasting fine wines, pâtés, truffle oils and, of course, Cork’s celebrated farmhouse cheeses.