Tourism in Cork

Cork City Council, Cork County Council and other agencies work together in linking the tourist attractions of the city to existing amenities in close proximity in the city including:

• The Ballincollig Gunpowder Mills
• Barryscourt Castle at Carrigtwohill
• Bessboro, Blackrock
• Blarney Castle
• Cork Butter Museum
• The Cork City Gaol , Sundays Well
• Cork Heritage Centre
•   Cork Public Museum, Fitzgerald's Park
• The Cork Vision Centre
• Jameson Heritage Centre Midleton
• The Lifetime Lab at the Old Cork Waterworks 
• Shandon Bells, Shandon
• Queenstown Heritage Centre Cobh

Cork City Council recognises the importance of promoting the City on the international stage as an attractive location for investment and for visitors alike and continues to develop international links when the opportunity arises. Cork City is the gateway to the South West, an area of outstanding natural beauty and Ireland's premier tourism region. Click here to link to the websites of

The Irish Tourist Board.

12Travel.com

Cork City Council works very closely with Cork Kerry Tourism (who are the regional tourism authority for the south west region) as well as Cork City Tourism and Cork Region Marketing. Initiatives have been presented to business and tourism interests by this grouping which should result in significant benefits.

In 1998 an estimated 531,000 overseas visitors spent one night or more in Cork city and 1.5 million overseas visitors come to the region. Within recent years major hotel development has taken place in the Cork City area. This includes the building of new hotels and significant upgrading of existing premises

Airport 

Cork Airport celebrated its 35th anniversary in October, 1996. Its passenger traffic now exceeds 1.5 million per annum and growth is continuing at a healthy rate. In order to keep up with the demands made by this increase, Aer Rianta is continually investing in its infrastructure and facilities. Between 1999 and 2003 it is proposed to spend £60m on the upgrading of facilities at Cork. The range of scheduled services also continues to improve with direct flights to London Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Plymouth, Bristol, Belfast, Paris and Frankfurt and Dublin.

Golf

Golf has become an important Cork tourism resource with a number of championship courses within a 10-mile radius.

Other Facilities

Sailing, Fishing, Horse-Riding, Scuba Diving, Hill Walking, Water-skiing and a myriad of other activities are available. The Arts are particularly vibrant, hosting many groups who are awarded financial support by Cork Corporation and Cork is host to the National Sculpture Factory.

Festivals

The City is long established as a Festival City and our ability to cope with vast crowds was amply demonstrated during the Cork Visit of the Tall Ships in 1991 when 700,000 people visited the City. The 1996 Naval Review and Maritime Festival were also hugely successful. In 1998 the Tour de France attracted thousands of visitors during its journey through Cork.

Cork International Choral Festival

The Cork International Choral Festival has taken place annually since 1954. Over the years, it has gained a reputation as one of the world's premiere choral festivals, noted for its presentation of outstanding amateur international and national choirs.

The Cork International Choral Festival presents many other exciting events that include Fringe and County Concerts, the Celebration of Church Music and the Composers in the Classroom Scheme.

46thCork International Film Festival

While it is too early to give an indication of the festival programme, the core screening will be comprised of feature films, documentaries and the ever popular short film programme. We receive entries for all categories from the four corners of the world. As well as the main festival programme there will be many side bar events such as Retrospectives, School's Programme, Seminars and Workshops as well as the festival club which round off the festival's attractions. 'Unreel' is the title of the festival's exciting children's programme.

Cork Folk Festival

The Cork Folk Festival, which runs annually over the first weekend of September, is firmly established as one of Ireland's leading folk and traditional music events. Encompassing a wide range of "live" folk music, national and international, the Folk Festival lays special emphasis on the rich cultural heritage, music, song and dance of Cork and Kerry. Since its inception in 1979 it has earned the respect of musicians and audiences alike and is frequently referred to as "The Friendly Festival"

Guinness Jazz Festival

The festival is now synonymous with the October holiday weekend.

CIT Arts Festival - November. (Sponsored by CIT, Murphy Brewery, An Comhairle Ealaion/The Arts Council, Cork Corporation, Cork County Council)

Cork Arts Fest is organised by the staff of Cork RTC in co-operation with the arts community of Cork City and County. The festival, in existence since 1993, has developed into a city-wide event, featuring a broad range of artistic activity throughout the arts venues in the City and County.

In 1993, Rory Gallagher came home to play a showcase gig at Arts Fest in what was tragically to be his last Irish concert. It is noteworthy that Paul Street Plaza has now been renamed Rory Gallagher Place and a commemmorative artwork by artist Geraldine Creedon has been put in place by Cork Corporation at this location.

In the following year, Nobel Prize Winner Séamus Heaney delighted the people of Cork with a memorable evening of poetry. Traditional music award winners Máirtín Ó Connor, Frankie Gavin and Joe Burke have all performed at Arts Fest. On an international level, the festival has featured Dance from Africa, Theatre from France, Jazz from England and Blues-Rock from America. On a local level, the festival has developed a community dimension which encourages the general public to participate in many of the activities. Children are catered for with a number of special events.

Midsummer Arts Festival, June:

Involves the people of Cork and visitors in a Festival that brings art out on the street through street theatre, visual art installations, concerts, literary events and a host of original arts spectacles.

Cork City Sports:

One of Cork's most popular sporting events takes place at the UCC Sports Grounds in June.

Eigse na gCuige

This festival of literature, in its third year, promises a range of local, national and international literary figures in readings and seminars.

St. Patrick's Day Parade, Carnival and Lord Mayor's Ball:

Tourism and Arts Facilities in Cork

Cork Opera House, Emmett Place - The largest performing arts venue in the region.

The Everyman Palace Theatre, McCurtain St - The main theatrical production and training venue for the Cork region.

Triskel Arts Centre, South Main St - Multi-disciplinary arts facility, including film, visual arts and art education.

The Firkin Crane, Shandon - Dance development centre.

Wandesford Quay Artists Studios and Gallery - Home to the Backwater Artists Group, the Cork Printmakers and a new contemporary art gallery, and includes restaurant facilities.

National Sculpture Factory, Albert Road - A large-scale artists' workplace.

The Kino, Washington Street - Arthouse cinema. 

Useful Links 

• Arts Council
• Arts Listings
• Backwaters Artists Studios
• Cork 2005 European Capital of Culture 
• Cork Artists Collective
• Cork Arts - Directory of city and county artists.
• Cork Film Centre
• Cork Opera House
• Cork Pops Orchestra
• Cork Printmakers 
• Cork Vision Centre 
• Crawford Art Gallery
• The Everyman Palace Theatre 
• The Fenton Gallery
• The Granary Theatre 
• The Kino Cinema 
• The National Sculpture Factory 
• The Triskel Arts Centre