Wanted to drop by a Catholic church while we were in Cork, Ireland. We dropped by the Cathedral of…read moreSt. Mary & St. Anne. There was no mass taking place at the time so we were able to explore the church a bit and take some photos. Of course, we said our prayers and thanked God for the opportunity to visit Ireland. The church is very lovely. Highly recommend dropping in if you want to say a prayer and give thanks.

Have attended a few funerals recently in the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne (better known as the…read moreNorth Cathedral). The harsh stone of the outside indicates a similar interior but that, at least nowadays, is not the case, the inside being bright and airy. The church itself was commenced in 1808 but a later fire meant the interior had to be re-modelled in 1828 and GR Pain's work has been described as "one of the country's finest examples of a Florid Gothic Style of architecture". It is the chief Catholic church of the city and Bishop Cornelius Lucey, one of its most famous bishops, is buried in the grounds. The church holds records of baptisms and marriages going back to 1748. It is close to St Anne's of Shandon and on most bus tours and may also be found by following the very interesting Shandon Walk (available in the tourist office in Grand Parade).

HUGUENOT GRAVEYARD Many French Huguenots, fleeing religious…read morepersecution, came to Ireland in the 17th century and a few hundred settled in Cork, making a significant contribution to the life of the city. The more independent of these formed their own church in French Church Street (then Lumley Street)/Carey's Lane and later acquired an adjacent plot for use as a graveyard. This small graveyard is still in existence. It has survived attempts to build on it. Its future now looks secure. The site was acquired by the Corporation in 2006 and reinstatement work has been carried out since. It is now enclosed but one may view it and some information panels (illuminated in dark evenings) through the locked gate in Carey's Lane.

I woke up on Sunday with the urge to go to church, as it overlooked the Leonardo Hotel. I admired…read morethe beautiful stones and the church on the hill. I am so glad I decided to visit as the service was very uplifting. Everyone was welcoming, and Reverend Richie was especially kind. Afterward, I enjoyed coffee and a pleasant chat. Coming from Jacksonville, Florida, it was truly wonderful to be able to fellowship in such a lovely setting.

Trinity, Cork Presbyterian Church…read more Little William Street off York Street is the current (and long term) situation of the Trinity, the Cork Presbyterian Church. It is on an eye catching site at the junction of McCurtain Street and Brian Boru Street. The congregation was founded, mainly by Scottish settlers, in the 1830s and eventually a building was erected in Queen Street (now Father Matthew Street). The present Gothic-style building at Summerhill North dates from 1861 and has three distinctive stained glass windows to represent the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (the Trinity). About 30 families are now linked to the church and there has been a recent boost thanks to immigrants from places as diverse as South Korea, Hungary, Brazil, Cameroun, Nigeria and the USA.

THE PRINCES STREET CHURCH The Princes Street Unitarian…read moreChurch was built 300 years ago and when completed in 1717 became known as the New Meeting House. While the church, almost hidden away in the busy street, is in good condition for its age, repairs are needed and restoration is in progress. Grants from various public bodies help in the work but the public are also being asked to help though donations. "By opening this centrally located building for greater public use we are creating an attractive meeting place for groups that would otherwise have difficulty finding affordable space. The income thus generated will make this unique structure a self-sustaining feature of the life of Cork City." That seems to be the best path to the future though the building is pretty well known as it is already quite a busy place and used by many organisations for meetings. Even during the recent Heritage Day, a craft fair was being held in front. If you are interest in holding an event (eg classes or exhibitions) here, you are invited to ring 087 8101943. I made my first visit there that day, got a friendly welcome and the offer of a cuppa. Find out more by visiting the interesting website below. http://www.unitarianchurchcork.org/ 021 4383541

A small community of believers who are trying to express their life in Christ -togetherread more

SHANDON CHURCH St Anne's Church, high on a northside hill,…read moreis one of the most familiar landmarks in Cork City, visited by many tourists but generally ignored as a visit by the locals. I walked up there recently and enjoyed my stroll. The historic church has eight bells 8 which weigh 6 tons and first rang out over the city in 1752. The patients in the nearby (now closed) North Infirmary would often have been disturbed from their slumber by the bells' vibrations (lessened in modern times by improvements in placement). But it is the clocks on the sides of the church tower that have most engaged Corkonians over the years who jokingly called them the Four Liars as it was reckoned that the four clocks never agreed on the time! Not that I've heard that joke recently! The "Goldie Fish" mounted high on the church has entered the local literature and indeed Shandon comes up regularly in the songs and poems of the city. Fr Prout's nostalgic lines below are probably the most famous "With deep affection and recollection, I oft times think of those Shandon Bells" Nowadays, after your visit to the church, where you can get to ring the bells and enjoy the view over the city, you may take a rest on the seats in the adjoining St Anne's Park before walking back down to the city centre.

Playing "Fernando" and "Here comes the sun" while pulling on some heavy ropes is a very fun…read moreactivity. Living right under the bell tower for one year and half and having to endure the other false notes is a completely other story. The entrance is expensive and the climbing quite dangerous. The view is cool.

We stopped on our way back to the ship at the cathedral to see the beautiful architecture and the…read moreResurrection Angel. It was a rainy day but we could still see the outside of the cathedral. The legend of the Resurrection Angel is the ringing of the trumpets will sound an alert to the people of the imminent end of the world. I wish we had time to go inside but it was a beautiful church.

The Cathedral was designed by Willam Burges and was consecrated in 1870, also the Cathedral is…read moresituated in the centre of Cork City Ireland. It has a striking early French Gothic look to the building with three spires. It has a peel of eight bells and contains some fine carvings. The central doorway is a splendid one depicting the five wise and the five foolish virgins coming to meet the Bridegroom. Many the carvings of the cathedral were casted in plaster before being permitted by the Architect, which were then committed to stone. Architecturally i think its the finest building in the city of cork. I think the cathedral is a real gem for Cork.

ST PETER AND PAUL'S CHURCH The parish of St Peter and St…read morePaul's covers most of the city centre from Oliver Plunkett Street to the North Channel of the River Lee. The parish has baptism records going back as far as 1769 (now computerised). There is a stunning illustration, from the London Illustrated News of the time, of the interior of the landmark church, built in 1866, http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/stpatricksstreet/selectedbuildings/sspeterpaulschurch/ The spire that architect EW Pugin had planned for it was never built but the church, though now cramped by neighbouring buildings, is regarded as a "magnificent essay in Neo-Gothic". Paul Street. 4276573 http://www.corkandross.org/parishes.jsp?parishID=59