I had no idea that there was a port in Ireland and that a group of passengers embarked on the…read moreTitanic from here. But I learned all about that when I visited the museum in Cobh. At the beginning of your tour, you receive a boarding pass-a replica of an actual passenger on the ship-and you follow their journey through the museum. You see where the different classes would have slept, dined and spent time being entertained. At the end, you can find out if your passenger survived or not. The museum itself is a little light, but does have some interesting things on exhibit. However, knowing that you're in the exact spot that passengers would have queued up to board is where the draw is. Such a tragedy and it's nice to be able to honor those people and learn more about their individual experiences.

This was a really well done experience. I thought it would be just a museum or a movie or talk or…read moresomething but they did their best to put us in the shoes of those who got on the ill-fated voyage from Cobh. I left saddened but with a greater understanding of what happened. I recommend.

Free admittance with a free guided tour through the castle - and in my opinion although smaller,…read moreBarryscourt is way better than Blarney. Our tour guide was excellent and very informative. The castle has been (and continues to be) restored so you get to see each floor as it might have been not just stone rooms without floors like at Blarney. There's a lovely small garden and an orchard within the walls. Close to Fota House and Gardens this is an excellent stop while you're in the area and you can make a full day out of it by also visiting Fota. Fota Gardens and Arboretum are also free.

BARRYSCOURT CASTLE Paid my first visit in decades to…read moreBarryscourt Castle, an impressive relic of the 16th century court of the Barry family. Impressive enough as a stark ruin in the 80s but now it's much improved and well worth a visit, particularly since there is no charge at all, and that includes the guided tour of the interior. Time was short yesterday so we contented ourselves with a walk around the outside of the castle itself, through the herb garden and a large orchard. There are records of an orchard there since the 13th century and this one, with dozens of apple varieties, is laid out according to the 16th century manner. There are smaller plantings of pears and quinces. There is an information office with very helpful and friendly staff, toilets and a cafe and it is just off the main national road (N25). It is a very pleasant visit indeed and I'll be back for a longer stay, perhaps during Heritage Week which takes place in venues across the country from August 21st. Most events are free to enter, some have reduced charges. This is one of many available. See the Heritage Ireland site http://www.heritageireland.com or pick up the comprehensive National Heritage Week brochure at your local library. http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/South-West/BarryscourtCastle/ Tel: +353 21 488 3864

Simply amazing! Love that you get to walk through the fort underground and love the views. The tea…read morehouse is overlooking the water. The volunteers are a wealth of information.

I think the most interesting thing about Ireland are the ancient relics that are still standing:…read moreeither alone off the beaten path, or alongside more contemporary structures. The Grange Stone Circle in Lough Gur, located in a field off of R512, is the former, and it is definitely worth visiting if you are near Limerick. It is the largest ancient stone circle in Ireland and dates to the late Neolithic/Bronze Age. It had a ritualistic purpose and the center aligns to the sun during the summer solstice. To consider that some of the stones were brought from 3 miles away is just astounding, as is the understanding that this site dates to 2,200 BCE. To think of the ancient peoples that walked here so long ago is certainly astounding! The stone circle is definitely an impressive site to behold! More information can be found here: http://loughgur.com/destination/the-stone-circle/

Bigger around than Stonehenge The diameter of the upright…read morestones is 45 meters (148 feet) The diameter of the capped stones at Stonehenge is 33 meters (108 feet)

Highly, highly recommend adding this to your Cork bucket list! The reading tour is 10 euros; I…read morebelieve the audio tour was 15 euros. We got to tour the prison grounds and learn about life in the prison, all while doing the reading tour. It was very eye opening, but very informative as well.

I know it's unfair to compare this to other jail tours in Ireland but it's really hard not to. The…read morearchitecture was gorgeous but the history was all quite surface level. I do appreciate them trying something different in tackling the stories of the jail and its prisoners.

CARRIGALINE-CROSSHAVEN WALK…read more This 5km walk, 10km return, is quite a pleasant one, with the estuary at your side all the way from outside Carrigaline to outside Crosshaven, not centre to centre. You may start at either end and there is also a car park at, approximately, halfway. The path, shared between bikers and walkers (dogs on leads are welcome), is tarmac all the way and there are quite a few seats if you need a break or if you want to picnic. It is laid out over an old railway line, is very clean and popular.

CURRAGHBINNY WOOD Curraghbinny Woods has a unique location,…read moresituated on a promontory overlooking Cork Harbour, Lough beg, the mouth of the Owenabue River and the village of Crosshaven. As you'd expect, there are many paths within its 86 acres and a burial chamber, topped with a cairn, at the top. The best walk is probably on the left of the entrance as much of it is close to the water. Great place to stretch the legs as I did a few days ago. Oh, by the way, the dog enjoyed it also.

MYRTLEVILLE Myrtleville village, close to Crosshaven, has a…read morehorseshoe shaped beach and it quite popular. Called there in mid-week and a handful of people (the schools had re-opened) were enjoying themselves. It is a small sandy beach and looked quite clean. There is no car park there and you have to find a place on the roads. But there is no shortage of parking at the popular Bonny Connellan's Bar/Restaurant which is just up from the beach. Quite a lot of cars there that afternoon - maybe a wedding reception in progress.

A lovely little cove like something out of a Famous Five story. A good place to see seals too.read more

FOTA HOUSE ARBORETUM and GARDENS This week, I went back to…read morethe Arboretum and Garden of Fota House for the first time in decades. Both were transferred to state care in 1996 and are now in the care of the Office of Public Works in conjunction with the Irish Heritage Trust. This is a world class visit and, amazingly, it is free to enter. This just can't last so get there while you can. Must say though, if an entry fee here is applied, there should be no cribbing. Similar venues on the continent, many of them nowhere near the same class as Fota, charge around ten euro entry. There are some splendid specimens here. The amateur like me can just look in awe but anybody interested in trees and plants will get so much more out of a visit. Quite a lot of the items are labelled and I came across a Lawson Cypress that was planted here in 1847 and a towering Japanese cedar, without a planting date, but which had reached 4.2 metre in diameter in 1966 and 4.5 by 1984. It is a not a very long walk but there are quite a few paths that loop back into one another and magnificent vistas, including water, open out as you wander round. The odd time you will see a piece of sculpture or maybe you will glimpse the big house through the greenery. Eventually, you come closer to the house. My first stop in this area was the Orangery where lemons and oranges (still green) were hanging from the glass walled and roofed enclosure. Then it is on to the Pleasure Garden which encloses big borders and also a rose garden and one little buildings where you may sit and take it all in. The entrance is through an arched doorway where a fig tree grows. Big displays of dahlias caught the eyes in the borders but they were just one of so many flowers and grasses. The roses, enclosed by sharply cut hedging, still looked good considering how late in the year it is.

DRAKE'S POOL You will pass Drake's Pool, a scenic part of…read morethe estuary, on the road from Carrigaline to Crosshaven. There is a car park nearby so you can stretch your legs and take in the pleasant view of the historic spot. Apparently, in 1589 or thereabouts (you will see other dates, though 1589 is the one on the nearby commemorative plaque), Sir Francis Drake (1540-96) was being pursued by elements of the Spanish Armada who chased him into Cork Harbour. But the Spaniards didn't have the local knowledge and sailed past the Crosshaven estuary and up towards the city instead. They missed Drake and his handful of sheltering ships and sailed out again. The relieved Englishman allowed a few days to elapse before venturing back to the open sea. It must have been a nervous time but today the location is all about relaxation, plenty of seats around the modest tree lined "pool" and many pleasure craft bobbing at anchor with not a care in the world.