Travel Inspiration: Cobh in Ireland

In acknowledgement of St Patrick's Day, and the fact I had Irish grandparents, I thought I'd post a couple of photos from a visit to Ireland a few years ago. Cobh was one of our favourite stops.

A pretty fishing and harbour town, the most impressive sight on the approach to Cobh is the 19^th century Gothic St Colman’s Cathedral which sits on the hill overlooking the harbour. Situated on the Great Island near Cork, the harbour town of Cobh has links with many famous ships, including the ill-fated Titanic.

Developed during the eighteenth century, when the natural harbour was used to assemble the fleets during the Napoleonic wars, Cobh (pronounced ‘Cove’) became a health resort during Victorian times. In honour of Queen Victoria’s visit to the town in 1849, Cobh was renamed Queenstown and thus it remained until it reverted to its Irish name in 1920.

 

Refugees

Cobh was in an ideal position for Irish emigrants who wanted to escape their poverty and sail to the new world across the Atlantic, in hope of a better life in America. The terrible potato famines between 1845 and the 1851 left many unable to survive and, during this period, over 1,500,000 Irish people emigrated to America. It was also one of the great ports for transatlantic liners at the turn of the 20^th century.

 

These days, Cobh provides a lovely walk along the sea front with an art gallery at one end and Heritage Centre at the other where you can learn about its interesting history. I'd love to go back and explore this pretty, colourful harbour town again one day.

 

If anyone is inspired by their travels, you could try entering the Telegraph 'Just Back' travel competition.

 

Rosemary