Description: Cobh, formerly known as Queenstown, is known largely for her role in Irish life in the 19th and 20th century tied mostly to emigration and disaster. A visit here is a stark reminder of how challenging life was in Ireland through the potato famine of the 1840's and later the disasters of the RMS Titanic and RMS Lusitania.
This port town served as the major departure point for those who sought a better life in North America as well as those prisoners not so fortunate, being sent away in coffin ships to Australia. Those stories are among the many told here at the "Cobh: The Queenstown Story" exhibit.
For €7.50 admission fee (discounts for students, seniors, and families) guests may take a leisurely stroll through the many exhibits and reenactment type displays portraying life in Ireland. Each tells of how the Irish lived and died during these especially challenging times. There are also some wonderful exhibits with artifacts from the White Star Line including china samples and other items dating back to the time of Titanic.
The Cobh Heritage Centre also provides genealogy services for those looking to find their ancestral roots here in Ireland. Of the 6 million people who emigrated from Ireland between 1848 and 1950, roughly 2.5 million left from Cobh.
For more information including hours of operation of this exhibit area, check them out at http://www.heritageisland.com/attractions/cobh-heritage-centre/ .
The Heritage Centre also has a couple of gift shops as well as a limited service/menu food bar. This is where Ellie bought a very nice "IRELAND" hoodie, as well as several gifts to take home. We strolled through and though about returning for lunch later in the day but instead opted for beverages and muffins elsewhere.
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