Pre-Christmas Cork

Many local attractions are closed in the winter but it's great fun just to stroll the streets, stopping here and there to warm up in an Irish pub. Don't miss the opportunity to ring the Shandon bells before climbing the bell tower for sweeping views of the city. Take the bus (or drive) out to Blarney to see the castle and kiss the world famous Blarney Stone - reputed to give the person who kisses it the gift of the gab.

Take a ride out to Cobh - not only stunning seaside scenery but of historical importance as the site from which many emigrants to America left Irish shores. Don't forget to try a drop of the local stout - Beamish - in one of the little back street bars preferably!

Quick Tips:

Do your research before you arrive if visiting in winter as many attractions are closed from late October until spring. Most shops don't open until lunchtime on Sundays (though a few do open earlier at Christmas).

Cork City has a couple of very well-known and highly regarded restaurants which are difficult to get in at short notice. Book in advance if you want to eat at Isaacs, Jacques or Greenes.

Best Way To Get Around:

Cork is a delight to see on foot. There's little traffic in the centre and it's quite compact. The train and bus stations are in the centre and between the two the whole of the Republic of Ireland is easily covered. The left luggage office in the bus station operates erratic hours - and the assistant thinks nothing of coming in late. Check carefully before using this facility.

Run by husband and wife Paddy and Jane Howe, this lovely house has two guests bedrooms to let. As soon as you enter this comfortable and spacious townhouse you see all manner of lovely pieces of art - ceramics, paintings, wall hangings, and more.

The guest rooms are on the first floor as is the small guest shower room/toilet. Hot water was available throughout our visit. Our room had two single beds, a wardrobe, dressing table, and easy chair. It also had a small washbasin. There were tea and coffee making facilities in the room and Paddy brought fresh milk and tea bags just after we arrived.

The beds were warm and comfortable, the room clean and nicely furnished. The area was peaceful and quiet so we got a great night's sleep. Paddy and Jane are experts on the local area and gave us an excellent street map, pointing out the quickest route into town. They also gave advice on local eateries.

Breakfast was cooked and served by Paddy; a choice of cereals followed by a cooked Irish breakfast (Paddy makes sure everything is cooked just as you like it!) - sausages, eggs, bacon, beans - and the most delicious soda bread! After that there was toast with jam or marmalade. And the freshly made coffee was great!

The rooms do not have a television set but guests may use the one in the lounge downstairs. Guests can also sit in the delightful garden when the weather permits (our December visit did not allow this).

Prices are as follows per person:
Single - 40 euros/night (including breakfast)
Double/twin - 30 euros/night (including breakfast)

Situated only a ten minute walk into town (fifteen minutes uphill coming back), this lovely option is to be recommended. Comfortable and homely with real Irish hospitality!

We initially dismissed The Red Pepper because it looked like a chain, but when we went back later and gave it a try, we were pleasantly surprised by the interesting menu. On the surface it looks like just another pizza joint, but look more closely at those menus and you'll find a wealth of surprises, including some local specialties like Clonakilty black pudding thoughtfully included as a pizza topping (on the West Cork Pizza), as well as Irish Cashel Blue cheese and locally produced meat.

I had the delicious chicken, shiitake mushroom, and coriander pizza at 11.65 euro, and my partner had the "hot spinach," which had as its toppings tomato, chili, spinach, and goat cheese at €10.95. Both were great—a good size; a terrific, crispy crust; and a rather near perfect base.

We didn't have starters but could have had anything from the usual choices of wings, garlic breads, soups, salads, potato skins, and so on. We also skipped dessert, but the selection of cheesecakes and pies looks good.

Bottles of wine start at around €17 for a house wine and go up as far as you can see! A coke will set you back €2.30 and a half pint of lager costs €2.30. Beers served are Heineken, Nastro Azzuro, Budwar, Coors, and Kronenburg.

The space is large, with several cosy sections set apart to break up the room. There was plenty of space between tables for an intimate meal and the music was audible but not intrusive.

Toilets are spacious and well-looked after.

The staff were efficient but not especially friendly. We had no complaints with the food, the service, or the location.

The Red Pepper is part of the Pizza Republic chain—I will never be soo snooty about chains again!

The Woodford is a popular pub in the heart of Cork's central shopping area. It look tiny from the outside but is actually cavern-like inside with high ceilings and while it is essentially one space, there are quiet nooks here and there.

You can go in just for a drink, but most people come in to eat. Service is at table, in winter you should try to get a table near the open fire as the big space and high ceilings mean it can be a bit draughty.

We found service a little slow with staff taking their time to clear tables. And if you sit at a table that needs clearing, you don't get served because they think you've finished!

My partner went for the chowder - a hearty fishy soup which was flavoursome and filling (6.95 euros). I had a cheese and ham panini which came with onion rings (oddly) and a good sized salad garnish (7.95 euros). A pint of Guinness came in at 3.90 euros and a diet Coke was 2.30 euros.

All the food was good and arrived quickly, piping hot.

The Woodford is a great spot to take a break from shopping or to catch up with friends for a drink. However if you sit around the edges of the restaurant you may find that your table has a sofa on one side and a normal dining chair on the other putting you at different heights and frankly the sofa is a little too low for the table. This was a minor gripe but it made my experience a little uncomfortable.

The Woodford offers modern good value dishes like soups, hot and cold sandwiches, burgers and salads as well as a few bigger main course dishes. Food is international with things like the emphasis on flavour.

Recommended for a pit stop.

From the outside of this pub you can see at once that it is something special; a typical Irish city bar with a lovely frontage using Gothic style windows said to have come from Kilkenny Cathedral. Inside the bar's centrepiece is a gleaming mahogany bar and behind the bottles of spirits twinkle in front of the Victorian mirrors. The interior is otherwise a little shabby but characterful. However, the upholstery has seen better days and the seats aren't very comfortable. In winter head for the snug at the rear and sit next to the fire. If you're alone avail yourself of the big pile of books on the mantelpiece - on the subject of Ireland's role in WW2. The pub is named for the founder of the Everyman Theatre next door and the pub is popular pre- and post- show with theatre-goers. It's also opposite Greenes and Isaacs, two of Cork's premier restaurants so good for pre- or post- dinner drinks.

The pub serves lunch from 12.30 to 3pm, dinner from 7.30pm. Between 3 and 6pm you can get soup and sandwiches. There was no food when we went around 6.30 but someone told us the salmon fishcakes are the speciality of the house.

Drinks-wise there is nothing unusual. Murphy's and Beamish are available and the main lager is Heineken. I was impressed by the wine which I served in quarter-sized bottles and is good value for money. Clientele is mixed - students to elderly men. Staff and customers were all friendly and keen to chat to visitors.

It's easy to see why this place has won awards. An authentic pub, good atmosphere and great service. There aren't enough of these places left.